Best place for first night; Beach?

Old Nov 20th, 2015, 09:30 AM
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Best place for first night; Beach?

Everything is booked apart from our first night.
So we arrive around 1.30pm into LAX from the east coast and pick up our rental car.

Where to stay?
I think we'd like to stay on or near a beach as the rest of the trip will be inland

Newport beach?
Huntington Beach?

Plan is to just relax, have a nice dinner, an early night and set off after breakfast the next morning.

Don't want to venture north as our second night is booked at Death Valley.
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Old Nov 20th, 2015, 10:20 AM
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Why not stay right on the beach in Hermosa, around 15 minutes from LAX? http://www.beach-house.com/hermosa-beach/

You could walk down to Pier Avenue (2 blocks) for dinner, or head the other way (5 min. walk along The Strand) to 22nd Street and the Bottle Inn, a pretty good and reasonable Italian place. Regardless, the next morning have breakfast at Martha's, across the street from the Bottle Inn, for one of the best breakfasts in southern California.
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Old Nov 20th, 2015, 11:40 AM
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I agree one of the South Bay beach cities would be a good place to stay. Hermosa Beach is lovely but parking is a pain and strictly enforced so if you do visit there, keep it in mind. Bottle Inn is a good choice, but do walk there.
I personally like Manhattan Beach a little better (have lived in all 3 South Bay cities over the years), it is a little closer to the freeway, has a nice small mall on Sepulveda and a good restaurant scene, both more indie places near the pier and a handful of (mostly) upscale chain places along Rosecrans near the Arclight movie theaters. Drawback is no hotels on the beach, Sea View Inn is one block away.
Huntington Beach and Newport are nice, but are not in LA but in Orange County.
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 08:37 AM
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Thanks Gardyloo and jamie99,

I've ruled out the beaches further south as it is probably easier to get to Death Valley if we stay closer to LAX or slightly North.

I have a hotel booked in Long Beach but understand that it's not the best location (if you're interested in the beach) but it may be OK in December.
I'm also looking at Santa Monica.
I will look at Manhattan Beach too.

Chain hotels are good as we can stay on points (Hyatt/SPG/Marriott) and usually get upgraded.

Also considering not staying on the beach/ water view but just spending the afternoon/ evening on the beach and waterfront.
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 10:10 AM
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Frankly then any of the hotels near LAX (along Century Blvd or up and down Sepulveda) will do; you can spend the afternoon/early evening in Manhattan Beach - plenty of cafes, walk out the pier, walk along the Strand...

IMO Long Beach is too far south if you want to make a quick getaway the next day. Santa Monica is okay but hotels tend to be rather pricey there. You could also look at Marina del Rey. However I think Manhattan or near the airport would be your best bets.
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 10:12 AM
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sassy_cat, is it an option to fly into Las Vegas instead of LAX? I'm not sure what the point is of landing in L.A. just to drive out again the next morning. You'd also cut your travel time to Death Valley roughly in half coming from Vegas.
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 11:09 AM
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Long Beach is not a very good place to stay.I grew up in the town next to it.
It is a port city, and because of this almost all the beaches with the exception of Belmont Shore and Naples are behind the breakwater. Traffic on the 710 freeway is horrific with big trucks hauling cargo containers day and night.
If you are looking at chain hotels, there is a Marriott on Rosecrans on the border of Manhattan Beach next to a small golf course and across the street from restaurants and a movie theater. My pick would be the Marriott Residence Inn on Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach, it was remodeled last year and has free parking and free hot breakfast and snacks some weeknights. It is a mile from the beach and Manhattan Pier.
Not as familiar with the Santa Monica hotel scene these days.
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 11:42 AM
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If you're going to hit the road in the morning, you might want to have L.A. in your rearview mirror. What's your time schedule and route that next morning?
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Old Nov 21st, 2015, 03:25 PM
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Staying anywhere on the coastal and South Bay parts of LA would be a pretty bad (like gawd awful) place to start a drive to DV.

Either fly into Vegas, or pick up your car a 2PM -ish and head as far north or east as you can manage by dinner time. I'd even aim for Palmdale.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 06:21 AM
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Thanks for the extra information everyone, much appreciated.

I left out some details. Flights were booked into/out of LAX as we hope to meet up with DH's cousin at one end of the trip.
Possibly having dinner with them on first night.

DV wasn't in the original plan.. so yes I know Vegas would have been a better starting point and we are staying a night in Vegas after DV.. I think I'll enjoy the contrast and appreciate their respective pros!

Gardyloo, I think I like the idea of staying near LAX. I usually want to get away from the airport as soon as I land but it does seem to make more sense.
Janisj, we don't want to drive on arrival as we might me meeting family and would rather rest up and get a flying start next day.

We could leave very early next morning if anyone thinks it would be better, traffic wise. Coming from the east coast we'd be happy to set off at 6am.
It's a Saturday if that makes much of a difference to the traffic patterns in LA.

I remember my first trip to California and being picked up at LAX in a friend's truck in 1992.
We hit the freeway heading south and the traffic was horrendous!!
Apart from connections I haven't flown into or out of LAX since.

I will look at more hotels and report back..

Thanks again!
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 06:40 AM
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Two thoughts:

1. Figure out the cost of the car and parking (probably ca. $30) at any LAX hotel for the "lost" first day/night and compare it to taking a cab from one of the LAX hotels to Manhattan Beach and back for dinner, then picking up the car in the morning.

2. Stay someplace with free parking (e.g. the Hilton Garden Inn in El Segundo) and then head east on I-105 to I-605 and ultimately I-10 or I-210 to I-15 on your way out. You can benefit from your body clock lag with an early (but daylight) start, and traffic will be much less an issue on a Saturday morning.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 06:44 AM
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OK, will do.

Thank you!
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 08:59 AM
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I was going to suggest looking at some of the chain hotels in El Segundo or Manhattan Beach (eg along Rosecrans there is the Hyatt House, Town Place, Spring Hill suite or the very nice Ayers), in El Segundo there are Residence Inn, Doubletree, Marriott Courtyard, or Hyatt Place, or the aforementioned Hilton Garden Inn.

Since you probably want to make an early getaway I might go ahead and rent the car and save the balance by staying a bit away from the beach as above (the hotels really aren't on the beach anyways).

Manhattan Beach pier and boardwalk would be a nice place for a stroll. Some good restaurants in that part of town also.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 09:24 AM
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You haven't stated a budget, but if you want something other than a chain hotel, look at the Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach. It's on Sepulveda at the north end of MB, close to LAX and freeways. Downtown MB is about a mile away, but there are at least half a dozen good restaurants within walking distance. You would need to ask, but I think they have an LAX shuttle.

www.pacificahotels.com/thebelamar
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Old Nov 22nd, 2015, 10:36 AM
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Oh gee, Saturday makes a huge difference. The drive will be loooooong, but you won't be in commuter traffic.
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 08:39 AM
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Thanks janisj, that was what I was hoping. I'm sure that DV will be busier at the weekend but on balance I'd prefer to avoid the traffic getting there.

Jean, Unless there's a good reason to avoid a chain hotel (some locations) then I'd prefer to stay in one for the loyalty program benefits. We pay to stay when the rates are low and stay for free on points if the room costs more than $200.

mlgb, I will look at those hotels. Any preference of El Segundo over Manhattan Beach?
My first choice would be one of the Hyatts. We will pick up the car on arrival so we can meet family for dinner. Parking costs don't matter so much if the hotel is free
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 09:12 AM
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Almost all of the chains in El Segundo and Manhattan Beach are in business areas (mostly low-rise office buildings but a few light industrial companies). Some are next to the freeway or light-rail line. Geared more for the business traveler than tourist and a bit soul-less but all safe AFAIK. The Ayres may be nice, but it's in an awful location IMO.

If Marriott is OK, look at the one on Rosecrans in Manhattan Beach.
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 09:58 AM
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The Hyatt House which is just off Rosecrans is a good location. Yes you are in a business park but you are across the street from all kinds of stores, groceries, restaurants etc. on Roscrans.

If you have a car, IMO and are just sleeping at the hotel for a night, they are perfectly fine. They are 5 minutes to the beach.

I don't really recommend the Marriott on Rosecrans because it's a nickle and dime with the extra fees. It was constructed a while ago, not sure how good the soundproofing is between rooms.

The Ayers is right near the freeway so happy getaway...it has a great restaurant (Matisse) as well as the happy hour I mentioned. I don't think any of the other restaurants in the area can touch the inhouse dining there...not even Shade.
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 11:27 AM
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I worked in El Segundo for 22 years and lived in Manhattan Beach for 22 years and I would pick MB, El Segundo is mostly businesses (except for the residential area west of Sepulveda Blvd) and so it is pretty dead at night as far as nightlife and restaurant selection.
Manhattan Beach has two good restaurant areas, near the pier and along Rosecrans which is the border between the two cities.
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 11:43 AM
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Shade is nice for lunch (esp. on the patio), but I wouldn't go there for dinner when there are so many better options within a couple of blocks. In downtown MB, try Petros, Fonz's, MB Post, Little Sister, Fishing for Dynamite, Darren's or Mangiamo's, or Beach House if you're more into the view than the food. Nick's Steakhouse is a chain but a good moderately-priced option.

Close to the Marriott, try Tin Roof or one of the chain restaurants on Rosecrans... Paul Martin's, Fleming's, Il Fornaio, McCormick & Schmick. Or North Italia in the new shopping center at the corner of Rosecrans and Sepulveda.

Matisse in the Ayers is nice, but I still think the location of the hotel is terrible, boxed in by the freeway, a gas station, a McDonald's, Costco parking and huge amounts of traffic.
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