Looking for constructive suggestions - LA area

[Mark O]

Hi...my wife and I and 20 yr old daughter are planning two nights in LA area pre cruise and post cruise. Arriving at LAX on Jan 8 for a Jan 10 Mariner sailing out of San Pedro. Here are our tentative plans, but I am looking to make it more efficient if possible while keeping the costs within reason. Will consider all suggestions.

 

Plane lands, 1/8, 4:20 pm. Renting car from Enterprise at LAX, staying at Hotel Maya in Long Beach - $262 total cost for 3 people, 2 beds, for 2 nights.

 

Planning to see Santa Monica and Venice on Sat, 1/9. May drive up to Getty Museum, depending on weather. Would like to connect with a friend who lives in Northridge/Sepulveda area, but may ask her to drive to meet us somewhere.

 

Drive to Enterprise in San Pedro on Sun morning, return car to Enterprise, shuttle to pier.

 

Jan 17 (Sun) - tentative plans to take Prime Time Shuttle to Omni Hotel in downtown LA. Booked two nights in Omni, 2 beds for 3 ppl at a total cost of $399.

Plan to do the Deluxe Movie Stars' Homes & Trolley Tour through Starlines Tours on Sunday. Then plan to have dinner somewhere within a 3 mi radius of Omni, since they offer free limo within a 3 mi radius.

 

Jan 18 (Mon) - tentative plans to either see Jay Leno show (have tix) or Ellen show, depending on whether I can get tix for Ellen (on list, but haven't heard yet). If we do Leno, will first do the NBC tour; if we do Ellen, will first do the Warner Bros studio tour. Either way, we plan to take public transportation to either NBC or Warner Bros studio. Dinner, again within a 3 mi radius of Omni. I'm a little concerned about the public transportation option because since they don''t let you bring phones with cameras into the studios, we'll be without phones for a long day on the road.

 

Jan 19 (Tues) - Prime Time shuttle to LAX for flight home.

 

 

 

What do you think of this itinerary? Can I do better?

 

Thanks.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Hi...my wife and I and 20 yr old daughter are planning two nights in LA area pre cruise and post cruise. Arriving at LAX on Jan 8 for a Jan 10 Mariner sailing out of San Pedro. Here are our tentative plans, but I am looking to make it more efficient if possible while keeping the costs within reason. Will consider all suggestions.

 

 

Plane lands, 1/8, 4:20 pm. Renting car from Enterprise at LAX, staying at Hotel Maya in Long Beach - $262 total cost for 3 people, 2 beds, for 2 nights.

 

 

Planning to see Santa Monica and Venice on Sat, 1/9. May drive up to Getty Museum, depending on weather. Would like to connect with a friend who lives in Northridge/Sepulveda area, but may ask her to drive to meet us somewhere.

 

 

Drive to Enterprise in San Pedro on Sun morning, return car to Enterprise, shuttle to pier.

 

 

Jan 17 (Sun) - tentative plans to take Prime Time Shuttle to Omni Hotel in downtown LA. Booked two nights in Omni, 2 beds for 3 ppl at a total cost of $399.

 

Plan to do the Deluxe Movie Stars' Homes & Trolley Tour through Starlines Tours on Sunday. Then plan to have dinner somewhere within a 3 mi radius of Omni, since they offer free limo within a 3 mi radius.

 

 

Jan 18 (Mon) - tentative plans to either see Jay Leno show (have tix) or Ellen show, depending on whether I can get tix for Ellen (on list, but haven't heard yet). If we do Leno, will first do the NBC tour; if we do Ellen, will first do the Warner Bros studio tour. Either way, we plan to take public transportation to either NBC or Warner Bros studio. Dinner, again within a 3 mi radius of Omni. I'm a little concerned about the public transportation option because since they don''t let you bring phones with cameras into the studios, we'll be without phones for a long day on the road.

 

 

Jan 19 (Tues) - Prime Time shuttle to LAX for flight home.

 

 

 

What do you think of this itinerary? Can I do better?

 

Thanks.

 

 

The part I have qualms about is the stay in Downtown LA. Most people who usually book hotels downtown are those who have business dealings there or those who don't realize how big and widespread LA is and don't realize our downtown isn't like many other citys' downtowns.

 

I would imagine the tour company would pick up from other hotels (that aren't downtown). Plus if you are planning to do public transit (which is mostly used by locals who don't have cars to get to and from work and other local places), getting out of downtown will take a major amount of time*, cutting into your limited time here. And will be a major hassle getting to either NBC or Warner as both are in the San Fernando Valley. Maybe one option would be to consider staying at the Sportsman's Lodge in the Valley, which has been getting major raves from Cruise Critic members who have stayed there pre-cruise lately.

 

*An example: we decided to go to the Central Library downtown one Saturday and it took us longer to get from the freeway onramp to the library (a few miles) than the 30 miles to go from Northridge to the onramp. Not kidding. That was on a Saturday afternoon and the driver was my hubby, who's been commuting between the Valley and downtown for 29 years now (so he knows his way around downtown).

 

As for Ellen, if they still have the overflow room (now named for Tom Hanks), then you should be able to get in.

[Mark O]

Thanks for the input. Do you really think the public transit option is a really bad choice? According to my research, one trip was a bus ride, the other was a subway and bus, and in both cases, the time via public transit was just an hour or a little more. I definitely wouldn't be renting a car if I stayed in downtown LA.

[yogi2929]

The subway system itself is relatively safe. The problem can be the areas where the subway and bus stops are for transferring. Some of the areas are not nice places to be after dark (or before dark for that matter).

 

The bus system in LA is not like the bus system in NYC (for example) there are long waits for connections.

 

Something to consider--We had taken the MetroLink and MetroRail to the Convention Center. To get to Chinatown we had a choice of taking a bus or backtrack on the Metro. We decided to take the bus. Found the bus stop. The bus never came for over an hour. We gave up and took the Metro.

 

I recommend renting a car for travels into the Valley.

 

Universal Studios is easy on the Metro, Warner's isn't.

[kenish]

Your precruise itenerary is a lot of back and forth on one of the most congested freeways in the area. From LAX you're going 30 miles south on I-405 on a Friday afternoon! A highway "perfect storm". Then you're going back north on Saturday, right past LAX to Getty Center/Santa Monica. Instead, I would spend Friday night in the Santa Monica area. You don't even need to use the freeway to get there from LAX. Head down to Long Beach on Saturday evening. This will save you probably 2 hours on the freeway and 70 unnecessary miles.

 

FYI, our public transit is improving but cars are still king.

[Bruin Steve]

...Arriving at LAX on Jan 8 for a Jan 10 Mariner sailing out of San Pedro. ...Plane lands, 1/8, 4:20 pm. Renting car from Enterprise at LAX, staying at Hotel Maya in Long Beach - $262 total cost for 3 people, 2 beds, for 2 nights...Planning to see Santa Monica and Venice on Sat, 1/9. May drive up to Getty Museum, depending on weather. Would like to connect with a friend who lives in Northridge/Sepulveda area, but may ask her to drive to meet us somewhere...Drive to Enterprise in San Pedro on Sun morning, return car to Enterprise, shuttle to pier....

 

Okay...boiling down the precruise, you are driving 25 miles south of LAX to check into a hotel in Long Beach, then coming back 35-40 miles north the next day to tour Santa Monica and the Getty (even another 10-12 miles further north if you head to Northridge) only to drive all the way back to Long Beach and to the port the next morning...

 

I would scrap the Maya and look, instead to stay on the West Side. Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood, even Culver City...You'd have a much shorter drive from the airport...It would even allow you to maybe enjoy a little of Santa Monica that night--some time on the Santa Monica Pier or strolling the Third Street Promenade...and freeing more time the next day to see and do a little more...I'd have the friends come down and meet you at the Getty or maybe Westwood...Then you make the single drive down to San Pedro on the 10th (wave to us...We'll be getting OFF the Mariner that morning...

 

...Jan 17 (Sun) - tentative plans to take Prime Time Shuttle to Omni Hotel in downtown LA. Booked two nights in Omni, 2 beds for 3 ppl at a total cost of $399. Plan to do the Deluxe Movie Stars' Homes & Trolley Tour[/u] through Starlines Tours on Sunday. Then plan to have dinner somewhere within a 3 mi radius of Omni, since they offer free limo within a 3 mi radius...Jan 18 (Mon) - tentative plans to either see Jay Leno show (have tix) or Ellen show, depending on whether I can get tix for Ellen (on list, but haven't heard yet). If we do Leno, will first do the NBC tour; if we do Ellen, will first do the Warner Bros studio tour. Either way, we plan to take public transportation to either NBC or Warner Bros studio. Dinner, again within a 3 mi radius of Omni. I'm a little concerned about the public transportation option because since they don''t let you bring phones with cameras into the studios, we'll be without phones for a long day on the road. Jan 19 (Tues) - Prime Time shuttle to LAX for flight home...

 

Okay...NO WAY I stay in Downtown LA...There's not much within 3 miles of the Omni (3rd and Olive) that I'd really recommend for a dinner...or to wait around for the hotel shuttle to come back and get you...

 

...and, it is not all that convenient to the places you have on your itinerary...

 

The tour companies will pick you up in lots of other locations anyway...When you are not on the tour, you will feel stuck at your hotel...

 

The places you plan on going are all up in the Burbank area (NBC, Warner)...A MUCH better option would be to stay closer to tht area...You might consider one of these: Sportsmen's Lodge, Hollywood Renaissance or one of the hotels at Universal--Hilton or Sheraton.

 

I would NOT use Public transportation of any kind from Downtown LA to Burbank--especially not knowing your way around the area...too easy to get lost or frustrated...I'd consider renting a car, but it may be easy enough to just use taxis from a Universal City area hotel--you would not be that far away from the destinations in Burbank...

 

Staying in better located hotels will add hours to your touring or relaxation time...

 

...and, you will have many, many restaurant choices in Universal or Hollywood within walking distance from these hotels...plus, you will be in areas where you can ctually walk at night...

 

Good luck...

[Jen1000]

I think staying in Long Beach is inefficient. You did not name anything you will be doing in Long Beach. That is totally out of the way for Friday's arrival and Saturday's tour plans. Try for either Santa Monica or in the airport area or somewhere in between. I have stayed at Embassy Suites South LAX and it was perfectly fine, I checked and rates start at $100 night and include full breakfast. Santa Monica can be expensive. Curt has some he likes but I can't recall right now. I know he also likes the Radisson in Culver City and that would be a much better location for Saturday's touring. That hotel starts at $70. There are reasonable options without going down to Long Beach.

 

Again, downtown LA is not convenient. Maybe consider a different hotel closer to where you are going.

 

Check on the phones, maybe they have a place to leave them.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

 

 

Jan 18 (Mon) - tentative plans to either see Jay Leno show (have tix) or Ellen show, depending on whether I can get tix for Ellen (on list, but haven't heard yet). If we do Leno, will first do the NBC tour; if we do Ellen, will first do the Warner Bros studio tour. Either way, we plan to take public transportation to either NBC or Warner Bros studio. Dinner, again within a 3 mi radius of Omni. I'm a little concerned about the public transportation option because since they don''t let you bring phones with cameras into the studios, we'll be without phones for a long day on the road.

 

Jan 19 (Tues) - Prime Time shuttle to LAX for flight home.

 

 

 

What do you think of this itinerary? Can I do better?

 

Thanks.

[Mark O]

Thanks for all your detailed replies. I think I am going to go for the Radisson Culver City pre-cruise and the Sportsmen's Lodge post-cruise.

 

Does anyone have an opinion regarding whether I should rent a car post-cruise when I am staying at the Sportsmen's Lodge and planning to do one of the studios the next day? It's about $100 for a shuttle from the pier to Sportsmen's, and probably $35 each way to the studios I plan to visit, plus the cost to get to the airport. Are there car rental locations near Sportsmen's? Or, should I go back to Enterprise for a minivan that will probably cost me close to $300 for 2 days including a drop off fee?

[Cruisin' Chick]

The shows will usually have a phone check. But I strongly suggest you label your phone (good adhesive tape with your name & hotel phone number -- don't put your home address on it). You never know when someone grabs a phone thinking it's theirs...and it's not.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Thanks for all your detailed replies. I think I am going to go for the Radisson Culver City pre-cruise and the Sportsmen's Lodge post-cruise.

 

Does anyone have an opinion regarding whether I should rent a car post-cruise when I am staying at the Sportsmen's Lodge and planning to do one of the studios the next day? It's about $100 for a shuttle from the pier to Sportsmen's, and probably $35 each way to the studios I plan to visit, plus the cost to get to the airport. Are there car rental locations near Sportsmen's? Or, should I go back to Enterprise for a minivan that will probably cost me close to $300 for 2 days including a drop off fee?

Mark O!

I've finally gotten back here, and you've had some great advice and direction so far...

Let me try to finesse some things for you a bit more...

For your Jan 8 to 10...

I like Radisson Westside for a decent LAX hotel with free LAX shuttles - but for your situation we can get you a bit better.

 

Click on the links to see pictures and info on each hotel...

Foghorn Inn

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13581085

Right in beautiful Marina Del Ray, in walking distance to Venice Beach.

Free LAX shuttle. Would save on gas money alone here.

 

Inn at Venice Beach

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=12754774

 

Cal Mar Hotel and Suites

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=451075

You can get a suite here at this family friendly hotel for a great price.

 

Let me give you this option in case you want a fun place with the same price as your Omni hotel...

Hotel California

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=451075

You could get one of their incredible surfer Suites (by the courtyard) for about $200 a night. They are really cool, and literally steps from the beach.

 

You could do without a rental car at these places if you wanted, as you are right where you want to be. You can walk south or north, and there's a nice little public bus/shuttle that circles around Santa Monica to Venice.

A rental car is an option, as well if you decide.

 

For after the cruise...

Since you want to see a show (Jay or Ellen) then you can do a shuttle or taxi, but a rental car will be less expensive in this particular case.

 

Some to check out:

Sportsmen's Lodge

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1037230&page=3

Looks like you can get a AAA rate for $143 a night.

This hotel is really close to both Jay and Ellen's. Car is easy. Cab wouldn't be bad at all.

They have a free hotel van that will take you to and from Universal (you could get tickets to Conan then, easy peasy free ride).

Then the Hop On Hop Off Bus from there to see either Jimmy Kimmel on the route, or Craig Ferguson on the route.

 

Even better could be Best Western Sunset Plaza

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=917446

Looks like you can get a AAA rate for $170 a night, and a suite for $200.

Great price for a ritzy area, and much nicer than downtown LA.

This will be in the Hollywood Hills area, so your daughter might appreciate that. This is directly on the HOHO Bus route.

 

Another cool option is Farmer's Daughter

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=555307

Right across the street from CBS Studios, Farmer's Market, and The Grove LA.

You can get a deluxe double double for $190 a night.

You have easy access to Craig Ferguson, Let's Make a Deal, and The Price is Right.

HOHO Bus right across the street.

 

Those give you some great options to think about...

Let me know if you have any more questions, or need more options.:D

[Mark O]

Thanks for the suggestions, including you, Curt. So we decided to stay at Radisson pre-cruise. Will either get a quick bite near the hotel on Fri night or drive down to Santa Monica for dinner. Any suggestions for places to eat? We'd be looking for a place with character, good food (seafood, Mexican, Italian) and not too overpriced.

 

Post-cruise, will be staying at Best Western, which includes a continental breakfast. I toyed with Sportsmen's, but since the BW is only about 2 mi from NBC studios,I figure I can do a cab relatively inexpensively. If it turns out I am going to see the Ellen show, I've reserved a rental car from Enterprise for $32. That should work out and save me some money on a cab.

 

Now I am looking for suggestions for dinner near BW for Sunday and Monday nights. Same criteria - character, good food, not too overpriced.

 

Thanks again.

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks for the suggestions, including you, Curt. So we decided to stay at Radisson pre-cruise. Will either get a quick bite near the hotel on Fri night or drive down to Santa Monica for dinner. Any suggestions for places to eat? We'd be looking for a place with character, good food (seafood, Mexican, Italian) and not too overpriced.

 

Post-cruise, will be staying at Best Western, which includes a continental breakfast. I toyed with Sportsmen's, but since the BW is only about 2 mi from NBC studios,I figure I can do a cab relatively inexpensively. If it turns out I am going to see the Ellen show, I've reserved a rental car from Enterprise for $32. That should work out and save me some money on a cab.

 

Now I am looking for suggestions for dinner near BW for Sunday and Monday nights. Same criteria - character, good food, not too overpriced.

 

Thanks again.

 

Pre-cruise...

 

Right near the Radisson, if you are tired and want to stay close, there's a local institution--"Dinah's"...

 

http://www.dinahsrestaurant.com/

 

It's been around for 50 years...it lacks any ambience whatsoever...it's formica tables and vinyl floors...but they make great fried chicken...and it's cheap...I always get the complete fried chicken dinner:

 

COMPLETE CHICKEN DINNER - (White w/Skin: 2 Breast, 1 wing) (Dark: 2 thighs, 1 leg) · Served with Soup or Salad, Two Sides, Roll, Banana bread & Choice of one: Soda, Coffee or Iced Tea $12.50

 

Can't beat it...

 

If you're driving out to Santa Monica, here's one of my favorites--actually where Venice Beach hits Marina del Rey (not really that far from you):

 

C & O Trattoria:

 

http://www.cotrattoria.com/

 

If you want Seafood...I guess you could head up the coast a little to Pacific Palisades and Gladstone's--where Sunset Blvd. hits the coast...be prepared, it gets crowded--the highest grossing restaurant in California...

 

http://www.gladstones.com/

 

...or further up into Malibu to Duke's:

 

http://www.dukesmalibu.com/

 

Either of these could give you a view of the Pacific from your table...

 

Not on the beach but a little closer in Santa Monica is Enterprise Fish Co.:

 

\\http://santamonica.enterprisefishco.com/fishco.html

 

There are lots of other restaurants in Santa Monica as well...too many to think of more right now...

 

As to post cruise:

I am not sure which Best Western you are staying in...It can't be the Sunset Plaza Curt mentioned--because that one is not only 2 miles from NBC...it's in Wet Hollywood and NBC is in Burbank...

 

If you are staying in Burbank, I don't know too many restaurants around there...One of my favorites is over in Universal City--Miceli's...one of the oldest Italian restaurants in LA...with singing waiters...(Call and ask about "show" times)...

 

http://www.micelisrestaurant.com/

 

Hope this helps...

Good luck...