BitsnBearsMom

My family (dh, myself, 18yo ds, 12yo ds, gramma and gramps) are heading to California in March for a week - we fly into LAX on a Wednesday and are staying at Disney's Grand Californian villa's until the following Tuesday when we head back to LAX for a flight to Vegas for a few days.

While in Cali we are for sure doing a few days at Disneyland (I figured 3 days would be more then enough!!) but we want to see/do some other things too. We were planning on driving into LA for the Warner Bro's studio tour on the Friday - if we plan to do the tour fairly early in the morning what else can we add that day to make it a full day in LA? My guys want to see the stars in the sidewalk and the hollywood sign for sure but as for what else to see I'm not sure. I'm sure the early won't be an issue for us as we are coming from a 3 hour time difference.

On the Saturday we were planning on heading back to LA area to the Santa Monica Peir - I know swimming isn't going to be great at that time of year (although as Canadians we will probably find it hot if it's above 60..... -16 here today with windchill!!) If we do a drive along the coast line is there much to see/do along the way?? Or is there somewhere else we should be going?

None of us have been to California before - I'm sure my husband, kids and I will be back at some point. I

Jean

You don't want to be staying in Anaheim (Disneyland) when trying to see the sights in Hollywood and Santa Monica. You should relocate to a second hotel after your time at Disneyland.

The traffic on a Friday would be particularly brutal, and if it's raining, well, don't even bother. In the first part of the month, sunset will be before 6:00 p.m. and at about 7:00 p.m. after the 10th.

What time is your flight to Las Vegas? If you can't/won't move to a second hotel after Disneyland, could you at least change your flight to depart from Orange County (John Wayne Airport) which is much closer to Disneyland. The drive from Disneyland to Vegas would take about 5 hours. If you stay in Anaheim and fly from LAX, you'd probably need to leave your Anaheim hotel 3-3.5 hours before your flight. If you stay in Anaheim and fly from Orange County, you'd probably need to leave your hotel 2 hours before your flight.

FYI, although several TV shows (some supposedly based here) have taken to calling the state 'Cali,' people who live here don't.

FYI, water temp off the Santa Monica Pier yesterday was 57F/14C, and a cold and rainy spell is on the way.

BitsnBearsMom

My Question was WHAT else should we be seeing/doing in LA area and if we did a coastal drive South from Santa Monica where else is there to stop unless there is somewhere else locals would suggest is worth seeing/doing (no other theme parks please and TY)..... we can not change where we are staying as we are using our DVC points for our stay and our flights are set..... it was way too expensive to pick up our rental car at LAX and drop it off at another airport!

I realize it's not the best time of year for swimming - we didn't expect to be able to swim but would like to see some of the beaches!!

POlson

The best way to see Los Angeles is to organize your day trips to geographic areas to minimize the worst of LA - traffic. For example if heading to Warner Brothers tour, consider going into Hollywood (see Hollywood sign from Hollywood and Highland), visit grand old theaters (Chinese, El Capital, Egyptian) and then continue to mid-Wilshire Museum corridor (LACMA, La Brea tar pits, Peterson car museum) and/or go to the Grove for shopping/dining and LA Farmer's Market. Then head south to Anaheim early (around 3:00) or plan to stay in town through dinner (or go to the movies, see a show etc) and head south after 8:00p. Alternatively, from Warner Bros. you could head east to Pasadena, visit Huntington Museum, Library and Gardens, go shopping and eat lunch in Old Town (lots of fun dining choices or perhaps enjoy afternoon tea at Scarlett Tea Room), visit Norton Simon Museum or Asia Pacific Museum, then finish with a movie (leather seats and serves dinner) at Gold Class Cinemas or catch a play at Pasadena Playhouse.

Lots to see on the coast. From Anaheim, you could head over to the beaches. Highlights include Manhattan Beach (try Wahoo Fish Taco, or Uncle Bill's Pancake House), cute shops, Hermosa Beach, Venice Beach, Santa Monica. Traffic can be frustrating so you might just drive directly to Santa Monica, explore the area (3rd Street Promenade, Main Street, farmer's market if open, shopping and Starbucks on Montana), go north to Malibu, we like Zuma Beach and visit the Getty Villa (get parking reservations in advance). Consider eating at Reel Inn, Duke's or get other suggestions. Just be prepared for time in the car.

Whatever you do avoid criss-crossing the city to try to do it all (you end up with way too much time spent on the 10 or the 405. not fun.) If possible avoid driving between 7-10am and 4-8 pm. That doesn't guarantee no traffic issues but it helps avoid the worst of it.

tracys2cents

You can't really do an early morning tour of Warner Brothers coming from Anaheim, unless you leave Anaheim at 5:30 in the morning, have breakfast at the WB cafe, and take the earliest morning tour. If you leave Anaheim at 7am, traffic would put you in Burbank anywhere between 8:30 and 9:45am...so you really can't book anything earlier than a 10:15am tour.

Then 12:30 to 1:30 for lunch.
Nearby is Hollywood and the Walk of Fame/ footprints that Grandpa might like to see etc.

Not far away is the amazing Griffith Observatory with good photo ops of the city and the Hollywood sign. That takes a couple of hours at least, and longer if you want to see a planetarium show. There is a small cafe there for a light dinner or many restaurants at the bottom of the hill. You wouldn't want to head back to Anaheim until almost 8pm, unless you like slow-and-go traffic that averages 10mph.

Jean

Well, the better the info you provide, the better and more useful the advice will be.

Since you can't change your hotel, I would follow tracy's suggestions. If you'll have GPS in the car, you may want to head to some of POlson's ideas, but Friday afternoon traffic throughout L.A. will really slow you down. Saturday traffic will be easier but (IMO) less predictable. Old Town Pasadena will be very busy.

If it's raining, all bet's are off.

Go to the beach if that's a priority. Driving south from Santa Monica is less appealing (IMO) than going north toward Malibu.

Tomsd

Make sure you get a good freeway map of the LA basin and also tune into AM 1070 - which gives traffic updates every six minutes. If you hear about a freeway that has an accident - use a different route to get from A to B.

If you work around commute hours - you shouldn't have a big problem getting anywhere you are interested in - in an hour or so.

And I would second getting up real early and up to the Hollywood area for your Warner Bros tour. In addition to what has been suggested - taking Sunset out to the beach is a great drive.

We also love the newer/main Getty Museum (at the 405 and Mulholldand Dr) - which has beautiful architecture and grounds - even if you don't spend a lot of time visiting the different art exhibits. http://www.getty.edu/museum/

And as noted above - the old Villa out by Sunset Beach is also very nice. Driving up the Coast Hiway/1 to north of Malibu/Pepperdine is probably the most time on the road with the closest proximity/view of the ocean, v. going south.

socialworker

We have been coming to LA on and off since '99. Traffic here is like the "girl with the curl", when it is good, it is very, very good (25 min from LAX to West Hollywood at 11:00 PM on a weeknight) and when it is bad it is AWFUL. (15-20 min to go a mile or two in rush hour)

One night we drove back from Altadena, which is farther than Pasadena, to our rental in Century City, a neighborhood on the westside of LA in about 25 minutes, not speeding! That same trip in rush hour could easily be upwards of an hour and a half.

maitaitom

Here's a couple of ideas.

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/...4_Entry_1.html

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/..._-_Malibu.html

PeaceOut

Three days at Disneyland may be too many.

PeaceOut

Since your grandparents are with you, they might enjoy a meal at the venerable Musso and Frank's Grill on Hollywood Blvd, right near the other spots you want to see there.

It has been there since 1919, and has a long history of feeding the 'stars' (mostly of bygone days). It serves comfort food, which the kids will like, too. (There is validated parking in back.)

http://mussoandfrank.com/restaurant/

The Getty Villa might be interesting for all, too. You could visit it when you head to Santa Monica. Great views from there, lovely gardens, gorgeous antiquities and art.

Since Vegas is your next stop, maybe you want to see less 'glitz' while in LA? Main Street and Abbott Kinney Blvd are areas near Santa Monica that are more low-key with little shops. There is an Irish pub on Main Street, on a corner, with parking behind it. I can't remember its name, though.

Jean

A parking reservation (in advance) is required to visit the Getty Villa.

PeaceOut

It is Finn McCool's Irish Pub

http://www.finnmccoolsirishpub.com/

We have eaten there a couple of times. It is not fancy, but is family-friendly. There are unique little boutiques on that block. And the beach is directly behind it.

PeaceOut

Good point, Jean. It can be done on-line or by phone. Entrance to the Getty Villa is free, but parking is $15/car. There is a cafe there, too.

maitaitom

" they might enjoy a meal at the venerable Musso and Frank's Grill on Hollywood Blvd, "

Here's a little story on our trip to Musso and Frank Grill. If you want, just skip our escapades (although a fun story) and scroll down to the martini with extra olives.

http://www.travelswithmaitaitom.com/...Hollywood.html

BitsnBearsMom

Thanks for all the great idea's..... much appreciated!!

PeaceOut

Funny story, now that you have survived it, Whitey!