OT: LA Vacay: Where to Visit, Where to Stay

[Avincent52]

We're planning a vacation to Los Angeles in August--two adults, two large independent but good natured teenagers.

Thoughts about what to see/avoid, and where to stay so as to avoid the dreaded LA traffic etc.

It's going to be a longish vacation--8-9 days--so we're also up for some excursions. Joshua Tree? San Diego? Tijuana? (if the passports come in time.)

TIA

[Ken Robb]

Lots of info in the archives from not long ago. What are your interests? Except at the coast LA in August will very likely be HOT! Joshua Tree VERY HOT!

I would spend as much time in San Diego as possible. WAIT! I get to spend all my time in San Diego. I moved here from LA. :beer:

In August Leslie and I are taking our dog to stay for a few days in a casita at The Bahia Hotel. It's on Mission Bay about 8 miles from our home. We stayed there a few years ago while we were remodeling. It is also just a couple of hundred yards from the ocean if you want surf that you won't get in Mission Bay. Check it out on-line.

[Keith A]

We were out there several years ago, and the things that I remember are:
o Venice Beach -- we rented some bikes to get around
o Santa Monica Pier -- the Ferris wheel was fun
o Leo Carrillo Beach -- pretty cool beach
o Did some riding in the Santa Monica Mountains -- that was a lot of fun
o Hollywood Walk of Fame -- it was ok, glad I went, but won't go back
o Drive up to Santa Barbara -- nice drive, found some great Mexican food, did some horse back riding
o Getty Museum -- worth visiting

I'm sure there are plenty of other folks here that can chime in with more input, and here's Trip Advisor's top things to do in LA...
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g32655-Activities-Los_Angeles_California.html

[beeatnik]

Do LA High and Low

High = Beach Cities
Low = Film/Music Industry Hoods

Don't wear yourself out hanging out in boring towns which have halfway decent beaches, ie, Santa Monica. Don't waste money in tourist traps, ie, Venice. Spend one day in Orange County. Hit Laguna Beach (best beach in socal that isn't malibu), Newport and Huntington Beach. That's SoCal beach culture, period. Spend another day in the South Bay Beach towns, Manhattan (2nd best beach in socal that isnt malibu), Hermosa and Redondo. They're walkable with tons of restaurants and berry good looking people (your kids will thank you). There's a reason Manhattan Beach homes have higher prices per square foot than Beverly Hills.

Spend a day or two in neighborhoods where Industry wannabes live, ie, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and even DTLA. The best coffee in LA is in these areas.

Since the Southland is home to more Mexicans than any place outside of Mexico and more Chinese than any place outside of China and more Vietnamese than any place outside of Vietnam, you could do a day of gastronomic touring. Lunch at a Mexican restaurant, and dim sum for dinner. Why not?

Drive PCH at some point. Drive Mulholland. Drive Mulholland to PCH. Drive PCH to 101 to Santa Barbara.

[Climb01742]

Over the years, I've travelled to LA countless times on business. I'm a big fan of staying in Santa Monica. Among other things, in summer it's cooler there than in many parts of LA. Two hotels stand out for me. The first is pretty expensive but maybe my favorite hotel in the country that isn't a Four Seasons:

http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/

The second is less costly (not cheap but worth it) and is an ideal place to stay with a family. In fact, the next time we, as a family, go to LA, this is where we'll go:

http://www.hoteloceanasantamonica.com/

As long as the traffic doesn't get to you, pretty hard to not have fun in LA.

[Mzilliox]

My advice is to avoid LA and go somewhere fun. LA sucks. I grew up there. Unless you are going to Disneyland, a sporting event, or hollywood, there's nothing worth doing there. And even that stuff is geared for children. I suppose there is the beach, but then you should have gone to santa Barabara. in fact, just get out of LA and drive north immediately until there is less garbage and more open space. there, now you are on a vacation.

Next time go somewhere where you can do fun things.

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE=Mzilliox;1792867 I suppose there is the beach, but then you should have gone to santa Barabara. in fact, just get out of LA and drive north immediately until there is less garbage and more open space. there, now you are on a vacation.

Next time go somewhere where you can do fun things.[/QUOTE]

Isn't the water around Santa Barbara quite a bit colder than in LA, OC, and San Diego?

[mosca]

This recent thread might help:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=168957

[joe.e]

I guess the real question is what you guys are into, and what you want to see while you're here. L.A is gigantic, and a lot of the stuff people like to do is in very different parts of town.

If you're ok driving, and are looking for a nice beach trip, I really like driving up to carpenteria for a day or two. you can hit Santa Barbara while you're up there, and there are some really good places for food up that way.

Also, are you guys looking to do the tourist stuff, or are you looking to avoid that sort of thing?

Anyway, I've lived here my whole life, so feel free to get in touch for more specific recommendations.

[SoCalSteve]

My advice is to avoid LA and go somewhere fun. LA sucks. I grew up there. Unless you are going to Disneyland, a sporting event, or hollywood, there's nothing worth doing there. And even that stuff is geared for children. I suppose there is the beach, but then you should have gone to santa Barabara. in fact, just get out of LA and drive north immediately until there is less garbage and more open space. there, now you are on a vacation.

Next time go somewhere where you can do fun things.

Opinionated much?

I'm a second generation Angelino and I truly take offense to your comments.

To the OP, feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the hundreds of FUN things to do, see and eat in Los Angeles.

Enjoy!

[JanG]

Everyone has different expectations for a vacation. My son went to USC and what worked out very well for Thanksgiving visits was renting a house. That way the family could spread out a bit and allowed for more flexibility. We found that staying low in the Hollywood Hills, on Nichols Canyon Rd, was a great balance between accessibility to the things we like to do and peaceful evenings.
A friend asked me recently about LA and I gave him the list below (note that my family likes hiking/walking, history, dining, and museums:

Here's a few places that may be of interest. All of these can be located using the web.

- Rickey's Fish Tacos: a permanently installed food truck. East Hollywood, south of Griffith Park. Good to go after hiking around in the park.

- Mozza Pizzeria: A Mario Bartali establishment. Dinner is very good but the best deal on earth is the $20 lunch special. A pizza, a glass of wine, and dessert.

- The Farmer's Market, which is not too far from the LaBrea Tar Pits. Places to eat but the people watching can be extraordinary.

- Grand Central Market, which in the older part of downtown LA. Places to eat and close to:

- Angel's Landing funicular and
- The Bradbury Building, both worth checking out.

In the same general area is the Last Bookstore. Really nice used books and many of them. A destination, not a dump.

Staying downtown, there is the LA Public LIbrary. Worth strolling through and around.

On the northeast side of downtown are Union Station which I found very interesting, and Phillipe's the Original for excellent roast beef sandwiches or, my preference, lamb. Communal tables, sawdust on the floor, pickup and order at the counter.

On the southwest side of town is the USC campus which is beautiful. However literally across the street is Exhibition Park with the LA Coliseum and the Science Museum. However, I like the Museum of Natural History and the huge open-to-the public flower garden.

If you have any interest in music and even if you don't, a trip to Amoeba Records in Hollywood is recommended, preferably in the evening when the clientele can be as interesting as the incredible amount of music inside. All genres, CD and vinyl, new and used.

On Pico Blvd in Beverly HIlls is Jeff's Gourmet Kosher Sausage. Really good and an astonishing variety. This is only a few miles from Rodeo Drive, which I actually found interesting for people watching.

I don't know how much walking you are interested in, but if you are, great views of LA and surroundings can be had from Runyon Canyon Park, off Mulholland Dr. This place is v. crowded and parking can be tough. However, not too far away and very near the house we've rented is the Trabek Open Space off Nichols Canyon Rd. I'd go there. It's not strenuous and the views are fantastic. There's also some nice hiking trails to the north of Mulholland Dr. A little further away, near Topanga Canyon, is the Will Rogers State Park. Again very nice walking. For some real hiking, the San Gabriel Mtns. are not far, but I think it would be very hot there this time of year.

Last (until I think of things I forgot) is what I consider the truly not to miss LA destination: The Getty Museum in Bel Air. Incredible as an art museum but absolutely out of this world for architecture and location.

Maybe this can provide something useful to you.

Jan

[MadRocketSci]

Much asian food where you live? If not, Din Tai Fung in Glendale or Arcadia....some say worth the trip to LA just to eat there. Long lines, go early afternoon.

http://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-gold-20131228-story.html#page=1

http://www.eater.com/2014/4/28/6234983/the-road-to-the-38-din-tai-fung-in-los-angeles

just curious, has anyone here who lives in LA ever heard of this place?

[denapista]

My advice is to avoid LA and go somewhere fun. LA sucks. I grew up there. Unless you are going to Disneyland, a sporting event, or hollywood, there's nothing worth doing there. And even that stuff is geared for children. I suppose there is the beach, but then you should have gone to santa Barabara. in fact, just get out of LA and drive north immediately until there is less garbage and more open space. there, now you are on a vacation.

Next time go somewhere where you can do fun things.

Tell us how you really feel?

Born and raised here and I have fun daily. He wasn't asking about what sucks, because his trip is already planned. LA is beautiful, just stay away from the tourist traps. Take a drive up Angeles Crest to Mount Wilson Observatory, Camping at Kern, Driving up the coast to Santa Barbara. Stopping in the little towns along the 101 like Carpenteria, etc. There's so much to do in LA. Would it be worth visiting the Santa Monica pier if you've never been, I would say so. Stay off of Hollywood Blvd, unless you want to see a freak show and a bunch of people who moved here with fame in their eyes, only to work at some random 50's diner.

LA is amazing! Visiting the Getty would be fun if I were from out of town. Actually seeing them both would be fun. Make a beach day (Zuma) and then visit the Getty Villa after would be a fun day. This city is HUGE, and a million people will tell you a million things to see.

San Diego is only a 2hr drive away from LA and there's so much to do down there. Stopping in Ocenaside to hang out on the beach, or one of the coves around there. Make a day out of it and ride the Amtrak from LA Union Station down to San Diego for the day. I work for Amtrak and the train ride is beautiful once you pass Irvine. It ride along the coast most of the way to SD.

I'm sure many can chime in with more. Enjoy your trip to LA.

[beeatnik]

Mzilliox, I don't like the cat's style, but he's partially correct. There are hundreds of cities worldwide more suited to tourists. Which is to say, there are hundreds of dynamic, pedestrian friendly cities. So, anyone who loves LA (and there are millions, just ask any Brit or Frenchperson who's lived here) has to be all in. In other words, the place is unique. You love it for what it is. Diversity, topography, climate, non pretentiousness (how often do you hear about LA having the best university in the world and two of the best research universities in the US?).

Anyhoo, A Vincent, read between the lines. If you're here for more than a few days and want a memorable experience, pick your battles. They used to call LA a place of suburbs looking for a city, but it's really just a bunch of single family communities with their own unique features floating in a sea of urban sprawl (there's a distinction). So, be prepared to drive A LOT but balance that out by staying in a quiet neighborhood (good advice from JanG on staying in the canyons) surrounded by amenities (Pasadena, Silver Lake, Belmont Shore....)

[KJMUNC]

+1 on the plan to spend a day in the South Bay - Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo. Easiest to rent bikes in Hermosa.....great spots for lunch there along the Pier (Good Stuff is a SoCal institution and you can watch beach volleyball while you eat). Then it's an easy ride up to Manhattan or down to Redondo. I'd suggest you hit both....Redondo pier is different than the other two areas...just don't miss the fish market on the ground floor.

Enjoy....we miss it after moving away!

[Avincent52]

Okay you convinced me.
LA's out. We're going to Camden.
I mean Milan.

Actually, we just got our kids passports back in today's mail, and we realized in would only cost a few hundred dollars more in airfare to travel to Northern Italy than to Southern California, so....
it looks like we're off to the land of Campagnolo and the tifosi.

But thanks for the very smart and soulful suggestions.
Can I buy tubulars cheap and bring them back?

[beeatnik]

Smart move

[Climb01742]

Okay you convinced me.
LA's out. We're going to Camden.
I mean Milan.

Actually, we just got our kids passports back in today's mail, and we realized in would only cost a few hundred dollars more in airfare to travel to Northern Italy than to Southern California, so....
it looks like we're off to the land of Campagnolo and the tifosi.

But thanks for the very smart and soulful suggestions.
Can I buy tubulars cheap and bring them back?

If you are near Venice, visit Asolo. It's an amazing and beautiful hill town. With great riding too.

[RonW87]

With the euro/dollar exchange rate the way it is, a vacation in Italy will probably be cheaper than California, all in.

[Avincent52]

I expect that the food will be (even) better.

[MadRocketSci]

in big tourist cities like Rome, Venice, Florence, you can get the best italian food of your life or the worst...in general the further you are from monuments/sights for dinner, the better!

[Avincent52]

in big tourist cities like Rome, Venice, Florence, you can get the best italian food of your life or the worst...in general the further you are from monuments/sights for dinner, the better!

Good point. We're generally pretty good at finding places to eat.
Even in England and Ireland.