We will be arriving at LAX at 10pm on a Friday night in February, the beginning of a 10 day vacation. Any opinions as if we should pick up our car that night and drive to Santa Monica to stay or is there a decent hotel at LAX that we can get to quickly, settle in and get going early the next morning? Any suggestions are most appreciated. Thanks!

Stay at one of the many airport hotels around LAX. (Sheraton, Hilton, Crown Plaza, Holiday Inn, Radisson and others) They have a shuttle to get and bring you to and from the airport.
The next morning get your car and start to drive.
Why drive at night in the dark in an area you are not familiar with! (and maybe you are tired from the flight too)

If you are spending the first few days in SaMo I would definitely get the car and drive there as it is only 25 minutes and a very direct drive. If you aren't spending the next night or two in SaMo then I would say it doesn't matter either way. There are plenty of nice hotels right at the airport and they are probably less expensive and easier to come by.

I fly into LAX and stay in Santa Monica (w/a rent car for my stay) about 10 times a year. I respectfully disagree, because I can see the logic behind Ida's answer, but Santa Monica is so close and such a straight shot drive from the LAX rental car facilities that you can easily drive it without getting lost at night. My experience is that LAX airport hotels are not good for the most part, and they can be noisy as they are close to the airport and on a main street (with the exception of the Westin, which is quiet and pretty good).

Another option is to take a taxi to your SM hotel that night and get a rent car in SM the next morning. This is cheaper for me than renting at the airport. There is an Enterprise location in SM that has very good rates and they will pick you up at your hotel. That way you also won't be paying for the car for that first night, and also not paying for valet parking at your hotel (which runs high at most SM hotels, with exception of the Sheraton which has free parking).

I agree with taking a taxi or a shuttle and getting the car the next day. In addition to possibly saving you a day's rental (depending on when you're going to turn it back in) and the cost of parking, you will probably be able to get a taxi and be at your SM hotel in the same amount of time you'll still be working on getting your rental car.

By the way, Marina Del Rey motels and hotels are another good bet.

There's a nice Motel6 with shuttle service near the airport.Paul

How long of a flight are you getting off of?

If a short one I'd go ahead and get myself to Santa Monica that night. But if you're arriving from Europe or Australia or someplace with jet lag and time changes to get over, I would just stay put at one of the many hotels right at LAX, and start fresh in the morning.