Be sure to read the posting on LA for a week --- advice needed. There is some good info on the posting that might help you as well.

Make sure to go have Sunday brunch overlooking the water. Outdoor dining is one of the best parts of LA.

Yes, the LA for a Week posting is a good one. I've been following it.

Hi Ruth,

My top choice for out-of-town teens is Venice Beach -- you'll recognize scenery from the movie L.A. Story and others. Harry is usually around (on roller skates, turban & guitar) - he's a nationally recognized feature. Have lunch mid-boardwalk at the Sidewalk Cafe - cheap and the most fabulous hamburgers!! You can stay near LAX at the Furama Hotel or Hacienda - both about $69 and have free shuttles to the airport.

Any more questions or need phone numbers, write to me directly - [email protected]
Just you and your daughter? How fun! Venice Beach is still the favorite of both my daughters - now age 20 and 26. We're about 15 min. from it and go there often.

Jane

xxx and Jane, thanks for more great input. Jane, I checked out those hotels on http://www.losangeles.hotelguide.net and they look like winners, especially with those low rates! However, I think I'm leaning toward Santa Monica so we can check out Santa Monica Pier at night (as recommended by a previous poster).

I agree, Jane, a mother-daughter trip is always fun. When she was younger we often took road trips together, but between her being more independent and our schedules being so busy, it doesn't happen much anymore. So when this trip, which is partially sponsored by my employer, came up, I jumped on the opportunity to bring her. I think it will be fun, and now that I've done all this research for a 5-day trip, three days of which I will spend in training, I'm thinking we will have to make our way back for a real vacation sometime soon. (Of course, she also wants to check out the UCLA campus, so you never know, maybe it will be more than a vacation, at least for her...)

UCLA's campus is incredibly pretty for a large school in a large city. I'm sure she'll like it. While you're there, why not stop in at USC as well. It's not in the greatest part of LA but again is a beautiful campus with very strong school spirit. The campus itself is perfectly safe.

Be aware that USC is a very costly school, especially since it's not well recognized outside of California. UCLA on the other hand has very strict criteria for getting in. And no, I didn't graduate from either, but I am a professor at both schools and have far more respect for the students at the one campus.

Hi again,

Be aware that if you're staying at a hotel in Santa Monica, it will run you about double the $$.

If you're checking out UCLA, the whole area around there (Westwood) is a GREAT place for teens -- lots of fun shops like "OZ", and little eateries. They cater to the students there. You might also spot some celeb hanging around there.

Jane

Jane, you're right, the hotels in Santa Monica were a little higher than the ones you mentioned near the airport. I lucked out, though -- the Santa Monica Beach Travelodge had a AAA discount available only through the internet for $99. I actually looked that up, then called to make a reservation and they said $135 was the lowest rate they could offer. When I mentioned the $99 I saw on line, I was told that was a special rate for reserving on line.

Thanks to kam and xxx for the info about college campuses, and Jane, you've been helpful again with the experience of a mom of (former) teenagers!

I think we're building a pretty informative thread on the topic of LA with a teenager! Should I report back after the trip?

Ruth - Yes, please report back and tell us the hits and misses of both your San Diego and LA adventure. I have three teenage nieces who often visit in the summer and I'm always trying to find new places to take them.

Have a great trip!

Topper for Carl.

Ruth - How was the vacation out here? Did you and your daughter enjoy yourselves?

Sorry, I did mean to post a report, but just got too busy after we returned home.

We had a good time. My daughter went to La Jolla Beach and Pacific Beach while I was at my training session, and enjoyed both, but Pacific more. San Diego is a tough town for anyone underage to enjoy -- even I got proofed at about 75% of the places we went. Not that I was planning to take her out drinking, but we're used to her being able to sit at a table in a bar and drink soda, and that was definitely impossible in San Diego. We tried to go to a teen club in Hillcrest, but it was closed for renovation.

Santa Monica was awesome! I really loved the atmosphere, and the beach was beautiful. We never made it to Venice, so I can't report on how shocking it is. We cruised around Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and went up into the Hollywood hills (past all the signs that say "No Access to the Hollywood Sign") to get as close as possible to the HOLLYWOOD sign. Hollywood Blvd. is totally touristy, and my daughter was disappointed with how grungy it was, but I guess it's a place you just have to see -- it's an American cultural icon. Beverly Hills was an amazing place. We drove through the UCLA campus and were just impressed with how huge it is. I wish we'd had more time to spend in LA -- it was my first time there, and I really liked it. I enjoyed it much more than San Diego. I'm glad we took the room at the Travelodge in Santa Monica -- it was definitely worth it.

If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to post, or to e-mail me above with the big X taken out.