Three days around LA - Newport Beach
 

My daughter wants to tour Cal Long Beach University and we found bargain tickets for next weekend. We travel late Thrusday to LAX and need to plan our time but it's coming very slowly.

PLEASE help us

Thrusday: We made reservations at a Newport Beach hotel. We arrive at LAX at 10 pm, will rent a car and drive to Newport.

Friday: We have a campus tour in Long Beach at 10: 30 am. We are trying to figure out if we can/should tour another school in the afternoon. Last year we visited UCLA and USC. DD is into filmaking

Saturday: DH wants to drive to San Diego but has no "real" plans. We visited the SD Zoo years ago.....maybe we should take our 17 year old DD? Then stay in San Diego?

Would it be better to stay around Newport? Can someone suggest things to do, places to eat? We are foodies and have traveled extensively in the US and abroad. During spring break we did Highway 1 (up and down) and loved it.....California is absolutely wonderful and we enjoyed the freshnes of the produce and fish!

Please help us plan something fun and tasty

Has your daughter looked at the film school at Chapman University in Orange? I grew up in Orange and the area around the college has a nice small town feel even though it isn't a small town. There is a traffic circle in the Old Town area that is about two blocks from Chapman where there are many restaurants and lots antique shops. It is close to Newport Beach.

A side trip to Laguna Beach might be nice while you are in the area.

if you are getting into LAX late, you may want to book an airport hotel on Thursday night and then go directly to Long Beach for the tour the next morning. You will pass through Long Beach on your way to Newport. In good traffic late in the evening it will still take you at least 35 to 40 minutes to get from Lax to Newport. Then you will have to drive halfway back the same route to go back to Long Beach. If you want to look at Chapman it would be easy to drive to Orange, have lunch before the tour in the afternoon and then head to wherever you decide to go. In the vicinity of Chapman University and Old Town I can recommend Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen, Rutabegorz(in an old house), Haven Gastropub, Avila's(in an old chuch) and the Filling Station (yes, in an old filling station!) The drive to San Diego on a Friday afternoon/evening is pretty awful. I would stay in Orange County somewhere and if you want to go to San Diego, leave Saturday morning.

Have a nice trip!

If you're foodies you should already know where to eat.

Loyola Marymount University might be out of your way, but it has one of the top three private film schools w/Bachelor's degree program. It is above Marina del Rey, near LAX. Gorgeous campus, especially if you like the old Spanish mission churches.

Chapman has a good reputation for film, also.

I also suggest you stay in Orange County. Not a foodie recommendation, per se, but my old standby is The Crab Cooker, in Newport Beach. Awesome grilled lobster tails, scallops, shrimp with wonderful grilled potatoes and cole slaw and chowder. Across from the Newport pier. Food is served on paper plates. Be prepared for a huge line if you show up at dinner time. Be early, park behind the restaurant.

We enjoy Newport Harbor,it's fun to take the carry ferry from Balboa Island.
Try renting an electric boat at The Balboa Pavillion, it's fun and easy to negotiate the harbor and stare at the expensive yachts and homes.
There are several restaurants where you can dock and enjoy a meal.

I meant "car ferry".

Chapman looks VERY attractive! We have booked a tour for Monday at 2 pm, after Cal at Long Beach's tour at 10:30 am. Looks like these schools are about 30 minutes apart

Arriving late at LAX isnt better to get out of the LA are and avoid traffic the next mormning? We thought about staying in Newport and avoiding getting up early to be in Long Beacj at 10:30 am

The restauramt recomendations and the electic boat rental are also VERY appealing. THANK YOU

Keep suggestions coming!!!

As a Champan alumnus I can put in my vote for the school.
Lovely 'back east' looking campus and a very good neighborhood.
I would actually try to use PCH (Route 1) form Newport Beach to Long Beach. I think it's a wash on time,but much more scenic.

If you're going to go to Newport, yes, it's better to drive late at night than in the morning. If you want to stay somewhere else the first night though, stay in Long Beach (why stay at LAX and then have to drive to Long Beach in rush hour traffic?)

Yes sf7307, staying in Long Beach would be ideal. I just drove from Santa Ana to LAX this morning at about 9:00 and it took us an hour and twenty minutes to get there. I was just thinking of the back tracking and how much I hate the 405!

I also thought of another spot for food that is kitty corner from Chapman. It's called Bruxie Waffles. They have sweet and savory waffles. It is just a dinky place with a few tables outside but people line up for their grub! http://bruxie.com/