kareen

Visiting LA for 4 days in August 2007. Any advice on the best sites to visit and hotels in LA. Would like to take a tour from LA that incorporates San Francisco and Las Vegas stopovers for 2 days each. Do not mind if the tour ends at either SF or L/Vegas to be able to continue to my next destination.

rjw_lgb_ca

The greater LA area is huge (the city itself is basically 100 km by 100 km). Without knowing what your interests are, I don't know where to begin.

And you do realize that Las Vegas is some 450 km away, and SF is roughly 620 km away? They're LONG drives. But flights are cheap and plentiful out of LA's five area airports.

I assume you're not from the US. From your posts, I'm guessing you have no concept of the sheer size of the North American continent. Did you know New York City is 4,550 km from LA? This is a lot of area to cover. And you're going to have to give us a little direction to best help you.

I strongly suggest poring over the information found on this website, then coming back with concrete questions.

P_M

rjw is right about distances in the US. The only way you can cover this kind of territory in the time you have is to fly from one destination to another. If you want to travel by land, you need to allow more time.

NeoPatrick

I'm not reading the question the same as the others. I'm reading it that after spending four days in LA, kareen wants some package tour -- presumably a bus that will go to Las Vegas and to San Francisco -- something like a 5 day total tour -- in addition to her time in Los Angles. NO? I don't think that's unreaasonable, just not sure anyone does that kind of tour.

I'd suggest that the best bet is to fly to Vegas for a couple nights then fly to SF for a couple nights then continue on your way. This summer we did an American Airline ticket from SF to Las Vegas and three days later from Las Vegas to Los Angeles for under $ 100 per person (that's for both flights!).

h0b0

skip LA... go to SF for two days and Las Vegas for two

mlgb

Since you are mostly interested in tours, perhaps a visit to a travel agent in your home town would be an idea. A lot of the tour busses that I have seen on Hwy 1 between SF/LA seem to be for overseas visitors. We had a group from Belgium and another from Italy staying at our hotel in Lompoc last time.

rjw_lgb_ca

Patrick, I read kareen's question the same way you did. I'm just noting that the distances are considerable. San Francisco isn't a simple day trip from Los Angeles, unless you do the business commute (6 AM flight LAX-SFO, 7 PM flight SFO-LAX-- like I have, too many times). And the three points she's interested in are far apart from each other. It's a simple fact.

I repeat: kareen, go over the information on these cities on this website, and look at a map of the US and Canada. Come back with concrete questions.

P_M

I'm not sure what to think. Kareen we would love to help, but please provide some clarification as to what you need.

NeoPatrick

I didn't think she wanted a day trip -- she's talking about spending two days IN SF and two days IN Las Vegas. Sure that's short, but a lot better than the thousands of European tours where you see 11 countries in 10 days or whatever.
And I do know people do package bus tours that would incorporate SF, Las Vegas, and maybe even LA -- but surely more than 4 or 5 days total.

suze

So far, none of us know of a tour company?

I read the post 4 days LA, 2 days Vegas, 2 days San Francisco is what she's after. Going between the three places on an organized tour. That sounds perfectly reasonable to me (although I might look into flying myself instead).

suze

OK here's one:

www.gotobus.com

I found this on a quick "google" search. They have bus tours from Los Angeles to a number of places available, including Las Vegas.

kleroux

I think you can "do" L.A. in 4 days. Stay on the West side of the city..that way you'll see Beverly Hills and the beach cities. There are tours by van around Beverly Hills for sure, and what ever hotel you stay in can help you find others.
I would fly from LA to Vegas... and then from Vegas to SF. Once in SF you can take a tour of the different neighborhoods and learn their history. All the hotels in SF can hook you up with a van tour there. Then fly home from SF. Your stay is short, and our distances are long, but its not impossible to do it. Flying will make it possible.

WallyKringen

Four days in LA - you need a car. www.dollar.com at the LAX location (a mile from the airport) gives good rates, others also. Take their shuttle from the arrival level, they cruise on by now and then.

Without a car you would be kidding yourself - what little public transport there is would take you too long - to figure out, and to use. It's a huge area, not a city - a conglomerate of dozens of linked cities, with different laws and police cars and so on - and with no real center that everybody agrees on or has to go to regularly - L.A. is a state of flux...

Fly or bus it to L.V., fly to S.F. and take BART into S.F., or fly into Oakland if that gets you a cheaper fare (then take the feeder bus to the BART station and BART into S.F.).

While in L.A. - just a few names to google and look up on www.mapquest.com and consider:

Santa Monica: 3rd St. Promenade (pedestrian-only shopping and amusement stretch, free parking at Broadway in the parking structure), the pier;

Venice Beach (freaky - especially on weekends, much fun - watch your belongings, the cops on horseback and on bikes are there for a reason, but otherwise a great time);

Old-Town Pasadena;

Huntington Library and Gardens;

Music Center near downtown with new Disney Hall, and nearby

Los Angeles Public Library (main building - awesome: Central Library
630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles);

Hollywood Boulevard - mostly dreadful, but drive it and see for yourself;

4800 Hollywood Blvd drive up to Barnsdall Art Park - a little-known oasis in the middle of mostly dreadful (East) Hollywood;

Sunset Boulevard: a great drive, maybe 15 - 20 miles, through ever-changing aspects of L.A. - start near East Hollywood where Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd become one, and go all the way to the Ocean!;

Westwood Village near UCLA;

Beverly Hills - south of Santa Monica Boulevard it is built-up, Rodeo Drive etc., north of Santa Monica Boulevard are the big gardens with mansions for miles and miles;

Topanga Canyon - start at the Ocean, when you get over the top you look at San Fernando Valley, take the 101 East (marked "South" to Los Angeles as if you weren't already there...), then get off at Laurel Canyon and cross over the hills going south, ending up in (mostly gay) West Hollywood); thee two canyons are big parts of L.A.'s rock 'n roll history;

eat a burger and a slice of pie at the venerable legendary Apple Pan at 10801 W Pico Blvd (Cross Street: Westwood Boulevard);

Universal Studio;

Universal City Walk (North Hollywood);

LACMA on Wilshire (fabulous art museum);

Malibu, 20-mile long "city" along the ocean - drive and enjoy the ocean views until you either see your fifth movie star or you get to Neptune's Net, the classic seafood restaurant out there in nowhere-land, then turn around;

get the LA. Weekly (comes out Thursdays) and see what's on - plenty!;

and that's only the beginning!

Noa26

LA is full of attractions that could need at least a week to see, start with touristy places, like universal studio board walk, venice beach, rodeo drive, chinese theaters, walk of fame, a tour of the ritzy mansions..there is tons to do if you need more ideas for attractions or Los Angelas hotels you can try - http://www.tripcart.com/usa-regions/...ia-Coast.aspx# i find it useful
have a wonderful time!