asimm

Arriving for the very first time at Los Angeles intl airport after a flight of 20-22hoirs at around 1-2 pm on or aboit June 08, 2019 and would be staying for our first leg at LA to do/see the following in 3 or 4 days
*Beverly Hills , rodeo drive and the shopping street
*Hollywood and Hollywood walk of fame
*shopping at Grove and any other good mid range brand shopping or any outlet mall
* Farmers market
*Universal studios

would need recommendations on following
1. Should we stay at Dixie hotel Hollywood or Travel lodge in culver or Ramada wilshire

note : Dixie is the most expensive out of these

2. Do we need a car for above as we don't mind a $10-30 uber everyday

we may later add Santa Monica beach and pier and Venice beach

thanks

janisj

Quick note: >>2. Do we need a car for above as we don't mind a $10-30 uber everyday

marvelousmouse

I think you still don’t understand how spread out LA is. Go to the Uber estimator and put in your locations. At ten o’clock at night, from SM Pier to the Dixie, it’s almost 30 ONE WAY. I know that’s a “maybe” for you, but still, I don’t want to know what that would cost during busy times. Unless you only use Uber once or twice a day, I don’t think it’s possible to spend less than $30.

the interesting thing about LA is that when you ask where something is, and a local says “it’s just down the way” they don’t mean what I would mean here, which is a few blocks, tops. They always mean 20-30 minutes away. Travel time is a big factor there.

janisj

The LA metropolitan area is almost 4 times the area of Rhode Island. Not that you will be in every corner of the pace (not by a long shot) -- but between the distances and very heavy traffic you would spend a fortune if you were to depend on uber/Lyft to get around.

clarkgriswold

In June you can rent a car for $210 per week ($30 per day) which includes all taxes, fees, and a full tank of gas ($45 value). So probably a better idea than Ubering around if your hotel has free parking (though you will have to pay to park at Universal and at Disneyland).

Super 8 is better than the Travelodge if you decide on Culver City. Near Hollywood, along with Park Plaza Lodge also look at Hotel Aventura.

asimm

Thank you again for your valuable feedback

i understand that LA and its attractions are spread out and not like manhattan NY but we off course won't be reaching at all places in a day.For example we can start for the first day at Beverley hills and Rodeo drive
2nd day at Hollywood and HWF
3rd day rent a car and visit the beach Venice and Santa Monica

I most probably would be getting a hotel with free parking but still you need to pay
*Rental
*Fuel
*manage to park the car which at times may become a hassle whereas in a uber/left u just get a drop off, though I think finding parking is easy in LA areas.

@Clarkgriswold , special thanks at this point to you for mentioning nice hotels like Hotel Aventura and Super 8 Hollywood , which look nice especially Aventura and in my budget. But I think u have suggested Super 8 culver city but why not Super 8 Hollywood . Isn't that a better option?

Aventura hotel seems the most clean and good looking hotel out of Dixie, Travel lodge(culver or wilshire) & others suggested here. Maybe Aventura is a bit outside main area. Please suggest

thank again

janisj

>>i understand that LA and its attractions are spread out and not like manhattan NY but we off course won't be reaching at all places in a day.

asimm

One thing is for sure now, 'we'll be renting a car for the whole trip in Los Angeles, maybe straight from the airport and drive to the hotel

asimm

@Clarkgriswold , special thanks at this point to you for mentioning nice hotels like Hotel Aventura and Super 8 Hollywood , which look nice especially Aventura and in my budget. But I think u have suggested Super 8 culver city but why not Super 8 Hollywood . Isn't that a better option?

Aventura hotel seems the most clean and good looking hotel out of Dixie, Travel lodge(culver or wilshire) & others suggested here. Maybe Aventura is a bit outside main area. Please suggest

May I get some info/help on the above

thank

bachslunch

Depending on where you stay and what you do, you can forego renting a car and only use public transportation (Metro, commuter rail, and buses). I know because I spent two weeks successfully sightseeing around LA this way. It takes planning, patience, and care not to overload your days, but it certainly can be done. I stayed in Pasadena across from City College, and fairly cheaply, too.

Jean

I agree that a lot of sightseeing in L.A. is possible using public transportation, but asimm's family is two adults and two children. We don't know the age of the children, but if they are very young it's much more convenient to have a car. You can take snacks, drinks, extra clothing layers, and the kids can nap if necessary. Driving times in L.A. (as mentioned many times) can be long and would be longer (and more convoluted) using only public transportation. And not so easy with little kids. If using only public transportation, the lodging location is as important as the room rate.

janisj

is it possible to sightsee around the LA area by public transport . . . yes. Is it easy/efficient, especially with a family in tow . . . not really

marvelousmouse

I agree with janis. I’ve done it both ways. I found it a lot less convenient and efficient to use transit than to drive, and I love transit and hate driving with a passion. There’s nearly nothing about the LA transit system I like, except the fact that it means I don’t need to pay for overnight parking if I stay in a nice central hotel.

i don’t think the OP will go for that though, anyway—he specifically said uber was his alternative.

clarkgriswold

Ive heard that the Super 8 Hollywood is a dump (not clean or well managed).. The Travelodge Hollywood maybe a little better and I've heard good things about Coral Sands in Hollywood. Park Plaza Lodge is basic, but clean and you will love the location, walkable to parks, museums, La Brea Tar Pits, The Grove, and many many restaurants and cafes

bachslunch

Was originally looking at Hollywood cheap hotel/motel options when I was deciding on a place to stay last year. Saw too many dicey reviews on too many of them, though. Found good value staying in Pasadena — just needed to allow a little extra travel time to get to some spots.

And yeah, if I had two youngsters in tow, I might well have considered a car instead — if I could drive anymore, that is. I really didn’t mind the bus, metro, and commuter rail, though —. reign in the type A tendencies and plan wisely, and it works well.

asimm

We are 2 Adults in our late 30's + 1 child 12 years and all are reasonably fit

but off course wouldn't like to exceed our budget and would want ease of commuting and least commuting time

For example stayed at main Manhattan in NYC with around $180/inclusive of all and with breakfast. The trick was mainly advice from forums, book early, maybe non-refundable and off course NY is not spread out and not a city to drive a car

5alive

This is actually pretty funny. The OP started with the idea of Hollywood, then suggested Pasadena, and I suggested Culver City or Century City as being closer to more the sites he mentioned. And then he circles back to Hollywood. And bachslunch is suggesting Pasadena.

asimm

Hahaha - rightly pointed out

I would always like to stay central , rather i always stay central in any city i visit, even if i have to compromise on the hotel facilities in order to not break my budget

I have never kept a car in a city and since all suggested to keep a car in LA and since i was finding very basic hotels in the central locations (in my budget) therefore i thought that having the luxury of a car maybe i can stay a bit on the outskirts and easy travel wherever i wanted to reach

bachslunch

Well, to be fair, I can speak most reliably to my own experiences, which means staying in Pasadena. Didn’t stay anywhere else when I was there, after all.

With the Expo Line coming out to Culver City, there are probably more public transit options there than there used to be. Westwood/Century Park on that line is the closest this line gets to Century City, which isn’t very close.

janisj

>>I would always like to stay central , rather i always stay central in any city i visit, even if i have to compromise on the hotel facilities in order to not break my budget

I have never kept a car in a city and since all suggested to keep a car in LA and since i was finding very basic hotels in the central locations (in my budget) therefore i thought that having the luxury of a car maybe i can stay a bit on the outskirts and easy travel wherever i wanted to reach>>\\