we have a 7 hour layover at LAX on our way to New Zealand. Any suggestions as to how to pass the time? do we have time to go into LA, and if so, any recommendations? Thanks

we ate at toppers atop huntley hotel in santa monica. but someone told me they closed and started another restraurant. i never went for the food, just the views and drinks.

With a 7 hour layover, I caught the bus to Santa Monica, ate at Border Grill and browsed the Promenade. Then caught the bus back. I think I shopped a little at the mall across the Promenade, too, but a mall is a mall is a mall.

You don't want to go into downtown or LA or anywhere too far away. Traffic to the airport can be pretty bad. I'd stick with the "ocean towns" on the west side.

i take it back...

http://losangeles.citysearch.com/pro...ley_hotel.html

this wasn't the only site that had not-so-good reviews of the new restraurant the Penthouse. pics shows more swank environment compared to toppers (mexican food).

Well, there’s always the santa monica pier...

What time of day and what day of the week?
I assume you won't have too much carry-on luggage to tote around with you, and that your checked baggage won't need to be tended to during your layover?

May I suggest you rent a "day" room at one of the nearby hotels where you can nap and take a shower. You don't mention your originating city, but if you've had a long flight to LA and then have a long flight to New Zealand you might need the rest.

I second Santa Monica. Go to the pier, see the beach, and eat at one of the restaurants there. easy 15-20 min cab ride from LAX. 7 hours is not a lot of time with the roundtrip to/from the airport and security lines, so that should pretty much cover it.

Another recent poster took a taxi to the Getty Center and spent the time there. There's a nice restaurant and a view.

thanks for the ideas- we are travelling on a sunday- so my guess is we wont have to deal with rush hour traffic!

are we talking about Getty Center in the valley (good 30-45 mins from LAX, there is always traffic on the 405, even on Sunday) or are we talking about the Getty Villa on PCH?

The went to the one off Mullholland Drive in Brentwood (I'm not aware of one in the Valley). If the OP has 7 hours they should be able to do that turnaround. It will take longer to get to the one in Malibu aka Getty Villa, and you need a reservation.

Yep. It's off the 405, so you would be taking the worst freeway there that can take up to 1.5 hrs, but on average 45 mins. It's on the hill to go over to the valley, not really Brentwood.

Manhattan Beach is a 10 minute cab ride. www.downtownmanhattanbeach.com

Definitely not the Valley. It's on the south side of the 405. And not more than 15 miles from the airport.

It may not be in what YOU think of as Brentwood, but both the Department of Neighborhoods and the City Planning Department locate the boundaries of the Brentwood community to include the Getty Museum.

My main point was that it's on the 405 almost at the crossing point with the 101 valley freeway, so you are basically parked in that area of the 405 most days of the week. 15 miles in that traffic is a good hour.

A bit of an overexaggeration for a Sunday.

It depends really. I find that the stretch of the 405 from Westwood to LAX is particularly horrible during most hours, except the wee hours of the night. I average 1 hour on weekdays and about 45 minutes on weekends going Southbound toward LAX.

I agree. mlgb, you must not take that part of the freeway often. It's definitely not an exaggeration. Saturday and Sundays in the past 3 years have gotten just as bad, I wonder where everybody is going...but they are.

Whatever you decide to do with your layover, congratulations on your plans to go to New Zealand. It's a gorgeous country with very friendly people (or Kiwis, as they call themselves). Have a great time!