111op

Hi I have to make a last-minute trip to SF and LA. I do know SF somewhat, but it doesn't hurt to see if there are any new activities or restaurants I should know about. I actually just took a short vacation last year.

I am not familiar with LA at all, though I have been there. I am taking the redeye, and I think that I'll have a few hours early evening. Unfortunately none of the museums (LACMA, MOCA, Getty) is open at that time. Any thoughts about what I could do before heading to the airport? I need to get in around 9 pm.

I suppose dinner somewhere is a natural choice?

These are two separate days , in case people are wondering. (With me, I suppose you never know!)

Thanks!

111op

Oh, I won't have a car in LA. It will be good to have easy public transportation access, but I know that's tricky. I guess I can call for car service if need be.

yk

For LA, the FlyAway bus can take you to either Westwood (UCLA campus) or Union Station. They run 2x/hr and takes about 40 minutes or so? Check the FlyAway bus website. (These are 2 separate routes, BTW). If you go to Westwood, it's got some restaurants and shops, and the UCLA campus. If you go to Union Station, across the street is "Olivera Street" which is the oldest part of LA with lots of Mexican restaurants and quite touristy. Or, from Union Station, you can connect to the subway and head out to Hollywood if you'd like.

Subway from the airport is not a viable option; it's doable but takes forever.

I'm not 100% sure, but I *think* there's a bus from LAX that can get you to Santa Monica? If there is, it probably would be most ideal, as Santa Monica area has lots of shops and restaurants and is still hopping at night.

There are lots of new restaurants in SF mentioned in WSJ recently.

yk

P.S. I think many museums in LA have a late-opening night; so you may not be out of luck entirely, depending on which day of the week you'll be there.

111op

Thanks. The museums are either not open or closed at regular hours the day I'll be there. I checked some of your trip reports as well. The FLW house is closed too, and I'll be too late for that MAK house.

I checked the Metro map -- I think it's 3 changes to the airport, plus a shuttle from Aviation station?

I think both Hollywood and Santa Monica are in the opposite direction from where I will be. I don't mind trying to make it there, but given the last-minute nature of this trip, I am not sure if I have time to figure my way around really.

I think I'll take car service from where I'll be to go somewhere else to spend a few hours, and then I'll try to use public transportation for the airport for a cost compromise.

Last Nov. I happened to have some free time in LA as well. I used that free time to visit the Norton Simon Museum and have dinner in Japantown.

There's another complication -- I am not sure where to leave my carry on! I think that I have to carry it around, which may make walking long distances quite unbearable.

I do want to go to Hollywood, but I am a little scared given these constraints.

Any thoughts about a nice dinner somewhere in LA that will kill an hour or two before I make it to the airport?

yk

I believe the shuttle is called Green shuttle, which goes from the terminals to the subway station. The shuttle only runs every 10 minutes, the ride is about 10 minutes, and the Green Line runs every 10 minutes (longer at nights/weekends). The Aviation station is rather unpleasant, right next to the Interstate so it's extremely noisy. The only people who use it are the airport employees and us (my brother & I; when he didn't have a car for several months). I would NOT recommend it to a casual tourist.

Can't help with restaurants.

For a few hours, many people recommend taking a cab to Manhattan Beach, walk around, then to In-N-Out burger for a burger, and back to the airport.

111op

Thanks. I'll look that up when I get a chance. A friend recommended Musha in Santa Monica. I'll also need to look that one up.

I've taken the local buses to Beijing Airport -- which incidentally, doesn't drop you off at the airport either. And I used the local buses for 798 and Caochangdi (which is quite remote unless you have a car).

If I can figure that out, I think that I can deal with the public transportation in LA or the LA Metro for the airport.

yk

What I mean is
1) the Green Line is inconvenient, requires lots of changes, and doesn't run often esp at night. But more importantly,
2) that area is not in a good part of town, and I didn't feel comfortable when I was there by myself at night.

Honestly, if you're trying to go to an area served by the Metro, it's better to take the FlyAway bus to Union Station and change for the Metro there.

111op

Thanks, I'll plan on the FlyAway bus from Union Station then. I definitely do care about being safe.

To be clear, it's returning to the airport at night that's the issue. When I arrive during the day, I'm planning to get a car to take me where I need to be, and use a car afterwards as well for where I want to be (to be decided). But since cars are quite expensive, I don't want to get too carried away, as I was advised to rent a car in the first place, which obviously will be much cheaper.

Jean

What exactly are the free hours you have on the ground in L.A. and where will you be earlier in the day?

Is this on a Wednesday? LACMA is open every day except Wednesday until 8:00 pm (9:00 pm on Fridays). There's a pretty good restaurant with both indoor and people-watching patio seating.

Is this on a Friday? If so, you need to add more time to get back to LAX from almost anywhere in L.A.

111op

Hi, you're right! Somehow I missed that! Actually I'll be there tomorrow, so LACMA is open until 8. But the exhibitions are boring.

I don't like how complicated this seems to be, but it seems like there no flights to NYC after 4 or so from LA. I guess those flights get in around midnight and so it doesn't make sense to have anything between that and the redeye. I am not sure if I will be done by that time. So changing flights doesn't seem wise either.

I am thinking maybe I'll head to Santa Monica. But how to get to LAX from Santa Monica? Maybe call for SuperShuttle? And what's there to do in Santa Monica?

I am in SF right now. It was no problem killing time meeting people I know here, and I went to SFMOMA and had dinner at Slanted Door.

yk

I'm confused; are you going to have a car? Then why not just keep the car and return it at LAX? That way, you don't have to worry about logistics on how to get to the airport, and you'll have a place to keep your luggage.

For Santa Monica, when it's still daylight hours, I'd head down to the beach and walk along the beach. When it gets dark, go to Third Street promenade for some shopping & people-watching.

111op

No I don't have a car. It was suggested that I rent a car, but since I am not a very comfortable driver, I decided to use car service, which of course is outrageously expensive.

Anyway, I am about to head back to the airport. I did more or less what you suggested and I just had dinner at Jiraffe. I also went to Hennessy + Ingalls, which stocks a lot of art and photography books. I ordered from them before, so it was interesting visiting them.

I left my bags at the Fairmont/Miramar by fortuitous, prior arrangements, so I didn't have to lug my bags during my walk along the beach.

Thanks again!

111op

Oh in case anyone is wondering, I am checking my email at the Apple store. There's one on the 3rd St promenade.