My daughter and I will be flying to LAX on March 24. We have a non-stop that will arrive at 10 AM. Our return flight leaves LAX at 5 PM on Sunday. This is Easter weekend. My daughter traveled to this area last year for work and has an idea what she wants to do.

She wants to go to Hollywood and visit the beaches south of LA - Laguna, Newport, and/or Huntington. She also is planning for us to spend one day traveling to and from San Diego.

Our current plans are to stay in one of the beach cities. We hope to stay in one place. She believes we should stay within walking distance of one of the beaches. I'm inclined to stay where there is free parking and free breakfast. The hotels I've checked that appear very close to the beach are expensive, except a couple I found at Sunset Beach. I'm not sure if that is a good location. I've found several hotels within 5 miles of the beach that meet my criteria, but she thinks traffic and parking will be a hassle.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

you have two full days and two half days. I think I would spend the first afternoon visiting the Hollywood sights that your DD wants to see and then move on. Down to Laguna or Newport Beach or wherever she wants to stay. They are not LA or very convenient to LA so you can't have it all (without dreadful traffic on both days). I don't know how/when you're going to fit San Diego but apparently you're fitting it in for a full day, so one of your two full days?

Sorry but DD needs a reality check.

clark is right. You'll BARELY have time for a Hollywood tour (which should really be a Hollywood/Sunset Strip/WeHo/Beverly Hills jaunt), let alone a run down to San Diego. Add two days and you might-- just might-- be able to squeeze in SD. You really need a bit more time to explore this vast region of the US. A full week is minimum IMHO.

And if you plan on staying down in any of those Orange County cities, bear in mind that you'll have, at best, a 60-minute drive (at full speed) back to LAX on Sunday. The time just ticks away.

Which hotels in Sunset Beach? I go there weekly with the family for dinner (good cheap seafood joint right on PCH). The beach houses are the best part of that town (Sandra Bullock used to live there with her ex-- she went to our vet in Los Alamitos); the lodging in Sunset is really pretty basic, but it's not an unsafe town, it's just really surfer-centric.

Huntington Beach would be my preference on the basis of transportation-- it's just easier to get to and from the main roads and highways from HB than the other beach towns, plus it has a more laid-back vibe than Newport (and a bit younger than Laguna). Laguna is wonderful, but getting in and out is essentially limited to PCH and CA-133 (Laguna Canyon Road); if one or the other is unavailable (landslide, mudslide, brush fire, etc.), the other route gets completely sold out and you're pretty much stuck. Newport is a bit too snooty for my tastes, but YMMV.

Drop San Diego, you do not have time. I like Huntington, but also consider the cities in the South Bay like Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach. I also like Hermosa but unless the place comes with parking, forget it, the meter maids are real "ticket happy" there (used to live there).
Not sure if you are looking for hotels or vacation rentals, but last month Manhattan Beach outlawed short term rentals.
Hollywood takes 2 hours max unless you take one of those tours. It is really overrated.

A one-day trip to and back from San Diego is not a good idea. Unless there is no traffic, you will spend at least three hours driving each way and you will have precious little time to visit San Diego's many attractions which don't happen to all be in one convenient location.

HTtY

Three hours each way, huh? We don't even know where they're leaving from yet, it might be Laguna or Newport Beach.

And it could be Hollywood. Even if they are driving back and forth from Newport Beach I wouldn't recommend a one-day trip to San Diego. If you would, let them know.

HTtY

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I realize the time frame we have is tight, but it's all we can manage for this trip. My daughter visited these areas last year and wants to take me there. She was in Irvine for a week on 2 occasions. A co-worker who lives in the area took them to all of these places. They had an extra day on one trip and they drove to and from San Diego in a day. That's why she thought we could use one of our days for that trip. However, based on all of your comments, that doesn't sound like a good idea.

rjw - what is the name of the cheap seafood place at Sunset Beach? We both love seafood. Right now I am leaning toward staying in Sunset Beach or Huntington Beach.

We arrive in LA at 10 AM. If we go directly to Hollywood, what time should we head south to avoid the worst traffic?

I have been to the Pacific coast from Cambria north, but never to southern California. My daughter really loved the beaches and piers, even though she only spent a few hours there after work. We are both looking forward to a few days in the sun after a cold winter.

I think I would see Hollywood on Sunday, traffic is much lighter then. On arrival Thursday visit Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach, both have piers and parking won't be a problem mid-day in March. Also, they're just 10 mins south of LAX so you'd have more of the afternoon to enjoy, going to Hollywood will be a lot of traffic and you'd want to leave there by 3pm.
After visiting MB or Hermosa, take Pacific Coast Highway for a ways and head to Huntington Beach or wherever you decide to spend the 3 nights.
Sunday morning plan on an early start, you'll have a bit of a drive up to Hollywood but traffic should be very light. You can see some Hollywood sights til 12:30pm or so, then start working your way west through the Sunset strip and Beverly Hills, then a stop in Santa Monica or Marina del Rey for a late lunch, then a short hop to the airport, you'll want to get to the rental car office by 3:15pm or so.
Not sure why you've picked Sunset Beach, I don't really know of any lodging there, but Pacific Inn in Seal Beach gets very good reviews.

@mlm: The seafood restaurant we go to in Sunset Beach (actually right on the border between Sunset and Huntington) is called Fish Camp, part of a local restaurant mini-empire (King's Seafood). It's located at the corner of PCH and Admiralty Drive, technically in Huntington Beach:

http://www.samsfishcamp.com

The fish is fresh, selection changes daily based on availability, and I've never had anything bad there. Prices are good for the area. The vibe is beach-casual and the kids that work there always go the extra mile. Beer and wine only.

Clark mentioned the Pacific Inn up in Seal Beach. I know that property well; years ago I put my mom and niece up in that hotel when it flew a different flag. It was a mid-level motel-level property, with low ceilings (we're a relatively tall family, so we notice these things) and smallish rooms, but the place was quite clean. They've upgraded a bit since then, and I've only heard great things about it-- a really good deal for the price. The location cannot be beat; you're a very short walk to Main Street, the principal thoroughfare for Seal Beach's little downtown area. It has beach shops, bars, banks, boutiques, our preferred Apple repair service store, and our favorite Seal Beach restaurant, Walt's Wharf (more seafood, and also really good):

http://www.thepacificinn.com
http://waltswharf.com/

The actual lodging choices in Sunset Beach are pretty downmarket-- basically motels. The Best Western Harbour Inn is probably the best property, which isn't saying much; it's on a commercial stretch of PCH, to get to the beach you have to cross PCH, and the hotel isn't at a light, so it's a bit of a schlep to get to a crossing signal. If you must stay in this part of coastal Orange County, the Pacific Inn is probably best. It puts you close to the Belmont Shore/Naples neighborhoods of Long Beach, where you'll find good dining and nightlife choices (some VERY upscale joints, including a steakhouse that serves Italian-sourced Chianina beef at shockingly high prices-- and a lot of cheaper alternatives).

Huntington Beach might have a bit more "action", even at Easter weekend (chances are it will still be a bit cool-- and if we get the predicted big El Niño, it could be rainy--, although some years it can be broiling in late March). It all depends on what you want to do.

Clark & rjw - Thank you so much for your help. I have checked the Pacific Inn and it seems to meet all of our criteria - reasonable price, free parking and breakfast, and close to the beach. They even have a special for staying 3 nights. I will see DD tomorrow and if she agrees I am going to book. I have no idea how quickly hotels will book up for late March, especially with it being Easter weekend.

I have checked the restaurants you suggested rjw and they look great for seafood. When DD was in the area last year her group had dinner several nights at a seafood or Mexican restaurant, but of course her company was paying. Moderately priced restaurants are my preference.

Thanks Clark for the suggestion for Sunday. Will we be able to see the sights in Hollywood on Easter Sunday? DD got her picture taken with Marilyn Monroe's star on the walk of fame. She wants us to get some photos with the stars of western movie icons that her father really likes since he is unable to travel with us. Should we expect about a 2 hour drive on Sunday from Seal Beach to Hollywood?

Clark & rjw - Thank you so much for your help. I have checked the Pacific Inn and it seems to meet all of our criteria - reasonable price, free parking and breakfast, and close to the beach. They even have a special for staying 3 nights. I will see DD tomorrow and if she agrees I am going to book. I have no idea how quickly hotels will book up for late March, especially with it being Easter weekend.

I have checked the restaurants you suggested rjw and they look great for seafood. When DD was in the area last year her group had dinner several nights at a seafood or Mexican restaurant, but of course her company was paying. Moderately priced restaurants are my preference.

Thanks Clark for the suggestion for Sunday. Will we be able to see the sights in Hollywood on Easter Sunday? DD got her picture taken with Marilyn Monroe's star on the walk of fame. She wants us to get some photos with the stars of western movie icons that her father really likes since he is unable to travel with us. Should we expect about a 2 hour drive on Sunday from Seal Beach to Hollywood?

No, on a Sunday morning you're looking at just under an hour from Seal Beach, shoot up the 605 to the 5 north and then the 101 north. The difference in traffic compared to late that Thurs afternoon makes a huge difference. Obviously an accident can always slow things down, check the NBCLOSANGELES.com/traffic map before you leave Seal Beach just in case you need a different route.

Usually there is an easter-morning service at the Hollywood Bowl, 15,000 attendees, but I don't think they had it last year. Maybe check about a month beforehand.
As far as seeing the sights on Easter, yes pretty much everything is open these days on Easter, even shopping malls.