Need help planning LA visit

[bayou cruiser]

I will be staying in Claremont for 3 days and would like help planning day visits into LA and the surrounding areas. We are going to be a group of 7 with a rental car. We'd like to just drive through LA and view the major sights like the Hollywood sign, the theatre, Rodeo Drive, Walk of Fame, ect and then head out to Santa Monica, Venice Beach and possibly Malibu. Is this all possible in one day? Also, restaurant recommendations are appreciated.

 

Then I need suggestions for the other two days, please.

[Splinter]

I assume you must be visiting friends or family if you are staying so far east in Claremont. You will have major traffic to battle getting to and from LA during rush hour from Claremont, so figure that into your calculations for travel.

 

Consider the Huntington Library as a place to visit. If you like architecture, esp. Craftsman's style, the tour of the Gamble House in Pasadena is wonderful. Descanso Gardens and the LA Arboretum are also good if you are into public gardens. If you are interested in history, visit the Palomares Adobe in Pomona.

[Bruin Steve]

I will be staying in Claremont for 3 days and would like help planning day visits into LA and the surrounding areas. We are going to be a group of 7 with a rental car. We'd like to just drive through LA and view the major sights like the Hollywood sign, the theatre, Rodeo Drive, Walk of Fame, ect and then head out to Santa Monica, Venice Beach and possibly Malibu. Is this all possible in one day? Also, restaurant recommendations are appreciated.

 

Then I need suggestions for the other two days, please.

 

Is there a particular reason you have chosen to stay in Claremont (i.e. kid in college there)?

 

I lived in Claremont from 1960 through 1966 (when I was a young child) and though a nice little college town (which, of course, has grown into overcrowded suburbia since the early 60s when I lived there), is not exactly "geographically desirable" for most tourists visiting SoCal...

 

I hope your rental car is a nice, oversized van because you are going to spend a lot of time with 7 of you crammed into it navigating the freeways of SoCal...

 

Yes, it is possible to do that "LA Tour" in a single day...but, get out early and be prepared for a lot of traffic, especially if you are doing this on a "workday"...

 

You're going to be driving about 40+ miles through commuter traffic on the 10 West through Downtown LA to the 101 North/West to Hollywood Boulevard to your first stop...I would just park in the underground garage at the Hollywood and Highland Complex (at the corner of Hollywood and Highland, of course)...Take the escalators up and aside from all the shopping and restaurants, you will find Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater, views of the Hollywood Sign, sections of the "Walk of Fame" out front and other often tacky attractions (like Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditorium) right in the immediate vicinity...If you want even more "Hollywood", you can (if there's no event taking place) find the Hollywood Bowl just a short way up Highland in the Hills on your left...and I am sure my buddy Curt can give you directions on how to drive right up to the Hollywood Sign itself...

 

You can pick up a lunch here...or...take Highland South to Sunset, turn right to Fairfax, then left on Fairfax and head to the Grove (Fairfax between Beverly and Third (right next to CBS Studios...Either stop on Fairfax at Canter's (just south of Melrose) for a great Deli lunch at one of LA's landmark restaurants or continue to the Grove (on your left) and get a sandwich or some BBQ ribs at Wood Ranch (one of my faves)...

 

Now go West on Beverly to Santa Monica and take a left into Beverly Hills...Rodeo Drive is about 8 or 9 really short blocs ahead, the commercial area is to your left...You can also wander off into the streets to your right (North of Santa Monica Blvd.) to take in the famed residential areas...

 

When you've had your fill of Rodeo Drive, head west on Wilshire...If you want to see a beautiful college campus, turn right off Wilshire onto Westwood Boulevard and follow it up into UCLA...Circle through campus, then come back down to Wilshire and make a right on Wilshire...This will take you into the heart of Santa Monica...Wilshire ends at Ocean Avenue...the Pier is to your left, you just passed the Third Street Promenade behind you...To get to Venice Beach, turn Left on Ocean (which turns into Neilson, which turns into Pacific...turn right when you get to either Venice Blvd. or Washington Blvd. and good luck parking...but do...and go walk on the boarwalk...

 

When done, jump back in the car and, probably time for dinner...lots of restaurants along Main Street (one block over from Ocean/Neilson/Pacific) or back around the Third Stree Promenade...or, head up Pacific Coast Highway and stop at Gladstone's (Sunset and PCH) or Dukes (21150 PCH) for a nice seafood dinner on the beach...

 

 

Oh, and now your trip back to Claremont is going to be REALLY LONG...Take PCH back down to Santa Monica, through the McClure Tunnel (which will turn you right into the 10...and maybe another 60 or 70 miles on the 10 all the way back to Claremont...

 

For the other two days, you could head up to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear for some mountain scenery, even skiing depending on time of year...Or you could head the other direction on the 10 out to Palm Springs...Of course, you could also do Disney...but remember, everything is a pretty long drive away...

 

Have fun...

[bayou cruiser]

Thanks, Steve, this is just what I needed. We're making a vacation out of college move-in for my son who will be attending Pomona. We're staying in Claremont for the first half of the stay and then moving to San Diego once he's moved into the dorm. I think you've read my mind because I did want to include UCLA into the tour and, yes, we've rented a large utility vehicle and will hope for the best. Would it be best to do this route on a Saturday or a Thursday?

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks, Steve, this is just what I needed. We're making a vacation out of college move-in for my son who will be attending Pomona. We're staying in Claremont for the first half of the stay and then moving to San Diego once he's moved into the dorm. I think you've read my mind because I did want to include UCLA into the tour and, yes, we've rented a large utility vehicle and will hope for the best. Would it be best to do this route on a Saturday or a Thursday?

 

You would definitely rather do it on a Saturday if you have that choice...You won't be competing for that Freeway time on the 10 with all of those commuters (though there's never a guarantee of light traffic). The more difficult part of a Saturday will be waiting for a table at a restaurant like a Gladstone's or a Duke's...but, heck, Gladstone's is even jammed on Thursday nights...

 

BTW, we're heading to New Orleans in a couple of weeks...Our older daughter just started her first "real job"...She took a position at Tulane...So we're going to go visit her just before the school year starts and she gets too overwhelmed...

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Thanks my Buddy BruinSteve (and prayers and blessings to you and yours;) )

 

Then to OP bayou cruiser!

 

Here's some specifics and ideas coming up on what I think you are looking for (to add to my buddy BruinSteve's always good info)...

 

Check these thread links below, and if I know your time frame I might be able to come up with more for your specific group!?!:confused:

 

First of all the general Hollywood LA down to the beach driving tour:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=511653

 

Hollywood sign directions:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=404640

 

If you want to drive by the Coast area between Santa Monica and San Pedro:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=500138

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Now if you want something going in the opposite direction and ideas

(heading east and north) mountains, deserts, beautiful rugged scenery...

And if your college kid is into snowboarding, skiing, hiking, etc.

This will give you all a taste of the amazing areas close by...

 

 

#2 More Adventurous Driving Tour...

If he's really into amazing scenery and experience all that LA has to offer, he could do a driving tour of the mountains and deserts in the area.

This is one of the things that I keep trying to explain to people about the wonder of Los Angeles.

If he does the previous tour of the beaches, then does it, he goes from one end to the other of all of Los Angeles.

It's one of the rare places where you can be at the beach in the morning, and skiing in the afternoon, or vice versa...

 

So here you go...

Drive north on The 15 Freeway...

 

Turn left (West) on Highway 138

Go through areas like this...

 

Turn left (West/South?) on Highway 2 (Angeles Crest Highway)

and pass by Wrightwood and other skiing areas...

(There will be snow here, but not really on the roads, unless it's just right after a storm) from about December to April...

Now again, here is why we have Winter Olympians like Shaun White from Southern California. They can live (like he does) in a beach town, surf and skateboard during the week, then get to the ski/snowboard areas in an hour or two.

 

Take Big Pines Highway (fork to the right) - N4

This will take you to Largo Vista Road, turn right...

Onto Highway 138, turn right

(even if you miss this turn, you will still end up on 138, just maybe about 10 or 20 minutes further)

This will take you through and along the southern edge of the

 

Mojave Desert...

Driving around here you will be near and around the locations for basically any movie or TV show where they needed a desert setting (in no particular order), including:

Kill Bill, Out of Sight, Seven, The Scorpion King, The Devil's Rejects, Joe Dirt, Identity, Nurse Betty, Breakdown, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, Lethal Weapon, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Planet of the Apes (2001), The X-Files, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and any number of Western films and TV shows...

This is a famous painting by David Hockney titled Pearblossom Highway #2

That I can present here under the fair use contract...

You can and should see it live and upclose at The Getty Center in Los Angeles.

It is the best image that I can find that reperesents this area, in it's beauty and starkness, and the highway, and Joshua Trees...

 

Keep going east down 138 to the 15 to return to your starting point...

 

Or if there is some more time...

Fork left and go on Highway 18 to Victorville...

Around here and especially Old Town Victorville are the locations for the films:

From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill 2, Grand Theft Auto, The Harvery Girls, The Hitcher, Kalifornia, Easy Rider, Stagecoach, The Hills Have Eyes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Erin Brockovich, and Lost Horizon...

 

After this, just head back down The 15 Freeway to get back to your starting point...

 

Hope this helps...

CJW

[bayou cruiser]

Thanks to CJW and Steve. I've decided to do the route suggested by Steve on Saturday and then the opposite route on a weekday suggested by CJW to take in the mountain views. We're also going to do a day in Temecula beginning with a hot air balloon ride and then a little touring of the vineyards. Any suggestions on this are welcome.

 

My son doesn't really like all the touristy things so I'm trying to do more of a general overview of the sights to give him an idea of what he'll have in store for the next four years.

 

Steve, you will love Tulane as will your daughter. I actually tried to bribe my son to stay in Louisiana and go to Tulane but the call of California and Pomona was too strong. Make sure you eat at K-Paul's before you leave NOLA. The French Quarter is back in full-swing and is cleaner and safer than ever, but just be careful and mindful of your surroundings in other areas as you would any large city. Let me know if you need any other dinning suggestions as to me NOLA is all about food and fufu drinks.........

[johnieo]

sorry CJW but right now hwy 138 is closed for expansion between interstate 15 and hwy 2 until the end of sept. or the begining of oct.

bayou cruiser what you have to do is drive past hwy 138 going north on interstate 15 to north bound hwy 395 go to Phelan Rd. turn left( west ) follow that about 10 miles to the little town of Phelan turn left on Beekley rd. turn left again on hwy 138 to hwy 2 then follow the road to the right.

I live in the area and have had to put up with the road construction for a few months now

 

John