Celiaanne

Hi,

I and 3 almost-60 year old women friends will be visiting LA (most of us for the 1st time), and we would like to make the most of our 5 days there. We are staying in Hermosa Beach and will have a car.

Universal Studios, one of the Missions, Rodeo Drive and La Jolla have been suggested along with the new Cathedral and Disney Hall in downtown LA.

Any thoughts on if this will keep us busy for the 5 days; any suggested on additions or some things we should pass on?

Thank you!

pvmkmyer

I know you didn't ask my advice on lodgings, but why are you staying in Hermosa Beach? It's not central to anything. That being said, what you want to do in LA really depends on your interests, as there is much to see.

I haven't seen Disney Hall yet. However, the website for the LA County Music Center says that escorted tours are only available for groups of 15 or more. Other than that, they have audio tours but you probably will not get into the main hall because of rehearsals.

I highly recommend the following museums:

1. The Getty Center: the paintings are not the greatest but the decorative arts and ancient art is great; the architecture is great and the setting on a hilltop (if you have a clear day) is breathtaking! Admission is free because the Getty is rolling in all that oil money.

2. The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, which is small but very selective and terrific assortment of paintings, especially from the renaissance.

3. The LA County Museum of Art.

4. For something a little different, the Miniature Museum, which is across form the County Art Museum.

The cathedral is well worth the visit. You can also go over to see Olvera Street, the original Los Angeles.

I'd also plan some time for Hollywood. It's touristy but a must-do for first time visitors. Take in a movie at one of the restored movie palaces, especially the El Capitan. Have lunch at Musso & Franks, a Hollywood institution since 1919.

Enjoy LA.

Heavens

Yes, the Getty is awesome and you can really make it a day trip. If I go back I want to spend hours there. You must have a reservation to park your car there.

The grounds a beautiful and the views immense. Take a book and just meander through the grounds and bask in the sun. It is very peaceful and serene. They have a nice museum shop also. The art is not the draw here, IMO, but the location and views.

You might also want to take in a show of some kind. There is lots of live theater in LA at various theaters.

Santa Monica is a nice area for strolling and lunch. Nice shops, people watching. Across the street you have the pier and the huge park for walking. Ocean is my particular favorite for eating, but there are many places there.

LuccaBrazzi

Hermosa Beach is AWESOME! Don't let the previous poster discourage you about "not being central to anything."

Who cares? You'll be by the beach!!! An absolute MUST-DO is to stroll the beach path. If you're up to it, you can hang a left and walk all the way down to Torrance...or hang a right and head north all the way to Venice Beach.

HB and Manhattan Beach are two of my FAVORITE locations in the LA area. You're gonna LOVE IT there!

Barbara

La Jolla, while a great place to visit, is actually in San Diego,not Los
Angeles.

lvk

Having lived in Hermosa Beach for several years, I agree that it is a beautiful location. However, there are a few caveats: 1) It is rather out of the way, a bit of a drive to even get onto a freeway. 2) The nightlife in Hermosa Beach is geared toward the 30 and under set.

You don't say what time of the year you are going, but here are my suggestions:

1) Cross Universal off your list. It's more of a theme park than an actual studio tour. You'll spend most of your day waiting in lines. If you would like an actual studio tour, you might try Warner Brothers or NBC.

2) Another benefit to being in Hermosa Beach is that Jay Leno appears at the Comedy and Magic Club there almost every Sunday night.

3)I second the suggestions about Disney Hall and Getty Center. If you're coming in the summer, you should also try to catch a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Magical!

I hope you're staying at the Beach House. It's a great property! Enjoy.

here_today_gone2Maui

How can you make a blanket recommendation that they "scratch Universal off their list," without knowing the original posters' intent? I have alway loved Universal Studios and have enjoyed visiting there, sometimes many times a year. My husband and I continue to go there, even after our daughter has flown the coop. Yes, it is an theme park, but it is still a lot of fun, even for us older kids.

lvk

She asked for suggestions on "some things we should pass on". I offered my opinion. I have many visitors from all over the US and Europe, and many of them tell me that they wished they hadn't wasted a full day at Universal.

I don't criticize other people's suggestions, I merely offer my own opinion.

bobcat

I'd recommend the Huntington Library in San Marino (near Pasadena). If you really like gardens there's also Descanso Gardens and the LA Arboretum which are both not too far from there.

You might also like the Aquarium of the Pacific and Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Oh, and I think you'd like Farmers Market/The Grove at 3rd and Fairfax.

What else....If any of you are fans of Gene Autry, there's the Museum of the American West (fka Autry Museum of Western Heritage) in Griffith Park.

Gardyloo

Oh well a couple of food suggestions and a caveat.

If you're going in June don't expect sunny mornings at the beach. "June gloom" happens.

Despite which, be sure to have a breakfast or 2 at Martha's 22nd St Grill, half a block in from the Strand. Exceptional.

On the topic of food, one morning (weekend good) make your way into Beverly Hills for a late breakfast at Nate 'n Al's on Beverly Drive - frequent Hollywood persona sightings, also most excellent latkes and salami & eggs. Walk it off on Rodeo, a block away.

Don't spread out your attractions so that you have to cross LA during one day, for example Universal and anything down by the harbor. Awful traffic. HB is not very central (close enough to LAX so that freeway access is possible) but I think staying there is fine. Say hello to Mira Costa HS for me.

I think you'd enjoy a day downtown (fine if you want to see the new cathedral.) Visit gorgeous old Union Station, the old town Plaza, and Olvera St. next door - actually historic Spanish era buildings, Mexican street market, quite fun. Lunch at Philipe's Original, where the French Dip sandwich ostensibly was invented.

It's a longish day trip, but I'd bet major pesos that you and your pals would love a day in Santa Barbara. Figure 3 hours each way from HB, but in summer the days are long, and Santa Barbara is IMO (and that of many others) the most beautiful of California's coastal cities, the Mission is the prettiest of the lot, and the shopping, food and walking around are all excellent. Come on Saturday for the Farmers Market downtown and behold the bounty of California (or Kaleefornya if your name is Ahnold.).

yk

Just returned from a weekend trip to LA area.

A note about Getty Center. Parking reservation is no longer required (based on it's website as well as personal experience). Great place to visit!

yk

Another note about Walt Disney Concert Hall. There are guided tours as well as self-guided audio tours available. There was a matinee concert the day I visited, therefore unable to tour it. Here's the URL link for the tours:
http://www.musiccenter.org/tours.html#AudioTours

Also, the cafe inside WDCH serves decent food, though not cheap.

Bill_I

You mentioned wanting to visit one of the missions. Last time in the LA area, about 3 years ago, we visited the mission San Juan Capistrano(SP?). I think it was about 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive from Santa Monica & you are abit closer being further south at Hermosa. The family really enjoyed seeing that, the history, the buildings, & the fantastic floral gardens, my parents, who were 80 at the time also really enjoyed walking around the mission.

SAB

Even if you can't see the auditorium because of rehearsals at WDCH the self guide tour is well worth doing. The exterior and interior spaces are quite stunning separate and apart from the performance space.

Celiaanne

Hi,

Many thanks for the replies! We are staying in Hermosa Beach because a friend of ours lives there, and we will be spending time with her. Also, I LOVE the ocean/beach, so that is a major draw. Nightlife is not high on our list!

Day tours -- while I'm not fond of spending the day on a bus, I am also not fond of driving in heavy traffic in a strange area. So, we are considering one of the tours offered that takes you a million places for a short time -- all in one day. (Please, no groaning!) Sometimes this is just what I am looking for -- an overview, but I am very hesitant to commit to 7 hours.

Has anyone taken one of these?

Thanks again for all your help.

lippincottfarm

We stayed at the Beach House at Hermosa last year. We loved the location and the hotel. There is a Mexican restaurant in the main square; it is great. If you are flying in, rent a car from Hertz with the never lost system. No stress with driving and getting lost. We went to the Getty. You will love it; you can spend all day there. There is a restaurant at the airport which is in the shape of a space ship. Saw it on the travel channel. We made a point to eating there and had a really good time. Food was great and the experience was really, really fun. We drove south one day and hit the beaches and shops. Drove north and watched the people at Venice Beach. There also is the Holoucost (forgive my spelling) museum that really makes you think . You can spend three to four hours there. The driving is not nerve racking with the never lost system. have fun.

tlegray

I too recommend the Getty Museum and Huntington Library.

If you decide on the Huntington, think about having High Tea/Tea at the Ritz in Pasadena. abt $40/person with Champange

There's also the Hollywood Bowl. If you don't care to drive yourself they offer Park and Ride at various location. Check their web site.

If you are into local summer concerts. Redondo Beach, just south of Hermosa Beach offers a summer concert series every wednesday night at Veteran's Park just south of the Redondo Beach Pier. They don't start until the wednesday after 4th of July. Take folding chairs, picnic, and blankets...it will be cold after the sun goes down. Many people also take wine. It's a fun relaxed evening.

kenmat

Make sure to visit the Huntington library in San Marino. I have seen many museums across the country and this is one of my favorites. The harbor tour in newport beach is fun. The Queen Mary in Long Beach is also interesting. A drive down the coastline to Laguna Beach is very enjoyable if done during the week. Stop at the "fashion island" shopping mall in newport beach for a nice lunch or dinner. Its one of the most beautiful outdoor shopping malls in the country