I am not counting on a free shuttle. I want a service that isn't going to cost $150. I will speak to them before I book. My TA should be doing all this

Who needs a TA anymore? The internet is your friend!

Some hotels will send a car for you, which will be pricey. Ask the hotel for the cost of an 'ordinary' cab ride, given your time of day.

Check out the thread on How to Eat Like a Local in LA.

ita, check with Prime Time Shuttle.

http://www.primetimeshuttle.com/loca...FTByQgoddAMAUw

Or the LAX Flyaway bus that operates between LAX and Westwood (near the Palomar).

http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=4698

I booked the hotel. They told me that a cab from the hotel to LAX would be about $40, depending on time of day. Does that sound right? Also how much would a cab cost from the port to the hotel?

Thanks Fodorites. You always come through from me and your recommendations are spot on.

Did you get the Palomar?

ita, the hotel would know better about the taxi fare than I would. I can only guess about the fare from the port to the hotel... probably at least double, $80. Or you could use Prime Time Shuttle.

There are shuttles between the airport and hotels and to the port. They are called Super Shuttle and Prime Time. I never said they were free. BTW it helps to know the zip code of your hotel, if you decide not to reserve a shuttle from the airport but to just take the next available. Westwood Village (Kimpton) is 90024.

You can get online quotes at http://www.primetimeshuttle.com/ to the different port terminals.

One way one person to the ports is about $40.

Not far from the Kimpton are also some things to see, including the Westwood Memorial Park which has Marilyn's grave. It's a bit tricky to find the entry, ask the hotel desk.

Three blocks down Wilshire is the Hammer Museum. (Closed Mondays, Free every Thursday). They often have good architecture exhibitions (the one on now is A. Quincy Jones).

http://hammer.ucla.edu/

Westwood Village has two 1930s movie theaters, the Westwood Village and the Bruin, that are still open and showing films. Across the street is the iconic Stan's Donuts. When I was a young Bruin, I always had a blueberry old fashioned. Now they are famous for their peanut butter pockets.
http://www.stansdoughnuts.com/history.html

You can also wander up into the UCLA campus, the Fowler museum is free (closed M-Tues). I also recommend entering the Powell Library, beautifully restored.

Walk around Westwood Village and you can pop into some of the original 1920s buildings. Peet's Coffee is worth a stop (the original grocery store location) at Westwood and Lindbrook. The domed building was a bank when I was a young Bruin, now it is Yamato (not very good but at least open to the public). On the other side of Broxton is a Mediterranean revival courtyard building.

The bus (761) to the Getty stops at Westwood and Lindbrook right on the side of the Hammer museum. (You can also catch it at Wwood and Le Conte). It takes about 20 minutes under normal conditions but I'm not sure if the freeway construction is diverting the route. The hotel concierge should know if that is a problem when you visit. A taxi won't be much, either.

RE the cab cost to the port, I think it will be closer to $100, it depends on time of day. If you get stuck in traffic the wait time charges can kill you. It would be safer to book a private transfer if you don't want to do the shared vans. For up to three people around $84 on the Prime Time site.

There may be other private companies like Zippy Shuttle that can do a better job on the port transfer, but you'll have to email or call for a quote.

I would think the cruise company would have info on ground transportation options from the port.

OMG, mlgb, I think we were at UCLA at the same time... I was a teller at BofA during my sophomore and junior years. During my freshman year, I lived in the dorm on Tiverton which is now an assisted living facility. My boss' mother lives there now!

Maybe you were my teller, Jean.

I was in one of the four "original" dorms for a year. Then moved out to live a block off of Westwood Blvd at Wilkins.

Of absolutely no help to the OP of course, but I lived at the corner of Gayley and Landfair for a summer (UCLA summer school). You can see the building on Googlemaps street view!

And speaking of no help, didn't the W hotel start out as a private dorm?

Or was that your lodging on Tiverton, Jean?

I think the Greystone Park & Mansion is about 4 miles from your hotel. It is free to visit and free to park.

http://www.beverlyhills.org/explorin...neparkmansion/

Unless there is a special event, you can't go inside the Greystone building. A lot of people are disappointed when they discover that. It's worth checking the website to try and catch one of their events, though.
http://www.greystonemansion.org/Calendar_of_Events.html

There are also $5 trolley tours of Beverly Hills, I don't know if they are worthwhile.

Each city bus stop has a number. You text the number and a message comes back telling you what time the next bus is passing by, couldn't be much easier. Welcome to the 21st century.

Try zippyshuttle.net for a quote from port to hotel.

Since you're interested in architecture and city history, the trolley tour is a good suggestion. Bev Hills is a quick l0 min bus ride from your hotel, straight down Wilshire.

http://www.beverlyhills.org/exploring/trolleytours/

I seemed to have hijacked Italophile's post, but I hope it is useful for him also. I have booked the Palomar. thanks for all your wonderful info. I should extend my stay. I am checking into the shuttles. The cruise only offers shuttles to the airport.

Zippy Shuttle quotes: $110 from Port to hotel, $80 from hotel to airport. Is that a better deal than a cab? I think I should speak to the concierge at the hotel.

<i>You text the number and a message comes back telling you what time the next bus is passing by, couldn't be much easier.</i>

And if it says 20 minutes? That just means you have to stand there knowing that you wasted 20 minutes by not renting a car. If you don't know, at least it is a surprise.