dbdurand

If the final decision is to rent a car, and if your daughter is covered on your car insurance, then you should insist that she use the freeways whenever feasible. The freeway accident rate per mile is a small fraction of that on surface streets. It will take her only a few miles and minutes on a freeway to appreciate the virtues of no stoplights, no pedestrian crossings, no left turns against oncoming traffic, signs that tell a exit immediately coming up, and one or two after that, as much as a mile in advance, and car pool lanes that she will be eligible to use when one or more of her friends are traveling with her.

I emphasize. Much safer than city streets!

sf7307

When my daughter drove to LA by herself recently, we bought a Garmin Nuvi and input the places she was going before she left (hotel, event, etc.). It was very useful. We've since used it in Canada and elsewhere so it was a good investment.

I definitely think driving to the Rose Bowl game itself would be nuts. 100,000 people, most of whom will drive (this is LA after all ). I like the option of the Flyaway/lightrail combination.

BUT, you said they're staying 3 days, so even if they take public transportation to the Rose Bowl, what are they going to do the rest of the time?

BTW, everyone asked if they're 25 for car rental purposes. They also have to be 21/25 for the hotel.

AlabamaMom

Again, thanks to all who replied to my query. I checked with the Hilton, and they are providing a shuttle to and from the game for $60.00. I promptly booked the three girls, and it has greatly eased my mind. I know they will have a great time in LA and at the game.
Alabama Mom (who is not as worried)

Christina

I couldn't imagine someone driving from LAX to near Pasadena who had never driven on a freeway before. I used to live in LA and didn't find downtown that difficult, actually, but it's hard for me to imagine what that would be like if you hadn't driving on a freeway before as I was doing so from a very young age.

If I understand, they are staying near the airport, and a taxi ride to Santa Monica or Venice won't be that expensive from there, actually.

mlgb

Even though I have driven in LA for over 20 years, I still wouldn't have driven a car to a game at the Rose Bowl.
Good that they found the shuttle, it will be the best option.

For other time that they are there, they can take advantage of taxis or the free transportation from the hotel to Manhattan Beach, which has nicer malls and beach areas than Santa Monica anyways. Also, if they want to visit downtown LA or Westwood Village, both of which would be interesting, they can go back to the airport and use the airport Flyaway busses.

No need to worry about Inglewood. There isn't any reason for them go walking around the hotel.

Jean

AlabamaMom, good news about the transport. They're going to have a great time.

One more time. The LAX Hilton is not in Inglewood.

rkkwan

Not that the Hilton is in Inglewood, but I ride buses through Inglewood all the time, and there are a lot of places in the US that are scarier than Inglewood.

sf7307

They will love the beach areas south of the airport -- if the weather is good, they could easily spend an entire day in the Manhattan/Hermosa/Redondo beach area. Walk on the Strand, eat, shop, sit on the beach, etc.