Downtown Los Angles on a Budget with no car
May 4th, 2009, 05:34 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Downtown Los Angles on a Budget with no car
I am traveling to LA for business, but my friend will be staying with me and unoccupied during the day. We will be staying downtown near the convention center and we will not be renting a car. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on the best method of public transportation for those on a budget. The best museums and shopping she can get to on these public routes, if the transportation is safe, etc. Also in the evening we would like to go out for dinner and drinks are there any reasonable places in this area? or anything else you would recommend on weekday evenings? Finally I will have all day saturday and half a day on friday. Given the above what would you most recommend seeing. I know this is a lot of questions. Hoping someone can help make this a fun memorable trip for two temporarily single ladies. Meaning a week the only one in the year with no kids!!
May 4th, 2009, 05:45 PM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36,842
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't have any specific suggestions as I can't imagine really covering LA without a car. And I just wanted to say that over the years I've met more people who HATED LA than any other US city. Why? Because most of them were "stuck" downtown for a convention without a car. You can make something out of it, but it just isn't really seeing LA.
May 4th, 2009, 08:17 PM
#3
I think staying in downtown L.A. can be what you make of it.
Read the recent trip report by yk for lots of info on seeing the sights in downtown L.A.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...os-angeles.cfm
There are museums in downtown L.A (MOCA, Japanese-American Museum, Chinese-American Museum), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is a 30-minute bus ride away. $1.25 each way. (There is currently an excellent exhibit on Pompei art; tickets required.) With a $5.00 day pass, you can ride the metro/subway to Hollywood or Old Town Pasadena.
http://www.metro.net/index.asp
For $3.50 round-trip/day pass, you can ride the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus #10 Express from downtown L.A. to the Santa Monica Pier and the 3rd Street Promenade. About one hour each way.
http://www.bigbluebus.com/aboutus/
Read the recent trip report by yk for lots of info on seeing the sights in downtown L.A.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...os-angeles.cfm
There are museums in downtown L.A (MOCA, Japanese-American Museum, Chinese-American Museum), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is a 30-minute bus ride away. $1.25 each way. (There is currently an excellent exhibit on Pompei art; tickets required.) With a $5.00 day pass, you can ride the metro/subway to Hollywood or Old Town Pasadena.
http://www.metro.net/index.asp
For $3.50 round-trip/day pass, you can ride the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus #10 Express from downtown L.A. to the Santa Monica Pier and the 3rd Street Promenade. About one hour each way.
http://www.bigbluebus.com/aboutus/
May 4th, 2009, 11:18 PM
#4
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Actually, you can see a lot by walking. What we enjoyed most:
- Frank O. Gehry's Disney Concert Hall - a masterpiece of contemporary architecture.
- The Cathedral - also stunning architecture and lots to see inside.
- The Grand Central Market with a lively assortment of hispanic foods and inexpensive eateries.
- The historical core around Olvera Street Plaza.
There are also a few museums in downtown which may be worth a visit: The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Wells Fargo Museum, the Neon Museum.
We found L.A. Downtown much better than its reputation.
- Frank O. Gehry's Disney Concert Hall - a masterpiece of contemporary architecture.
- The Cathedral - also stunning architecture and lots to see inside.
- The Grand Central Market with a lively assortment of hispanic foods and inexpensive eateries.
- The historical core around Olvera Street Plaza.
There are also a few museums in downtown which may be worth a visit: The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Wells Fargo Museum, the Neon Museum.
We found L.A. Downtown much better than its reputation.
May 5th, 2009, 07:03 AM
#5
I love downtown Los Angeles! I can't help with the exact transporation (as I did have a car myself when I was there). But I think seeing: Farmers Market/the Grove, Olvera Street, Chinatown are all worthwhile and close to the central areas. In your situation I'd also maybe consider doig one tour, like if you are interested in seeing Walk of the Stars, Hollywood, etc.
May 5th, 2009, 08:07 AM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,832
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In addition to traveller1959's downtown suggestions, there are:
- The Bradbury Building (interior)-- used in a lot of movies, most notably Blade Runner. My Mom used to work there!
- Central Library
- Riding the scary elevators at the Bonaventure
I grew up in LA and a visit downtown is nostalgic for me.
- The Bradbury Building (interior)-- used in a lot of movies, most notably Blade Runner. My Mom used to work there!
- Central Library
- Riding the scary elevators at the Bonaventure
I grew up in LA and a visit downtown is nostalgic for me.
May 5th, 2009, 08:52 AM
#7
Getting around within downtown LA during the day is easy, with the 25-cent "DASH busses". Note that they don't run at night, when I would call for a taxi. The "F" line goes closest to the Convention Center, ask for a transfer.
http://www.ladottransit.com/dash/rou...n/downtown.pdf
There is also a weekend Discover Downtown route
http://www.ladottransit.com/dash/rou...owntown_we.pdf
There are a number of museums downtown within easy reach, including the two contemporary museums and the Japanese American Museum. Also be sure to visit the Disney Concert Hall. If you are there on a Thursday evening, take advantage of free museum night.
Since you're downtown, try shopping at the Fashion District (Saturdays and last Fridays are best) and Santee Alley.
http://www.fashiondistrict.org/
You can also use the Metro system with stops in Downtown LA, for example on your full days off you could take the Metro Red Line to Hollywood or to Universal Studios, or Metro Gold Line to Pasadena. Maps link: http://metro.net/riding_metro/maps/default.htm
As far as restaurants, there was this recent article in the LA Times. Rivera for a splurge and perhaps Corkbar for
lighter meals.
http://www.latimes.com/features/food...,3965638.story
Definitely check out yk's report..it covers a lot!
http://www.ladottransit.com/dash/rou...n/downtown.pdf
There is also a weekend Discover Downtown route
http://www.ladottransit.com/dash/rou...owntown_we.pdf
There are a number of museums downtown within easy reach, including the two contemporary museums and the Japanese American Museum. Also be sure to visit the Disney Concert Hall. If you are there on a Thursday evening, take advantage of free museum night.
Since you're downtown, try shopping at the Fashion District (Saturdays and last Fridays are best) and Santee Alley.
http://www.fashiondistrict.org/
You can also use the Metro system with stops in Downtown LA, for example on your full days off you could take the Metro Red Line to Hollywood or to Universal Studios, or Metro Gold Line to Pasadena. Maps link: http://metro.net/riding_metro/maps/default.htm
As far as restaurants, there was this recent article in the LA Times. Rivera for a splurge and perhaps Corkbar for
lighter meals.
http://www.latimes.com/features/food...,3965638.story
Definitely check out yk's report..it covers a lot!
May 5th, 2009, 06:15 PM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check out this great report from yk who stayed downtown in LA....
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...os-angeles.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...os-angeles.cfm
May 5th, 2009, 10:30 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Besides the Big Blue Bus #10, one can also take the Metro Rapid 720 to Santa Monica. It travels on Wilshire Blvd through the Miracle Mile (LACMA), Beverly Hills, Westwood. Or one can take the Rapid Express 920 which makes fewer stops, but its Eastern terminal is the Wilshire/Vermont Metro station.
May 8th, 2009, 02:34 PM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 25,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks to those who posted the link to my trip report. There are a bunch of activities in downtown LA that don't cost a dime (some have been mentioned already):
1) Tour of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (excellent)
http://musiccenter.org/visit/toursched.html
2) Tour of the LA Central Library
http://www.lapl.org/central/tours.html
3) Tour of Olvera Street
http://www.lasangelitas.org/freetours.htm
4) Self-guided walking tour of historic downtown
http://www.laconservancy.org/tours/t...elfguided.php4
Or if your friend doesn't mind paying $10, the docent-guided walking tours by the LA Conservancy are excellent as well.
If you're staying in downtown, apart from taking the regular buses and metro, don't forget to check out the DASH bus routes. Each ride is only 25cents (vs $1.25 for regular bus/metro), and the weekend Downtown Discovery route is itself quite a sightseeing route!
Apart from the 40 hours in LA trip report, here's another one by me (longer) from December 2008:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ember-2008.cfm
1) Tour of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (excellent)
http://musiccenter.org/visit/toursched.html
2) Tour of the LA Central Library
http://www.lapl.org/central/tours.html
3) Tour of Olvera Street
http://www.lasangelitas.org/freetours.htm
4) Self-guided walking tour of historic downtown
http://www.laconservancy.org/tours/t...elfguided.php4
Or if your friend doesn't mind paying $10, the docent-guided walking tours by the LA Conservancy are excellent as well.
If you're staying in downtown, apart from taking the regular buses and metro, don't forget to check out the DASH bus routes. Each ride is only 25cents (vs $1.25 for regular bus/metro), and the weekend Downtown Discovery route is itself quite a sightseeing route!
Apart from the 40 hours in LA trip report, here's another one by me (longer) from December 2008:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ember-2008.cfm
(Glad you had a good trip.)
