We will be arriving at LAX at 5:00 AM after redeye from Honolulu. Our shuttle to the boat in San Pedro won't be picking us up until 11:00 AM. Any suggestions about what to do for the 6 hour wait?

Oh my,I don't know what to tell you. I take that redeye then drive home an get in my cozy bed.
Do you have enough money to check into an airport hotel for a few hours?

I suppose you could kill some time by taking the shuttle van to the Hilton, Marriot or Sheraton to have breakfast, or any hotel with a bell desk to watch your luggage.

We've done the same a couple of time, flew to LA and took the shuttle, at least 1/2 hour to get the luggage... and then not much to do when you have it. Get breakfast. Read. People-watch. If the shuttle is from the cruise line, hopefully the uniformed people come before 11 to check the passengers in.

Thank you all for your responses. I did try calling around for a day room. No such luck. Next question: which hotel would be the best for us to get breakfast and people watch. We really aren't familiar with the LA area and would appreciate any and all help.

Maybe you could justify a hotel room for a few hours if you could get a good deal on a room near the airport on Priceline.

You might check with the Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo.

If you want to leave the airport area, I'd take a taxi to Manhattan Beach. Have the driver drop you at Shade Hotel and then walk to Le Pain Quotidien behind the hotel. This restaurant opens at 7:00 a.m., serves both breakfast and lunch and has both indoor and patio seating. It's a great people-watching spot, especially on weekends. The doorman at Shade will call a cab for your return to LAX. He might also (for a tip) watch your luggage, but we see lots of tourists with luggage killing time in downtown Manhattan Beach.

Within two blocks, you'll also find JambaJuice, Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Starbuck's. Just walk through the plaza towards Von's supermarket and turn right after the Big Red Dog sculpture.

Thank you! Thank you! Now have many options. Great suggestions.

Jean didn't even mention that once in Manhattan Beach (a lovely little beach town, good restaurants and shops and, of course, the beach!), you can walk on the "strand" the beach path that goes at least from Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach (jean, please correct me if I'm wrong -- I actually took this walk, but only in Hermosa Beach, recently).

Is there a place to leave luggage before this walk?

The Strand does go all the way to Redondo Beach, but I'd call that a "trek" rather than a "walk" It's almost 4 miles one way and not all of it is adjacent to the sand.

But it's "only" 2 miles one way from the Manhattan Beach pier to the Hermosa Beach pier, and you could take a cab back.

A longish walk wouldn't be fun with luggage, and the three blocks back to Shade from the MB pier are all uphill. As I said in my earlier post you might be able to leave luggage with the doorman at Shade Hotel, but I really don't know the hotel's policy about accommodating non-guests. Here's Shade's website if you want to call/email and ask:

http://www.shadehotel.com/