Questions about pre-cruise stay

[ppfqp]

I have been browsing the posts on this board and have found some very helpful information. I am hoping that some locals and/or some experienced cruisers might help me clarify our plans.

 

Background: My husband and I are traveling to San Diego in March for a business meeting and staying for the weekend. We're booked on the Monarch of the Seas, departing from San Pedro on Monday.

 

We'd like to drive from San Diego to the LA area on Sunday, stay at a hotel near the cruise terminal Sunday night, then return the rental car before boarding the ship on Monday.

 

1) How long will it take us to drive from San Diego to LA on Sunday? What traffic issues should we take into consideration? We have all day, and would like to make it a scenic, leisurely drive. Any recommendations?

 

2) Since we will have some time Sunday evening, should we look for a hotel in the Long Beach area rather than San Pedro? How long will it take us to get to the crusie terminal on Monday morning from Long Beach?

 

3) Does anyone know what time the Enterprise office across from the pier in San Pedro opens on Mondays? I am thinking that might be a good rental car option for us, since we want to return the car before we board the ship on Monday. How difficult of a walk is it (with luggage) from the Enterprise office to the luggage drop off/boarding area?

 

Thanks for any tips or advice! I am considering the Westin or Hyatt in Long Beach or the Doubletree in San Pedro for our Sunday night stay. Any input on those options is appreciated also.

 

Pam

[Splinter]

San Diego to LA on a Sunday late afternoon or evening is the "slow" direction. It can take 3 hours or more. You can save a little time by taking the toll road from Mission Viejo to Westminister but it does not save much. The busiest stretch is from San Diego past Del Mar, and then from Dana Point through the 405 & 5 freeway splits.

 

If you want to take a scenic drive, leave San Diego before noon. Take the Pacific Coast Hwy (101, Torrey Pines Road North) from San Diego all the way up the coast to Oceanside. There you will have to get onto Hwy 5 to get through Camp Pendelton Marine base. Once you get to Dana Point, watch for signs that indicate "Beaches" and Hwy 1. Get off 5 there. You can then drive up the coast through Dana Point, Laguna, etc. along PCH all the way to Long Beach if you want, or take head back to Hwy 405 anyplace after Newport Beach. Taking this route, give yourself at least 4 hours...more if you plan to stop much to see the sights, eat, etc.

 

On a Monday morning there can be a lot of both commuter and truck traffic between Long Beach and San Pedro, since you travel across Terminal Island, which is one of the busiest cargo ports in the world. I would give myself 30 minutes, even though with no traffic it is more like 10-15 minutes.

 

If you really just need a place to sleep and get a bite to eat, I would recommend just staying in San Pedro.

 

According to their website, the Enterprise location is open at 8AM on Mondays. They will shuttle you over to the cruise ship pier so you don't have to schlepp your luggage...it is about 3 blocks as it is all the way across the large parking lot at the cruise ship terminal, then across the street.

[ppfqp]

Thank you! That's very helpful.

[gratefulguy]

I second Splinter's excellent advice about staying in San Pedro (which the locals pronounce "Pee-droh"), because you have to cross 2 bridges to get from Long Beach to SP. I've had to wait more than an hour because of an accident or stall, because sometimes those happen after you've gotten too far to turn off or around.

There are many scenic spots on the coastal route--be sure to check a guidebook to see what interests you. There are also a few good spots north of San Pedro, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, overlooking the ocean, across to Catalina Island. The Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center would be a place to see whales and ships. This is north of the Trump Golf Course complex.

Happy Cruising

[ppfqp]

Thank you! I'll check them out.

[Cuizer2]

1) How long will it take us to drive from San Diego to LA on Sunday? What traffic issues should we take into consideration? We have all day, and would like to make it a scenic, leisurely drive. Any recommendations?

 

2) Since we will have some time Sunday evening, should we look for a hotel in the Long Beach area rather than San Pedro? How long will it take us to get to the crusie terminal on Monday morning from Long Beach?

 

3) Does anyone know what time the Enterprise office across from the pier in San Pedro opens on Mondays? I am thinking that might be a good rental car option for us, since we want to return the car before we board the ship on Monday. How difficult of a walk is it (with luggage) from the Enterprise office to the luggage drop off/boarding area?

 

Thanks for any tips or advice! I am considering the Westin or Hyatt in Long Beach or the Doubletree in San Pedro for our Sunday night stay. Any input on those options is appreciated also.

 

Pam

 

 

1) San Diego to Los Angeles on a Sunday is about 2 hours (give or take). It is about 120 miles (which some of the drivers do in about one hour - but you don't want to try that).

 

2) Long Beach is about 10 minutes away by car (see photo below).

 

3) The Enterprise office is open a full day on Mondays (it will open long before you should arrive). Do not take your luggage and the car to the Enterprise office. First go to the pier and drop off your luggage. Then go to the Enterprise office. That will make the walk back much easier. The Enterprise office is across the street from the pier and down about 2-3 blocks. Given the fence that is in the way, you are looking a about 1/2 mile walk back to the ship. See 2nd photo below.

 

 

 

See the main street (Harbor Blvd.) to the left of the train tracks? If I recall right, the Enterprise office is about where the street curves (near the bottom left of the photo).

 

That is not the Monarch in the photo below ...

 

[ppfqp]

Thanks! It really helps to have a visual.