Starting in LA...
Discussion
theboyfold said:
saleen836 said:
Any tips for decent hotels in Santa Monica?
The Shangrila is quite nice, you pay a premium for being on the beach, but it's a good location. http://www.shangrila-hotel.com/Depends on your budget though. I've always fancied Shutters on the Beach, but it's out of my price range.
http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/
Locations don't get any better.
Cheib said:
Shutter is brilliant...we stayed there on our Honeymoon.
http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/
Locations don't get any better.
The location is amazing! What's the food like there? http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/
Locations don't get any better.
I was not that impressed with Santa Monica - we were supposed to stay there on our trip last year, but fortunately we had nothing booked, as when we arrived it was not really that impressive. We stopped for lunch and then left.
We went down the coast a bit further to the other side of LAX and stayed at Hermosa beach. I would look at staying Manhattan, Hermosa, or head further down and stay at Huntingdon/Newport Beach.
Again i was not impressed with LA. I imagine as said above it has a lot of hidden places, but as a tourist for a couple of nights, we never managed to find them. We ended up using LA as a place to catch up on sleep before carrying on with the rest of the trip.
We went down the coast a bit further to the other side of LAX and stayed at Hermosa beach. I would look at staying Manhattan, Hermosa, or head further down and stay at Huntingdon/Newport Beach.
Again i was not impressed with LA. I imagine as said above it has a lot of hidden places, but as a tourist for a couple of nights, we never managed to find them. We ended up using LA as a place to catch up on sleep before carrying on with the rest of the trip.
theboyfold said:
Cheib said:
Shutter is brilliant...we stayed there on our Honeymoon.
http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/
Locations don't get any better.
The location is amazing! What's the food like there? http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/
Locations don't get any better.
We stayed there when we were on our way to and from French Polynesia. If I was visiting LA again I would definitely stay there.
The Shutters place looks fantastic but not really looking to spend that much from the budget for a couple of nights, I have found another couple of places very close to the beach with 4 stars that are almost half the price 
Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
saleen836 said:
The Shutters place looks fantastic but not really looking to spend that much from the budget for a couple of nights, I have found another couple of places very close to the beach with 4 stars that are almost half the price
Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
If you wanted you could return the car in SF if you fly home from there. You won't need it in town as the public transport is good, it's a nice city to walk and you can get a train to the airport. Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
LA is a ****hole.
Do your 1 day of U.S, the sign, some bars in an evening then get the hell out of there.
Santa Monica is the best place to stay over at before or after a flight as it's much closer to the aiport than Hollywood. It's also a lot nicer and you can wonder down to Venice beach.
Do your 1 day of U.S, the sign, some bars in an evening then get the hell out of there.
Santa Monica is the best place to stay over at before or after a flight as it's much closer to the aiport than Hollywood. It's also a lot nicer and you can wonder down to Venice beach.
theboyfold said:
saleen836 said:
The Shutters place looks fantastic but not really looking to spend that much from the budget for a couple of nights, I have found another couple of places very close to the beach with 4 stars that are almost half the price
Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
If you wanted you could return the car in SF if you fly home from there. You won't need it in town as the public transport is good, it's a nice city to walk and you can get a train to the airport. Have also decided to not bother with a Camaro (I drive a Mustang here so no V8 urge on holiday), we are just going to get a normal car as it works out cheaper and takes out the hassle of driving back into LA to change cars before the drive up to San Fran,this of course leaves more spending money for better hotels etc.
It is just the first couple of nights in LA and the final 3-5 nights in San Fran that we will book somewhere to stay, Vegas and other places en-route will be a case of turn up and book a room, this saves us being restricted to a timetable in between the start and finish of the holiday.
theboyfold said:
Do not write off LA, it's an amazing city, you just have to take it for what it is and you'll end up finding out that it has a million and one hidden gems. I'd move there in a heartbeat.
Drop me a line if you want some info on LA.
The drive to Vegas is kind of bland, looooong straight roads in a desert. Death Valley is good for an over night and an early morning wander.
Vegas is a good town if you've never been, make sure you take in a show and watch the fountains.
I think you can do a one way hire on a Cameron if it isn't an SS, check with the rental company.
This.Drop me a line if you want some info on LA.
The drive to Vegas is kind of bland, looooong straight roads in a desert. Death Valley is good for an over night and an early morning wander.
Vegas is a good town if you've never been, make sure you take in a show and watch the fountains.
I think you can do a one way hire on a Cameron if it isn't an SS, check with the rental company.
LA is fantastic, food, attractions, museums, things to do are practically unlimited. However if going to Universal I'd be staying around that area, maybe Glendale. Couple of good malls there too, Glendale Galleria and The Americana at Brand.
Drive to Vegas is very boring. And so is Vegas after a night or so - unless you are seeing shows or into gambling the initial wow factor wears off very , very quickly.
My hidden gem for LA would be the Griffith Observatory, fascinating museum, but the highlight is on a clear night looking at the moon and other planets, including Saturns rings, through their 1930's telescope - simply awe inspiring.
thehawk said:
theboyfold said:
Do not write off LA, it's an amazing city, you just have to take it for what it is and you'll end up finding out that it has a million and one hidden gems. I'd move there in a heartbeat.
Drop me a line if you want some info on LA.
The drive to Vegas is kind of bland, looooong straight roads in a desert. Death Valley is good for an over night and an early morning wander.
Vegas is a good town if you've never been, make sure you take in a show and watch the fountains.
I think you can do a one way hire on a Cameron if it isn't an SS, check with the rental company.
This.Drop me a line if you want some info on LA.
The drive to Vegas is kind of bland, looooong straight roads in a desert. Death Valley is good for an over night and an early morning wander.
Vegas is a good town if you've never been, make sure you take in a show and watch the fountains.
I think you can do a one way hire on a Cameron if it isn't an SS, check with the rental company.
LA is fantastic, food, attractions, museums, things to do are practically unlimited. However if going to Universal I'd be staying around that area, maybe Glendale. Couple of good malls there too, Glendale Galleria and The Americana at Brand.
Drive to Vegas is very boring. And so is Vegas after a night or so - unless you are seeing shows or into gambling the initial wow factor wears off very , very quickly.
My hidden gem for LA would be the Griffith Observatory, fascinating museum, but the highlight is on a clear night looking at the moon and other planets, including Saturns rings, through their 1930's telescope - simply awe inspiring.
I'm going to the US with a mate from uni at the end of august for a month or so.
Starting in LA driving up the pacific coast highway to San Francisco. Then we'll drive to Las Vegas via Yosemite national park and death valley. After 4 days there we're going to drive down route 66 to Chicago before flying to New York for a week.
Starting in LA driving up the pacific coast highway to San Francisco. Then we'll drive to Las Vegas via Yosemite national park and death valley. After 4 days there we're going to drive down route 66 to Chicago before flying to New York for a week.
thehawk said:
My hidden gem for LA would be the Griffith Observatory, fascinating museum, but the highlight is on a clear night looking at the moon and other planets, including Saturns rings, through their 1930's telescope - simply awe inspiring.
I'd have to agree 100% with that. It's an amazing place to watch the sun go down, learn about stuff and then see the city come to life.
It just goes to show that everyone is different!
Last year, me and my wife did a week in Vegas, and could have stayed another week, and yet we are not gamblers, or excessive party people. There is so much to do there, that you just cannot get bored. To be fair we did get married there, which took up a couple of days! We will definitely go back at another point to see the bits we did not have time for.
We then did two weeks on honeymoon later in the year, driving from San Francisco to San Diego.
LA was out least favourite spot. I am sure there is plenty to do if you know where to go, but it is so spread out, and as stated above public transport is not great which does not help. We really struggled to enjoy ourselves there. I would think if you can hook up with friends that live there, and know the city, and can show you around it will be great - however if you are a tourist on your own - it was pretty boring. We spent 2 nights there, and as I said before, it was probably two nights too many. We just used it as a catch up for some sleep. We should have just popped in during the day, driven around and headed south to some of the other places.
San Francisco was great - I recommend doing this (ask for the white one!) http://www.gocartours.com/sanfrancisco.html - is the best way to see the city, and get some ideas for good places to go, away from the touristy spots. We spent 3 nights here, and could have done more. The only thing that lets San Francisco down is San Diego.
San Diego is excellent - loads to do during the day, and nightlife is superb. We only had 2 nights here, and would head back for more in an instant. It would be the place I would choose to live if I had the chance.
The jewel in the whole trip though for relaxing is Palm Springs. Try your best to get there........ if you can.
We will be heading back at some point for a weeks relaxing in Palm Springs, and a few nights in Vegas to see if we can see the bits we missed. We don't have any inclination to head back to LA
Last year, me and my wife did a week in Vegas, and could have stayed another week, and yet we are not gamblers, or excessive party people. There is so much to do there, that you just cannot get bored. To be fair we did get married there, which took up a couple of days! We will definitely go back at another point to see the bits we did not have time for.
We then did two weeks on honeymoon later in the year, driving from San Francisco to San Diego.
LA was out least favourite spot. I am sure there is plenty to do if you know where to go, but it is so spread out, and as stated above public transport is not great which does not help. We really struggled to enjoy ourselves there. I would think if you can hook up with friends that live there, and know the city, and can show you around it will be great - however if you are a tourist on your own - it was pretty boring. We spent 2 nights there, and as I said before, it was probably two nights too many. We just used it as a catch up for some sleep. We should have just popped in during the day, driven around and headed south to some of the other places.
San Francisco was great - I recommend doing this (ask for the white one!) http://www.gocartours.com/sanfrancisco.html - is the best way to see the city, and get some ideas for good places to go, away from the touristy spots. We spent 3 nights here, and could have done more. The only thing that lets San Francisco down is San Diego.
San Diego is excellent - loads to do during the day, and nightlife is superb. We only had 2 nights here, and would head back for more in an instant. It would be the place I would choose to live if I had the chance.
The jewel in the whole trip though for relaxing is Palm Springs. Try your best to get there........ if you can.
We will be heading back at some point for a weeks relaxing in Palm Springs, and a few nights in Vegas to see if we can see the bits we missed. We don't have any inclination to head back to LA
Fats25 said:
It just goes to show that everyone is different!
Last year, me and my wife did a week in Vegas, and could have stayed another week, and yet we are not gamblers, or excessive party people. There is so much to do there, that you just cannot get bored. To be fair we did get married there, which took up a couple of days! We will definitely go back at another point to see the bits we did not have time for.
We then did two weeks on honeymoon later in the year, driving from San Francisco to San Diego.
LA was out least favourite spot. I am sure there is plenty to do if you know where to go, but it is so spread out, and as stated above public transport is not great which does not help. We really struggled to enjoy ourselves there. I would think if you can hook up with friends that live there, and know the city, and can show you around it will be great - however if you are a tourist on your own - it was pretty boring. We spent 2 nights there, and as I said before, it was probably two nights too many. We just used it as a catch up for some sleep. We should have just popped in during the day, driven around and headed south to some of the other places.
San Francisco was great - I recommend doing this (ask for the white one!) http://www.gocartours.com/sanfrancisco.html - is the best way to see the city, and get some ideas for good places to go, away from the touristy spots. We spent 3 nights here, and could have done more. The only thing that lets San Francisco down is San Diego.
San Diego is excellent - loads to do during the day, and nightlife is superb. We only had 2 nights here, and would head back for more in an instant. It would be the place I would choose to live if I had the chance.
The jewel in the whole trip though for relaxing is Palm Springs. Try your best to get there........ if you can.
We will be heading back at some point for a weeks relaxing in Palm Springs, and a few nights in Vegas to see if we can see the bits we missed. We don't have any inclination to head back to LA
+1. Last year, me and my wife did a week in Vegas, and could have stayed another week, and yet we are not gamblers, or excessive party people. There is so much to do there, that you just cannot get bored. To be fair we did get married there, which took up a couple of days! We will definitely go back at another point to see the bits we did not have time for.
We then did two weeks on honeymoon later in the year, driving from San Francisco to San Diego.
LA was out least favourite spot. I am sure there is plenty to do if you know where to go, but it is so spread out, and as stated above public transport is not great which does not help. We really struggled to enjoy ourselves there. I would think if you can hook up with friends that live there, and know the city, and can show you around it will be great - however if you are a tourist on your own - it was pretty boring. We spent 2 nights there, and as I said before, it was probably two nights too many. We just used it as a catch up for some sleep. We should have just popped in during the day, driven around and headed south to some of the other places.
San Francisco was great - I recommend doing this (ask for the white one!) http://www.gocartours.com/sanfrancisco.html - is the best way to see the city, and get some ideas for good places to go, away from the touristy spots. We spent 3 nights here, and could have done more. The only thing that lets San Francisco down is San Diego.
San Diego is excellent - loads to do during the day, and nightlife is superb. We only had 2 nights here, and would head back for more in an instant. It would be the place I would choose to live if I had the chance.
The jewel in the whole trip though for relaxing is Palm Springs. Try your best to get there........ if you can.
We will be heading back at some point for a weeks relaxing in Palm Springs, and a few nights in Vegas to see if we can see the bits we missed. We don't have any inclination to head back to LA
Fas1975 said:
I keep coming back to this thread. I miss Vegas one day is not enough, yes, you'll see the strip, but you won't FEEL the strip take in the shows, it's what made our trip
Originally we were flying both into and out of SFO as the main reason for the trip is to visit San Francisco with a drive down the PCH and back up, due to not being able to get upper class tickets in and out of SFO until the start of October we opted to fly into LA and out of SFO which has infact made planning the trip of where to drive etc a lot easier, as I mentioned in an earlier post neither of us are interested in Vegas but while over that way as we want to take in a helicopter flight around the Grand Canyon we thought might aswel have a night in Vegas. one day is not enough, yes, you'll see the strip, but you won't FEEL the strip take in the shows, it's what made our tripsaleen836 said:
Originally we were flying both into and out of SFO as the main reason for the trip is to visit San Francisco with a drive down the PCH and back up, due to not being able to get upper class tickets in and out of SFO until the start of October we opted to fly into LA and out of SFO
Is a shame you could not get the flights the other way around. Is a lot easier to pull over at the side of the road for photos, and viewing, on the sea side of the road if driving South. You will still be able to do it, but due to the other vehicles, and the way the roads are laid out you may have to do some turning around and heading back to be able to stop where you want to.
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