jerirl

We are planning to visit the Los Angelos area this summer with our 16 year old son and would like some advice. He is celebrity crazy and wants to see some stars. We also all enjoy the beach and good restaurants. Plan to stay about a week.

I see there are several studio tours and would like to take at least one. Has anyone taken more than one who can compare them? NBC's tour got panned on tripadvisor. What do you think of Sony, Warner Brothers and Paramount tours? Is any more suited to a teen? I don't think he'll be too impressed to see only stuff from old movies.

We plan to spend a day at Disneyland. Does that seem reasonable? Is it worth it to go to Universal Studios as well?

We've been told Santa Monica is a good area to stay. Any hotels you recommend? Something with suites would be nice so we can have a little privacy.

We also intend to see some standard tourist sites - Venice Beach, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, maybe the Magic Castle and/or Page Museum.

Anything else you recommend we see and/or avoid?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Travelkitty

it's been awhile since I lived in LA, so my info isn't the most current, but your plan sounds like a good one. I'd say one of the tours is plenty, but you might enjoy getting something to eat, and taking in the sites on Universal Citywalk.

Santa Monica is a good place to stay, and your son might enjoy the Third Avenue Promenade and just doing some "people watching".

Also, check out Audiences Unlimited or other sites to see if you can get into a studio audience for a tv show - guaranteed way to see some "celebrities" (although the filming is usually pretty boring and time consuming).

He might also enjoy visiting Westwood and UCLA campus which is convenient to Santa Monica.

Abigail06

I can’t comment on the studio tours, some are kind of hokey.

Disneyland is always great. One day should cover it. You can go early and stay until you are done.

Santa Monica is a good area to stay. There are posts that discuss hotels in the Santa Monica area. You will want to check out the Third Street Promenade while you are there.

Venice Beach on the weekends is a crazy fun place.

A drive out to Malibu would be nice, weather permitting.

I would also check out The Getty, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Huntington Library Museum, Farmers Market (3rd and Fairfax) and The Grove.

Kailani

My advice for bumping into stars, is to stay at the Chateau Marmont. There is an interesting book about all the Hollywood action that has taken place there, so it is educational as well. It has gotten pricey, but it is worth it for a couple of nights, I think. You can hang out at the pool, and mingle in the lobby, and poke around the bungalows, and even have a key to the pool area you can get to off Sunset. It is a feast for the imagination, and the adults who stay there can go to the Bar Marmont next door. I've seen Tommy Cruise (Penelope days) and Robert Downey Jr. (pre rehab days) and others.

I think if you go to the Hollywood Bowl, and cruise the front rows you'll see some stars. I've seen Warren Beatty, and Val Kilmer and others at Bob Dylan shows there.

I think if you want to go to the Magic Castle, you have to stay at the hotel there, unless you are invited by a member. It is really fun, in a musty, over the top way. I really like the Magic Castle Hotel, and I have spent 2 nights there, and 2 nights at the Chateau Marmont for the perfect LA trip. The Magic Castle is walking distance to Grauman's Chinese, and even the Hollywood Bowl. It's a fun area to walk around, and there is an interesting Japanese restaurant, Yamashiro's, just up the hill.

Another motel is the Farmer's Daughter. When I stayed there last, there was a big Maxim party, so lots of stars that I didn't recognize at the pool. That motel is right by the Farmer's Market, another place to look for stars with babies.

It's fun to see a television taping, even when it is a dumb show. We saw Dennis Miller HBO show, and it was impressive for my son to see the beyond the scenes audience rituals.

Does Julia Roberts still live in Venice Beach? I was there just walking around, and there is a section on the beach boardwalk where papparazi wait for stars.

You should have lunch at the Ivy, or some other other celebrity restaurants, and shop in Beverly Hills. I bet you'll see some domesticated stars at the Beverly Hills Farmer's market. Also at good seats at Dodger's games.

The Griffith Park Observatory is beautiful, and many movies have been filmed there.

Everybody else's ideas are great! Just remember traffic is cumbersome.

Skiergirl

Also try eating at Joan's on Third and Urth Cafe, and shop till you drop (too bad it's a son and not a daughter) on Robertson Boulevard in BH. Lots of celebs hang out there.

jerirl

Thanks for the advice so far. Still no comparison of different studio tours - any comments on Sony vs Warner Brothers vs Paramount?

Yes, we do plan to try and see a tv show taping if we can. Unfortunately, they only post available tickets a few weeks in advance. The sites I've found for tv tickets are http://www.tvtickets.com/
http://www.tvtix.com/
http://www.jeopardytickets.tv/
http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Tickets/
http://www.ocatv.com/shows
Do you know of any others?

Also, how far is it from Hollywood to Disneyland? I was thinking we could stay a few days in Santa Monica and then a couple days at Magic Castle (so we can see a show there). Don't want to move 3X, but don't want to drive over an hour to get to a day at Disneyland either.

football

We were in LA a couple of months ago and took the Warner Brothers studio tour - our 16 year old loved it! In fact, we all enjoyed it!

MBnancy

I'd start checking with places in Santa Monica now. I undertand most of the reasonable hotels are booked through summer. That might determine where you end up staying.

joesorce

In the hot summer you really need to stay by the shore, but it's not convenient to most of what you plan to do. Prepare your son for lots of traffic, which is a sure-thing, but not many star sightings, they're hit-and-miss.

Universal is more an amusement park than a tour, especially if do the WB tour. Try to do an afternoon WB tour then a WB show that night, you could visit Hollywood Walk of Fame that morning as they're only 5 minutes away from each other.

If you're from the east coast, you'll probably be waking up early and take advantage of that fact to head down to Disneyland at 6:30am before traffic, have breakfast nearby . Between 8 and 10am can be a nightmare on the freeways. Otherwise it's maybe 40 min drive from Hollywood.

Museums, and "tour of Beverly Hills" should be done on Sat/Sun when traffic is much easier, especially before noon.

misscarol

I am no where near a teenager, but took my first trip to LA last year to visit. I was prepared to dislike everything but loved it all! Can't comment on tours, but all the suggestions so far are great. Definitely Graumans, the 3rd street Promedade, the Grove and Venice beach would all be interesting to your son. You might enjoy the ride through the hills and canyons down to the coast and the Griffeth Observatory area, and Silverlake(?)area from which you can see the Holly wood sign.

jerirl

We'll be there over July 4th. I checked online & it looks like Santa Monica has their festival & fireworks a week in advance. Any advice on where to spend the 4th?

MBnancy

Redondo Beach has Fireworks shot over the ocean on July 4th. You can reserve seats at the Seaside Lagoon.

http://www.redondofireworks.com/inde...link=fireworks

bethmac

If you like art at all, you should really go to the Getty. The architecture and the grounds alone are fantastic.

jerirl

We have reserved a week at the Doubletree Suites in Santa Monica. Probably will cut that short a couple days and spend 2 days in Anaheim, but haven't yet made that reservation. Is there anything else in the Orange County area worth seeing?

Also, what other suggestions do you have re the 4th of July? It looks like Redondo Beach is pretty far from Santa Monica. We're from the DC area, so are used to bad traffic, but that doesn't mean we enjoy it.

Also, does anyone know how to arrange for surfing lessons at the beach? Can we do it at the last minute or do we need to make arrangements before we get there?

Thanks for your help.

lvk

Marina del Rey has a fireworks show and is closer to Santa Monica:

http://beaches.co.la.ca.us/BandH/Eve....htm#fireworks

Traffic will be miserable getting in and out of any fireworks show. Maybe you can rent some bikes to get down there.

For surf lessons, check: www.kanoaaquatics.com/

LosAngeles90004

I just want to agree with several posters about where to see the stars in their natural habitat: Joans on Third, Urth Cafe and The Ivy. And Chateau Marmont is a divine hotel.

travel_chic65

I think u should also go to Beverly Hills or Long Beach, if that isnt too mush of a drive for you. If your son is celeb crazy yeah you should go there. Also take him to Universal Studios but last I heard part of it was burned down.

GO TO DISNEYLAND!!!11 However, if your son's school is traditonal and not year round, it would be painful to get to Disneyland late because of the long
lines.

Go to Disneyland at around opening time.

I think I would be impressed if I saw stuff from old movies. Especially movies that are black and white and silent and aren't sold anymore.

casey_reed84

I'm the man you want to talk to on this subject. I live in Santa Monica right off of Montana St. which is a big celebrity hang out. They have small boutique shops and layed back yet expensive little restaurants. I do strongly suggest Father's Office. The best burger and fries you will ever have but it is busy all the time. I go there at least once a week. Bratt Pitt, Angelina Jolie and all their kids seem to be there pretty often. This place is swarming with celebs but I do warn you that this place is kind of this communities little secret and one of the few places celebs can be left alone to eat their food in peace. So if you swarm to them and bug them they will just not go here anymore and it will ruin the experience for everyone. Just sit in a corner and stare. Besides you might be booted from the place pretty quickly if the staff see their being bugged. These people are after all regulars of this place.

I wouldn't recommend staying on Sunset just because it's not great for teens. Lots of crime and druggies. People always so there are tons of celebs on Sunset which is kind of true. They are usually driving in their car or sitting in a nice hotel somewhere at a bar.

More celebrity hot spots are Robertson Blvd. It's real easy to spot celebs here. Just look for the paparazzi and poof....there's a celebrity, usually not a big one though. Those celebs shop on Montana where there is no papa or tourists.

As far as a tour, being a local I've never been to one. As far as the Magic Castle. You must be invited or be a member. Even if you were lucky enough to get a pass, which you won't, you must be 21 or over to enter which isn't good for your teen. But you can drive by it and see it from the outside. It's up on a hill so you might miss it if you didn't know it was there.

You should stay at the Huntley Santa Monica. Beautiful views of the Pacific, the pier and Malibu, especially from the top floor restaurant. The food aint that great and the service sucks but this is LA so expect that with a hefty price tag. The hotel actually is a great value. Very hip, trendy, a celeb hot spot at the bar at night. As far as the Doubletree goes you probably won't be rubbing elbows with the stars there.

You have to do Hollywood Blvd, Third St Promenade, The Grove, Rodeo Drive and Santa Monica beach just to get the whole LA experience. After that try what I suggested, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

rjw_lgb_ca

I'm also a local, but I have had the opportunity to tour the area with out-of-town relatives (my late sister's husband and four kids) a few months ago.

The Santa Monica recos are all good. As far as hotels go, the Huntley is reasonably-priced and indeed in a good location, despite the lousy restaurant. I like the Art Déco gem on Ocean, the Georgian, as well, and the Fairmont Miramar. Shopping and people-gawking on the Third Street Promenade is fun, and the occasional famous person can be seen walking around (recent sightings: Diane Keaton and her little girl, Jamie Lee Curtis and her son).

Good eateries in the SM downtown area: The Lobster, Ocean Ave. Seafood, Border Grill, Mélisse (VERY expensive), i. Cugini, Bar Pintxo (food can be a bit over-salted).

The places on Robertson where the most blatant attention-hungry "celebs" go would include the Ivy (bad food, good views for paparazzi), Kitson and Fred Segal. It's all a bit pathetic; if they had real talent, they wouldn't need to engage the paparazzi, but....

Of the studio tours you list, the ONLY choice IMHO is Warner Bros. Great, informative tour.

Hollywood was the least favorite part of my family's visit, but at least they can say they had been there. YMMV.

Long Beach?! I live there, I love it, but it's not a particularly essential part of an LA area tour. Other than, I suppose, the Queen Mary, which is fun, and maybe the Aquarium of the Pacific, or some of the historic adobes, or the Museum of Latin American Art. Few "celebs" live in the area-- I can think of Vicki Lawrence offhand, and Sandra Bullock and Jesse James take their dogs to my vet in Los Alamitos (they live in Sunset Beach).

Oh, if you're still wondering about the drive between Hollywood and Anaheim/Disneyland: It takes about an hour. I want to say 35 miles, taking US-101 and I-5 all the way.

rjw_lgb_ca

Other than Disney, Orange County has some good stuff. Huntington Beach is fun for an afternoon watching the surfers, walking around the downtown area at the base of the Pier, having lunch at Ruby's at the end of the Pier (my family loved it!).

Laguna Beach is gentrifying a bit too much for me-- it's getting a little too generic Rich Orange County and less Funky Artists' Community. But it still has the world-famous Festival of the Arts, with the Pageant of the Masters (tableaux vivants). And the beach is lovely, and the drive down PCH is beautiful too.

Newport Beach is ritzy, gorgeous, and Balboa Island is a bit of an oasis of funkiness amidst the ritz.

Well worth your time, if you can deal with the traffic driving down there.