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LA hotel and tour questions


rocky1
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We are a "young" senior couple sailing from San Pedro in February, looking for some planning help! Neither of us has spent any time in southern California since childhood.

 

We plan to spend 2 nights pre-cruise, tentatively at the Wyndham Santa Monica, so we will really only have 1 full day for sightseeing. The rest of our time we'd like to just hang out in Santa Monica and find some good local bars and restaurants. Would appreciate any feedback on hotel choice and recommendations for sightseeing tours and transportation to the port. (We don't want to rent a car.) We mostly just want to see the normal "touristy" things - but no theme parks - and would like to get to Griffith Observatory.

 

We'll probably spend 1 night post-cruise before flying out of LAX the following day about 1 PM. Seems like it would make more sense to stay in San Pedro (where there are at least a few points of interest) rather than near LAX??? (The Crowne Plaza has been recommended on these boards.) There is plenty of time to tweak these plans, so any informed advice will be a big help. Thanks in advance!

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Good choice for a conveniently located hotel--puts you close walking distance to Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park...

 

For touring LA without a car, many LA Tour companies will pick up in Santa Monica...The HOHO bus uses it as a hub--but it doesn't have a stop[ at Griffifth Observatory.

Some tour companies have tours which include Griffith Observatory...For example, look at this tour:

 

http://www.hollywoodtours.us/offer/21474/Grand%2DCity%2DTour%2Dwith%2DGriffith%2DPark%2DObservatory%2D%26%2DHollywood%2DSign

(Problem is that it looks like they don't pick up in Santa Monica!)

 

There are lots of others...just do a google search for LA tours...make sure they include what you want and pick up in Santa Monica...

 

These guys appear to include a stop at the observatory AND they pick-up in Santa Monica:

 

https://www.adayinlatours.com/la-city-tour-1

 

But, yes, there are others as well...

 

For getting from the Windham to the pier in San Pedro, I'd do one of the following:

 

Uber (or Lyft)

Super Shuttle--a shared shuttle will cost $52 plus tip for two one-way...but, it does come with the hassles of a shared shuttle...

Execucar--Super Shuttle's car service (so, not shared)--should be $73 plus tip...

 

After the cruise, almost anything is better than staying at LAX--unless you have a very early flight--which you don't. San Pedro is nice...There's maybe a little more to see and do in Long Beach--but that would be an extra Uber ride. If you stay in San Pedro, the Crowne Plaza would be my recommendation...

 

Good luck...

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If it was me for the day after the cruise I would take transport over to Long Beach which is a 15 to 20 minute ride and check into a hotel at Long Beach. There are several including two Hyatt hotels. You can enjoy pleasant walks and.or visit various site including the nice aquarium. Lots of nice choices for dining. Then in the morning make your way over to LAX.

 

I do not care for San Pedro and think very highly of Long Beach.

 

Keith

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Would appreciate any feedback on hotel choice and recommendations for sightseeing tours and transportation to the port. (We don't want to rent a car.) We mostly just want to see the normal "touristy" things - but no theme parks - and would like to get to Griffith Observatory.

 

The Wyndham is fine; not a great hotel, but a great location.

 

What in your mind are the "normal touristy things"?

 

The Griffith Observatory isn't easy to get to, I'd use Uber from wherever you wind up (Hollywood? Downtown? Farmer's Market?).

 

To get to Downtown is easy, just use the light rail. To get to Hollywood use the Big Blue Bus Rapid 7 route to Wilshire & Western where you can get the subway to Hollywood.

 

 

We'll probably spend 1 night post-cruise before flying out of LAX the following day about 1 PM. Seems like it would make more sense to stay in San Pedro (where there are at least a few points of interest) rather than near LAX???

 

Anything makes more sense than LAX, but more sense than San Pedro is Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey or even back to Santa Monica.

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check out metro.net for bus and rail info. $1.75 for two hours and you'll have to buy a TAPCard $1. There are senior rates but you have to jump thru several hoops to get one, not worth it for the casual traveler.

To get to Downtown LA from Santa Monica---

Expo Line- 7th Street Transit station under Pershing Square. From 7th Street Station take the Red or Purple Line to Union Station. Across from Union Station is Olvera Street, the Los Angeles Mission, Firehouse Museum, China Town and Phillipes French Dip.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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So for Hollywood, use the Rapid 7/Red Line Subway I mentioned earlier. To get to Beverly Hills from there you can Uber or Lyft, or use the HoHo bus that you can catch outside the Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

 

A studio tour, choose from Warner Bros or Paramount.

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