pichulita

My hubby and I are driving to LA from the SF Bay Area. This is what our itinerary looks like and I would appreciate any input or suggestions you may have:

Friday, 11/5: We plan on arriving in the LA area around 2pm and visiting the Getty Villa for a couple of hours.

Saturday: 11/6: Brea Tar Pits and the Natural History Museum

Sunday: Museum of Contemporary Art and Griffith Observatory

If we have the time, we may do a Las Angelitas del Pueblo Walking Tour.

We were lucky to get 2 free nights at the SLS Hotel (Beverly Hills/Los Angeles), but the $35 parking fee per night is steep. Is there public parking nearby that is within walking distance?

Also, Sunday night we have a free stay at the Hampton Inn (LAX/Burbank Airport). The reviews are mixed. Is this hotel a clean, decent one?

Trisha1

You will need to call the Getty Villa for parking reservations. Because of intense LA Friday afternoon traffic, I recommend you arrive earlier and have lunch at the villa. The food is reasonable and quite delicious!

SOCALOC

My hubby and I are driving to LA from the SF Bay Area.
__________________________________________________ ___________
Good catch on the Fri. traffic Trisha1.
I can't emphasize this enough. On your way down the 101, change over to PCH in OXNARD. It will SAVE you at least an half hour and it is on the way to the Getty Villa. Plus, it's a scenic drive. Also, you'll be leaving the Getty Villa during prime time traffic. I'd hang out in the Santa Monica vicinity until 8 or so. Unless, you'd prefer to feel like a local and ask yourself why you continue to torture yourself sitting on freeways. lol

SOCALOC

Or maybe you are taking the boring 5. If that's the case, scratch PCH route.

krgystn

You don't need a full day for La Brea and the museum, IMO. Maybe a couple of hours.

DalaiLlama

Just wanting to make sure you know about the difference between the old Getty Villa (in the old Malibu location for which PCH Highway 1 is indeed the access, but you have to be travelling northbound to enter, while you'll be coming southbound from up on the 101) and the new Getty Center - the big museum complex on a promontory above the 405 freeway in West Los Angeles (above Brentwood/Westwood to be exact).

There is a Getty exit off the 405. You don't pay an entrance fee for the Getty Center, but you pay for parking underneath, then you take a funicular/tram contraption to the top. If in doubt, check www.getty.edu/visit/ and book ahead.

Right next to the tar pits (interesting but somewhat underwhelming...) is the fabulous L.A. County Museum of Art - www.lacma.org - highly recommended.

Note the three locations of the MOCA - see www.moca.org.

Just up the street from the MOCA's main location on S. Grand Ave are the fabulous new Disney Hall (now the home of the L.A. Philharmonic) and the Music Center (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, former home of the L.A. Phil and now an opera house et al, plus two theaters). Maybe you can catch a concert or play?

http://www.laphil.com and www.musiccenter.org

In walking distance is the famous building that you may have seen in movies, with the outstanding staircases, of the Central Library - see www.lapl.org/central, and nearby is the cute 298 feet long "train" the Angels Flight (www.angelsflight.com). Bring your camera!

Refreshments on an upper level of the Bonaventure Hotel are recommended - it involves a bit of a hill. http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin...ropertyID=1004

Note that "LAX/Burbank Airport" as you put it are two separate airports many miles apart - LAX is Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Burbank is north of Hollywood.

Can't help you with specifics about parking in Beverly Hills, but I should think that you can find it if you are prepared to walk a bit (what did I just say? walking in L.A.? surely that must be against the law since nobody is doing it!!!)

Enjoy!

pichulita

Thank you all for your responses!

suze

I also agree that you've got a lot more free time than just those two activities per day.

Not knowing your interests I'll add the usual (or at least my personal favorite) LA highlights like the Grove/Farmers Market, Walk of the Stars, Olvera Street, and Chinatown.

mlgb

Downtown Sunday add a visit to the Japanese American Museum. The lounge at the top of the Bonaventure only opens for dinner (after 5pm).

janm.org

Downtown many restaurants are not open for lunch Sunday but many in Little Tokyo will be open. A favorite casual cafe of mine is Suehiro on First Street.

PeaceOut

The Getty Villa has an amazing collection of antiquities. I especially loved the art glass. The cafe is nice, with lovely outdoor seating. Be sure you reserve in advance on-line.

divineMissM

Are you flying out of Burbank or just heading up there because you have a free night? If staying there and needing to go to LAX for your departure, plan ahead as that is a long route with traffic.

4:30pm Getty Villa to your hotel is also full of traffic.

There is a parking structure near the public library in Beverly Hills. The max is supposedly around $10 per day but the best I could find is 2008 information. Free parking 6pm to 6am but then I guess if you stay longer you'll pay the $10. 450 N Rexford Drive

Griffith Observatory is easy from/to Burbank so it's a good stop for your night in Burbank