Mexican Riviera Questions

[gopher's girl]

I'm booked for January - since this is snow season I am planning to fly in before and stay later... any ideas on how many days I should allow? Is one night enough? Any good hotel recommendations to be in a good spot to get to the pier or to do a little sightseeing? The Diamond leaves out of Long Beach I think?

 

Any other recommendations for the entire cruise would be fantastic ;) [hotel, flight, the Diamond, etc.]

[DoniaG]

Gopher's girl - See the thread called "Marina Hotel - San Pedro". Lots of good info there. Donia

[spingal]

Gopher's Girl,

 

The Diamond leaves out of San Pedro for the fall Mexican cruises. So I would check with your TA to see if it is still leaving from San Pedro or has changed to Long Beach.

 

If it is snow season then I suggest coming into LA two days before your cruise. There is lots to see and do in LA!!

 

Hope this helps.

[srphnx]

More is better, 2 to 3 days is about right, there is a lot to do, and a cruise will be a good way to relax and get ready for fun.

[Cruisin'40]

How long should we allow for a Super Shuttle to the ship trip? We are flying in early for our Jan cruise and will be returning a rental car to the airport and taking a shuttle to the ship. :)

[blueeyedangel]

We will be on the Diamond in October and we were notified of the change in port from Long Beach to San Pedro...guess the Long Beach location isn't ready for the Diamond or Sapphire yet. If memory is correct I believe that they said this was for mexican cruises from October to January. I would check with your TA to confirm your port departure.

[nho9504]

Have you been in LA and San Diego area before ?

 

Weather in January is very nice (comparing to the snowy North East).

 

If you can, come down a day or two early, rent a car (about $25-27 a day). Then you are not confined to stay at the hotels near port.

 

Diamond departs from San Pedro, a harbor town (and a very small one too). Very little to do in San Pedro. However, neighboring Long Beach has a lot more activities.

 

Up and down the coastal area there are lots of beautiful beaches if beach is your thing. Or you can do LA. Getty museum is absolutely gorgeous, and it is free, only charge for parking.

[pinupprincess]

We will be on the Diamond in October and we were notified of the change in port from Long Beach to San Pedro...guess the Long Beach location isn't ready for the Diamond or Sapphire yet. If memory is correct I believe that they said this was for mexican cruises from October to January. I would check with your TA to confirm your port departure.

Hmmm, we are on the Diamond in December and according to our TA we are leaving from LA. Guess I better check again to be sure.

[alaskabound3]

For the Getty -Be sure to make reservations for parking. The museum is located way up on a great mountainside in a very nice area of LA and to get the OK of the neighbors had to come up with a method to control the crowds including the car parking. The solution is that you must make advance reservations for parking. A nice tram will then take you up the mountain to the museum itself. Both the grounds and the museum have great views! Enjoy!

[Hornet]

Hmmm, we are on the Diamond in December and according to our TA we are leaving from LA. Guess I better check again to be sure.

I believe when your TA said LA ~ that means the San Pedro port.

[nho9504]

For the Getty -Be sure to make reservations for parking. The museum is located way up on a great mountainside in a very nice area of LA and to get the OK of the neighbors had to come up with a method to control the crowds including the car parking. The solution is that you must make advance reservations for parking. A nice tram will then take you up the mountain to the museum itself. Both the grounds and the museum have great views! Enjoy!

 

We have been there twice - the latest was Dec 2002. Did not make reservation on either location. They opened a HUGE overflow parking lot further away from the original parking area. I mean HUGE. I cannot imagine the overflow lots can be full (unless there is a function being held at the museum). It was a 5 minutes hike at least from the overflow lot to the gate.

 

Definitely worthwhile to visit if one has never been there. The view is magnificent - from the mountain to the sea. Gorgeous structures.

[nho9504]

Hmmm, we are on the Diamond in December and according to our TA we are leaving from LA. Guess I better check again to be sure.

 

LA Port is at San Pedro. Yes, we will leave from San Pedro because Long Beach pier is not big enough to accommodate Diamond.

[gopher's girl]

Thanks for the ideas :) I will have to check back with my travel agent for the point of departure.

[alaskabound3]

The Getty parking policy has changed from when I had last visited.

 

http://www.getty.edu/visit/hints.html

 

The above is the weblink for the Getty.

 

Do I need a parking reservation to come to the Getty?

No. Parking reservations are no longer required at the Getty Center, but parking is based on availability.

 

Do I have to pay admission to the Getty?

No. Admission to the Getty is free. However, there is a $5 per car parking fee.

[elliair]

We'll be on the Diamond Princess the week of January 22. We always stay at the Best Western hotel which is near the pier. We are driving down from Northern California, so we leave our car at the hotel while we are cruising. There's a marina area across from the hotel with shops and restuarants. There's also a restaurant next to the hotel that is pretty good. Also, on a side street next to the hotel is a Mexican restaurant. The hotel serves a continental breakfast, it also has a pool and hot tub. They also have a shuttle that will take you to the ship. We have in the past gone down a couple days ahead to check out the activities, etc. There's plenty to see! Will you be on the Princess the same time as me?

 

P.S. The Diamond leaves from San Pedro.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

How far is long beach pier from the San Pedro Pier??

[joyceyw]

We have been there twice - the latest was Dec 2002. Did not make reservation on either location. They opened a HUGE overflow parking lot further away from the original parking area. I mean HUGE. I cannot imagine the overflow lots can be full (unless there is a function being held at the museum). It was a 5 minutes hike at least from the overflow lot to the gate.

 

Definitely worthwhile to visit if one has never been there. The view is magnificent - from the mountain to the sea. Gorgeous structures.

nho9504 is right. You don't need to make reservations for the Getty anymore. The Getty is nice but my opinion overrated and not something I would take friends to visiting L.A. for the 1st time. There are sooo many other touristing things to do if you only have 2 or 3 days. Plus the Getty is off the 405 Freeway and from Long Beach, I live near L.B. is a minimum a 1 hour drive. As the 405 stays crowded all day. This is not an exaggeration, I avoid the 405 at all costs.

Some suggestions:

Long Beach: Shoreline Village (shops, restuarants) and The Pike. (very new, still some building but has shops, and restuarants. There's also a Walmart in Long Beach near the Pike. also several shops, movie theaters in the general vicinity of the Pike and shoreline village. The Queen Mary has a Ghosts and Legends tour.

 

The City of LA: Hollywood/Vine Street. Shops, Restuarants, Kodak Theater, Walk of Stars, Manns Chinese Theater. You can also buy maps to the stars home etc. You can also see the Hollywood sign. I see it everyday from my office. Downtown L.A. is China Town. Olvera Street.

 

Venice Beach even in the winter is a "cultural" phenomenon (sp?). there's always people out selling their goods, performing etc. It may even be warm her in L.A. in Jan. 70's, which is warm enough for Venice Beach. Also muscle beach is there.

 

Finally if your in to amusement parks Disneyland, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Knotts Berry Farm, and several water parks.

 

These are just some of the things I can think up off the top of my head.

[nho9504]

How far is long beach pier from the San Pedro Pier??

 

6 miles from Long Beach downtown to San Pedro Pier according to San Pedro website.

 

Hertz Long Beach city office told me it is a 10 minute cab ride at most.

[merela]

as well. When I mean cold in LA, it's like low 60s during the day and mid-50s at night. But we have experienced low 70s in January as well. LA rarely rains, but it happens.

 

If you enjoy the beaches, the beach areas (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach) between LAX and the San Pedro port are wonderful to visit. The hotels in these areas tend to be less expensive than hotels in Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey.

 

The Hollywood/Melrose area is about 45 minutes north of LAX (airport); Getty is about 25 minutes north of LAX (without traffic); downtown LA (not much to see) is about 20 minutes from LAX. Beverly Hills is about 30 min-45 min away. Universal Studio is about 45min-1 hr north of LAX, Disneyland is about 45 min-1 hr south of LAX. It's hard to get around LA without a car rental.

 

If you want to do themeparks, you need to allot at least a day for each theme park. LA is not an easy city to get to know because all the famous landmarks are scattered all over.

 

If you have time, you may want to venture south to San Diego (Legoland, Seaworld, San Diego zoo).

 

It really depends on what you want to do and what you like to see.

 

I think you can book a hotel via Priceline near the airport and just shuttle in/taxi in to the port the next day. Taxi from LAX to San Pedro cost somewhere between $25-$40 depending on traffic. Saturday mornings can be crowded on the 405, but if your departure date is on a Sunday, then there is not much traffic Sunday mornings. Check http://www.biddingfortravel.com for the latest prices for hotel rooms near the airport.

 

I think 3* Hilton LAX is around $41 (priceline bid). There is free shuttle between the airport and most airport hotels. There may be free shuttle service from airport hotels to Manhattan Beach malls. if you don't feel like renting a car, just get a taxi from the airport hotel to downtown Manhattan Beach (2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean) and you can experience great beach restaurants and beach lifestyle. The taxi will cost you max. $10 each way. There is always public transportation. From the central bus terminal of LAX, you can take Bus 232 and cover all 3 beaches (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Redondo Beach). Hermosa Beach is where all the beach volleyball players like to live. Redondo Beach is also known as Hollywood Riviera. Bus 232 incidentally goes all the way to Long Beach along Pacific Coast Highway.

 

Some people likes to book near the ports, but then you are limited to the areas near the hotel if you don't rent a car.

 

HTH.

[nho9504]

Joyce, how far it is between Long Beach downtown and San Pedro pier ?

 

I am for renting a car. Without a car you are missing out a lot of options.

Currently we fly in a day early and have a Hertz rental. Pick up at LAX, drop off at Long Beach city location. Hertz will reimburse cab fare up to $10 for the ride between Long Beach city and San Pedro pier. Someone posted Enterprise has a location right accross street from San Pedro pier and they dropped off their rental there. (also picked up at LAX).

 

So, can you locals tell us how far it is between LB downtown and San Pedro pier ? Many thanks.

 

We would not stay at San Pedro - there are lots more things to do in the beach areas as you mentioned. Also south of Long Beach you will find Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and further down, Dana Point, and all the way to San Diego - are all nice areas to visit. Much nicer hotels than at San Pedro too.

 

I do agree with the comments about I-405. :mad:

 

Unless you combine a vacation in LA area with a cruise vacation, I dont think it is possible to do theme parks as you need at least a full day or may be two, in Disney's case, to really enjoy them. Also you would be exhausted after spending a day in theme park.

 

I agree Getty is overrated in terms of its collection - it was discovered few years ago, some of their high priced purchases were fakes. What a shame. However, the view from Getty alone is worth the visit. For the same reason, we also love Mulholland Drive - the view on the ridge is just incredible.

 

We also enjoy Santa Monica, especially strolling it at dusk, then visited the little amusement part. It has a festival atmosphere.

 

We have been in LA at least 4 times, never make it once to Mann's Chinese Theatre. I told hubby this time we have to make a point to visit this tourist spot.

[joyceyw]

Joyce, how far it is between Long Beach downtown and San Pedro pier ?

It's a 15 minute drive at the most. There over the bridge from each other.

 

The Sheraton Harbor in San Pedro is a nice hotel.

 

I forgot about Mulholland Drive. San Pedro also has a nice lookout point right after the Japanese Bell but before you get to Pt. Ferman.

[Splinter]

It is about 5 miles from downtown Long Beach to the San Pedro cruise pier.