anneofingleside

Need a base for the beach, Universal Studios, La Brea tar pits, Hollywood/studios, American Girl Place. Thinking a beachfront place would be nice, but not sure what's practical. Skipping Disney this time as we are all Disney-ed out. What area should we stay at? Suggestions? Thanks?

LucieV

West LA: Santa Monica, Westwood, Venice or Beverly Hills, depending upon your budget.

stumpworks73

Consider Redondo Beach. The Crown Plaza RB is sometimes very affordable. On the beach. Across the street from RB pier. Downtown RB is walkable, quaint with very adequate restaurants. RB also has a Hol Inn Exp and just north Hampton Inn Hermosa Beach. Neither are on the ocean or walking distance but nearby all the above.

joesorce

I don't think Redondo is at all convenient for what they want to do (other than the beach). Westwood you could get to everything pretty easily. HotelAngeleno perhaps?
Paying for beachfront in say, Santa Monica would not be practical if you're leaving every day to drive to studios, Hollywood etc.

JBHapgood

Forget your all your normal strategies for visiting a major city. Los Angeles is unique. There is no such thing as a "base" in Southern California. Everything is so spread out among hundreds of square kilometers of sprawl that you're going to be spending a lot of time "commuting" on jammed freeways no matter where you decide to stay. If you're a naturally easygoing person who instinctively reacts to lengthy traffic jams by rolling down the window, turning on the radio, and bopping along to your favorite tunes while enjoying the sunshine, you'll have a great time-- and experience the "real L.A." If you're more inclined to stress, you may not enjoy the experience.

One way to reduce the time you'll spend in the car idling in stopped traffic is to plan your itinerary very carefully. Decide on the specific places you want to visit and plot them out geographically. See where they "cluster" and select a different base for each cluster according to your budget. Then move between them in the wee hours of the morning before the commuter traffic starts. "Rush hour" is pretty much all day, unfortunately.

mlgb

Actually the places you want to see are all relatively close --Hotel Angeleno, Farmers Daughter, or Hollywood Renaissance would all be convenient. Santa Monica beach would be closest, but I would just do a day trip there since most of your sights are inland..

anneofingleside

Considering Santa Monica/Malibu for the beach, but may be too far for the rest of the attractins.

Perhaps Westwood, Hollywood (too seedy?), Beverly Hills (too expensive?), Universal City (for Universal Studios)? Which is best? Then I can pick a hotel from there. Or does it matter as any of these places will do?