Hollywood / LA

poormaria

I'm really starting to worry about this part of our trip now that we are getting so much conflicting advice

If we had to get a car wouldn't it work out more expensive plus there is the parking? And not being able to drive on the wrong side etc?

If we did get the car would it being better staying in a nicer hotel elsewhere?

I need to make a decision by tomorrow really and I'm
Really stuck

photome

poormaria wrote: »

I'm really starting to worry about this part of our trip now that we are getting so much conflicting advice

If we had to get a car wouldn't it work out more expensive plus there is the parking? And not being able to drive on the wrong side etc?

If we did get the car would it being better staying in a nicer hotel elsewhere?

I need to make a decision by tomorrow really and I'm
Really stuck

I am one who says I wouldnt do LA without a car, that doesnt mean you shouldnt.

I have stayed in LA 4 times and cant remember ever paying for parking. We stayed in/near Hollywood once with free parking , twice in Pasadena with free parking (great for the races at Santa Anita) and once in Buena park again with free parking.

If you know exactly what you want to do and have worked out the public transport then go for it.

I assumed you couldnt drive but you are now talking of the expense, a small car would cost about £15 a day.

There are far nicer places than LA though

John259

poormaria,

I sympathise, but people here are only trying to offer advice, not trying to be control freaks or sell you things, and it must be your final decision.

What do you want to see and do in the Los Angeles area? Based on those choices and what you now know, you can probably make a wise decision.

photome

Just to clarify. I say there are nicer places but we have been 4 times.

first time we stayed near Hollywood, didnt like LA.

the other 3 times we went primarily for the races and six flags (twice)

the other time we went to go to Knotts Berry farm.

When are you going, which means you have to book by tomorrow

jackieblack

We stayed in LA as part of a longer trip. We dumped the car in car park for two days and used the hop-on-hop-off bus to get where we wanted to go.
http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/united-states-of-america/hollywood-los-angeles.htm

I think one of the issues is that LA is so vast and attractions can be quite a way apart, for example, Disneyland is about 35-40 miles from the Chinese Theatre.

It's definitely do-able without a car (and LA traffic is truly horrendous) provided the places you want to see are roughly in the same area, but it requires good planning.

dickydonkin

poormaria wrote: »

I'm really starting to worry about this part of our trip now that we are getting so much conflicting advice

If we had to get a car wouldn't it work out more expensive plus there is the parking? And not being able to drive on the wrong side etc?

If we did get the car would it being better staying in a nicer hotel elsewhere?

I need to make a decision by tomorrow really and I'm
Really stuck

Something else to consider is LA's metro/railway system.
http://www.metro.net/riding/visitor/

I cannot comment on how it would work for you but there did seem to be stations located near to the areas you may wish to see i.e.Hollywood, Anaheim etc.

Unfortunately I have never used it, other than an Amtrak trip from Vancouver to Seattle (which was reasonably priced and efficient)

You will always get conflicting advice due to peoples varying choices and preferences. Personally I love LA (the area - not necessarily downtown) as you are within reasonable distance of many destinations - just because your hotel is in LA doesn't mean you have to be stuck there!

You have the choices of great beaches, scenic deserts/mountain areas and theme parks if that is your thing.

This link may also help you decide if you should take the car option or not.
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/los-angeles-without-a-car-683185.html

Just to add - if you do go for the car, check what your hotel charges for car parking - some hotels charge eye watering fees just to park you car.

John259

Metro seems like a potentially good idea for the central and western areas but as far as I can see from the system map it doesn't go to Anaheim. Are you perhaps confusing Anaheim Street (in Long Beach) with Anaheim (where Disneyland is)?

dickydonkin

John259 wrote: »

Metro seems like a potentially good idea for the central and western areas but as far as I can see from the system map it doesn't go to Anaheim. Are you perhaps confusing Anaheim Street (in Long Beach) with Anaheim (where Disneyland is)?

There is an Amtrak station in Anaheim - on Katella.

I mentioned in my previous post that an option was to use the metro/railway system so if the OP was based in or around Downtown LA, there would be an option to take the train to Anaheim or even further South to San Diego and use the metro for more local destinations in and around LA.

There are advantages without a car as there would be no need to be frustrated by the horrendous traffic, (although buses and taxi's are not immune to traffic congestion) however, the flexibility is (I believe) compromised.

Whatever the OP decides, I'm sure she will enjoy the trip.

John259

dickydonkin wrote: »

There is an Amtrak station in Anaheim - on Katella.

Fair enough, sorry, I wrongly thought you meant a Metro line.

dickydonkin

John259 wrote: »

Fair enough, sorry, I wrongly thought you meant a Metro line.

Perhaps I should have clarified in my post.

I was certainly aware that there was an Amtrak station in Anaheim, but having just checked, it is also a Metrolink so I am assuming that it is possible to combine fares/routings with the entire system.

As I mentioned earlier, I have never used the system and perhaps someone can come along and offer their experiences.