ita

we will be disembarking in Los Angeles from a cruise in January. I can only stay 2 days and would appreciated advice on how to make the best use of time. My first priority is the Getty Museum and if possible, the Skirbell. I would also like to take a bus tour to see the major sites. We will definitely not be renting a car, so which area would be best for us to stay in?

easytraveler

If you have only two days and you want to see the Getty and the Skirbell, then staying somewhere in Santa Monica, Culver City or even near the airport would be the best choices, especially somewhere near several bus/metro routes. Each of these two popular centers could take up an entire day. You do not have much time for anywhere else.

dbdurand

Both the Getty and the Skirball web sites give instructions for how to get there using public transportation. Both museums are on Bus route 761 which runs from Westwood north along the 405 freeway to the San Fernando valley, specifically Sherman Oaks and points north. My recommendation would be somewhere near this bus route at the Westwood end. Route map here.

http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bu...images/761.pdf

clarkgriswold

The W in Westwood or The Hilgard House down the street. The tour bus will pick you up from this neighborhood if you schedule it ahead, or you can catch the "Hop On Hop Off" tour nearby.

However, if you don't rent a car, you are going to have quite a taxi fare from the cruise port. Back to LAX airport, though, from Westwood there is a shuttle, about 3 blocks walk from the hotels.

dbdurand

There's a hotel on the left of the 405 near Sunset, as you travel north, that I drive past frequently. It's of the old cylindrical tower design, and I always think how noisy it must be. But I checked on Tripadvisor and noise is apparently not a major problem for most visitors. And they offer a package to the Getty and to the Skirball. And it has been upgraded.

http://www.hotelangeleno.com/specials.php

I have never stayed there. Just whiz (or occasionally crawl) on by.

ita

we have extended our stay to 3 days. We need a hotel that will have a good location at a reasonable price-$200 per night max. We also need to have access to the airport, the Getty, Skirbal and the hop on hop off bus. Perhaps we can arrange a shuttle from the ship to near our hotel.

mlgb

Hotel Angeleno is very near to the Getty. You can take shuttle from port to hotel and hotel to airport.

The Angeleno has a courtesy shuttle to within 3 miles which will get you to the shuttle stop for the Getty. A taxi to Skirball shouldn't be more than $15 each way, maybe less.

Jean

The Angeleno may make the most sense geographically, but its location is adjacent to one of the bigger construction projects in L.A. history. The hotel overlooks the intersection of the 405 Freeway and the Sunset Boulevard exit, and traffic in the immediate area is bad nearly 24/7 because most of the construction activity happens at night. The view might not bother the OP, but there will be no desire to walk anywhere or spend any time outside.

I suggest the Palomar Hotel a few blocks outside of Westwood. Rates in January would likely be within your budget. The hotel is on Wilshire Boulevard which is a main bus route between downtown L.A. and Santa Monica. You could easily bus to Beverly Hills, the L.A. County Museum of Art and Petersen Auto Museum, or Santa Monica. It would be a short taxi ride to the Getty Center.

http://www.hotelpalomar-lawestwood.com/

Rather than a HOHO sightseeing bus, I'd take one or two van tours that would pick you up at your hotel.

ita

I have had unsatisfactory advice from a TA. She has suggested Best Western Plus Gateway Santa Monica (bad reviews) or Ramada Plaza West Hollywood. I think I have been given more interesting options on this forum. She also says that it will cost us $150 for a private shuttle from port to hotels. There must be another way. Also $150 for transport from hotels to LAX (1 hour) or shared transport for $50 that takes 2 1/2 hours. She also suggests that we rent a car. Don't people understand that for a limited time in an unfamiliar location, renting a car is not appealing, especially for 2 senior women?

Help Fodorites, I have travelled far and near with your advice.

Jean

OK, let's put your two threads together... You will not rent a car, you're coming off a cruise in January, you want to go to the Getty Center and Skirball Center and anything else possible in 2-3 days, and then want to get to Long Beach and finally end up at LAX.

Or is the Queen Mary Hotel now off the itinerary?

Primetimeshuttle.com offers shared van service between hotels and transportation locations throughout L.A. I think it would be about $50 from the cruise terminal to, say, West L.A. I think Primetime could also pick you up at your L.A. hotel and take you to the Queen Mary Hotel for about the same cost, and from the Queen Mary Hotel to LAX for about $20.

But if you'd rather use a limo service, then I think the prices quoted to you are fairly accurate.

Look at the Palomar Hotel which I mentioned in my previous post. It's in the same budget range as the two hotels your travel agent suggested, gets good reviews and is within short cab rides to the Getty Center (4.5 miles), the Skirball Cultural Center (6.5 miles) and, if Long Beach is off the itinerary, the Westwood-LAX bus stop (less than a mile). The bus is $10 per person and runs every hour from 6:00a to 10:00p.

From the Palomar, you could walk about a 1/2 mile to the Hammer Museum and many restaurants in Westwood Village. If you're so inclined, you could possibly see a play at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood or something at Royce Hall or one of the other venues on the UCLA campus. If you wanted to go to Santa Monica, to Beverly Hills or slightly farther to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, it would be a simple bus ride (Line 20) in either direction from the Palomar on Wilshire Boulevard. No transfers.

http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=4698

http://www.westwoodvillageonline.com/?c=r

http://hammer.ucla.edu/

http://geffenplayhouse.com/

http://cap.ucla.edu/calendar/

http://www.lacma.org/

http://www.metro.net/riding/maps/001-099/

Jean

ita, apparently I've confused you with Italophile on whose thread you also posted. Sorry about that.

If you stayed at the Palomar, you could take the LAX-Westwood bus in both directions, on arrival and on departure. You'd need to have a cellphone in order to call for a taxi when you arrive in Westwood as I doubt any would be waiting. The bus is simple and very reliable.

ita

thanks Jean, I am also confused by the two threads-will probably book the Palomar