Marina del Rey - 3 night stay...or Santa Monica
May 28th, 2009, 09:39 AM
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Marina del Rey - 3 night stay...or Santa Monica
We are visiting LA in Aug and are looking to spend 3 days in Santa Monica area doing the touristy, sightseeing things before heading to Long Beach for a few days to see the famous OC beaches and spend some quiet time outside of LA itself before flying back to the UK from LAX. We will have a car for the entire duration of our stay!
Santa Monica comes highly recommended on here, in books and elsewhere as an ideal base for seeing LA. My girlfriend and I are both mid-20's, and LA will come at the end of 3 weeks of travelling. From Vegas, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Yosemite, SanFran, Big Sur and so on. We are looking for 3 days and a base around Santa Monica / Venice, for which to see the sights of Hollywood, Beverly Hills etc, then 3 days of relaxing on the beaches around Newport, Laguna, Huntington.
We have heard that Venice beach should be avoided in the evenings, and that Santa Monica is bustling. However, we have also stumbled upon Marina del Rey...which looks rather spectacular...
Has anyone stayed there? Knowledge or experience of the area? Or do you recommend sticking with our guns and going with Santa Monica before heading onto Long Beach. Any info will be of a great help as we are only 8 weeks away now and LA is all we have left to plan...
Thanks
Santa Monica comes highly recommended on here, in books and elsewhere as an ideal base for seeing LA. My girlfriend and I are both mid-20's, and LA will come at the end of 3 weeks of travelling. From Vegas, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Yosemite, SanFran, Big Sur and so on. We are looking for 3 days and a base around Santa Monica / Venice, for which to see the sights of Hollywood, Beverly Hills etc, then 3 days of relaxing on the beaches around Newport, Laguna, Huntington.
We have heard that Venice beach should be avoided in the evenings, and that Santa Monica is bustling. However, we have also stumbled upon Marina del Rey...which looks rather spectacular...
Has anyone stayed there? Knowledge or experience of the area? Or do you recommend sticking with our guns and going with Santa Monica before heading onto Long Beach. Any info will be of a great help as we are only 8 weeks away now and LA is all we have left to plan...
Thanks
May 28th, 2009, 10:15 AM
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I would stay in Santa Monica over Marina del Rey. SM is closer to your destinations. SM is very hip and bustling. MdR is residential with walking paths and definitely not bustling.
Long Beach does not have beach front hotels nor does Newport Beach. LB has the shipping port and tends to be industrial. Laguna is probably where you want to stay. You'll find hotels right on the ocean. It's a cool town with excellent restaurants, shopping and bars in walking distance. Laguna is in the middle of Newport and Dana Point. Good neighbors.
Redondo Beach is another possibility. Redondo is 15 minutes from LAX with a really great beach and a good town area. Manhattan Beach right next door has great character. However, it's an hour from Huntington, Newport and Laguna.
Be sure and take time to visit Balboa Island, a pleasant walk around the perimeter. I like the Laguna's Las Brisas patio for Mexican with a superb ocean view. The Orange County shopping destinations are Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza. Worth taking time to do both.
Long Beach does not have beach front hotels nor does Newport Beach. LB has the shipping port and tends to be industrial. Laguna is probably where you want to stay. You'll find hotels right on the ocean. It's a cool town with excellent restaurants, shopping and bars in walking distance. Laguna is in the middle of Newport and Dana Point. Good neighbors.
Redondo Beach is another possibility. Redondo is 15 minutes from LAX with a really great beach and a good town area. Manhattan Beach right next door has great character. However, it's an hour from Huntington, Newport and Laguna.
Be sure and take time to visit Balboa Island, a pleasant walk around the perimeter. I like the Laguna's Las Brisas patio for Mexican with a superb ocean view. The Orange County shopping destinations are Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza. Worth taking time to do both.
May 28th, 2009, 11:27 AM
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Stumpworks is right on. You want to drive right on by Long Beach on your way to Newport or one of the OC beach cities. MDR is a lovely town but it's not happening. Mostly apartments and residential condos and lofts. I'm not sure who told you to avoid Venice at night (unless they were talking about the beach boardwalk and even then...). Venice (particularly the Abbott Kinney / Main Street area) have a number of great restaurants, bars, & clubs. You will really enjoy your time in Santa Monica / Venice. Happy travels!
May 28th, 2009, 11:40 AM
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Another yes for Santa Monica, if you stay in Venice, we stayed at Inn at Venice Beach,it is a relatively short stroll to Marina Del Ray which is pleasant to walk around. Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is a nice area to go at night, especially for people watching.
May 28th, 2009, 03:02 PM
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I agree with the above comments that Santa Monica is probably where you want to be. I really like both Redondo and Manhattan beaches, both cute beach towns worth visiting, but they are farther away from the other tourist attractions of LA.
And I don't know why you'd be headed to Long Beach if your goal is to see the "famous OC beaches." Seal Beach is nearby and has some okay beaches iirc, but Laguna is probably where you want to be.
And I don't know why you'd be headed to Long Beach if your goal is to see the "famous OC beaches." Seal Beach is nearby and has some okay beaches iirc, but Laguna is probably where you want to be.
May 28th, 2009, 04:31 PM
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I would avoid MDR, Santa Monica and Venice.
I like Manhattan Beach but its further away (about 25 min by car to the center of "happening"-ASSUMING there is no traffic-which is a long-shot in LA). It's a lot cheaper to stay near Manhattan Beach and the airport.
Why not try one of those boutique hotels in Beverly Hills or stay in Hollywood (Marriott Rena.) if you want to do touristy stuff and be near the clubs, etc.?
I agree, avoid Long Beach, go to Laguna.
The hotels on the beach in Cali (usually) are either extremely $$$ or (tend to be) dumps.
There is a new place opening in Palo Verdes (VERY nice) and not too far from LA, probably 30 miles, called Terranea, which is on the cliffs by the water with beach access (beach is rocky so not great for swimming there). It looks beautiful and they have some "opening" specials. Not sure how lively it will be, but it is extremely pretty.
Good luck.
I like Manhattan Beach but its further away (about 25 min by car to the center of "happening"-ASSUMING there is no traffic-which is a long-shot in LA). It's a lot cheaper to stay near Manhattan Beach and the airport.
Why not try one of those boutique hotels in Beverly Hills or stay in Hollywood (Marriott Rena.) if you want to do touristy stuff and be near the clubs, etc.?
I agree, avoid Long Beach, go to Laguna.
The hotels on the beach in Cali (usually) are either extremely $$$ or (tend to be) dumps.
There is a new place opening in Palo Verdes (VERY nice) and not too far from LA, probably 30 miles, called Terranea, which is on the cliffs by the water with beach access (beach is rocky so not great for swimming there). It looks beautiful and they have some "opening" specials. Not sure how lively it will be, but it is extremely pretty.
Good luck.
May 31st, 2009, 02:39 PM
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You will definitely want to stay in Santa Monica over MDR. SM is much nicer and you can walk around. You can take a nice drive on Sunset Boulevard to get from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa are fun to visit, but I think you are better off staying in Santa Monica. There is more to do around the Santa Monica area. Plus the beaches in the South Bay are a bit far from Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Palo Verdes is far from where you want to be.
Suggestions:
Drive from Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu
If you are driving down Sunset toward Beverly Hills, check out Century City and the mall, Westwood, Brentwood, Bel-Air, Sunset Plaza
The Grove (near West 3rd)
Farmers Market at Fairfax and 3rd
Walk around Melrose
On the Eastern part of Sunset Blvd. check out the Silverlake area
Pasadena is also fun
Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa are fun to visit, but I think you are better off staying in Santa Monica. There is more to do around the Santa Monica area. Plus the beaches in the South Bay are a bit far from Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Palo Verdes is far from where you want to be.
Suggestions:
Drive from Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu
If you are driving down Sunset toward Beverly Hills, check out Century City and the mall, Westwood, Brentwood, Bel-Air, Sunset Plaza
The Grove (near West 3rd)
Farmers Market at Fairfax and 3rd
Walk around Melrose
On the Eastern part of Sunset Blvd. check out the Silverlake area
Pasadena is also fun
