Advice required - Los Angeles/San Francisco
 

Hi! Stopping off in the states on our way back to the UK from Australia next January. We are getting conflicting reports on Los Angeles and San Francisco and can't decided which to use as a stopoff. Our plan was to stop in Anaheim for three nights and 'do' Disney/Knotts Berry - we would be staying in a Hotel at Buena Park area. We have heard to avoid LA due to bad crime and have been told NOT to venture from our hotel rooms!!!! Would we be best using San Francisco as a stopoff - is San Fran safe? I really need some genuine advice as we will have our young son with us. <BR>Many thanks.

Hi, Sarah, <BR>I wouldn't let issues of safety drive the decision. If you exercise common sense you'll be fine in either place. Here's my take on your choice: Disneyland and Knotts are fine for a day and half a day respectively, beyond which fatigue is a big factor, especially if you're a little jet-lagged. With apologies to my Orange County family and friends, Buena Park wouldn't be my choice for three nights - not unsafe, mind you, just...boring? If you want to stay in Orange Co. (about 45 min - 1 hr south of LA airport), book a car and look for accommodation in Huntington Beach or Newport Beach - on the extra non-theme-park day you can walk on the other Pacific shore, even if it is January. Disneyland is only 20 minutes or so by car and easily accessed. By the way, check out the opening times for Disneyland - they used to have reduced hours and operating days in midwinter. <BR> <BR>San Francisco is a more adult destination, although your son will certainly enjoy cable cars, Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge. January weather may be more dicey in SF, but I'm betting you and spouse would really enjoy it. More compact, easier to see, way more beautiful than suburban LA. Plus getting to and from the airport is miles easier. (No car hire needed in SF, mandatory in LA.) <BR>My vote: SF, then EuroDisney if you're that Mickey-deprived.

I'll admit I'm prejudiced but there's no question in my mind--go to San Francisco. It is my favorite place to visit and I've never had a problem with safety there.

Sarah, <BR> <BR>I don't think you should worry about safety. There is nothing inherently unsafe about either LA or SF in tourist-populated areas. If you have your heart set on Disney/Knotts, then go for it. However, I personally would recommend SF for your stopover for several reasons. Disneyland in LA is substantially the same as Disneyland Paris, something you can presumably access from your home in the UK. And Knotts is just an amusement park, nothing extaordinary. SF is one of North America's most beautiful cities, and as the poster above says, in LA you would have to rent a car, but in SF it is unnecessary--plenty of safe and easy public transit. As for SF being a more "adult" destination, there are all sorts of things for kids in SF. In addition to the cable cars, etc., I highly recommend the Exploratorium, an excellent interactive science museum that's great for all kids except the very young and is plenty intelligent enough to be enjoyed by adults, too. The Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park is always a good bet, as well. <BR> <BR>Bottom line, though, is that if you are careful and are in well-populated areas, I don't think you should be overly concerned with crime or safety in either city.

I can't imagine who would tell you such rubbish! As all above have said, either is perfectly safe to do as a tourist, and for that matter, how do we manage to live here? There are parts of every American city that you wouldn't want to be in but I'm assuming since you are from the UK, you are fairly sophisticated and know how to deal with cities. The best way to know what's safe is to ask the people who live there--this forum is super in that area. I would also vote for San Francisco (I'm prejudiced also, but lived in LA for 6 years and liked it a lot). You don't say how old your son is, but if he's more than about 4, there are lots of things that will interest him in SF. Cable car rides, boat rides, Pier 39, seals etc. You will most likely have more of an opportunity in the future to travel with him either to EuroDisney or to Florida which is a pretty popular destination from the UK, but you might not get the change at San Francisco for a longer time. And, the ability to stop in a city where you don't need a car is certainly a plus. Safetywise, either is just fine. Weatherwise, LA gets an advantage, but LA can be rainy and miserable in January as well. Lots to do inside in SF, if the weather doesn't cooperate. Let us know what you decide.

I would choose San Francisco though the weather will probably be considerably warmer in Southern Califronia. An amusement park is just that and no more. Great fro kids and maybe interesting for adults. However San Francsico is a great city with lots to do and see. <BR> <BR>You may want to consider San Diego which is very nice and well worth visiting. <BR> <BR>This crime issue is blown away out of proportion. I live in the San Francisco Bay area. I have lived in many other countries and quite frankly where I live now is the safest area that I have ever lived in. Crime does occur in both San Francisco and Los Angeles as it does in any large city in the world. Just use common sense and ask before venturing into any area that you are unfamiliar with. Any of the tourist areas are very safe.

Thanks to you all for your advice - it was much appreciate. However, thought I would let you all know that we have not been able to get flights to Australia - so will not actually be touching down in California at all!!! We have decided to go direct from the UK to Florida instead (see you on the Florida forum)!!!! <BR>Many thanks!

Sarah, Do you mean to tell me that you can't get a reservation for London-Australia for next January? WOW! That's really terrible. A year in advance? Well, if you must visit Florida, it's nice, but can't compair to California. Enjoy your vacation at any rate.

Sarah, don't even listen to ANY of these people! With all of the really beautiful European cities at your disposal, San Francisco is a big NOTHING in my book! If your plans change once again, by all means, you should certainly stay near Disneyland in California. It is a WONDERFUL family destination! I would recommend the Anaheim Hilton and Towers directly in Anaheim for your accommodations. And, of course, if you don't make it here, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Disneyworld in Florida is OUTSTANDING and even quite SUPERIOR to the Disneyland in California, so you can't go wrong either! And you'll have TONS of accommodations to choose from as well! Don't even worry about California as you will have a FANTASTIC -- and VERY BUSY -- time in Florida -- GUARANTEED!!!

But in Florida, you would have to worry about crime. In case youve forgotten, Florida is more dangerous than California. San Francisco is a big nothing to "common" folk. The demographic of the typical tourist in SF is a well educated, wealthy professional who enjoys the arts, culture, excellent restaurants, scenenry a climate that all the disney money in the world could not duplicate. In all of the above mentioned criteria, San Francisco blows Florida away( easily). To Florida's credit though, its cheaper( in every sense of the word)