I'm assuming you will be near the LAX area? If so, you might want to check out Marina Del Rey, it's a beach, but lots of restaurants around it. You are correct in regard to Los Angeles is not a walking type of place. You would need to drive, but since you said you don't want to drive, perhaps rent a taxi? But it's better to rent a car (in my opinion) so you can visit more places since LA is very scattered.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g32684-c1576/Marina-Del-Rey:California:From.Lax.To.Marina.Del.Rey.html

Santa Monica is nice as well. It's part of west LA (close to LAX, also). Santa Monica and Venice are the same area. They're two different beaches, but connected. You can walk around in Venice for shopping boutiques. Santa Monica promenade has lot of restaurants and shopping stores as well. It's an outdoor mall. Santa Monica mall (which is connected to the promenade) has been renovated and it sort of looks like the shopping mall in Las Vegas, but a smaller version.

Hollywood and Highland is where you can see the Walk of Fame. Very busy streets. Lots of people walking. But again, you need a car to get there from where you will be at. http://www.hollywoodandhighland.com/experience-hollywood/tourist-information


Hope the information above helps you a bit.

Enjoy!

Also, I forgot to mention the Getty Museum. It's free admission and it's very close to LAX. You will love this place.

http://www.getty.edu/museum/

I'm not sure when you will arrive to San Pedro. But mid-september, there will be a lobster fest. It's very busy. If you are not into lobsters, there are many other food types you can eat. It's located in San Pedro as well.
http://lobsterfest.com/meals/

Thanks jlee. Would it be difficult to get to the airport from either Santa Monica or Marina del Rey? I have heard horrible stories about the traffic. We do not have our return flight yet, so I do not know the time, but I do not want to miss it. I am hoping that it is a "doable" thing from either of those places. We may end up renting a car...how difficult would it be to drive into the Hollywood area? Is there parking readily available? Also, for walking around and shopping, eating, enjoying the area...would you greatly Marina del Rey or Santa Monica or would you suggest either one? Again, thanks so much for your help.

Below is information from LAX to Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey. Of course, Marina Del Rey is closer than Santa Monica from the LAX airport. But Santa Monica is not too far either.

http://www.visitmarinadelrey.com/map/directions

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kgrenfell/how_to_get_from_lax_to_santa_m.html

It's not difficult to drive to either places or even to Hollywood. You are right. Traffic is crazy but it depends on the time of day also. If it's within rush hour where people go to work or get off from work, then it could take at least 2 hrs back and forth. Traffic around LAX, especially, it's always crowded. You would need to plan out your time and account for traffic. Parking is hard to say. Some places require street parking, but some places have parking garage. It just depends. I suggest you call first to inquire about parking before arriving to a certain place. Santa Monica third street promenade has a parking garage, it's very visible too.

Good luck to you. I wish I could help you more but LA is quite big, it's got alot to offer, but at the same time, it's very scattered. You may want to google for more LA places.

Public Transportation from LAX to getty museum (20 mins)
http://www.getty.edu/visit/hours/public_transport.html

Things to do around LAX
http://discoverlosangeles.com/getting-around/air/things-to-do-near-lax-los-angeles-airport.html

With only two days you'll have to just park your butts in Santa Monica and call for a Starline Tour pick-up to get around to see as much as you can.
Marina del Rey (Foghorn Harbor Inn or Marina International Hotel) are the decent budget choices. Santa Monica is tougher on a budget but depends on the time of year.

Not sure if you can find a car rental that will pick you up at San Pedro port and let you drop the rental at LAX airport. It depends on day of the week and open hours at the San Pedro local Hertz or Avis.

You might need to use something like zippyshuttle.net to get you from San Pedro to your hotel.

Even if you rent a car from the port and to get you to the airport, you'll still probably want to use Starline Tours or the Hop-On-Hop_Off bus for your sightseeing. Two days is just not enough time to get your bearings, learn your way around, and see much of anything. Relax and let the pros do the driving. It'll end up cheaper than a fender-bender or one of the famous West Hollywood parking tickets.

Public Transportation from LAX to getty museum (<20 mins). Shuttle from LAX to bus center, then 1 hour bus ride, transfer, 20 min bus ride. It is probably more like 2 hours adding in wait times for the shuttle and buses.

Definitely suggest skipping the Hollywood cheesiness in favor of the Getty Villa or the Getty Center. Both are amazing.

In Marina del Rey, we like the Jamaica Bay Inn. There is also a basic Marriott Courtyard, with a very nice pool area.

Santa Monica is more expensive, but there's a Holiday Inn which is right at the waterside. And the Georgian is an older hotel which faces the Santa Monica ferris wheel, across the street.

VIP Tours has many combo tours (One combines the Getty with the cheesy Hollywood stuff.), as does Starline Tours, in addition to the hop-on, hop off bus.

Both websites show a list of hotels where they pick up. Most of the Santa Monica, Venice and MDR hotels named above are on that list:
www.viptoursandcharters.com/
www.starlinetours.com/

Rent the car if you can, just avoid rush hour. If you will not have a car, stay near Hollywood and Highland, this is where the Walk of Fame and Grauman's and many other places are, a major transit hub and Starline Tours has their offices there.

The only car rental at San Pedro I believe is Enterprise and they are closed on Sundays.

What could be a 20 minute drive non-rush hour can take 2 hours via bus with one or more transfer.

Santa Monica or Marina del Rey. I would rent a car. Californians are good drivers, so even when there's a lot of traffic there's nothing difficult about it (imo). It's really difficult to see Los Angeles without a car.

Thanks so much for all the help. I am leaning toward staying in Santa Monica or Marina del Rey since we would like to walk around at night and it does not look like there is much to walk around and see in the Hollywood area. Both places seem to be expensive for us (yes, we go to other big cities--NYC, Chicago, Boston), but in most cases we stay at small B&B's which are much less. I got a great rate in NYC for the spring at the Hampton Inn in Chelsea...less than I am seeing in LA. But I will keep looking. Santa Monica really sounds like a neat place to spend the evenings.

You won't need a car if you're going to spend one day exploring Santa Monica and another taking a tour of Hollywood & Beverly Hills. Even the Getty is easy from SM on the bus system, two 15 minute bus rides, and the rides give you another little tour of the neighborhoods. However, there is the matter of getting from the cruise to your hotel which might be cheapest by rental car, what day of the week is this?

If your return flights aren't booked yet, try for something between maybe 12 and 3pm so that you don't have to deal with morning or afternoon traffic snarls.

http://www.figueroahotel.com/

This hotel is in downtown LA, near the Staples Center, reasonably priced and unique.

Thanks for more info! Tracy2cents, I think we have decided not to rent a car if possible. It appears that the two areas we wish to visit (yes, I still want to visit the "cheesy" stuff...sorry!), Hollywood and Santa Monica, can be accessed by public transportation. Although we still want to stay in Santa Monica, it it appearing to be too expensive for us (we are coming off a stay in Vancouver, then a week long cruise, so we are trying to be as frugal as possible). The Seashore Motel in Santa Monica is a possibility. We have also found an interesting Bed and Breakfast in our price range near the Convention Center. I am guessing that this is not a good area for walking around at night though? I will look into the Figueroa, Suze. The website does not provide much helpful information, including the rates, so I will do some more research on that one. What type of neighborhood is that in? The neighborhoods of LA have overwhelmed me...we are not nightlife people, but we do enjoy walking to restaurants and shops. Tracy, we will be arriving from our cruise on Sunday. Figuring out how to get from the dock to our lodging is definitely a consideration. Also to the airport on Wednesday. Thanks for any other hints you can give me.

There are restaurants and shops near the Staples/Convention Center:
http://lalive.com/
Definitely not your quaint, pedestrian village, but it is getting safer to walk around in parts of downtown LA.

If you stay downtown, you will be closer to the Metro that will get you to Hollywood (plan your trip at www.metro.net). The flyaway bus will also get you from Union Station to LAX: http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=292

It's ~$150/night. Just go under the "reservations" tab.

Thanks, Suze.

Well if you are in LA , you should try Laguna Beach , Newport Beach because they are just truly amazing beach towns. However , for that you would have to rent a car because a cab from LAX would be just too expensive. I moved to LA from OHIO and also had the same view on traffic , but as long as you can avoid driving during peak hours , you should be fine.

No way I would stay downtown. And I wouldn't even dream of doing public transportation in L.A..

With your limited time, I'd stay in Santa Monica where you'll have lots of stores, restaurants, and beach access. You can walk (or take a short taxi ride) to wander through the canals in Venice and see the vendors on the boardwalk. I like to stay at the Inn at Venice Beach -- but Venice might not be your taste. It's a funky, wild scene. I find it fun and interesting.

Take guided bus day tours to Hollywood and wherever else you decide to go.

I like the Getty Museum -- and I LOVE the Getty Villa, but with such a short time to see L.A., you probably don't want to spend most of a day in a museum.

Thanks to all. We have decided to stay in Santa Monica after all. We have narrowed it down to a two bedroom, two bathroom suite at the Embassy Apartments Hotel or two rooms at the Georgian Hotel. Both are more than we wanted to spend, but cheaper than a lot of the other options. I am still determined to spend one day in the Hollywood area doing the tourist thing. Still trying to figure out the best way to do that. But staying in Santa Monica would allow us to enjoy our visit in the evenings/nights also.

I think you'll be happy you made the choice to stay in Santa Monica, bc. Though downtown has certainly been built up the last few years, SM will offer you better options for the type of walking around, shopping, dining, etc. that you wanted.

Santa Monica is a good choce. You can walk or bike on the beach path down to Marina del Rey.

The Shutters hotel has a nice mid-priced restaurant that's great for lunch or dinner, called Coast.

Have fun!

You might be interested in this trip report of a recent visitor who ignored the "YOU MUST HAVE A CAR" bleats

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/survivor-of-pch-drive-arrives-in-la-and-survives-without-a-car.cfm

Personally I do not think Santa Monica is a good location for a budget visitor who wants to visit Hollywood and does not have a car.

But many do enjoy the ambiance.

I guess my idea of "budget" is different than others!

Thanks, migb...I found that very interesting. We are very used to public transportation in big cities, but still have not made the final decision on driving vs public trans. We are definitely set on staying in Santa Monica...it appears to be a great place for walking and drinking in the atmosphere. I think we may end up doing a combination of rental and bus.

My profile pic is on the veranda of the Georgian. Click on my name to see it.

Socialworker: Fabulous! I think we have decided on the Georgian...it really looks great. We are debating on ocean view rooms or not...we typically get an ocean view room if we can (budget wise). Looking at their website, it appears that some of the rooms look like they have beautiful views, but some of them appear to be small windows that just do not look like they are worth the extra to be in an ocean view room. Do you have any opinion?

We did not stay there, although we had lunch on the veranda several times during our 3 month stay in LA early this year.

The lobby there is so lovely and civilized. Small and simply elegant with a European hotel vibe.

I cannot offer advice on the pros and cons of the ocean view but the hotel itself seems like a really nice place to stay.

Unless you are used to driving on freeways - in traffic - suggest you stick to a tour or public transportation. Why spoil a beautiful cruise experience by getting lost or stuck in traffic.

And do think you made the right choice to stay at Santa Monica - and even if you can't get to the main Getty Musuem - the Getty Villa in Malibu is just georgeous. http://www.getty.edu/visit/

And if there are 4 of you - spring for a taxi from San Pedro to the hotel - and later - from the hotel there to the airport - although you might be able to get some kind of van service from the hotel to the airport.

Love the Georgian but the ocean-view rooms are not really worth any additional charge. Yes the windows are smallish, and there are palm trees blocking some view. Worse though is the traffic on that side of the hotel. I would request quiet rooms towards the back, unless you are from maybe Manhattan and the buzz of traffic all night doesn't bother you.

To each their own, but moi - I would probably not even hear the noise while loving the view and sitting there with some wine and cheese and cold cuts and enjoying one's first time in Cal with a view of the Blue Pacific and all the "craziness"/beach scene going on outside the hotel.

I didn't read to see if you mentioned your dates, but bear in mind that there will be closures of the 405 Freeway leading up to Carmageddon II weekend of September 29/30.

There are alternative routes to Santa Monica, but allow extra time if you need to catch a flight.

If you need to search for Freeway closure notices, you can use the Caltrans District 7 website

http://www.lcswebreports.dot.ca.gov/lcswebreports/SearchPreAction.do?

Here are a few ideas of places to visit:

Getty Museum
http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/California_Dreaming_1/Entries/2011/8/14_J._Paul_Getty_Museum_-_Los_Angeles.html

Getty Villa:

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/California_Dreaming_1/Entries/2009/11/2_The_Getty_Villa_-_Malibu.html

If you stay downtown, you can check out Angel's Flight while there.

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/California_Drive-By/Entries/2012/3/11_Angels_Flight_-_Los_Angeles.html

You guys have been so helpful. I was really stumped on this one...Los Angeles seems to be a confusing place. I agree with you Tomsd on an ocean view, but the pix on Tripadvisor left me cold. When I think of an ocean view, I think of a large window with a balcony. I think we may stick with a back room tracys2cents in this case. This seems to be a very nice hotel but I think sitting outside on the verandah or something at night would be a good way to get our ocean "fix"--although after a week at sea, we may not need it as much. I do agree with you on the tax tomsd...I am sure that is what we will do. One last question...and I will leave you all alone...I would like to also see Marina del Rey (just because it was mentioned as a possible place to stay and it does look very pretty. If we rented a car, would it be difficult to drive from Santa Monica to there? Thanks.

No, the drive between Marina del Rey and Santa Monica is easy. It is about 5 miles and non-freeway. Usually takes about 20 - 30 minutes depending on traffic (heavier during rush hours). You can go along Ocean Ave, which is closest to the beach (and changes names along the way, to Pacific) or you can go down Main St in Santa Monica, a neat shopping area. Lincoln Blvd is another main street that connects the two, but I would avoid it - usually more congested and much less attractive.

You will go through Venice, as it is in-between those two, and it also has an interesting, upscale quirky shopping area - Abott Kinney Blvd. If you have time, a walk along the Venice Canals is always nice.

A fun thing to do in Marina del Rey is rent a bike and ride along the beach path. You can bike between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey - it's about 3 miles along the beach - pier (Venice) to pier (Santa Monica). Or walk along the jetty which is at the south end of Marina del Rey.

Fiddely foo. Lost a post trying to retreive this page - so here it is: Sunset Boulevard - which if you rent a car - can take you all the way from the beach at Santa Monica into Hollywood (through Beverly Hills, etc) - without having to get on a freeway. http://tinyurl.com/9t6odlj, and http://discoverlosangeles.com/getting-around/land/scenic-drives-in-la.html

(BTW - since you said you are in your 60's - did you ever watch the old TV Series - 77 Sunset Strip - the detective show - with the car hop - Kookie - who was always combing his hair? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QGvjXDIJ54 )

If you rented a car for two days at the LA airport (or close - check www.carrentals.com, which I always use first - as it lists all the car companies and usually has the best rates) - you could easily drive up the Coast hiway/Pacific Coast Hiway/1 from the airport to your hotel - and then also use it to get to Marina del Rey - or IMO - a prettier drive is up/north on the PCH to the Getty Villa and then even further out Malibu.

You could also take Sunset over to the 405 and be at the main Getty museum.

Wow! More good info! I think we have a plan....Tomsd, we are not arriving in LA by plane...we are ending a cruise in San Pedro. I am learning toward a cab from the dock to the hotel, then renting a car for the two, well three days (okay...I think we are going to extend the trip by one day...we have another commitment coming up that week so we will be cutting in close, but you guys have us so excited we are stretching things) and driving to Hollywood by the route you mentioned, Tomsd. Then we will spend the rest of the time exploring the routes mentioned by you and nankie. Thanks so much, this is great info and great resources. And yes....we remember 77 Sunset Strip very well. I was probably the only young girl with a crush on Efrem Zimbalist Jr instead of Kookie!

You can reserve a share van from the port, about $60 for two people, vs a taxi will cost you around $100 or more depending on time of day and traffic/wait time.

There is an Enterprise rental car near the San Pedro port assuming you arrive during their open hours. You'll have to call them to see if they will do a oneway rental, and I believe they will pick you up.

I realized there is another relatively easy way to go from Santa Monica to Marina del Rey - The Santa Monica Blue Bus (a public bus, $1 fare, no parking hassles!) It actually goes from Santa Monica only as far as Venice, but it is near the beach - which is then a pleasant walk (close to the canals) or bike ride towards Marina del Rey. The #1 Santa Monica Blvd bus is a good route that goes near the coast.

Although L.A. is not known for its public transportation - the situation is improving! The SM Blue Bus now has a route (#20) to the new Metro Rail Expo line (train), which starts in Culver City and can be used to get to Hollywood or downtown. So you can get around without a car. It may not be super quick (though neither is driving, usually!) but you can relax and look at the surrounding neighborhoods and people. It is cheap, and you don't have to deal with parking, which can be difficult and expensive.

All thumbs on my wife's laptop - but good for you to check the jar and extend your stay a day in LA.

Next cruise you check out - consider embarking/and or disembarking from San Diego - which also has a lot to see and do - and it's easier to get around here - and less expensive to boot.

Also - if you can - rent the car in/near San Pedro - and some of them might not have a dropoff charge if you turn it in at LAX,

Er - that's check the cookie jar, not Kookie jar.

And do drive up Malibu - it's just beautiful. Still the vision the World has of Gigi in LA LA land.

Geesh. Need me coffee. That is supposed to be Gidget - and/or Annette Funicello (sp).

The Big Blue Bus is great!! I used it extensively during my 3 month stay in LA. We only had one car which DH took to work and I got around on the bus. Big Discount for >age 62 as well. Hard to beat! http://bigbluebus.com/

However, it does not go to all the places you want to see. It goes all over, Santa Monica, Westwood, Beverly Hills. Pacific Pallisades and you can take it to the Getty, but it does not go east of Beverly Hills so no Hollywood destinations.

If I read the BBB schedule correctly, Route 10 direct goes from Santa Monica, via the Santa Monica fwy. to downtown LA where it makes several stops, allowing access to the red (subway)line. Then it's a short fast ride to Hollywood. But the point is moot, because bc has decided to rent a car.

Well, it sounds like bc may have been undecided about renting a car, and I wanted to point out that public transportation to the westside has improved a lot recently, and now with the Expo line and the #20 Big Blue Bus it is even easier to connect to the red line that stops at Hollywood and Highland.

I think that might be preferable to taking the freeway #10 bus. (They are now working on a Metro extension to Santa Monica, so in the next couple of years it will get even easier!) So for bc and others reading this who may be undecided about renting a car in L.A. it is worth considering that public transportation is much better than it used to be!

I misnamed the route. It's "Rapid 10".

I misnamed the route. It's "Rapid 10".

Whoops

Wow, good to know of the greater range of the Big Blue Bus than I was aware of! I too thought that the OP was mixed on renting a car.....this is a good resource.

Oh no...now I am confused again! Yes, I was undecided about renting a car (horror stories about LA freeways), but after hearing that I could travel from Santa Monica to a few other places relatively easy, the rental sounded like the best bet. Now, I am hearing how easy the Big Blue Bus can be...so back to undecided.

It seems to be the cool thing lately for everyone to tell you to take the "bus" or the "metro." I've lived in Southern California all my life (60 years), and In the L.A. area for most of them. If you know how to drive, in my opinion, rent a car. It gives you more freedom.

Bag the bus - rent a car. Cheaper and much easier/faster - and you don't have to wait for the bus/transfer, etc.

For maybe $50 a day (including any possible drop-off charge) - you could drive your party of 4 on surface roads your whole time in LA (no sweat) - and if you are not out during commute hours - and listen to AM 1070 - you can hear if there are any freeway problems - as they do News and Traffic every six minutes.

If the freeways are not jammed - they aren't that bad - really, but you can still make your way around using surface streets without any problemo. From the beach to Hollywood on Sunset Blvd - 45 minutes or less. (Well - again, except during commute hours but that's easy to work around. Just ask at your front desk).

Or you could come to San Diego - where yesterday - I easily went from my Starbucks to the docks at Pt. Loma to check on the incoming sport fleet boats (fishing is still going crazy - Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado/Mahi Mahi, Yellowtail, etc) - and then to a vintage car show - (hey - I want to join the Over the Hill Gang) - and then to a SD Padres baseball game - and then to a Brazilian festival in Pacific Beach - and was not in the car for longer than 15 minutes on any one leg and back home in time to watch football. Yea Payton Manning - beat those dang Steelers.

I have to agree with Tom. Public transportation in LA is not what it should be. Buses don't run as reliably as they should, for one thing.

Traffic in LA is not for the faint-of-heart, but in our experience, the drivers there are quite good. Traffic can be moving at a quick pace, with cars relatively close together, and you must know where you are going and where is your exit, or you can easily miss it in the crowd.

One of our favorite drives when we are there is Sunset Blvd all the way to where it meets PCH. You wind through Beverly Hills, past UCLA and gorgeous landscaped yards and homes. Now, this is where the driving is heart-stopping, because it is two-lanes each direction and those local drivers weave in and out and don't show much mercy for the meandering tourist! But, years ago, when our son was a teen and we were taking him to college in LA, we rented a red Mustang convertible and he drove it on Sunset. He loved it. (I was in the tiny backseat, so not so much for Mom!)

I suggest you get a car, and take Tom's advice for avoiding the worst traffic and routes. It can be done.

Yes, there are pros and cons to both ways. I have lived in L.A. for 30 years and solely driven a car for 29 of those years. But I was pleasantly surprised last year when I tried public transportation for the first time (when my teenage daughter got her license and used my car all the time!)

The choice all depends on the individual's personal preferences. If driving a car in a crowded unfamiliar area would be very stressful, then public transportation would work. If waiting for buses would be very stressful, then renting a car would be preferable. It's an individual preference - but I just wanted visitors to be aware that public transportation is definitely an option, contrary to popular belief!

I know when I am in Europe, I enjoy riding the bus and subway - it's another way to see the people and culture of an area. Granted L.A. is not quite the same as Paris! And even in Europe, if I am going somewhere more remote that requires too many transfers, I prefer to rent a car. It all depends.

If you do decide to drive, please take very seriously the advice of timing your drives. It will make your experience much more enjoyable. Typical "rush hour" times are not generally applicable in all areas.

The week before last, our German houseguests tried to take that Sunset Blvd. route from PCH into Hollywood --west to east -- on a weekday afternoon at about 2:30 pm. It took them an excruciating 1 1/2 hours just to get from PCH to the 405 -- about 10 miles. They gave up, got onto the 405 and came back to our house. They tried again on a Sunday morning, this time from Hollywood to PCH. Though it was by no means traffic-free, it was a much more manageable drive.

This past week, our Austrian houseguests (lots of houseguests this summer ) were stuck in traffic coming from Santa Monica on the 10 then the 405 (again, at about 3pm). After an hour of mostly stopped traffic, they tried surface streets, which did not help at all. It took them almost 2 hours to get from Santa Monica to their Torrance destination (about 18 miles).

I'm not telling you this to scare you off driving in LA. Just trying to reinforce the notion of checking with a local about drive times before you head out. www.sigalert.com/losangeles is also a good source of information.

Okay, that link didn't work. Try this:
http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?region=Greater+Los+Angeles&gclid=CImR_ZfFq7ICFYlgTAodHX4Aig#lat=33.98417&lon=-118.22335&z=2

There is no one-=size fits all answer..."You must drive" does not work for everyone. A lot the regulars live in suburban places that tourists don't stay, not in transit hubs such as downtown and Hollywood (or the Wilshire corridor). When they visit they are usually seeing family/friends business associates, not tourist sights.

Public transit is most frequent on routes where there is a lot of demand. It is also easier around the routes of the Red Line (ie between downtown and Hollywood/Wilshire).

BTW the Route 10 Big Blue Bus from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles has existed for decades...I mean like at least 30 years..

The key is to do some advance trip planning via www.metro.net and see if there is good, frequent service between your destinations.

A one-way, one-day car rental with a drop off fee is not a bargain. Usually a Supershuttle or taxi will be less.

Here's a funny (well, I think it's funny) story about our night using public transportation to go out to dinner with friends (link below). A couple of years ago, Tracy and I were feeling quite cosmopolitan and decided to take "Rapid" transit from a metro station near where we live to a restaurant in Hollywood.

The trip (by car) takes no more than half an hour, but as you will see, our journey took quite a bit longer. Fortunately we had dinner at a famed Hollywood landmark, and our trip home was made even more exciting by a chance encounter with a crazy man wielding a crutch on the Red Line. Enjoy!

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/Tom_%26_Tracy_Home/Toms_%22Dining_Out%22/Entries/2010/6/27_The_Musso_%26_Frank_Grill_-_Hollywood.html

I've gone from Long Beach to Hollywood on the Metro in an hour, and it can take far longer in a car, especially at rush hour.

How much time did the train take from Union Station to Hollywood? About 15 to 20 minutes?

Yes, probably about 15-20 minutes. If I lived at Union Station, now that would be faster.

I would imagine during the summer/tourist time - the drives from the beach on Sunset into say Hollywood - can be busier - but would think now - if you went in after the morning commute - say 9:30 am or so - it should be fairly smooth.


And - I would plan to leave Hollywood by 2 PM or so to head back to the beach. You can see most of the "touristy" stuff in a couple of hours and if you really want to see it in more depth - go back another time.

Also - suggest you stay on surface streets and don't take the Freeways 10 or 405 unless it's for very short shots, and then listen to AM 1070 to make sure it's not backed up.

And cars do move steadily along on Sunset - but I don't recall it being that much of a white knuckle sort of thing. Just go with the flow and you should be fine, but if you try it and don't like it - check out the public transportation asw suggested.

BTW - get a good map and study it beforehand so you have a better idea of the routes/distances. Here is the route from Santa Monica/PCH into Hollywood - and as you can see - it's only about 15 miles. http://tinyurl.com/9692e2f

Actually - that was using 10 and then the 405 to Wilshire - but the main point was it's not that far (under 15 miles) and you can catch Sunset out by the beach and stay on it past the 405, Bel Air/Beverly Hills and on into Hollywood.

Just looked it up...25 minutes from Union Station to Hollywood and Vine, virtually the same amount of time it takes me to drive from my home to Hollywood & Vine, so the BEST I could do is lose about an hour from when I originally leave my house when using the Gold Line/Red Line vs. driving myself, and that's with my connection at Union Station being perfect.

Even if I'm going out to dinner with Tracy in downtown L.A., by the time I take the car to the Gold Line, catch the train and get downtown, it can take nearly an hour. It takes me 20-25 minutes to drive it, even at rush hour, since I am going against traffic.

The metro in Paris is efficient...In L.A., unless you live at one of the stations and are going somewhere near the next station..it is not.

Presumably if one is a tourist staying in Hollywood or downtown (such as at the Biltmore) you walk a block or two to the Station. If you have to retrieve a car, you get to wait for the valet. And then you get to repeat that wait again at your destination.

A short hop on a bus on one route is convenient. A bus stuck in the same traffic as the cars can be miserable. I would only take a bus during daylight hours in some/many parts of Los Angeles. I would not want to be stuck standing on a street waiting for a late bus in some areas.

I suggest definitely taking a car. If there is gridlock just pull over and have a coffee or a snack and look at the locals.
Unless you really have timed appointments to make, a drive in a car would be much more enjoyable. Say you are "stuck" on Sunset coming from the beach, pull over in Pacific Palisades and walk around. Go to Will Rogers State Park. There are many stops to enjoy.

Commuters take public transport because they know their route and their schedules, a tourist wouldn't be touring on them.

Gee, I didn't realize the Metro RED LINE ran on surface streets stuck in traffic. I always thought it was an underground subway. At least it was the last time I took it between downtown and Hollywood and Vine.

It is very easy to pick and chose routes that are good with a car or by transit to make a case for or against.

Unfortunately too few locals who post here have any personal experience at all (or one trip from Pasadena aka mataitom).

I was talking about a bus on the street of course.

I would rather wait for a valet in the comfort of my hotel then stand on a corner in Los Angeles for very long. Unless you want to grab some cash that a bank robber is throwing out of his car in a police chase, lol.

"Unless you want to grab some cash that a bank robber is throwing out of his car in a police chase, lol."

You got it SeaUrchin. That's the excitement of driving in L.A. You never know when that next car chase will whiz right by you.

"I would rather wait for a valet in the comfort of my hotel then stand on a corner in Los Angeles for very long. Unless you want to grab some cash that a bank robber is throwing out of his car in a police chase, lol."

Why not just stay locked up at home? You never know when you'll get carjacked, or have that unkempt looking homeless person trying to clean your windshield. LOL.

This is getting a wee bit out of the "ordinary".

During the day - from Santa Monica - through Beverly Hills to Hollywood - it's a very safe area (but there can always be exceptions as in any dense urban area) - and at night - would recommend you enjoy being back at your hotel - without having to worry about traffic or other possible hassles.

Have a blast - and next time - get down here to San Diego.

I was joking. I thought Angelinos have a sense of humor.