Re: Los Angeles????
I was gonna say... L.A. itself IS touristy!!
I was gonna say... L.A. itself IS touristy!!
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agen_kolar
Super Freak
Re: Los Angeles????
Sounds like a good trip - but what is Whistler?
I know I won't be able to walk everywhere, but I just didn't want to rent a car and not really go anywhere. But if that's the case, LA may have to be a one day stop instead; driving in LA doesn't really appeal to me!
The plan atm is, LA, Whistler, NYC, London, Paris, Hong Kong.....and probably somewhere in between Paris and HK.
Sounds like a good trip - but what is Whistler?
agen_kolar
Super Freak
Re: Los Angeles????
Ah, very cool. Any ideas as to where you might go between Paris and Hong Kong?
I suggest Prague, Czech Republic.
Ah, very cool. Any ideas as to where you might go between Paris and Hong Kong?
I suggest Prague, Czech Republic.
Re: Los Angeles????
I'll have to totally agree there.......
I just moved down here last week, and I will say that even when I came here for two days to VISIT the schools I wanted to attend, I rented a car and THAT was a HUGE help.... I would HIGHLY recommend just forking out the money and renting a car. The city is HUGE and walking will get old really quick.
I just lived in San Fran for a year, and THERE you could walk everything, but NOT LA.......
I don't know much around here there. The only things I know of are the touristy spots..... I haven't even had much time to explore and discover things, but what I have seen are obviously the touristy parts (which if you're VISITING it's cool to see that anyways) I can list off the few things that I HAVE seen, but I will warn you they are the touristy stuff (which I like at times)
- Sunset Ranch (Hollywood sign) just discovered this yesterday on my own
-Hollywood blvd (Chinese theater, Kodak Theater, Wax museum)
-Sunset blvd
-Getty Museum
-Pink's hot dogs (I think on Sunset?)
That's just to name a few that I know of. I'm sure there's a TON more, but like I said, I JUST moved here....
Good luck with your visit I just drove down here from SF, and the drive in the uHaul SUCKED!
Yeah, good question- Why West Hollywood?
And I hope you're planning on renting a car. Not much you can do without one.
I'll have to totally agree there.......
I just moved down here last week, and I will say that even when I came here for two days to VISIT the schools I wanted to attend, I rented a car and THAT was a HUGE help.... I would HIGHLY recommend just forking out the money and renting a car. The city is HUGE and walking will get old really quick.
I just lived in San Fran for a year, and THERE you could walk everything, but NOT LA.......
I don't know much around here there. The only things I know of are the touristy spots..... I haven't even had much time to explore and discover things, but what I have seen are obviously the touristy parts (which if you're VISITING it's cool to see that anyways) I can list off the few things that I HAVE seen, but I will warn you they are the touristy stuff (which I like at times)
- Sunset Ranch (Hollywood sign) just discovered this yesterday on my own
-Hollywood blvd (Chinese theater, Kodak Theater, Wax museum)
-Sunset blvd
-Getty Museum
-Pink's hot dogs (I think on Sunset?)
That's just to name a few that I know of. I'm sure there's a TON more, but like I said, I JUST moved here....
Good luck with your visit
I just drove down here from SF, and the drive in the uHaul SUCKED! 
ProgMatinee
circlesendwheretheybegin
Re: Los Angeles????
sounds like a crazy trip. i'm not a huge fan of those kinds of trips personally, too much hussle and bussle, not long enough in one place, etc, but i can see maybe being from auz it might be better cause the flights are so long no matter what.
sounds like a crazy trip. i'm not a huge fan of those kinds of trips personally, too much hussle and bussle, not long enough in one place, etc, but i can see maybe being from auz it might be better cause the flights are so long no matter what.
Re: Los Angeles????
Well, I'm not sure what the cabs are like here..... But I can almost promise you that you will be spending more money on cabs than you would on just renting your own car. I rented a Toyota Camry hybrid for about $80 for 2 days..... WELL worth the money IMO
I just think it's much more worthwhile to commute at YOUR leisure and not by waiting around for cabs, buses, etc..... You can get a lot more done that way
Well, I'm not sure what the cabs are like here..... But I can almost promise you that you will be spending more money on cabs than you would on just renting your own car. I rented a Toyota Camry hybrid for about $80 for 2 days..... WELL worth the money IMO
I just think it's much more worthwhile to commute at YOUR leisure and not by waiting around for cabs, buses, etc..... You can get a lot more done that way
Re: Los Angeles????
Haha. Is it because we drive on the RIGHT side of the road and not the left???
I honestly think that it'll be much better of an experience out here when you can commute at your leisure.... But if you're filthy rich and want to pay for cabs, then by all means BE MY GUEST
Lol, can you all tell how reluctant I am about driving in LA?
Haha. Is it because we drive on the RIGHT side of the road and not the left???
I honestly think that it'll be much better of an experience out here when you can commute at your leisure.... But if you're filthy rich and want to pay for cabs, then by all means BE MY GUEST
Re: Los Angeles????
I wouldnt stay in W Hollywood for being centered. IT is in in center of that area but you have very few options to get in and out of the area.
AS others said no car could be hard. You can get some places via public transportation fairly easy but a lot of others places no so much.
I am not sure why you want to see downtown, downtown LA is no like any other downtown. Its pretty much only buisnesses not much else there aside from the shopping dist(where you can get some good fake or stolen high end items) and the diamond district. Its not really tourist friendly. Ask anyone who went to Star Wars CIV.
I would normally say stay in Santa Monica since 99% of people coming to LA want the beach but based on where you coming from that wouldnt be as big of a deal I guess. I would maybe stay in Hollywood but then I cant really think of places to stay there. Universal City would be away from anything else you want to do. The biggest problem with "L.A" is how spread out it is. Most places you go there is not much outside the the actual city limits but what people call L.A. from the center of city goes 50+ miles in every direction. Any interest in stuff in Orange County (ie Disneyland).
But I am totally open to any advice you guys give me, perhaps I shouldn't stay there? I didn't really want to go to far south.
I wouldnt stay in W Hollywood for being centered. IT is in in center of that area but you have very few options to get in and out of the area.
AS others said no car could be hard. You can get some places via public transportation fairly easy but a lot of others places no so much.
I am not sure why you want to see downtown, downtown LA is no like any other downtown. Its pretty much only buisnesses not much else there aside from the shopping dist(where you can get some good fake or stolen high end items
) and the diamond district. Its not really tourist friendly. Ask anyone who went to Star Wars CIV. I would normally say stay in Santa Monica since 99% of people coming to LA want the beach but based on where you coming from that wouldnt be as big of a deal I guess. I would maybe stay in Hollywood but then I cant really think of places to stay there. Universal City would be away from anything else you want to do. The biggest problem with "L.A" is how spread out it is. Most places you go there is not much outside the the actual city limits but what people call L.A. from the center of city goes 50+ miles in every direction. Any interest in stuff in Orange County (ie Disneyland).
Re: Los Angeles????
I would say Hollywood but I am not sure how much time that you can spend there. But then I have lived pretty much my whole life and have never been to Hollywood to just look around, pretty much only go there for events. I would say still hit up Universal , go Loko around Santa Monica and even Venice beach(lots of interesting stuff going on there). Past that only other thing I could say would be Disneyland, unless you really no into Disney.Yes, the fact you drive on the WRONG side of the road is a little daunting.
Okay, no downtown then. We want to have a look around Santa Monica, but as you said, not much of a big deal; we have plenty of beaches here! I guess we just wanted to stay around Hollywood somewhere, because that's the main place we wanted to see.
But as I said, I'm open to any suggestions as to where to go and what to do.............
The ill Jedi
ILLest of 'em all!!
Re: Los Angeles????
Umm, Sam? The Red Line runs right underneath Hollywood and even goes to Universal Studios.
Re: Los Angeles????
Yeah but they dont put you that close to anything you would want to see in that area. Maybe 3-4 miles from most the places you want to see.
Umm, Sam? The Red Line runs right underneath Hollywood and even goes to Universal Studios.
Yeah but they dont put you that close to anything you would want to see in that area. Maybe 3-4 miles from most the places you want to see.
Dusty
just me
Re: Los Angeles????
Not true! the subway stop is AT Hollywood and Highland (well, underneath), and the Universal stop is only a short walk up the hill from Universal Studios. AND it goes downtown, with a stop 2 blocks from the LA convention center/Staples Center. It was very useful to me during Celebration IV because I lived within walking distance from the Lankershim/Universal stop at the time. You can also take it to Union Square, which is kind of interesting, with some shopping if you are into that.
Plus, the Green Line has an LAX stop (with a free airport shuttle that actually takes you to and from the airport, to and from the rail line).
You can definitely get by for a couple days in LA without a car! Here's what I would do if I were only visiting for a couple of days and wanted Universal to be one of my stops:
Stay in Hollywood, as near to Hollywood and Highland as possible (that's the only place you'll really care about seeing in Hollywood anyway - walk of fame, Mann's Theater, handprints, Kodak Theater wax museums, lots of places to eat and drink, etc). There are a few hostels right there if you are wanting to save money, or a few higher end hotels if you don't care about expense.
If you like to go out to pubs, the Pig 'N Whistle is right there, plus a few other 'club' type of places are within walking distance of Hollywood and Highland, not to mention all the restaurants and bars in the mall right there. (but I'd suggest the smaller pizza/mexican/pub joints along Hollywood Blvd., rather than the chain stuff in the mall - you get more of the local flavor with the smaller places - in both food and clientele)
To get to Universal Studios, just hop on the red line subway going North/West and it's only one stop to the 'Universal City' stop. Then walk up the hill and you're there. You can easily spend 1 day at Universal (at the park and then looking at all the random stuff and/or going to a movie at Universal CityWalk, which is the giant mall right outside the park).
If you want to go downtown or Chinatown, or whatever, take that same red line subway going the opposite way (south).
The only problem is the rapid transit (subway/train) doesn't go to the beaches I'd take the Green line to get as close as possible (Redondo Beach stop), then take a bus. If you want to go to Santa Monica beaches, though, you are kinda SOL with that route - would have to take buses all the way. The beaches are all closer to LAX than any of your other locations, so maybe make your beach stop either the first or last thing you do (on your way in from the airport, or back to the airport), that way you don't have to waste extra hours traveling to a from the beach! (honestly though, the beaches aren't that impressive - I'm sure there are better in Australia! - so if you have to drop something, I'd drop that.)
The Metro website is pretty cool and lets you put in your start and end locations and choose stops along the way, etc. I would use the public transportation if I lived and worked inside the city FOR SURE. https://www.metro.net/
Not true! the subway stop is AT Hollywood and Highland (well, underneath), and the Universal stop is only a short walk up the hill from Universal Studios. AND it goes downtown, with a stop 2 blocks from the LA convention center/Staples Center. It was very useful to me during Celebration IV because I lived within walking distance from the Lankershim/Universal stop at the time. You can also take it to Union Square, which is kind of interesting, with some shopping if you are into that.
Plus, the Green Line has an LAX stop (with a free airport shuttle that actually takes you to and from the airport, to and from the rail line).
You can definitely get by for a couple days in LA without a car! Here's what I would do if I were only visiting for a couple of days and wanted Universal to be one of my stops:
Stay in Hollywood, as near to Hollywood and Highland as possible (that's the only place you'll really care about seeing in Hollywood anyway - walk of fame, Mann's Theater, handprints, Kodak Theater wax museums, lots of places to eat and drink, etc). There are a few hostels right there if you are wanting to save money, or a few higher end hotels if you don't care about expense.
If you like to go out to pubs, the Pig 'N Whistle is right there, plus a few other 'club' type of places are within walking distance of Hollywood and Highland, not to mention all the restaurants and bars in the mall right there. (but I'd suggest the smaller pizza/mexican/pub joints along Hollywood Blvd., rather than the chain stuff in the mall - you get more of the local flavor with the smaller places - in both food and clientele
)To get to Universal Studios, just hop on the red line subway going North/West and it's only one stop to the 'Universal City' stop. Then walk up the hill and you're there. You can easily spend 1 day at Universal (at the park and then looking at all the random stuff and/or going to a movie at Universal CityWalk, which is the giant mall right outside the park).
If you want to go downtown or Chinatown, or whatever, take that same red line subway going the opposite way (south).
The only problem is the rapid transit (subway/train) doesn't go to the beaches
I'd take the Green line to get as close as possible (Redondo Beach stop), then take a bus. If you want to go to Santa Monica beaches, though, you are kinda SOL with that route - would have to take buses all the way. The beaches are all closer to LAX than any of your other locations, so maybe make your beach stop either the first or last thing you do (on your way in from the airport, or back to the airport), that way you don't have to waste extra hours traveling to a from the beach! (honestly though, the beaches aren't that impressive - I'm sure there are better in Australia! - so if you have to drop something, I'd drop that.)The Metro website is pretty cool and lets you put in your start and end locations and choose stops along the way, etc. I would use the public transportation if I lived and worked inside the city FOR SURE. https://www.metro.net/
The ill Jedi
ILLest of 'em all!!
Re: Los Angeles????
Thank you Dusty!
I was just about to reply, but I see you've more than covered the subject!
A couple things you forgot:
The Blue Line will get them all the way to Long Beach, some cool stuff to see and do there.
The Gold Line will take them to Pasadena, tourists love coming here for some reason.
Thank you Dusty!
I was just about to reply, but I see you've more than covered the subject!
A couple things you forgot:
The Blue Line will get them all the way to Long Beach, some cool stuff to see and do there.
The Gold Line will take them to Pasadena, tourists love coming here for some reason.
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Dusty
just me
Re: Los Angeles????
Padadena, meh. But Long Beach is pretty fun - the Long Beach aquarium is great! Maybe go there if you don't want to hit up Santa Monica (I can't imagine how long it would take on a train though - it's nearly an hour in a car with no traffic and no stops!)
This is a great hostel in Hollywood - never actually stayed there, but walked by it more than a few times, it's literally right behind the mall at Hollywood and Highland - the mall that is attached to the Kodak and Mann's Chinese theaters and the handprints, etc - https://orangedrivehostel.com/
Thank you Dusty!
I was just about to reply, but I see you've more than covered the subject!
A couple things you forgot:
The Blue Line will get them all the way to Long Beach, some cool stuff to see and do there.
The Gold Line will take them to Pasadena, tourists love coming here for some reason.
Padadena, meh. But Long Beach is pretty fun - the Long Beach aquarium is great! Maybe go there if you don't want to hit up Santa Monica (I can't imagine how long it would take on a train though - it's nearly an hour in a car with no traffic and no stops!)
This is a great hostel in Hollywood - never actually stayed there, but walked by it more than a few times, it's literally right behind the mall at Hollywood and Highland - the mall that is attached to the Kodak and Mann's Chinese theaters and the handprints, etc - https://orangedrivehostel.com/
Dusty
just me
Re: Los Angeles????
Yeah, the Renaissance would be the perfect spot, if you are willing to spend the cash... it's on the pricey side! But it's very very nice. The hostel I linked is literally directly behind it, practically in it's parking lot, so the location is about the same... it's just your group's monetary preferences that would be the deciding factor!
Yeah, the Renaissance would be the perfect spot, if you are willing to spend the cash... it's on the pricey side! But it's very very nice. The hostel I linked is literally directly behind it, practically in it's parking lot, so the location is about the same... it's just your group's monetary preferences that would be the deciding factor!
Dusty
just me
Re: Los Angeles????
If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. For all it's annoyances and ridiculousness, I really do love the city! I miss living in it. (I'm not a fan of the suburb where I currently live - Thousand Oaks - really nice place, but SO BORING and homogenous!)
If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me. For all it's annoyances and ridiculousness, I really do love the city! I miss living in it. (I'm not a fan of the suburb where I currently live - Thousand Oaks - really nice place, but SO BORING and homogenous!)
Re: Los Angeles????
Train to Long Beach from downtown was like 30-45 but they were also doing construction so it was slower. I used the train to get from LB to CIV instead of dealing with the parking.
Long Beach has the Pike which is cool, but can get sketchy sometimes on weekends at night and it will be 90% Junior High and High School kids. There is not much to do outside places to eat, bars, a movie theater and game works. The Aquarium is the best thing we got going down there. I would go to Santa Monica Pier over the Long Beach Pike unless you want to go to to the aquarium.
Train to Long Beach from downtown was like 30-45 but they were also doing construction so it was slower. I used the train to get from LB to CIV instead of dealing with the parking.
Long Beach has the Pike which is cool, but can get sketchy sometimes on weekends at night and it will be 90% Junior High and High School kids. There is not much to do outside places to eat, bars, a movie theater and game works. The Aquarium is the best thing we got going down there. I would go to Santa Monica Pier over the Long Beach Pike unless you want to go to to the aquarium.
Re: Los Angeles????
Its a couple miles from Hollywood and Highland and also about a mile from the main part of the Sunset Strip
The ill Jedi
ILLest of 'em all!!
Re: Los Angeles????
Definitely go to Santa Monica, the Pier and 3rd St. Promenade, lots to do, see and eat!
Definitely go to Santa Monica, the Pier and 3rd St. Promenade, lots to do, see and eat!
