Where is a good location to stay at with lots of attractions close by in Los Angeles CA?
I’m planning a vacation to Los Angeles CA with a couple of friends. We are having a hard time deciding where exactly we want to stay. We will not be renting a vehicle so we would like to be close to alot of attractions such as shopping malls and possibly universal studios. Any help please =]
February 25th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
how about orange county It is a famous tourist destination, as the county is home to such attractions as Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm,Disney’s California Adventure and Surf City U.S.A and it is the home to 19 shopping malls
February 28th, 2009 at 7:02 am
well, if you want to be close to universal studios, might as well just stay around hollywood, or studio city…this location is quite perfect actually, you have universal studios right next to you, and also city walk is there..which has great restaurants, and shops. Since you say ur not getting a car, you also have the metro service in front of universal studios and that can take you to many places!! you can go to hollywood blvd and check out the walk of fame, and the chinese theater…besides that whole street if full of really interesting things to do…shops, clubs, restaurants! you also have beverly hills very close by! and buses can take you pretty much everywhere!
March 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm
It depends on what you want to see. If you want to see Universal Studios it is located in Universal City which is north of Los Angeles. If you want to be near the beach that area is not close at all and you would pay a lot for a cab ride. If you want to be near the beach then you would be along the coast, and that is not near any amusement parks (Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, Disneyland is in Anaheim, Sea World is in San Diego which is about 2 hours south of Los Angeles)
There are a number of shopping malls located through LA county.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
LA is really hard to tour without your own vehicle but it’s doable.
The closest hotel to Universal is Universal City Sheraton and there’s also a Hilton. They are about a 5 minute walk to Universal Studios. But Universal Studios has a free shuttle service from both hotels to the park and to Universal City Walk.
I suggest you stay there because there is also a train station at the bottom of the hill/Universal Studios. The free shuttle will bring you to the station too. From the station it’s fairly easy to go to Los Angeles - Mann’s Chinese Theatre, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, etc.
You can check this site, they provide tours to LA attractions.
There’s a tour going to Disneyland, Sea World, LA (Movie stars homes, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive)
They also have courtesy hotel pick-ups.
Also, you can stay at Disneyland Resort, there’s more tours departing from there than in Universal.
Tours departing from Disneyland resort: Universal Studios, Hollywood, SeaWorld, Legoland, Knott’s Berry Farm, LA shopping trips, O.C., Tijuana Shopping trip, San Diego Zoo, Medieval Times.
I’m not exactly sure about prices since I’ve done these tours almost 2 years ago. I do remember that they have 4 or 7 day transportation passes.
And buy Southern California City Pass so you can save on entrance fees.
March 5th, 2009 at 2:45 am
There are literally hundreds of things to do here in LA. Here is my top ten list:
Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once)
Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park.
Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Chinese Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. The Hollywood & Highland complex has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I also like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory.
Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.
Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best. Here you’ll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore. Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it’s a short bike ride from Santa Monica Pier.
Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and “Three’s Company” come immediately to mind). After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach.
Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Downtown Santa Monica’s shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.
Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world’s most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars’ posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the “Sunset Strip” on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods: Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone’s for Fish.
Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she’s been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price.
Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, and then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner. It is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping “The Price is Right”. You might even get in.
TAAB: The Americana at Brand- The newly opened TAAB, developed by the same group that gave us The Grove, breathes new life into Glendale, and gives all those hip people in Eagle Rock and the eastern half of LA a great place to go.
Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
Getty Museum - The Getty’s architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you’ll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free.
Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, tvtix.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It’s very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the Tonight show with Jay Leno. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.
Wicked at the Pantages Theater- Located in the heart of Hollywood, this is an excellent and long running production, the most POPULAR show in LA right now.
Places to eat:
In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.
Pink’s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. You might even see a celebrity. Maybe.
Tommy’s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. The original location is at Beverly & Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.
Canter’s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly & Melrose. Near CBS, you might spot a celebrity.
Phillippe’s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station and Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it’s hot.
The Pantry: Corner of Figueroa and 9th, downtown. Huge portions, they never close, GREAT steak and eggs.
Places to Stay:
Since LA is so spread out, there is no single place that is close to EVERYTHING. Most people who come here tend to stay in Hollywood, Santa Monica, or Anaheim.
In Hollywood, I recommend the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland, the Best Western Sunset Plaza, or the Holiday Inn Walk of Fame.
In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.
In Anaheim, I recommend the Howard Johnson (HoJo) Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience.
Places to Shop:
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
The Grove, Los Angeles
Americana @ Brand, Glendale
Beverly Center, Los Angeles
Citadel Outlets, Commerce
Brea Mall, Brea
The Block at Orange, Orange
South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa
Fashion Island, Newport Beach
Santee Alley, Los Angeles
March 7th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Check out soem of the places near Disneyland or stay in anahiem inbetween Knotts and disneyland.