What area of/near Los Angeles?
Sep 8th, 2012, 07:58 AM
#41
You can reserve a share van from the port, about $60 for two people, vs a taxi will cost you around $100 or more depending on time of day and traffic/wait time.
There is an Enterprise rental car near the San Pedro port assuming you arrive during their open hours. You'll have to call them to see if they will do a oneway rental, and I believe they will pick you up.
There is an Enterprise rental car near the San Pedro port assuming you arrive during their open hours. You'll have to call them to see if they will do a oneway rental, and I believe they will pick you up.
Sep 8th, 2012, 10:58 PM
#42
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I realized there is another relatively easy way to go from Santa Monica to Marina del Rey - The Santa Monica Blue Bus (a public bus, $1 fare, no parking hassles!) It actually goes from Santa Monica only as far as Venice, but it is near the beach - which is then a pleasant walk (close to the canals) or bike ride towards Marina del Rey. The #1 Santa Monica Blvd bus is a good route that goes near the coast.
Although L.A. is not known for its public transportation - the situation is improving! The SM Blue Bus now has a route (#20) to the new Metro Rail Expo line (train), which starts in Culver City and can be used to get to Hollywood or downtown. So you can get around without a car. It may not be super quick (though neither is driving, usually!) but you can relax and look at the surrounding neighborhoods and people. It is cheap, and you don't have to deal with parking, which can be difficult and expensive.
Although L.A. is not known for its public transportation - the situation is improving! The SM Blue Bus now has a route (#20) to the new Metro Rail Expo line (train), which starts in Culver City and can be used to get to Hollywood or downtown. So you can get around without a car. It may not be super quick (though neither is driving, usually!) but you can relax and look at the surrounding neighborhoods and people. It is cheap, and you don't have to deal with parking, which can be difficult and expensive.
Sep 9th, 2012, 04:56 AM
#43
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All thumbs on my wife's laptop - but good for you to check the jar and extend your stay a day in LA.
Next cruise you check out - consider embarking/and or disembarking from San Diego - which also has a lot to see and do - and it's easier to get around here - and less expensive to boot.
Also - if you can - rent the car in/near San Pedro - and some of them might not have a dropoff charge if you turn it in at LAX,
Next cruise you check out - consider embarking/and or disembarking from San Diego - which also has a lot to see and do - and it's easier to get around here - and less expensive to boot.
Also - if you can - rent the car in/near San Pedro - and some of them might not have a dropoff charge if you turn it in at LAX,
Sep 9th, 2012, 06:33 AM
#46
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Big Blue Bus is great!! I used it extensively during my 3 month stay in LA. We only had one car which DH took to work and I got around on the bus. Big Discount for >age 62 as well. Hard to beat! http://bigbluebus.com/
However, it does not go to all the places you want to see. It goes all over, Santa Monica, Westwood, Beverly Hills. Pacific Pallisades and you can take it to the Getty, but it does not go east of Beverly Hills so no Hollywood destinations.
However, it does not go to all the places you want to see. It goes all over, Santa Monica, Westwood, Beverly Hills. Pacific Pallisades and you can take it to the Getty, but it does not go east of Beverly Hills so no Hollywood destinations.
Sep 9th, 2012, 08:51 AM
#47
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I read the BBB schedule correctly, Route 10 direct goes from Santa Monica, via the Santa Monica fwy. to downtown LA where it makes several stops, allowing access to the red (subway)line. Then it's a short fast ride to Hollywood. But the point is moot, because bc has decided to rent a car.
Sep 9th, 2012, 10:21 AM
#48
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, it sounds like bc may have been undecided about renting a car, and I wanted to point out that public transportation to the westside has improved a lot recently, and now with the Expo line and the #20 Big Blue Bus it is even easier to connect to the red line that stops at Hollywood and Highland.
I think that might be preferable to taking the freeway #10 bus. (They are now working on a Metro extension to Santa Monica, so in the next couple of years it will get even easier!) So for bc and others reading this who may be undecided about renting a car in L.A. it is worth considering that public transportation is much better than it used to be!
I think that might be preferable to taking the freeway #10 bus. (They are now working on a Metro extension to Santa Monica, so in the next couple of years it will get even easier!) So for bc and others reading this who may be undecided about renting a car in L.A. it is worth considering that public transportation is much better than it used to be!
Sep 9th, 2012, 04:10 PM
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh no...now I am confused again! Yes, I was undecided about renting a car (horror stories about LA freeways), but after hearing that I could travel from Santa Monica to a few other places relatively easy, the rental sounded like the best bet. Now, I am hearing how easy the Big Blue Bus can be...so back to undecided.
Sep 9th, 2012, 05:39 PM
#54
It seems to be the cool thing lately for everyone to tell you to take the "bus" or the "metro." I've lived in Southern California all my life (60 years), and In the L.A. area for most of them. If you know how to drive, in my opinion, rent a car. It gives you more freedom.
Sep 10th, 2012, 04:07 AM
#55
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bag the bus - rent a car. Cheaper and much easier/faster - and you don't have to wait for the bus/transfer, etc.
For maybe $50 a day (including any possible drop-off charge) - you could drive your party of 4 on surface roads your whole time in LA (no sweat) - and if you are not out during commute hours - and listen to AM 1070 - you can hear if there are any freeway problems - as they do News and Traffic every six minutes.
If the freeways are not jammed - they aren't that bad - really, but you can still make your way around using surface streets without any problemo. From the beach to Hollywood on Sunset Blvd - 45 minutes or less. (Well - again, except during commute hours but that's easy to work around. Just ask at your front desk).
Or you could come to San Diego - where yesterday - I easily went from my Starbucks to the docks at Pt. Loma to check on the incoming sport fleet boats (fishing is still going crazy - Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado/Mahi Mahi, Yellowtail, etc) - and then to a vintage car show - (hey - I want to join the Over the Hill Gang) - and then to a SD Padres baseball game - and then to a Brazilian festival in Pacific Beach - and was not in the car for longer than 15 minutes on any one leg and back home in time to watch football. Yea Payton Manning - beat those dang Steelers.
For maybe $50 a day (including any possible drop-off charge) - you could drive your party of 4 on surface roads your whole time in LA (no sweat) - and if you are not out during commute hours - and listen to AM 1070 - you can hear if there are any freeway problems - as they do News and Traffic every six minutes.
If the freeways are not jammed - they aren't that bad - really, but you can still make your way around using surface streets without any problemo. From the beach to Hollywood on Sunset Blvd - 45 minutes or less. (Well - again, except during commute hours but that's easy to work around. Just ask at your front desk).
Or you could come to San Diego - where yesterday - I easily went from my Starbucks to the docks at Pt. Loma to check on the incoming sport fleet boats (fishing is still going crazy - Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado/Mahi Mahi, Yellowtail, etc) - and then to a vintage car show - (hey - I want to join the Over the Hill Gang) - and then to a SD Padres baseball game - and then to a Brazilian festival in Pacific Beach - and was not in the car for longer than 15 minutes on any one leg and back home in time to watch football. Yea Payton Manning - beat those dang Steelers.
Sep 10th, 2012, 07:07 AM
#56
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have to agree with Tom. Public transportation in LA is not what it should be. Buses don't run as reliably as they should, for one thing.
Traffic in LA is not for the faint-of-heart, but in our experience, the drivers there are quite good. Traffic can be moving at a quick pace, with cars relatively close together, and you must know where you are going and where is your exit, or you can easily miss it in the crowd.
One of our favorite drives when we are there is Sunset Blvd all the way to where it meets PCH. You wind through Beverly Hills, past UCLA and gorgeous landscaped yards and homes. Now, this is where the driving is heart-stopping, because it is two-lanes each direction and those local drivers weave in and out and don't show much mercy for the meandering tourist! But, years ago, when our son was a teen and we were taking him to college in LA, we rented a red Mustang convertible and he drove it on Sunset. He loved it. (I was in the tiny backseat, so not so much for Mom!)
I suggest you get a car, and take Tom's advice for avoiding the worst traffic and routes. It can be done.
Traffic in LA is not for the faint-of-heart, but in our experience, the drivers there are quite good. Traffic can be moving at a quick pace, with cars relatively close together, and you must know where you are going and where is your exit, or you can easily miss it in the crowd.
One of our favorite drives when we are there is Sunset Blvd all the way to where it meets PCH. You wind through Beverly Hills, past UCLA and gorgeous landscaped yards and homes. Now, this is where the driving is heart-stopping, because it is two-lanes each direction and those local drivers weave in and out and don't show much mercy for the meandering tourist! But, years ago, when our son was a teen and we were taking him to college in LA, we rented a red Mustang convertible and he drove it on Sunset. He loved it. (I was in the tiny backseat, so not so much for Mom!)
I suggest you get a car, and take Tom's advice for avoiding the worst traffic and routes. It can be done.
Sep 10th, 2012, 07:18 AM
#57
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, there are pros and cons to both ways. I have lived in L.A. for 30 years and solely driven a car for 29 of those years. But I was pleasantly surprised last year when I tried public transportation for the first time (when my teenage daughter got her license and used my car all the time!)
The choice all depends on the individual's personal preferences. If driving a car in a crowded unfamiliar area would be very stressful, then public transportation would work. If waiting for buses would be very stressful, then renting a car would be preferable. It's an individual preference - but I just wanted visitors to be aware that public transportation is definitely an option, contrary to popular belief!
I know when I am in Europe, I enjoy riding the bus and subway - it's another way to see the people and culture of an area. Granted L.A. is not quite the same as Paris! And even in Europe, if I am going somewhere more remote that requires too many transfers, I prefer to rent a car. It all depends.
The choice all depends on the individual's personal preferences. If driving a car in a crowded unfamiliar area would be very stressful, then public transportation would work. If waiting for buses would be very stressful, then renting a car would be preferable. It's an individual preference - but I just wanted visitors to be aware that public transportation is definitely an option, contrary to popular belief!
I know when I am in Europe, I enjoy riding the bus and subway - it's another way to see the people and culture of an area. Granted L.A. is not quite the same as Paris! And even in Europe, if I am going somewhere more remote that requires too many transfers, I prefer to rent a car. It all depends.
Sep 10th, 2012, 09:36 AM
#58
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,265
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you do decide to drive, please take very seriously the advice of timing your drives. It will make your experience much more enjoyable. Typical "rush hour" times are not generally applicable in all areas.
The week before last, our German houseguests tried to take that Sunset Blvd. route from PCH into Hollywood --west to east -- on a weekday afternoon at about 2:30 pm. It took them an excruciating 1 1/2 hours just to get from PCH to the 405 -- about 10 miles. They gave up, got onto the 405 and came back to our house. They tried again on a Sunday morning, this time from Hollywood to PCH. Though it was by no means traffic-free, it was a much more manageable drive.
This past week, our Austrian houseguests (lots of houseguests this summer ) were stuck in traffic coming from Santa Monica on the 10 then the 405 (again, at about 3pm). After an hour of mostly stopped traffic, they tried surface streets, which did not help at all. It took them almost 2 hours to get from Santa Monica to their Torrance destination (about 18 miles).
I'm not telling you this to scare you off driving in LA. Just trying to reinforce the notion of checking with a local about drive times before you head out. www.sigalert.com/losangeles is also a good source of information.
The week before last, our German houseguests tried to take that Sunset Blvd. route from PCH into Hollywood --west to east -- on a weekday afternoon at about 2:30 pm. It took them an excruciating 1 1/2 hours just to get from PCH to the 405 -- about 10 miles. They gave up, got onto the 405 and came back to our house. They tried again on a Sunday morning, this time from Hollywood to PCH. Though it was by no means traffic-free, it was a much more manageable drive.
This past week, our Austrian houseguests (lots of houseguests this summer
) were stuck in traffic coming from Santa Monica on the 10 then the 405 (again, at about 3pm). After an hour of mostly stopped traffic, they tried surface streets, which did not help at all. It took them almost 2 hours to get from Santa Monica to their Torrance destination (about 18 miles). I'm not telling you this to scare you off driving in LA. Just trying to reinforce the notion of checking with a local about drive times before you head out. www.sigalert.com/losangeles is also a good source of information.
Sep 10th, 2012, 09:44 AM
#59
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,265
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, that link didn't work. Try this:
http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?regi...-118.22335&z=2
http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?regi...-118.22335&z=2
Sep 10th, 2012, 10:09 AM
#60
There is no one-=size fits all answer..."You must drive" does not work for everyone. A lot the regulars live in suburban places that tourists don't stay, not in transit hubs such as downtown and Hollywood (or the Wilshire corridor). When they visit they are usually seeing family/friends business associates, not tourist sights.
Public transit is most frequent on routes where there is a lot of demand. It is also easier around the routes of the Red Line (ie between downtown and Hollywood/Wilshire).
BTW the Route 10 Big Blue Bus from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles has existed for decades...I mean like at least 30 years..
The key is to do some advance trip planning via www.metro.net and see if there is good, frequent service between your destinations.
A one-way, one-day car rental with a drop off fee is not a bargain. Usually a Supershuttle or taxi will be less.
Public transit is most frequent on routes where there is a lot of demand. It is also easier around the routes of the Red Line (ie between downtown and Hollywood/Wilshire).
BTW the Route 10 Big Blue Bus from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles has existed for decades...I mean like at least 30 years..
The key is to do some advance trip planning via www.metro.net and see if there is good, frequent service between your destinations.
A one-way, one-day car rental with a drop off fee is not a bargain. Usually a Supershuttle or taxi will be less.
