I still like the Custom as a backup while you look around. However, there's also the Comfort Inn Santa Monica at around $110 a night including light breakfast. It comes in a little under your budget so that will cover the airport taxis. It's not at the beach, in fact it's way out near 26th street, but the neighborhood is fine, the reviews are pretty good, and it would be another good place to book as a backup while you look around. And bus service is frequent if you want to hop a 3 min ride to the beach.
www.comfortinnsantamonica.com

I like the location of the Custom. Many moderate and casual restaurants, grocery stores, even a bowling alley, all within a couple of blocks. It's near the intersection of two main streets for bus service.

However, if you really think this will be your one and only visit to L.A. (in February of all times!), then you should stay near the things you're coming to see. You'll either spend a little more money staying close to your sightseeing priorities or you'll spend money (and time) getting to those sights from your cheaper lodging.

DS lived next door to The Custom. It is an extremely busy and unpleasant intersection.

If you are going to LA for the first time, and you don't think you'll ever go back, please don't stay on a busy street. It will just reinforce the negativity about LA's traffic. And don't try to rely on public transportation. It isn't terribly good there.

My 2 cents: stay on the beach, at the Venice Suites Hotel, use their tour package. All within budget.

"Unpleasant?" I guess it depends on your definition of unpleasant, but we shop and dine in this area often. Earlier this summer I went with my great-niece to check out Otis College of A&D just 2 blocks away. She liked the area. BTW, you'll see more homeless people on Ocean Front Walk in Venice than you'll see near the Custom.

The bigger issue I see is that the Custom is nowhere near what the OP is coming to L.A. to see. For that matter, Venice isn't near Hollywood and Rodeo Drive either, so the OP needs to decide on his/her sightseeing priorities. Hollywood is 15 miles from the beach, and in L.A. that's quite a distance without a car. If it's raining (February is historically our rainiest month), traffic delays will make it will feel like 30 miles.

By "unpleasant", I mean its a busy, busy LA intersection with people rushing to and from LAX. Lots of street noise.

Lincoln Blvd is one of the most annoying streets I've driven on. And we have been there a lot.

DS went to LMU. That's one reason we like to stay in or near Marina del Rey, and day-trip up to Malibu.

Tabernash2' final answer !! I'm booked into the Venice Beach Suites. Whew!!! I'm so glad to have that settled !

However, they no longer include the tour. Oh well. , I can't have it all.
I'm by the beach and the price is right. I'm happy.
And I'm truly grateful for all the help .

A. Special thanks to Tanernash and Clark for sticking with me on this. .

Great, kodi! I think you will like it.

From there you can walk or bike north and south on the paved path along the beach.
Walk around the Venice 'canals'.
Lots of shops and restaurants.
And quirky people.
C&O Tratoria has a nice outdoor dining area and relatively inexpensive Italian food, with unlimited free garlic knots. We took many of DS's college friends there.
You can ogly body- builders at Muscle Beach.

There should be buses on Venice Blvd. to take you around.

Go to UCLA if you like to stroll on great campuses, and next door Westwood is fun.

Tabernash, I love Italian food, so,will make note of this restaurant. Thanks again for all the help . I've just been reading some reviews of the hotel on TA and the more I read, the more I like it .

I don't want to oversell it, though. Be aware that the hotel is going to be very simple, for the price of $139 on the beach, it's definitely not a 3- or 4-star property. But I have the impression you're good with that, and reviews say it is very clean ( my top priority!).

Tabernash2, yes, I am good with that. As long as its clean, I'm happy.
The area sounds pretty funky. I'm looking forward to my time there.
Thanks again .

Do you mind if I ask what age group you are in?

Venice is a kooky young vibe with lots of street people. But, that's the boardwalk.
Lots of cheap food and little shops with cheap stuff. It's funky and weirdly entertaining.

North and south of the boardwalk are gorgeous walks along the ocean front.

Walk south from Venice pier and there are some amazing private homes facing the water. And cute bungalows along the canals. $2 million bungalows.

Go north of the boardwalk, all the way up to Santa Monica's Main Street area. Another fun street of little shops and good food. Nice beach there, too. Continue on to the Santa Moniva pier. Gets expensive there.

For a splurge lunch, The Shutters on the Beach has a wonderful beachside cafe. It's worth the money for the view, and the food is great, too.

Sorry to ramble on. We lived around this area a long time ago, and we still visit often.
In fact, I just booked a hotel in Laguna Beach for a few nights, and then in Venice for a few nights. Visiting DS who lives in Culver City and works in W Hollywood.

Tab, Thanks for bringing up the same thing I was already thinking about. The first time I ever saw Venice Beach, I was probably just a tad freaked.... Now after many years of going to Los Angeles, I have grown to love it.

It does sound like the OP plans to tour a lot and not just hang in the neighborhood. Main Street in SM is charming as is Abbot Kinney---the main business street of Venice.

Yes, Venice boardwalk is a carnival of diversity-- talk about experiencing a culture! Just don't stop and chat with the wannabe rappers and others who are selling their CDs, unless you want to spend some time listening to their pitch. And, of course, there are MJ shops on the boardwalk. There are lots of tourists, too.

I forgot to mention Abbott Kinney. Really nice little area. Reminds me of downtown Berkeley.

For the OP, there's a fun Irish pub, Finn McCool's on Main Street, very near the beach. It's good food and reasonably priced.

Tab, I am retired , but young at heart. The area sounds like it will be a lot of fun to see .
As I age, I become more invisible so I will be able to wander and not really be noticed.
( even though the women on The View don't believe older people become invisible.... Of course they
don't, hey are celebrities! )
But I find I do... And it will be fun to people watch .

I'm really kicking myself for not making this a longer stop over. I'd love to,have the time to wander
around .
I just might have to come back .

Oh, boy, do I understand the 'invisible' idea. Unless I am with one of my 20-somethings.

I think we are about the same age. If you survived the 60s, Venice will remind you of that era.

Can you cancel the resie if a better idea comes along?

I do like the Inn at Venice Beach better. But it's more $$$$. Includes a nice continental breakfast, but more than $139.

It sounds like a lot of fun. And sounds like it definitely will remind me of the 60's .. Although they say if you remember the 60's , you didn't really experience them !!!! I think I could spend my time just in Venice and not bother with the hop on hop off. But no, I want to see as much as I can .

Yes, I can cancel my reservation, so I can be open to other ideas. I'll check out the Inn .

Tabs is right about Shutters on the beach - pricey but lovely...

Kodi-glad you found something in your budget. I am a little surprised about lack of availability for Feb, it can be a little cold then by the beach.

Since the tour is no longer available through the hotel, I would assume you will be booking separate tours. Where do most of the tours start? Not trying to get you to change your hotel as I think this is a good beach option, just curious how you were going to meet up with the tours?

I'd love to meet up for a mini GTG.

Hi Paula... . Starline tours does the hop on , hop off tours . They do one that goes along Venice beach to Santa Monica Pier. So I will take that tour and connect up with the other tour in Santa Monica.
Or I will walk the boardwalk to Santa Monica Pier. .. Or take a taxi or regular bus to the pier.

I know it won't be beach weather, but it's a free stopover on my air miles flight. .. I'm sure not going to pass up a free stopover . Since I've never been to LA, it was my first choice.

I'd love it if you came up for a gtg. How far is it for you ?

That's great that you can pick up the Starline tour from Venice. I think it takes about 45 min to an hour to walk from Venice to the Santa Monica Pier. If the weather is good, it would be a nice walk.

You never know about the weather in Feb. It can be cold and rainy or we could have have a nice warm day. I guess you wouldn't call it beach weather, though.

I live about 2 hours from Venice but am in LA all the time. Also my daughter lives in Long Beach which is about 30 min away. I'm at her house often to visit my granddaughter.

We will have to see what we can put together when it gets a little closer to the time.