I am planning a surprise trip for my husband to Los Angeles in May. I have never been anywhere in California and am clueless as to where to start. Part of the trip is to see his beloved Dodgers. We are newlyweds and don't have much to spend on the trip. Any advice on where to stay, how to travel in the city and what to see in 3-4 days and on a budget would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance for any help!

Doger Stadium is East of Hollywood near the Loz Feliz district of Los Angeles, which is pretty funky and is undergoing a revitalization along with everything else in Los Angeles, however I would imagine that if it is your first visit to LA you would either want to get a hotel in Santa Monica, (pretty far away from Doger stadium) but good for strolling and all things considered typically "Californian". If I were you I would stay in either Hollywood or West Hollywood. Since both have relatively good access to Freeways, tons of dining and places of interest and are generally less expensive then Beverly Hills.
If you are interested in clubbing and that type of thing go to
www.laweekly.com for the latest on clubs, music and restaurants also there is an interesting thread with the title of something like "NY er's looking for LA fun..." or something to that effect. Lots of great suggestions on things to do if you are interested in traditional "Hollywood" stuff.

One option would be to stay in beautiful downtown Burbank. It is fairly centralized and, depending on where you are from, might be able to fly in and out of Burbank airport instead of LAX. There are a number of hotels ranging about $60-$200/night. Consider renting a car for the duration, and try to avoid the really cheap hotels.

Agree with both previous posters on a couple points. You don't want to opt for a cheaper hotel and be in an area that is not safe or where you feel hesitant about walking down the street. I am with Thyra on Hollywood or West Hollywood. Hollywood has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts and West Hollywood is a clean, safe place to stay with lots of restaurants and clubs within walking distance of moderately-priced hotels. Word up, though...W. Hollywood has a large gay population and if you are not accustomed or comfortable with this you could be in for some culture shock. Another possibility not too far from Chavez Ravine (Dodgers) is Pasadena or South Pasadena.

As for being newlyweds on a budget, congrats and I remember those days fondly. A little trip planning and creativity go a long way toward having a great time within your budget.

I'm another who likes West Hollywood and think it's a good central location. I'm not that familiar with hotels right in Hollywood, but I think there may be some maybe north of Sunset Blvd on Cahuenga, for example, that would work. I myself would not recommend Burbank to anyone; I don't think it is beautiful, but, most importantly, I wouldn't consider it central at all. The airport is small if that appeals and Burbank is cheap,though. I also like Pasadena, much better than Burbank, but it will not be as convenient if you wish to go to the beach; it's not too bad for everything else. I'd stay in W Hollywood, I like it there and it is cheaper than Santa Monica (greater variety). Another possibility that I would prefer to Burbank that is central and cheaper because few tourists stay there is Culver City; they have several reasonably priced hotels there at maybe half the price of Santa Monica, and it's in-between the beach and downtown LA (south of Bev Hills below the I10 freeway, and east of 405, in that area). There isn't so much to do in Culver City itself, it's just a relatively pleasant residential area. They have a good jazz club there, very well known (Helms Bakery), and it's close to West LA clubs on W Pico, not far from the beach, etc. There are several movie studios there (Dreamworks? not sure, Sony is) but they don't have very good studio tours from what I've read, go to Universal or Paramount instead if you want to do that. Anyway, I would prefer it to Burbank for location.

Pasadena would be a great place to stay. Fairly close in terms of getting to Dodger Stadium and plenty of great restaurants and shopping in the local area. Pasadena is home to the Rose Bowl and thus is prepared for hosting out of town visitors. The only problem is that it's not near the beach, but you could easily make the drive one day while you're out here.

Santa Monica is also a great town.

Thank you all for your advice and tips. It has helped a great deal in narrowing down places to stay and visit. I can't wait to get out there. Thanks again!!

You've gotta go to the Peterson Auto Museum. It's on Wilshire, down a ways from Beverly Hills and by the LA County Museum of Art. I'd skip the art museum cause its costly & overcrowded.

The Peterson Auto museum is so amazing! Men in particular love it. Even though I'm not into cars, I've also really enjoyed it all 3 times I've been. Cool features: famous cars of stars & from movies; amazing, cherry one of a kind work of art cars from 1920s to today; low riders. The coolest exhibit is on the 1st floor where it really helps explain LA's history & culture in terms of the city's links to the automobile. You learn alot about LA. It is a very pleasant 2-3 hour visit. VERY classy, never crowded, low cost (maybe $10 per ticket?). I would go to the Peterson in the am, then do lunch & window shopping in Beverly Hills if that's you're cup of tea.

PS It is your honeymoon, but if you like museums, cultural things, or gardens, I'd also visit the J.Paul Getty Museum. It has been rebuilt overlooking the city with striking world class architecture, a beautiful outdoors strolling garden and a breathtaking view of the entire city. Might be a bit stuffy, however, if you like more lively, spontaneous things & don't care for art. They have some very famous impressionist artwork, and Greek/Roman artifacts.

If you rent a car, they have a picky rule that you cannot park there without a reservation (which you must secure months in advance). If you have one student ID (even 4 years old - they don't check it closely if its out-of-state) between the two of you you can get around that. Otherwise, take a cab to the entrance. Admission is free.

I believe 1 or 2 nights a week they have special free cultural events (check the website calendar). You might be able to catch a free concert (not rocking, it'll be refined). The view of the city from the Getty atop the hill is UNBELIEVABLE.

Oh, Jenny,

I forgot to add a restaurant suggestion. If you make your way to Malibu, many of my out of town guests have enjoyed eating at Gladstones. It's a lively scene, and its very fun to sit on the balcony overlooking the Pacific, having drinks and fried calamari. All my friends and guests love it. I think an outgoing guy who likes baseball might also like the scene there. Very laid back.

Oops - sorry in my last posting I said you were on your honeymoon. I see now that its not a honeymoon trip, you're newlyweds. Enjoy your trip! And do check out the Peterson Auto Museum. I think you'll be glad you did.

Jenny- Plan on renting a few movies about Los Angeles before the trip. I suggest Volcano, City of Angels and Nurse Betty. Anyway, going to the places in the movies is like a treasure hunt. It is cheap and fun. You can rent a bike at LA Bike Tours in Hollywood. They will give you some great maps for cycling. It could be very romantic. Have fun and congrats.