Travelling Around LA

Lokolo

Alpine_Star wrote: »

I think ''coped'' is the operative word.

Doing a city like LA on foot makes things that much harder and can only restrict your movements in comparison to having a car. In June it's going to be 35 degrees and between 4 people the cost of car hire and petrol really isn't going to be that much more than 4 x bus fares.

The car hire is £500 approx without petrol (although I think petrol is cheap in the USA). The bus is $80 each.

thebyp

Getting around LA really isn't that diffulcult without a car, however you have to remember that LA really is a car city so that is the default way of doing everything.

Have a search on this forum for staying in IHG https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1535105 - you can get a good cheap room that way, and most IHG hotels have shuttles to the major airports.

Flyboy152

Lokolo wrote: »

I will be staying at Flamingo, not sure where in LA yet but somewhere near Manhatten Beach and LAX most probably. LA is quite expensive for any half decent hotel it seems!

If I were to drive I'd also have to pick somewhere with free carparking, I imagine if I don't it'll be incredibly expensive.

Car hire would be approximately £500 altogether. (with a decent size car and young person surcharge)

This is the LA cheapo one I have been seriously considering given the reviews

http://www.expedia.co.uk/Lawndale-Hotels-Baymont-Inn-And-Suites-LAX.h11727.Hotel-Information

Doesn't the Flamingo have free parking? I'd imagine that if you have to pay, it wouldn't be that much. Don't plan to stay at teh casinos forthe whole time you are there. You will miss out on so much (and could potentially cost a lot of money).

When you're in Los Angeles, if you want to do the theme parks, a car is essential. You can get buses, but you will at the mercy of the schedule and the cost. It does cost to park at the parks, but if there are more than two, it works out cheaper.

One word of advice though, if you are going via the Mojave desert, en route to Los Angeles, don't hire a convertible. That amount of sun in June is not good.

Flyboy152

How much are looking to spend in Los Angeles, for a hotel? You might want to consider Santa Monica or Venice, rather than Los Angeles itself.

Spursman180

Lokolo wrote: »

OK so I am going to plan on going on holiday with a few mates.

Go to Las Vegas from Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June. Driving from LV to LA on the Friday.

Staying in LA from Friday -> Wednesday.

Now, I am 22, so to hire a car would mean extra $25 + tax a day for Young Driver surcharge, I would also need to have a hotel with car parking, which severely limits my options, so I'd rather not have the car after the Friday.

The place I have found it; 14814 Hawthorne Boulevard

This is closish to Manhatten Beach, LA Galaxy and the airport. (but still a number of miles). Not close to Universal Studios.

Is it going to be easy to get around these places without a car? Or is a car really a necessity?

the location you have looks ok, you are far enough away from the I110, the area between the I110 and the I710 especially where the I105 cuts through is not an area to be driving through let alone walk through. The areas I am talking about are Compton and Watts.

The fact that you are looking westways is cool.

I know there are any number of people around who will say that this area or that area is fine and things are exagerated. Believe me the stories about these areas are not.

I will be in LA in 2 weeks and it is an amazing place but so spread out, it has an urban conurbation that must be 70 miles across. I will always have a car there. I know it's a bit of a bind being a designated driver but!!!

I will be staying in the crowne plaza in Commerce, it is a casino well actually a football pitch sized poker room with a small casino attached. I will be heading north to Santa Anita for the horses.

cottyh24

What is your budget per night for your LA hotel? I know you've said you'd like to stay around LAX and Manhattan Beach but another option that has pretty good public transport links is Hollywood.

I've stayed at the Hollywood Orchid Suites twice now and think it is worth a look if you did decide to stay in the Hollywood area. The hotel isn't fancy but it's clean and they do a free breakfast. They have free, secure, underground carparking (if you did choose to keep the car) and are located behind the Kodak Theatre. I paid $107 + tax per night last September for their Executive Suite. The Hollywood/Highland metro is less than five minutes walk away and, even though we did have a car, we used the metro with no problems to get to Universal and to Downtown as it worked out much cheaper than paying for parking. On balance, I do think having a car in LA does make it easier to get around.

Lokolo

Well we don't really want to pay more than £1k for 2 bedrooms (2 of us in each), there seems to be a jump from getting a cheapish hotel (like a holiday inn type one) to getting anything above that.

neilbond007

Alpine_Star wrote: »

In June it's going to be 35 degrees

35C? In LA?
I think looking at this may be useful - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles.
Average June high - 26C.
I've been to LA about 25 times. Only once has it got in the mid 30's. That was in August and was a heatwave by local standards.

There's also something called "June gloom". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_gloom

Hotels - I normally stop in the El Segundo area. Much cheaper than Santa Monica / Venice Beach. There again, I always have a car.
Manhattan Beach is a cool area. Lots of life.

neilbond007

Looking at the itinerary -
Go to Las Vegas from Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June. Driving from LV to LA on the Friday.
Staying in LA from Friday -> Wednesday.

Personally I'd stay in Vegas another couple of days. LA is vastly over-rated and in truth is a bit of a crap hole...
Vegas - 4 blokes... 22 years old... knock yourselves out.

Have you checked what you want to do at each place? (Vegas / LA)
Vegas - Lay by the pool and drink at night. You can walk whereever you want to go (and get a bus downtown). I'm not a gambler but love watching other people gamble their cash away. You've also got the hoover dam close by. A day trip to the grand canyon etc..
LA- Universal / Disney... not much else... The Hollywood sign... you see it and it's done.

neilbond007

neilbond007 wrote: »

35C? In LA?
I think looking at this may be useful - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles.
Average June high - 26C.

Hopefully this link works... Temperature for Manhattan Beach, daily, in June 2010 -
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KCALOSAN10&graphspan=custom&month=6&day=1&year=2010&monthend=6&dayend=31&yearend=2010

You can see it barely touches 20C most days.

Whereas Vegas -
http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNVHENDE12&graphspan=custom&month=6&day=1&year=2010&monthend=6&dayend=31&yearend=2010
A toasty 40C on some days It's a dry heat though. So it's bearable. I love going to Vegas when it's red hot!