San Diego or LA?
 

Hi everyone, I'm planning a trip to California in January and I'm thinking of staying for a week in San Francisco and another week somewhere else but I have not decided where. I'm thinking of either San Diego or LA. I will be doing some sightseeing but also some work so I want somewhere I can take my laptop or just relax by the beach.
What I'm looking for:
-Somewhere I don't need a car so accessible public transport
-Somewhere with a nice beach (I'm escaping winter!)
-Different from San Francisco
-Preferable somewhere I can walk around to explore the city

My friends are pushing me away from LA, they say they did not enjoy it as much as San Francisco but I saw a place on AirBnB that was in Malibu that I liked so I'm a bit biased just because of that.

Also, I will either be flying out of O'hare or Indianapolis airport so I think the best option would be flying into SF and then flying out from SD/LA to minimize time.

Thanks!

I don't think you'll be escaping winter in California, where they're hoping for and expecting a rainy rainy January and February. Even milder winters are not really "beach weather" in January unless you like breezy walks with a jacket.

<i>-Somewhere with a nice beach (I'm escaping winter!)
-Preferable somewhere I can walk around to explore the city</i>

As noted, January is not beach weather in California, and neither San Diego nor Los Angeles score high on being walkable cities.

HTtY

Clark and HTtY- I did not know that it'll be rainy then but it will definitely be better than the average 20F temperature where I'll be. Also, I might not get another opportunity to travel like this anytime soon.

I don't mind a bit of a breeze as long as it's bearable but jacket around noon?

I like California in January. It is mild compared to Seattle, where I live.

We are going to be there in 1/2016. We will be driving on the coast, but we won't be lolling around on the beach.

I disagree with your friends about LA. I find it to be a fascinating place with many neighborhoods for you to explore: Santa Monica, Rodeo Drive, the downtown, Hollywood, and Venice Beach come to mind.

Pick a place to stay that is close to public transportation and enjoy.

HTtY

W/o a car San Diego is a bit more manageable than LA is and would be my choice. It will be balmy by your standards but we are expecting (and definitely hoping for) a wetter than normal winter.

Does it have to be beach? A few days in Palm Springs might fit your needs.

Or how about Santa Barbara?

HTtY- Did you share your itinerary on fodors? Maybe I'll use it as inspiration :) What are your thought on staying in Malibu in that case?

janisj- This might be my only Cali trip so I want to make the most of it. I'll look into your suggestions and see how feasible they are.

I might rent a car for a couple of days if necessary but I've never driven long-distance for more than a half hour before.

San Diego. Stay downtown, use the trolleys and buses. Also can take a ferry over to Coronado Island.

You would need a car in Malibu. Winter is when we get our rain(hopefully, we really need it). Palm Springs could be nice and fly out of Ontario.

I have stopped for lunch in Malibu on several occasions, but I don't envision it as having a town one would explore on foot.

In my experience, LA is a very rewarding city to explore on foot. Take downtown for instance. It has attractions such as the Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the LA Public Library, historic Union Station, Olvera Street, and activities such as these: http://www.welikela.com/things-to-do...n-los-angeles/

Also, the LA Conservancy offers excellent walking tours: https://www.laconservancy.org/tours

I am not familiar with LA's transit system. But, if I were to visit the city without a car, I would study the system and decide where to book a room based on the availability of transportation to take me where I want to go: http://www.metro.net

Every neighborhood has its surprises. For instance, Rodeo Drive has the upscale shops you would expect, but it also has Nate 'n Al where you can experience great Jewish delicatessen food in a blast-from-the-past dining room.

HTtY

Public transit in LA is getting better but still is very poor, Malibu for instance only has one bus that travels that route, the 534, and it is not that frequent. Also Malibu itself is over 20-25 miles long, so not really walkable.
Make sure anyplace you rent is a legal rental, short term rentals of less than 30 days are illegal in some places like Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach just passed a law making them illegal, and there are others. This trend is likely to increase. Just because it is listed online does not make it legal, up to you to do your due diligence.
Hope you find someplace that works for you and have a good trip.

happytrailstoyou-Love all the advice on LA!
Can you guys narrow down areas I can stay in? Looks like Malibu is out, I want somewhere more central and not far away from the sightseeing but beachfront is a plus if possible.

HappyTrvlr-what area would you suggest I look at?

jamie99-I'm looking for places at AirBnB so that should be legit, right? If you know any other sites let me know.

Little Italy. I have several vriends who have condos there, don't have cars.

>> I want somewhere more central and not far away from the sightseeing but beachfront is a plus if possible.<<

That game plan doesn't work in LA -- it is MASSIVE and the sites are spread over hundreds of square miles.


>>jamie99-I'm looking for places at AirBnB so that should be legit, right? If you know any other sites let me know.<< holiday rentals are illegal in some of the beach communities in LA County.

W/ your desire to use public transport and walk - San Diego makes much more sense.

Santa Monica and Venice Beach are close to the water, but lodging close to the water is usually pricy.

HTtY

>>Santa Monica and Venice Beach are close to the water, but lodging close to the water is usually pricy.<<

airbnb/vacation rentals are illegal in Santa Monica unless the owner stays under the same roof: "<i> . . . while at least one of the primary residents lives on-site throughout the visitor’s stay. The guest enjoys the non-exclusive shared use of the unit with at least one of the persons who is domiciled at the location. </i>"

janisj- I saw some private rooms/cabins with the owner either in the next room or main house so that explains it.
I looked into car rental and I can manage for a few days if absolutely necessary. But I think you're right, SD makes more sense.

I'll look into Little Italy, Venice Beach and Santa Monica.

Rana, just because something is listed on AirBnB does NOT make it legal, they do not vet or screen their ads and in fact have been sued by the Attorney General of New York for listing illegal short term vacation apartments. Same goes for VRBO, Homeaway, Flipkey.
I personally as a single female would not want to share a home with a stranger, but that is just me.
Venice Beach is OK, rentals are legal there, just check with the posters before booking something, as Venice does have some sketchy areas.

jamie99- I have never tried sharing a home with a stranger but I thought I'd try it because I've heard good reviews. Also, it would cost a lot less to do that. Do you know of other safer options that wouldn't cost a lot higher?

You have not stated what your budget per night is but maybe look into a private room in a hostel.
Maybe it is cultural or just the way I was brought up (did not have to stay in a dorm when going to college) but the idea of sharing a lodging with strangers just does not appeal and not counting choir camp when I was 10 or so, is not something I have done or would ever do. That is just me though.

My weekly budget is around $500. A friend of mine stayed at a hostel in NY and had a bad experience although the place actually had good reviews so I'm a bit hesitant.

-Somewhere I don't need a car so accessible public transport
-Preferable somewhere I can walk around to explore the city

Not Los Angeles.

Somebody's having a rough day.

I'd pick San Diego.

Since you're on a budget and are leery of hostels, look at the Motel 6 in downtown. And don't laugh, it is easily the nicest Motel 6 I've ever stayed in - not luxury by any stretch of the imagination, but a big step up from their normal rooms. It's 5-7 blocks from a trolley stop and the same distance from the edge of Balboa Park. Rooms are around $70/night so it fits your $500/week budget.

https://www.motel6.com/en/motels.ca.san-diego.1419.html

And no, I don't work for them. I just had to find something cheap when I visited a few years ago and found it was way better than I expected.

With no car, I'd choose San Diego.

I'm not sure what happytrailstoyou's comment is about, but Los Angeles is one place that will be very challenging trying to get around by only public transportation.

Seattle, yes. Portland, yes. San Francisco, for sure. But Los Angeles is a city born & bred on car transportation and freeway transit.

San Diego is difficult without a car. IMHO, Los Angeles is nearly impossible (not literally, but the time it would take to get anywhere is ridiculous, given how spread out it is). Just an example - Santa Monica to Griffith Park Observatory - 42 minutes by car without traffic (bad enough for 19 miles), 2 hours 7 minutes by public transit.

I agree that neither of the cities asked about are ideal for tourists using public transportation. (There's lots of cities that are, but not those two!)

I'm surprised that I'm the only person at this forum who has noticed that Los Angeles is a world-class city with several fascinating neighborhoods that are easily accessible by public transport and that can be explored on foot.

LA is a city for the rough and ready. For the adventurous. For those who favor diversity and the unpredictable.

If the point is to cozy up in a coffee shop with a laptop and a cup coffee, that can be done anywhere.

I love driving around sprawling San Diego, but I don't have seen a list of the neighborhoods to explore on foot there or an explanation of how to get to them without a car.

HTtY

I didn't say I don't like LA or find it to have great neighborhoods for exploring. All I said was I wouldn't personally do LA without a car. There are parts of San Francisco I wouldn't do without a car either (Land's End for example). That's not to say it can't be done.

hey, I love LA. I was born & raised there. Doesn't change the fact that it is more thoroughly and easily seen by car.

>>I love driving around sprawling San Diego, but I don't have seen a list of the neighborhoods to explore on foot there or an explanation of how to get to them without a car.<<

Old Town, Little Italy, Gaslamp are all walkable and on the trolley line. Someone else mentioned that Coronado Island is accessible by ferry (there is also a bus that goes over to Coronado). Balboa Park is also not unreasonably far from a trolley stop, and I am sure a bus could get someone there as well without too much trouble.

Rana25, imo a $500/wk budget is going to severely limit your choices in LA, or at least limit them more than in San Diego or elsewhere. Nightly rates for accomodations in some of the places you've mentioned (Malibu etc) start at close to your weekly budget, in fact imo you'll be lucky to get a full week at any place worth staying in LA for that much. So I agree with the others who're steering you toward other cities.

>>Also, it would cost a lot less to do that. Do you know of other safer options that wouldn't cost a lot higher?>>

$500 for a week? Seriously? I guess you you check out the hostels in San Diego. I am totally guessing but I think you can still get a room in a hostel for under $40 a night. Maybe even cheaper.

A rental car would cost you probably $50 a day for a cheap one and gas is pretty expensive.

Coronado is out - they most likely don't allow AirBnB or any kind of short term vacation rentals are probably illegal and I don't think they have hostels.

Public Transportation is actually quite expensive and not easy to get around on - the wait times for buses is long and they take the same routes as cars so you can get stuck in slow moving traffic.

The exception is the trolley but it isn't that helpful for tourists IMHO.

Have you thought about staying for that additional week in San Francisco? the money you would save from traveling to LA or SD might help you enjoy the bay area a little more and maybe plan a trip to southern California in the future?

I love SF and there is so much to do and see their you could spend a couple of weeks and still want to do more.

$500 a week on the coast of California in January is difficult. It would have to be a shared room situation, I think.

I don't believe that type of Airbnb will be outlawed.

Some of the posters above probably have no recent experience with public transportation in Los Angeles.

Santa Monica is served by the Big Blue Bus

www.bigbluebus.com

There is a light rail system here as well as buses, Google Transit works quite well for figuring things out.

The real issue is that "Los Angeles" is huge. But most of it (the San Fernando Valley or South Los Angeles) you wouldn't want to see anyways. A lot of what people call "Los Angeles" isn't actually that (Malibu for example).

If you focus on the west side, Hollywood, downtown for sightseeing it's actually quite manageable by foot and transit. A lot more so than San Diego without a car.

Thanks all! I have busy with classes and forgot to check up on the post.
I know the budget is limited but it seems doable on AirBnB that's why I figured it was ok. I still haven't finalized the plans but I'll get back to you all when I do (after I submit some projects).
Sorry for the delay.