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san pedro (cruise terminal area).....


cabinboy1945
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Not bad for safety depending on which hotel you use, but pretty much a zero for sightseeing. If you want to see LA there are better places, think Santa Monica and you ought to be prepared to drive. For more help you might give us more ideas about what you like to see and do.

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i'm so use to cruising out of florida,knowing where most everything is and the areas to stay away from and going into a new area that we don't know anything about,could be a disaster of a trip.....i've heard little about santa monica and san pedro area. what would be another area (close to the ports) that would be entertaining and safe.... hotels and restaurants mainly?

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We live in Los Angeles and there's not a lot of walking to places from hotels other than in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Other areas to consider are Marina Del Rey and Redondo Beach. And then of course there's Downtown LA. Check out hotels for all theres areas on TripAdvisor. Don't know about your budget but it will take some work to find a moderately priced hotel in and around the LA area. You might want to consider renting a car or using Uber or Lyft. Things are pretty spread out around here. I use a San Pedro hotel only if you were flying in to LAX, staying 1 night before your cruise and going from the hotel to the ship the next morning. Hope you find what you're looking for.

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. we are flying in 1 1/2 days early and then staying 1 day after before our flight. i was thinking of the sunrise hotel (so far).......

Try this tour on the full day you are in San Pedro.....https://sunseekertours.com/

 

Try this on the day after cruise.....http://www.lawaterfront.org/index.php

 

I would stay at Crowne Plaza. Look for "Bruin Steve" posts on places to eat and stay.

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We live in Los Angeles and there's not a lot of walking to places from hotels other than in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Other areas to consider are Marina Del Rey and Redondo Beach. And then of course there's Downtown LA. Check out hotels for all theres areas on TripAdvisor. Don't know about your budget but it will take some work to find a moderately priced hotel in and around the LA area. You might want to consider renting a car or using Uber or Lyft. Things are pretty spread out around here. I use a San Pedro hotel only if you were flying in to LAX, staying 1 night before your cruise and going from the hotel to the ship the next morning. Hope you find what you're looking for.

 

what hotel did you stay at in san pedro? i was looking into the sunrise hotel for 1 night.....

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I don't care for San Pedro.

 

Stayed there once and for us that was one too many times and I am probably one of the most positive people when it comes to travel.

 

Have also gone into town a few times when we have transited through this port.

 

Since you are spending 1 and 1/2 days pre cruise I would go somewhere else. Post cruise I still would look somewhere else.

 

We like to walk and found Long Beach very nice. Things to do between touring the Queen Mary, the Aquarium the boardwalk and walking around town. You would only be 15 minutes from the port by vehicle.

 

Other options and places we have stayed include Disneyland, San Monica, and Beverly Hills.

 

I would take a hard look at Long Beach for the pre cruise for sure or somewhere else. Lots of restaurants too and all of this is walkable and to me a nicer overall experience.

 

Keith

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San Pedro works for us but only because all we really want to do pre-cruise in Los Angeles is check in to our hotel, run over to San Pedro Brewing Company and have some drinks and burgers, hit the bar for a bit, and stop at the liquor store for a six pack before heading back to the Crowne Plaza. That's it. DW is from LA, and I spend enough time there. Other than seeing the Iowa once, we don't want to see anything else in LA, so Pedro is perfect.

 

If that describes your game, then San Pedro is for you. Otherwise, Keith is right. If you've got the time, go somewhere else.

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what hotel did you stay at in san pedro? i was looking into the sunrise hotel for 1 night.....

 

 

 

Be extremely careful about cheap hotels in the Greater LA area. Read reviews carefully and between the lines. San Pedro is a port area and has the same issues that port areas have had for ages.

Many recommend the Crown, Doubletree and, sometimes the Best Western.

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we changed our plans of staying in san pedro for 1 1/2....now only the day before our cruise,so it looks like san pedro.

We have chosen the Doubletree with a marina view room. The Cabrillo beach and aquarium are within walking distance and the hotel shuttle will take you to restaurants.

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We live in Los Angeles and there's not a lot of walking to places from hotels other than in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Other areas to consider are Marina Del Rey and Redondo Beach. And then of course there's Downtown LA. Check out hotels for all theres areas on TripAdvisor. Don't know about your budget but it will take some work to find a moderately priced hotel in and around the LA area. You might want to consider renting a car or using Uber or Lyft. Things are pretty spread out around here. I use a San Pedro hotel only if you were flying in to LAX, staying 1 night before your cruise and going from the hotel to the ship the next morning. Hope you find what you're looking for.

 

I wouldn't stay in downtown LA. Other than some condos near one's work (I condo and puppy sitted for a friend while she was on her honeymoon about 27 years ago and I didn't feel safe at all when taking out the poodle for midnight poops. I don't think it's gotten safer since then), people don't live in LA. There may be a few attractions, but you can see those on some city tours. I actually had to go downtown a couple of times this summer for hearings and was glad I was with others.

 

For just one day pre or post cruise, maybe San Pedro may be all right. But longer than that, why not look into Santa Monica (even though a bit more money) or a few other areas that are known for restaurants.

 

Of course, it's important not to go with cheap because that may mean a crappy hotel and/or a dicey area.

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spending a couple of days before and after our cruise. staying in and around san pedro and wondering how that area is, as far as sight seeing and safety/security?

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza and enjoyed it. Did the Queen Mary tour too.

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We are spending 4 days post cruise staying in San Pedro in November. The Doubletree is just too expensive for us budget minded travelers. We too were considering the sunrise hotel, but have made a tentative booking elsewhere. The Sunrise is situated in what appears to be a good location right by the waterfront, but it tends to get far more negative reviews than positive ones. So instead, we are staying in a cheaper motel, that actually gets higher marks for safety and cleanliness. It's the All Star Motel and it is a throwback to the 70s from the pictures online, but it is close and almost all reviews say it is well run and well staffed.

 

 

We are planning to tour the USS Iowa and Lane Victory, head to the Cabrillo aquarium and Cabrillo waterfront, visit the maritime museum, and maybe one more area museum if we aren't tired of museums by then. One day we will head over to Long Beach and visit the aquarium of the pacific, and one day we will head in towards USC and visit the Science center and the Natural History Museum. We are going to try and go everywhere on public transit, and it appears rather straightforward to accomplish that.

 

 

We have never been to San Pedro before but it certainly seems affordable and well situated to visit quite a number of sites and attractions in the surrounding area.

 

 

Don

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We are spending 4 days post cruise staying in San Pedro in November. The Doubletree is just too expensive for us budget minded travelers. We too were considering the sunrise hotel, but have made a tentative booking elsewhere. The Sunrise is situated in what appears to be a good location right by the waterfront, but it tends to get far more negative reviews than positive ones. So instead, we are staying in a cheaper motel, that actually gets higher marks for safety and cleanliness. It's the All Star Motel and it is a throwback to the 70s from the pictures online, but it is close and almost all reviews say it is well run and well staffed.

 

We are planning to tour the USS Iowa and Lane Victory, head to the Cabrillo aquarium and Cabrillo waterfront, visit the maritime museum, and maybe one more area museum if we aren't tired of museums by then. One day we will head over to Long Beach and visit the aquarium of the pacific, and one day we will head in towards USC and visit the Science center and the Natural History Museum. We are going to try and go everywhere on public transit, and it appears rather straightforward to accomplish that.

 

We have never been to San Pedro before but it certainly seems affordable and well situated to visit quite a number of sites and attractions in the surrounding area.

 

I guess it only goes to show that different people have different standards, tastes and expectations when it comes to travel.

 

For me, when choosing a pre- or post-cruise hotel, I highly value location and convenience, but also the quality of the hotel itself. I want my pre- and post-cruise stays to be a part of the vacation, not merely a logistical inconvenience to get our of the way. So, when I choose a hotel, I look for something at which I will enjoy staying--clean, safe, classy, convenient...with nice rooms and amenities. I love getting hotels for a good price...but, as my late father always taught me, there is a big difference between "price" and "value"...You really don't want just the lowest price...you want the best value--a good price for a high quality.

 

I also take most internet reviews with a major grain of salt. People reviewing cheap hotels usually have very low expectations...people reviewing 4 and 5 star hotels tend to have higher expectations.

 

To put it simply, I don't think any of the locals here would ever recommend the All Star Inn. Yes, it is cheaper than the Doubletree...but it is not even in the same class of ANYTHING...I would GLADLY pay quite a few dollars more to upgrade from the All Star to the Doubletree...It would make the difference of a very nice hotel stay versus four nights in a fleabag...

 

But, of course, we all have different standards...My wife doesn't like 3 star hotels...and will let me know it if I ever booked a substandard hotel. But, yes, I understand, to some people, price is the ultimate determinant. I would just advise to reconsider...

 

Also, with a four night visit, I don't think I would ever advise staying in San Pedro for 4 nights...it is NOT "well situated to visit quite a number of sites and attractions in the surrounding area"...San Pedro is pretty remote--about 20-30 miles to visit any of the usual tourist sites in the LA area...and, in LA traffic terms, 20-30 miles is a LONG way. And getting everywhere by public transit from San Pedro is not exactly the easiest thing in the world either...There is a bus line that goes from San Pedro up through a lot of the worst neighborhoods in LA to Downtown/Union Station...but there is no Metro line...In the Harbor area, that only goes Downtown to Long Beach. To get from San Pedro to Long Beach, taking the bus will take you a decent amount of time (getting from your hotel to the Queen Mary, for example, according to Google Maps,takes about 50 minutes, including some walking on either end plus a switch from the bus to the Passport shuttle...and with the buses leaving San Pedro only once per half hour).

 

San Pedro is a nice little town for a very short pre- or post-cruise...but four nights there is a bit much...None of the sites in San Pedro take all that long to see.

 

If you have never been to LA before, please know that there are many other areas to stay for that extended period of time with much more to see and much easier to get around from...Of course, as you should know by now, LA is an expensive hotel town. Cheap motels are cheap for a reason...

 

OTOH, while I would not find your "plan" in any way acceptable, I guess you might be very happy with it...

 

Good luck...

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I guess it only goes to show that different people have different standards, tastes and expectations when it comes to travel.

 

For me, when choosing a pre- or post-cruise hotel, I highly value location and convenience, but also the quality of the hotel itself. I want my pre- and post-cruise stays to be a part of the vacation, not merely a logistical inconvenience to get our of the way. So, when I choose a hotel, I look for something at which I will enjoy staying--clean, safe, classy, convenient...with nice rooms and amenities. I love getting hotels for a good price...but, as my late father always taught me, there is a big difference between "price" and "value"...You really don't want just the lowest price...you want the best value--a good price for a high quality.

 

I also take most internet reviews with a major grain of salt. People reviewing cheap hotels usually have very low expectations...people reviewing 4 and 5 star hotels tend to have higher expectations.

 

To put it simply, I don't think any of the locals here would ever recommend the All Star Inn. Yes, it is cheaper than the Doubletree...but it is not even in the same class of ANYTHING...I would GLADLY pay quite a few dollars more to upgrade from the All Star to the Doubletree...It would make the difference of a very nice hotel stay versus four nights in a fleabag...

 

But, of course, we all have different standards...My wife doesn't like 3 star hotels...and will let me know it if I ever booked a substandard hotel. But, yes, I understand, to some people, price is the ultimate determinant. I would just advise to reconsider...

 

Also, with a four night visit, I don't think I would ever advise staying in San Pedro for 4 nights...it is NOT "well situated to visit quite a number of sites and attractions in the surrounding area"...San Pedro is pretty remote--about 20-30 miles to visit any of the usual tourist sites in the LA area...and, in LA traffic terms, 20-30 miles is a LONG way. And getting everywhere by public transit from San Pedro is not exactly the easiest thing in the world either...There is a bus line that goes from San Pedro up through a lot of the worst neighborhoods in LA to Downtown/Union Station...but there is no Metro line...In the Harbor area, that only goes Downtown to Long Beach. To get from San Pedro to Long Beach, taking the bus will take you a decent amount of time (getting from your hotel to the Queen Mary, for example, according to Google Maps,takes about 50 minutes, including some walking on either end plus a switch from the bus to the Passport shuttle...and with the buses leaving San Pedro only once per half hour).

 

San Pedro is a nice little town for a very short pre- or post-cruise...but four nights there is a bit much...None of the sites in San Pedro take all that long to see.

 

If you have never been to LA before, please know that there are many other areas to stay for that extended period of time with much more to see and much easier to get around from...Of course, as you should know by now, LA is an expensive hotel town. Cheap motels are cheap for a reason...

 

OTOH, while I would not find your "plan" in any way acceptable, I guess you might be very happy with it...

 

Good luck...

 

Why refer to a motel as a flea bag if you haven't stayed there???

 

I detect an elitist attitude.

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Bruin Steve,

 

Thanks for your take on the situation and "our plan". This is the kind of perspective I might need to make some informed choices. You have local knowledge and we have never been to this particular area (all we have been to is the touristy areas of Anaheim and Santa Clara).

 

We simply cannot afford Doubletree prices, but there are several motels in Long Beach that are in the moderate price range. I agree that the online photos of the All Star Inn do not inspire. I was hoping for something a little better, but that had the best reviews in the lower price range.

 

Would you have the same take on the Sunrise motel in San Pedro? Would that be a "step up"? As I said, I shied away from that one because of the numerous negative reviews, but it does look better online (but that can be very deceiving)

Maybe we will switch to Long Beach.

 

Couple other questions -

Is there a place in the terminal or anywhere where you can store baggage post cruise for a few hours so we can visit places like the Iowa and Lane Victory before heading over to Long Beach - if we decide to stay there - after the cruise?

 

From what I saw of transit, there appears to be Silver line (route number #910) that goes pretty much from Union station to the Cruise port. We are coming in via AMTRAK from San Diego (where we are spending a few days pre-cruise) and thought we would take that bus to the Cruise Port. Is this a good plan or not?

 

There also appears to be bus service from Gaffey St to Long Beach on route 142. We thought we would take this over to Long Beach. Is this the route you said would involve some walking and the better part of an hour? We walk everyday, so some walking usually isn't the issue for us, but we don't want to blunder off into areas of dubious safety.

 

Thanks for your help. I will await your reply and reconsider our plan.

 

Don

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Why refer to a motel as a flea bag if you haven't stayed there???

I detect an elitist attitude.

 

I've never stayed at the Union Rescue Mission in Downtown either....but I know enough to know that I wouldn't want to stay there...

 

Go ahead and call me an "elitist"...in this situation, I will consider it a compliment.

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I've never stayed at the Union Rescue Mission in Downtown either....but I know enough to know that I wouldn't want to stay there...

 

Go ahead and call me an "elitist"...in this situation, I will consider it a compliment.

 

I have seen infestation reports at some highly rated hotels, but will not disparage them without proof.

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Bruin Steve,

 

Thanks for your take on the situation and "our plan". This is the kind of perspective I might need to make some informed choices. You have local knowledge and we have never been to this particular area (all we have been to is the touristy areas of Anaheim and Santa Clara).

 

We simply cannot afford Doubletree prices, but there are several motels in Long Beach that are in the moderate price range. I agree that the online photos of the All Star Inn do not inspire. I was hoping for something a little better, but that had the best reviews in the lower price range.

 

Would you have the same take on the Sunrise motel in San Pedro? Would that be a "step up"? As I said, I shied away from that one because of the numerous negative reviews, but it does look better online (but that can be very deceiving)

Maybe we will switch to Long Beach.

 

Couple other questions -

Is there a place in the terminal or anywhere where you can store baggage post cruise for a few hours so we can visit places like the Iowa and Lane Victory before heading over to Long Beach - if we decide to stay there - after the cruise?

 

From what I saw of transit, there appears to be Silver line (route number #910) that goes pretty much from Union station to the Cruise port. We are coming in via AMTRAK from San Diego (where we are spending a few days pre-cruise) and thought we would take that bus to the Cruise Port. Is this a good plan or not?

 

There also appears to be bus service from Gaffey St to Long Beach on route 142. We thought we would take this over to Long Beach. Is this the route you said would involve some walking and the better part of an hour? We walk everyday, so some walking usually isn't the issue for us, but we don't want to blunder off into areas of dubious safety.

 

Thanks for your help. I will await your reply and reconsider our plan.

 

Don

 

Don, I am not a great expert on mass transit...like most Angelenos, I rarely take it. Our buses are really not designed for tourists...they are used mostly by poorer working class people without cars to get to work and back. They make numerous stops and take lots of time. There's no place for your luggage. I do believe Amtrak has an Express bus from Union Station to San Pedro that you can purchase with your train ticket and which may be a better choice.

 

But, since you are coming from San Diego, you may want to consider NOT heading all the way up to Downtown LA only to turn around and come back to Pedro. Another option--which might be cheaper and quicker than the train is Greyhound. I believe they run buses directly from San Diego to Long Beach and, possibly San Pedro...

 

As to San Pedro hotels, I really wouldn't recommend the Sunrise either. IMHO, I would really stick with the Crowne Plaza or Doubletree...maybe the Best Western...but it really goes downhill from there...and fast.

 

I've got a "short list" for Long Beach. And you are probably not going to like the prices there either.

 

Some notes on Long Beach: It's a BIG city...population of around 500,000. There are good parts...and there are some really bad parts. There is a very nice convenient area Downtown...and there are some other nice areas way over on the East side of LB...but they are not all that convenient. If you find a really low price on a Long Beach hotel, chances are it is in a really questionable location. Long Beach DOES have a bit more to see and do than San Pedro...and a lot more restaurant and shopping choices. But you really need to be in the right part of town. The hotel short list is the Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric at the Pike, the Renaissance, the Westin (A list), then the Hilton, Maya Doubletree, Renaissance Inn Downtown (B list)...Maybe the Queen Mary, the Best Western Convention Center (the one on First, NOT the one on Long Beach Blvd.).

 

Stay in that area of Long Beach and you will have free use of the Passport Shuttle and easy access to the Metro Line (if that's how you want to get around LA). You will be in easy distance of the Aquarium and the Queen Mary.

 

If the prices are distressing to you, you may want to try Priceline, bidding 3-4 stars in San Pedro or in Downtown Long Beach. Sometimes you can get a great deal at a top hotel that way.

 

As far as storing luggage in San Pedro, I do not know of any such service. You might try contacting one of the nearby hotels--like the Crowne Plaza--and ask if they'll do it for you in exchange for a tip. I probably would fib a little and say I had a flight out of LAX late in the day and NOT THAT I was staying somewhere else! Maybe the Iowa would let you just drag your luggage with you to the tour no maybe leave it somewhere there...the Iowa is right next to the cruise terminal.

 

Good luck...

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Since we are now just going to drive to the LA ports for cruises we will have a car. Our next cruise we will be renting a car and staying at Double Tree (we have stayed there many times) since it is a long cruise. Normally we drive our vehicle and park it at Double Tree and take their shuttle to the port a few miles away. The better hotels in San Pedro and Long beach have a shuttle to take you to the port. Since there is not much to do in San Pedro that is walkable (it is all up hill from the port hotels) It would be better to stay in Long Beach. Price line is a good choice for a decent hotel because you can see on a map where they are located. Try to pick a a hotel with a free shuttle to the port.

 

I grew up in that area in the 50's and it has really changed from a Navy town to sleepy little town.

 

Norine

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