We are cruising from LA May 18, flying in May 16 to see LA since we have never been. I wanted to stay in Beverly Hills (rooms I have found 500.00 and up), not happening! Where should we stay to see the normal LA things....no Disney or anything like that. We did not plan to rent a car, but we could. Where should we stay and what should we try to see?

Getty Centre is a great place to visit the garden is fantastic, as well as the exhibits.
http://www.getty.edu/visit/

Last time I was there I did an architecture tour of Silver Lake, that was really enjoyable:

http://www.architecturetoursla.com/

Staying in Hollywood puts you on the train line, there are also lots of buses from there. I used a combination of cabs, buses and the train.

This is kind of a crazy idea, from a different post I made.

There is a private magician's club in Hollywood, The Magic Castle, in an old mansion. The only way to go there is to be invited by a member or stay at the hotel next door, The Magic Castle Hotel. This hotel is actually affordable, and has a nice breakfast and pool area.

http://www.magiccastlehotel.com/

The Magic Castle itself is a weird throwback to Hollywood past, and will give you insight into the nuttiness that is Los Angeles. You can eat there, and see several magic shows.

http://www.magiccastle.com/

Just up the hill from the Magic Castle is a restaurant with the most beautiful view, Yamashiro's. This was the scene for almost every movie filmed about Japan in early Hollywood.

http://www.yamashirorestaurant.com/history/index.html

The grounds of both are amazing. You will also be close to Grauman's Chinese theater, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Other favorite places are the Farmer's Market and the La Brea Tar Pits, Griffith Park Observatory, and a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

You could do this in a couple of days, and take a shuttle to the airport.

I wasn't sure what I thought when I first read Magic Castle but it looks very interesting and the japanese place looks great. How far would this be to the San Pedro cruise terminal?

Tell me more about the Farmers Market. I notice everyone keeps mentioning it. Where is it? We won't be doing any cooking while we are there. Here, a Farmers Market is fruits and vegetables....

It's pretty far to the San Pedro cruise terminal, and in L.A. traffic, it can be interminable. According to Google maps it's 38 minutes to 1 hr. 40 minutes.

So, my idea doesn't make sense for you, sorry...

Maybe a nice hotel in Santa Monica that will have a shuttle from the airport/and or the terminal would be more relaxing.

As for the Farmer's Market, it's been there forever, and everybody went there with their grandmothers, and movie stars take their babies. You can get pink cat shaped donuts, spears of fresh pineapple, wonderful fresh candy, big plates of brisket and mashed potatoes, etc., in addition to the normal fruits and vegetables.

It's fantastic people watching, but it's kind of a nostalgia thing.

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/

It is also about 45 minute to 1 1/2 hour from the terminal.

Google maps seems to give realistic traffic times.

Your best bet would be staying in a hotel in the South Bay. (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, etc.) You are much closer to the Port than in Santa Monica/LA. It would be about 45 min-1 hour to the Hollywood attractions.

If you choose to rent a car, Enterprise has a drop off office at the Port of LA. (You can pick up at LAX). If you would rather not drive, there are several tour companies that will pick you up at your LAX-area hotel and show you some highlights of the area. www.viptoursandcharters.com, and www.starlinetours.com.

Basically you have one full day, Saturday the 17th. That is unless you arrive in the morning of the 16th and sail in the evening on the 18th.

You could stay in Long Beach. Take a tour from there. Or visit the Queen Mary and other Long Beach sites. Or take a boat out to Catalina Island.

I'd rent a car & stay in Santa Monica.

The old Farmers Market has lots of different places to eat and shop, not just fruits and vegetables.

I have looked up the Farmers Market and see that it is a place of its own, very interesting. would you stay in Hollywood (Hyatt) or try to stay closer to port. We would like to get as much LA as possible in a day. We will be arriving friday night and getting on ship sunday. We do really need help as we know nothing....

Me again....my husband is so convinced that this website has helped us before (it has) but you know men, now the 45 minutes to 1 1/12 hour drive has him convinced we need to change our plans....help.... I want to see all of Hollywood I can while we are there

I still think an LAX beach area hotel makes the most sense for you. It will be very close and easy for you when you arrive on Friday night. On Saturday morning, the traffic will be light and you can get to Hollywood in 45 minutes. You can see Hollywood, the Farmer's Market, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica/Venice, etc. all in one day before returning to your hotel. On Sunday morning, you will only be about 20 minutes from the port.

Stay away from the hotels on Century Blvd or in Inglewood. Look for the hotels in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach or the Aviation Blvd. area of Hawthorne. Marina del Rey would be a decent choice, too.

Thank you. I am going to start looking at hotels in that area and check on a car.

I normally don't rent a car when I travel, but Los Angeles is one city where you REALLY need one imo.

We don't normally rent a car either unless it is for just a day, but considering the range we want to cover it sounds like the best and most economical choice. We shouldn't have any trouble finding our way around, should we?

Some people are good with maps and directions, others are not. Have you done much big-city driving?

First thing you need to do is find a car rental company that will let you pick up at LAX and return somewhere near San Pedro, with a shuttle to the cruise terminal. How early is your cruise? The rental return station would have to be open a couple of hours beforehand.

If you're reasonably good with maps and directions, you should be OK. It's a sprawling city based around freeways. Directions are not given in distance, rather time. "How long to get to Joe's house?" Would likely be answered... "15 to 20 mins. depending on traffic."

uga - I would highly recommend staying at the Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo <http://www.haciendahotel.com>. It is 5 minutes south of LAX - very easy to get to, and good rates. Ask for a WEST TOWER room... the east tower is not as nice. Saturday early traffic will be light. They have a shuttle that will take you there from the airport. Since you are arriving Friday night, you could take the shuttle to the hotel and get settled. The shuttle will drive you anywhere around the immediate area (to the beach, to the mall...). Then you can take the shuttle back to the airport Saturday morning early and rent your car then - that way you would have only a 1-day rental.

Farmer's Market is just one of those places that has been an L.A. landmark forever and ever. It has lots of little ethnic eateries, a donut shop that makes them fresh right there, an ice cream shop that makes their own ice cream, lots of gift and souvenir type shops.

From LAX it is about 20 min. drive, easily, to the cruise terminal (I did it a few months ago and I live next to LAX). Sunday morning traffic is very light.

All the suggestions above are very good - it all depends on your own likes and dislikes. The Getty Centre is a remarkable structure, and the Observatory in Griffith Park was recently reopened after an extensive remodel - also beautiful views from both those places.

The Hacienda looked beat when I stayed there - 20 years ago. There is a nice Hilton Garden Inn just down the street from there. You could walk from the HGI to the Metro train.

Yes, the Hacienda underwent a remodel a few years ago - mostly in the WEST tower, which is why I recommended those rooms. It has a nice old-world European feel. The Hilton Garden Inn across the way is, naturally, more expensive so it depends on the budget. The Hacienda will shuttle you over to the metro, and I'm sure the Hilton would too.

this is the first chance I have had to be back on...Three funerals in a week. Thank you for all the suggestions. I truly value them, and will have to check everything out, I am just a little behind. We are so unsure of the area and want to stay where we can to do everything. We welcome every suggestion. The only thing we have decided for sure is to rent a car! All the help we can get is appreciated!