24 hours in LA?
 

We will arrive at LAX at 10.25am and depart at 11.30am the following morning. Arriving via a Long Haul flight (australia via New Zealand)We have all (Husband & 17yr old & 19yr old) been to LA, about 7 yrs ago. We remember being awake and 'wired' on arrival. So we think we should stay busy and try and sleep at 'bedtime'. Any suggestions on how to fill in an afternoon and evening in LA? Maybe a 'tour' of some kind and a nice dinner. We will be staying at an airport hotel, for obvious reasons!!
Thanks in advance.

The Getty Museum isn't too far (although I guess you'd need a car rental for the day). Here's their event calendar.

http://www.getty.edu/visit/calendar/months/200505.html

You could spend the day at the beach -- Redondo beach is west of LAX. You could also go into Hollywood, check out the kitchy sites, maybe take a tour bus kind of thing, then head to West Hollywood to the Grove -- it's a delightful outdoor shopping area with a fountain, tons of shops and restaurants and a huge farmer's market with every kind of food imaginable.

The airport hotels have a red trolley which take you south a few miles to Manhattan Beach, and pick you up for return. People like to walk on our Pier, look through the shops, people watch on the Strand. I've also seen the trolley drop off people at our Mall.
Many restaurants in the area.
8-)

Hi!! My family and I have visited Los Angeles numerous times. Every time we travel to LA, we use a company called VIP Tours and Charters. VIP will pick you up at your hotel and bring you back after your tour. It is very convenient and safe. Good-Luck and have a fun time in California.

Wow, Rosebud, that is good to know! I just checked their website (www.viptoursandcharters.com) and they seem to have lots of great options (including the Getty, beaches, shopping, theme parks)

This question comes up alot on this forum and most of us who live here aren't familiar with these tours. I'm glad you have used them numerous times and have had positive experiences.

Thanks again.

thanks all great ideas.Although I think that we wouldn't worry about the beach. We live on Queensland 'Gold Coast' so something different is probably the way to go. the Grove sound like a good start and or VIP tours. Thanks one and all,keep 'em comin'.

The website for the grove is www.thegrovela.com.

DH and I spent a great day once at Universal Studios, taking the tour and riding the rides. If you can book Universal's VIP tour you get a more detailed and more personalized tour than the standard trolley one that everybody does; they actually let you get off the trolley and walk around on some of the sets (I got my picture taken standing inside "Psycho's" famous shower at the "Bates Motel"); plus you get "front-of-the-line" privileges for rides and attractions there. The current cost is 139 US$ PP (all ages). It's more expensive but well worth it. If you opt for the VIP tour you should book in advance, especially since there will be 4 of you -- the groups are small, space is limited and they fill up fast.

Or you could try Disneyland for a day. They're celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with all sorts of special events, etc.