gopack

We are going to a wedding in November in Santa Monica and staying at the Doubletree Suites there. We will fly from Dallas (DFW). Just my husband and me. I would love to avoid LAX if possible. Is there another airport you would recommend?

What about ONT? Is the drive to Santa Monica too long from there on an Friday afternoon???

Thanks for any suggestions!

frank_and_beans

LAX is as close to Santa Monica as you get.

If you want to sit in more traffic than you need to you can fly into Burbank.

If you want to sit in even more traffic you can fly into Ontario or Orange County

lvk

Long Beach (LGB) is not too bad a drive. It is a very small, convenient airport. I'm not sure which airlines fly DFW-LGB, though.

Sorry to tell you this, but the drive anywhere on a Friday afternoon is pretty miserable. Ranking the traffic misery factor: ONT would be the worst, followed by SNA (Orange County), then Burbank, then LGB. LAX is the closest, but the biggest hassle as far as crowds and security lines for your return.

frank_and_beans

forgot about Long Beach. Good choice but a bit of a longer drive in nasty 405 traffic.

dawnnoelm

You are as close as you can get by flying into LAX - I avoid it as well so I understand but I am only 20 minutes from SNA.

gopack

Thanks everyone. I got the help I was looking for here!! I will plan on flying into LAX since it is so close to Santa Monica and then, we may drive up the coast a ways for a few days and fly home from another area. It sounds like flying into LAX is not as bad as flying out of LAX.

Good advice to avoid the Friday traffic as well.

Love this place!

dawnnoelm

gopack - have you stayed at that doubletree before? Are you staying there for a specific reason?

lvk

gopack,

You are probably better off driving down the coast to Orange County (even though the drive from Santa Monica south is not very scenic) You then have more airport options (SNA/LGB). There are no major airports within a few hour drive north of Santa Monica.

smartcookie

whether flying out of LAX is a hassle depends on the time you're flying (holiday weekends are worst) and airline you're using (i.e. terminal). if it's not a sunday afternoon and it's not a holiday weekend, LAX is a breeze. I fly twice a month at least and never have a problem. And I don't get there until 1 hour before the flight since I check in online.

gopack

dawnoelm,

The only reason we are staying at the Doubletree in Santa Monica is because the couple getting married has a wedding rate set up there. I don't know if their reception is there or not. (They are step relatives so I am not in the loop.)

Is it not a good place to stay?? What would you recommend as a good place to stay?

Just spoke with hubby tonight. We can fly out on Thursday now, instead of flying out on Friday. How is John Wayne airport? He thought that might be a good option for flights from DFW and we can rent a car and take our time getting to Santa Monica.


Thanks again for all the replies!

dawnnoelm

I live 20 minutes from John Wayne - you will hit a lot of traffic (all the same from LAX only more).

There are direct AA flights from DFW into Orange County. Dh flies it all the time.

If it is a really good rate stay at the Doubletree - or if the reception is there et.

It is RIGHT next to the 10 - when you make your reservation ask for a room on the opposite side of the freeway.

I would check trip advisor for Santa Monica.

Also - not sure if you are going to have dinner out on Friday night - but we love BOA http://www.boasteak.com/balboa/

It is right on the corner of PCH and you can then walk around 3rd street promanade if you like

socialworker

We have stayed at the Doubletree SM twice and it was a perfectly pleasant place to stay. The extra room is a real plus for being able to relax and put one's feet up. Re: the highway noise, it is no doubt good advice to stay away from the 10. However, I am the world's most noise senitive person in hotels and it did not bother me. I do remember that I ran the fan, as I often do in hotels to have white noise, and the highway was not noticeable.

BTW, we have been to LA several times in November and have always had really great weather. I think it is a good time of year there.

elnap29

I fly into LAX frequently to visit my daughter in Santa Monica. It is the closest. It'd be better to fight a few miles of traffic than many miles of traffic. Get a good area map before you go so you can take one of the many alternate routes by car if needed. An airport shuttle to and from hotel makes it easy for pick up and drop off. We've only had slow traffic 1 out of the last 10 trips. Good luck.

dawnnoelm

socialworker - I understand what you are saying. For me and me only I would not stay there if I was able to get a rate that was close on PCH.

Leburta

We stayed at the Doubletree in Santa Monia for a week. It was a very nice hotel with a pleasant and helpful staff. It was great to have the extra space too. You'll be in walking distance of some very good restaurants and the Third Street Promenade. If you're there on a Wednesday or Saturday, there is a wonderful farmers' market.

smartcookie

I live in LA.

- I really think it's at the very least unnecessary, but more likely absurd to fly into Long Beach or Orange County if you're trying to avoid "airport hassles" of LAX. Where you're going in Santa Monica (beach area) is a 10-20 minute drive from LAX at most, and you don't have to take the freeway to get there if you don't want to. Considering the fact that you will HAVE to take the freeway from either of the other two airports, it will take you at least 20-30 minutes, but more likely 30-60 mins to get to Santa Monica given that you will probably have to take the 405.

2. How much are you paying at the DoubleTree? It's a nice enough hotel, and it is walking distance to the Promenade and the beach, but you do have to walk across a small freeway bridge. If you're paying over $200, I think it would be worth it to look into the rates at the beach hotels nearby like the Loew's, the Viceroy, or the Fairmont.

smartcookie

btw, flights into the other 2 smaller airports are usually more expensive as well.

are you renting a car btw? a cab from Long Beach or the OC to Santa Monica would cost you an arm and a leg ($100 or so)