What to do in L.A. before flying home

[Go-Bucks!]

Our cruise gets back to L.A. (San Pedro) on Tues. Dec. 23 at 7 am. in the morning, but we don't fly out of LAX until 3:10pm.

 

Question for Southern California residents: Do we have time to catch a cab up to Graumann's Chinese Theatre to go on a one hour Hollywood Trolley Ride, then get a cab back to LAX by 1pm? The first trolley tour leaves at 9am. We want to do something fun in L.A. (neither of us has been there before); not just sit in the airport terminal all day. Mapquest shows it taking about 30 min. for each cab ride, but that doesn't count traffic.

 

If that doesn't seem workable time-wise, is there anything else that might be nice to do?? We'd love your advice and suggestions.

[Bruin Steve]

Our cruise gets back to L.A. (San Pedro) on Tues. Dec. 23 at 7 am. in the morning, but we don't fly out of LAX until 3:10pm.

 

Question for Southern California residents: Do we have time to catch a cab up to Graumann's Chinese Theatre to go on a one hour Hollywood Trolley Ride, then get a cab back to LAX by 1pm? The first trolley tour leaves at 9am. We want to do something fun in L.A. (neither of us has been there before); not just sit in the airport terminal all day. Mapquest shows it taking about 30 min. for each cab ride, but that doesn't count traffic.

 

If that doesn't seem workable time-wise, is there anything else that might be nice to do?? We'd love your advice and suggestions.

 

Here are the problems:

 

The brochure says the ship arrives at 7...but, realistically, you're not getting off at 7...The ship has to clear customs...there are often delays...and then there are lines getting off the ship...and you need to retrieve your luggage and clear customs...Expect to be off by 9:00...could be earlier, but plan on 9...

 

Next, Pedro to Hollywood in 30 minutes? Maybe if you're driving an Indy Car and they've cleared the freeways for you...Nobody gets across town on a Tuesday in LA in under an hour...and even that would take some luck...

 

Third problem is you have all of your luggage with you...Hard to take it off a cab and schlep it around Hollywood...

 

You are in the situation that is custom-made for one of those cruise line debarkation port shore excursions...They'll get you off the ship, handle your luggage and take you on a tour...That's what I'd do in this case...

 

If you were staying overnight, it would be different...

[Go-Bucks!]

Here are the problems:

 

The brochure says the ship arrives at 7...but, realistically, you're not getting off at 7...The ship has to clear customs...there are often delays...and then there are lines getting off the ship...and you need to retrieve your luggage and clear customs...Expect to be off by 9:00...could be earlier, but plan on 9...

 

Next, Pedro to Hollywood in 30 minutes? Maybe if you're driving an Indy Car and they've cleared the freeways for you...Nobody gets across town on a Tuesday in LA in under an hour...and even that would take some luck...

 

Third problem is you have all of your luggage with you...Hard to take it off a cab and schlep it around Hollywood...

 

You are in the situation that is custom-made for one of those cruise line debarkation port shore excursions...They'll get you off the ship, handle your luggage and take you on a tour...That's what I'd do in this case...

 

If you were staying overnight, it would be different...

 

 

Thank you so much for your advice. We are on a Princess cruise and I checked for any L.A. excursions, but there aren't any. We were planning on getting off the ship first (they let pax who want off early go first, but you have to take your own luggage with you), catch a cab, get to Hollywood for the 9am or 10am tour, then cab to LAX. Figured we could do that by 1pm. But the luggage is the biggest issue. Not sure if the tour place will let it stay there or not. We really don't want to rent a car - too intimidated by traffic out there and would take more time.

 

It would just be nice to not sit all day in an airport. :(

[Cruisin' Chick]

As Steve said, disembarkation doesn't always begin when the ship gets into port (on my last cruise the customs officials didn't board til after 8am).

 

And remember you'll be flying out at holiday time. Traffic heading toward LAX on the 22nd and 23rd will be massive as many people will be making their getaway then.

[slidergirl]

I highly doubt it that you could do Hollywood and be back at LAX in time to stand in the various lines to get onto your flight. There are too many negatives - rush hour on a workday, pre-holiday traffic at LAX. I would want to be in the first line at LAX no later than 2 hours before your flight. Depending on which airline you are taking, you might want more time. With the time frame you have, the only thing I could recommend would be to go down to Venice Beach. But, on a weekday, there isn't much happening. You might keep checking for those post-cruise tours on your cruise website - one might show up.

[jstducky]

The other thing you might consider, if this is an issue, is the cost issue. A cab from San Pedro to Hollywood's Chinese Theater would cost you a pretty penny. And then a cab from Hollywood to LAX, another pretty penny. Then consider the fact that none of these places are really that close to each other... San Pedro is to the south and west, Hollywood is to the North and east, and then getting to LAX from there would require you to travel back down South, approximately halfway between San Pedro and Hollywood.

 

You're easily looking at $100+ in cab fare to do both legs of your journey.