Visiting LA? Where to go? What to do? Ask here

[Pot]

@ Buddy the elf, cheers for the info, really appreciate it

 

[Captain Mittens*]

@ Buddy the elf, cheers for the info, really appreciate it

Your username rocks the catbox

 

[Sybil227]

First off, i had to look up penultimate. I was wondering what language you were speaking at first. You must be educated using a word like that. Don't use that in America or people will give you some smart ass comment back in a horrible British accent.

....

You had to look up penultimate?? I've known that word since Monty Python taught it to me as a kid. The Penultimate Supper:

 

[Captain Mittens*]

You had to look up penultimate?? I've known that word since Monty Python taught it to me as a kid. The Penultimate Supper:

 

[HolyShot*]

I like to tell people SoCal doesn't have 4 seasons, we have 1.5 to 2 seasons. Summer and Rain.

When the hell does it ever rain here? Lol.

 

[HolyShot*]

I like to tell people SoCal doesn't have 4 seasons, we have 1.5 to 2 seasons. Summer and Rain.

When the hell does it ever rain here? Lol.

 

[VanCity Canucks*]

Canucks fan coming in peace ^_^

I'm looking to head down to Los Angeles in December most likely the 17th. Ill be staying at my girlfriends place so that saves me from getting a hotel, I was thinking about bringing $1500-$2000 for 3 weeks should be good enough?

Also just wondering the canucks will be in town on January 4th I believe do you think I should buy tickets online a couple months before or should I just buy then well I'm down there?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Canucks fan coming in peace ^_^

I'm looking to head down to Los Angeles in December most likely the 17th. Ill be staying at my girlfriends place so that saves me from getting a hotel, I was thinking about bringing $1500-$2000 for 3 weeks should be good enough?

You will need a car.

Also just wondering the canucks will be in town on January 4th I believe do you think I should buy tickets online a couple months before or should I just buy then well I'm down there?

The angry part of my brain won't answer this based on principle.
The helpful side of my brain wants me to tell you to see them play Anaheim the next day. There will be tickets available and they will be much cheaper. It's also not a far drive

 

[VanCity Canucks*]

You will need a car.




The angry part of my brain won't answer this based on principle.
The helpful side of my brain wants me to tell you to see them play Anaheim the next day. There will be tickets available and they will be much cheaper. It's also not a far drive

Yeah a car would be really helpful but we are just going to try and bus it around wherever we need to go, shes familiar with the buses as I am not only been down there once.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Yeah a car would be really helpful but we are just going to try and bus it around wherever we need to go, shes familiar with the buses as I am not only been down there once.

I would not recommend to anyone, even a Canucks fan, to ever take a bus in LA

 

[VanCity Canucks*]

I would not recommend to anyone, even a Canucks fan, to ever take a bus in LA

Not even during the day? I know at night I'd like to stay away from taking a bus. So maybe a taxi would work.

Thanks a lot for the recommendations

Also if you don't mind answering is there any 'Must' see attraction/sights I should check out well I'm down there?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

My top three
If you like art, the Getty Center will blow your mind.
LA easily has the best Mexican food of any place not in Mexico
The beaches are a world of difference from the BC beaches. I recommend the OC beaches (Huntington Beach and Newport Beach especially) over the LA beaches. Even though it's January...I think anyone who visits SoCal needs to see the beach




The first page of this thread has the best recommendations.

 

[flyersguy33*]

Hey guys and gals, heading out to California in November, the 12-19 to be exact. Flying into San Fran late on the 12th and will spend the day there on the 13th before heading to LA on the 14th. I think well only be here for a day before we head to San Diego for the 3 day breast cancer walk. What are some good places to visit, breweries to stop by at the day I'm there? We might do DL or DCA since we go to Disney World all the time and have never been to Disneyland. Any info on SD would be helpful too. thanks

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Hey guys and gals, heading out to California in November, the 12-19 to be exact. Flying into San Fran late on the 12th and will spend the day there on the 13th before heading to LA on the 14th. I think well only be here for a day before we head to San Diego for the 3 day breast cancer walk. What are some good places to visit, breweries to stop by at the day I'm there? We might do DL or DCA since we go to Disney World all the time and have never been to Disneyland. Any info on SD would be helpful too. thanks

The San Diego has the best collection of breweries in a small area. Stone, Ballast Point, Lost Abbey , Coronado Brewing Company, Green Flash ,etc

http://beermapping.com/l/1480

 

[flyersguy33*]

The San Diego has the best collection of breweries in a small area. Stone, Ballast Point, Lost Abbey , Coronado Brewing Company, Green Flash ,etc

http://beermapping.com/l/1480

Nice. Thanks for that. Definitely want to check out Stone. Will probably try and go to 21st Amendment while up in San Fran too.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Speaking of breweries (and maybe this should go in the beer thread), anyone go to Angel City Brewing? I forgot to check it out before I stopped working in DTLA but it gets good reviews:

http://angelcitybrewery.com/

Schenntacular:

I'd recommend taking Highway One (PCH) down from SF to LA for at least part of the drive. That takes a lot longer to do but it might be one of the most scenic drives in the country.

http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/0602_RoadTrip_Highway,6705/
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-best-road-trip-in-america

It is hard to recommend just one thing if you are only going to be in LA for one day. Dig through this thread as there are a ton of suggestions but I'd suggest just taking the scenic drive and possibly stopping somewhere along the way for a nice lunch or dinner.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Nice. Thanks for that. Definitely want to check out Stone. Will probably try and go to 21st Amendment while up in San Fran too.

You should definitely check out Speakeasy and Anchor while you are up there


Stone is awesome because they have a lot of other breweries on tap. I think their food sucks though.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

If you stop in Pasadena or Long Beach, this place is definitely worth checking out for a beer and a snack:

http://www.congregationalehouse.com/

They have incredible beer and a good bar food. You can check out their current draft lists for each location on their site.

 

[WeberStreit]

I'm heading to California in two weeks (first time in the States! ). I got some questions:

1. I'll drive down the Highway 1 from San Francisco. After that, I'd like to go to Las Vegas and L.A. Because I'd rather stay in Las Vegas during the week (hotel prices) I'd have to drive from Santa Barbara to Vegas. How long do I probably have?

2. After Las Vegas, we (me and my gf) would drive down to LA. We stay there over the weekend. Anything we should or shouldn't do because of he crowds (I thought, that Disneyland and Universal City will be crowded as hell over the weekend)?

3. Any good hotel advises? In which areas would you stay? We'd like to do the basic tourist things (Walk of Fame, do a studio tour...).

4. The Kings play on the septemeber 15th against the Coyotes. It's a split squad game, so that sucks a bit. But I'd still like to see the game. Which tickets do you reconnemend? Are there also tickets, where you get free food or stuff like that?

5. After the game, would you reconnemend to drive down to Laguna Beach or would you stay in a hotel in LA? I'd like to drive to Laguna Beach, stay there overnight and drive to San Diego the next day...

I hope you can help me out on some things. Any infos will be helpful and are much appreciated...

Thanks

 

[flyersguy33*]

You should definitely check out Speakeasy and Anchor while you are up there


Stone is awesome because they have a lot of other breweries on tap. I think their food sucks though.

I did see both speakeasy and anchor when searching. Both look awesome. Might give anchor a call today to see if they still have tours open when I'm there. They say you need to make em months in advance

 

[gqmixmaster]

Compton is nice in the fall

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I'm heading to California in two weeks (first time in the States! ). I got some questions:

1. I'll drive down the Highway 1 from San Francisco. After that, I'd like to go to Las Vegas and L.A. Because I'd rather stay in Las Vegas during the week (hotel prices) I'd have to drive from Santa Barbara to Vegas. How long do I probably have?

That is going to be like a six hour drive

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

That is going to be like a six hour drive

Oh, at least. Last time I drove from my client in Santa Barbara to Apple Valley, it took just under five hours...and the High Desert is still a good, what, three hours away from Las Vegas.

(To be fair, that was taking the 101 --> 210 -->15; maybe taking the 126 --> 14/18 way can shorten the drive-time; but, the 14/18 can get scary during bad weather)

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I'm heading to California in two weeks (first time in the States! ). I got some questions:

1. I'll drive down the Highway 1 from San Francisco. After that, I'd like to go to Las Vegas and L.A. Because I'd rather stay in Las Vegas during the week (hotel prices) I'd have to drive from Santa Barbara to Vegas. How long do I probably have?

2. After Las Vegas, we (me and my gf) would drive down to LA. We stay there over the weekend. Anything we should or shouldn't do because of he crowds (I thought, that Disneyland and Universal City will be crowded as hell over the weekend)?

3. Any good hotel advises? In which areas would you stay? We'd like to do the basic tourist things (Walk of Fame, do a studio tour...).

4. The Kings play on the septemeber 15th against the Coyotes. It's a split squad game, so that sucks a bit. But I'd still like to see the game. Which tickets do you reconnemend? Are there also tickets, where you get free food or stuff like that?

5. After the game, would you reconnemend to drive down to Laguna Beach or would you stay in a hotel in LA? I'd like to drive to Laguna Beach, stay there overnight and drive to San Diego the next day...

I hope you can help me out on some things. Any infos will be helpful and are much appreciated...

Thanks

1. Good call on doing Vegas on weekdays. You'll save a ton of money and it will still be very busy. I'd guess ~6 hours for the drive depending on the day you go. Just try to leave after 9am or before 3pm on a weekday to avoid LA rush hour.

2. Disneyland is almost always busy but with school starting around that time, I'd guess the weekends will be a bit slower than the summer months. Still probably busy though. I've been to universal studios on a friday two years in a row and it was dead. Not sure about Saturday or Sunday but I don't think that place gets nearly as crowded. I'd search this thread for other things to do. I wouldn't waste too much time in Hollywood. You might like what you see but most people I've taken there have been less than impressed. The beaches will still be good as September is typically our hottest month.

3. DTLA is central to everything but also might be pricier than other areas and the outerlying areas of DTLA aren't very nice. I don't really have a solid advice here. You can't go wrong staying near a beach for the most part. Pasadena wouldn't be a bad place to stay and keeps you fairly close to most stuff in the city. Night life there is good too.

4. You can often find lower level tickets to preseason games for <$50. Look for PR (premier) level seats or 100/200 level tickets. Premier level is the 200 level but in the middle of the arena. VIP entrance, waiter service and bigger seats. You have just about the best view in the house from here. I'd look for PR and settle for 100/200 level if you find a sweet deal. Don't buy tickets from ticketmaster or the box office for preseason. You'll almost certainly be able to find tickets for less than face value on the secondary market.

5. Laguna beach is very nice so I'd recommend staying there over DTLA. The holiday inn and the bestwestern there are both decent hotels and are way more affordable than some of the others in that area. The Holiday Inn has a pretty sweet bar/restaurant worth checking out. I think it is called Mare something or another. Try getting breakfast/lunch at Las Brisas or the Cliff Restaurant before heading to San Diego. See the view from those restaurants below:

Las Brisas:

The Cliff

 

[WeberStreit]

Thank you. Especially Buddy the Elf.

Ok, I'll look for a hotel in Santa Monica. Where would you buy the tickets then? It would be easier for me, if I purchase them now and print them out at home... Or would you just drive up to the venue and buy them from scalpers/box office?

And how long do I have form San Diego to the airport (LAX)? I think I'll have to leave one day early and stay in a hotel at the airport.