OT - Los Angles for vacation?

[DaddyChoc]

is this a cool destination?

I know people talk about Miami, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Bahamas, Orlando, DR, Mexico but never of Los Angles.

Is it boring, what can I visit, hang out etc.

Hotels, Food joints... tourist attractions?

Best time of the year, weather wise?

 

[vtcwbuff]

It wouldn't be on my list for a west coast vacation. San Diego or San Francisco might be better choices.

 

[UcMiami]

LA is a vast sprawl with no real center. There are some amazing museums and gardens - Huntington Library and the Getty are two personal favorites, but I have never felt it was a 'location' to visit because it is so dispersed, and I enjoyed getting up the coast more than staying in the city. Agree that SF is more to my taste as a condensed city vs the urban suburban sprawl to the south.

Weather is generally pretty fabulous year around - can be sweltering mid-summer but unlike SF doesn't get buried in fog all summer - 'Coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!' - Mark Twain.

 

[j66kicker]

is this a cool destination?

I know people talk about Miami, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Bahamas, Orlando, DR, Mexico but never of Los Angles.

Is it boring, what can I visit, hang out etc.

Hotels, Food joints... tourist attractions?

Best time of the year, weather wise?

You can find plenty to do there for a week, especially if you include San Diego. Bring money. I used to live there. We did a Christmas-New Years family vacation there a couple years ago and weather was fine as long as you aren't expecting to go to the beach. Great whale watching out of Marina del Rey or Dana Point in the winter, we went to the Rose Parade. Summer stuff too numerous to mention.

 

[tomcat]

We did a bunch of California trips, some of which included stuff in LA, but to visit LA itself, well, I wouldn't do it unless, as someone said, you plan on traveling out. But if you're going to drive to San Diego,. why not save the trip and stay in San Diego, which is a week's worth of fun itself. In addition to whale watching and the beach (in season), you have a Sea World there if that suits your fancy, the amazing San Diego Zoo and Legoland for the kiddies. I have never done it, but I am told a sie trip up to Temecula is a great way to spend a day or two.

In LA you have Universal Studios, fuin if you'v never been, Santa Monica -- a great pier to walk and a wnderful beach when in season, and Hollywood, which is perhaps the largest tourist trap ever invented. Avoid Hollywood like the plague, IMHO.

 

[Kaizen]

If you plan to visit SO Calif, make sure to have 2-3 days off to visit Las Vegas (take the bus tour, and can see Grand Canyon).

Weather wise, spring is the best time.

 

[greydog]

rent a car, you'll need it

 

[vtcwbuff]

We vacationed in San Diego during December for a number of years. There is lots to do, great restaurants, zoo, museums and golf and the weather always cooperated. Think of Temecula as Napa lite, with lots of vineyards for tastings. Palm Springs is an easy drive and worth it if you play golf.
We rented a car and drove from Las Vegas to San Diego once. Round trip in one day. Once was enough.

You can visit the Del in Coronado, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Old Town and eat the best Mexican food north of the border - or you can jump on the trolley and eat Mexican Food south of the border. The Gaslight Quarter downtown had the best nightlife.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

While I'll agree that San Diego was great - that wasn't what you asked.

We were in the LA area years ago when RU played a tourney at Pepperdine. Lovely location, by the way.

We enjoyed the LA zoo and the Griffith Observatory that trip, also drove north a bit and south a bit.

When we visited San Diego in '15, we also stopped in LA, to see the space shuttle - actually, to see the temporary Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, as well, at the time. The museum is right next to the Coliseum where USC plays, we didn't have time for a tour, however.

This year, drove through the suburbs of LA 3 times relating to my wife's classes in Santa Cruz - coming from Tucson you basically take 10 towards LA and then head north in Cali - and the traffic was horrendous. My biggest objection to the LA area.

 

[AndyCT]

is this a cool destination?

I know people talk about Miami, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Bahamas, Orlando, DR, Mexico but never of Los Angles.

Is it boring, what can I visit, hang out etc.

Hotels, Food joints... tourist attractions?

Best time of the year, weather wise?

So, while you did ask about LA, you'll notice that pretty much all the answers are about San Diego and San Francisco. That should really tell you all you need to know about LA.

Being an easterner that has lived in both San Diego and San Francisco, I concur that LA has the most "touristy" things to see, but the sights in San Francisco and San Diego are as spectacular if not always as famous. A perspective that might help was that we used to always say that San Diego had most of the good things about LA without most of the bad things.

The beaches are as nice, if not better - Sunset, Mission Ocean and Pacific Beaches are all great, leading up to La Jolla and Del Mar. The already mentioned Hotel Del Coronado was the inspiration for the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz (Frank Baum lived on Coronado around the time he was writing the Oz books), and has an amazing brunch; as a bonus while drinking your Bloody Mary's you can watch the SEALs just down the beach...

As mentioned, LA is a sprawl; San Diego is constrained by the Mexican Border (no wall - yet, so Tijuana is still accessible), Camp Pendleton, and the Coastal Range, so it is more centered. The downtown isn't as large as LA but it is perhaps nicer because it's more concentrated; Horton Plaza remains my favorite outdoor mall; friends used to drive down from LA to shop there. Humphreys, on Shelter Island, is nationally prominent and you can sit outside at the Sheraton on Harbor Island and watch the sun set over Point Loma while the helicopters buzz around North Island. Been there, done that (This week)

And there's always the bar where Meg Ryan told Goose to take her home or lose her forever.

San Francisco also has a tighter more developed center than LA, being surrounded on three sides by water. I lived up in Napa at the time, about an hour away and a great place to go winery hopping, by the way. San Francisco is more compatiable in climate and perhaps urban development/vibe to a north easterner than LA, so if you want the "Yo, dude!" experience you'll be happier in LA. The shoreline inside the Golden Gate is beautiful, on the outside magnificent. Lombard Street, exceptional dining, etc. San Francisco is a favorite.

One thing I used to do was to drive the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH if you're local) between San Diego and San Francisco, through Malibu, San Luis Obispo, San Simeon, Carmel, etc. Its spectacular, something to think about doing when visiting California.

Because of the prevailing currents of the Pacific Ocean San Francisco is chilly in the winter but gorgeous during the day in the summer; though at night the temperature can drop 30 degrees or more (hence the famous Mark Twain quote).

In San Diego it's rainy in the early summer (known locally as "the June gloom") though their definition of "rainy" is more like what we call drizzle and sprinkles. But when the weather clears up, you can see all the way up the coast to the Brown Smog Layer sitting over Los Angeles -

And be glad that you're in San Diego.

 

[msf22b]

I love LA

Best Chinese food in America around Alhambra and Monterrey Park
Try Atlantic Seafood for Dim Sum or
Szechuan Impression or Chengdu Taste for the hot stuff

Love to bike (rent) along the beach in Redondo Beach

The Orchestra is in good form

The Getty is amazing, the Tar pits, lots of good museums, Pasadena is fun (short ride)

Decent inexpensive food everywhere

I love LA

 

[Charliebball]

LA gets a bad rap...................used to live there..............earthquakes and traffic finally got the best of me..............still a fun place to visit for a week........... .....Santa Monica if you like the beach.........Shutters or the Loews both on the beach are great place to stay if you don't mind spending some bucks.............also Venice Beach boardwalk to see some really, really "strange" folks............... gotta walk Beverly Hills for an afternoon..............the Getty Center is great, may have to make reservations in advance..........and always took visitors to Warner Brothers Studios, Universal Studios and a taping of a TV show, usually one of the late night talk shows or a sitcom...........you may see some celebs if you eat at the Ivy or go for a drink at the Hotel Bel Air, the Four Seasons or the Beverly Hills Hotel.........take a drive up the coast past Malibu to Santa Barbara and if you have an extra few days just keep on going up to Hurst Castle and Big Sur and the redwood forests.............. stop at Nepenthe, an old hippie run restaurant with amazing cliff/sea views...........keep on going to Monterey, Carmel and finally San Francisco if time allows..........one of the most scenic drives you will ever experience

 

[Waquoit]

I'll second (third?) the Getty Museum. Nothing else like it.

 

[EricLA]

I LIVE in Los Angeles now. As was correctly pointed out, it is a huge, sprawling city. No central area whatsoever. Downtown LA is enjoying a renaissance and is right next to Chinatown, Hollywood is a ways away but HW is right next to Beverly Hills, and to be honest, unless you wanted to come here to enjoy some of the terrific museums, spend a day walking around Hollywood, and then a day at the beaches checking out either Santa Monica or Venice, I would say skip it.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

is this a cool destination?

I know people talk about Miami, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Bahamas, Orlando, DR, Mexico but never of Los Angles.

Is it boring, what can I visit, hang out etc.

Hotels, Food joints... tourist attractions?

Best time of the year, weather wise?

I was there for my nephew's wedding in August. I much prefer NYC and Chicago. If you want a warm weather location, I prefer Miami.

 

[Carnac]

I LIVE in Los Angeles now. As was correctly pointed out, it is a huge, sprawling city. No central area whatsoever. Downtown LA is enjoying a renaissance and is right next to Chinatown, Hollywood is a ways away but HW is right next to Beverly Hills, and to be honest, unless you wanted to come here to enjoy some of the terrific museums, spend a day walking around Hollywood, and then a day at the beaches checking out either Santa Monica or Venice, I would say skip it.

I live here now also (in a suburb). Everything the other posters have reported is true. If this is your first time coming to L.A., there are many things you MUST include on your "to do" list.
You'll do well to follow the suggestions of the other posters. If you don't plan on ever coming back, then of course you'll have to visit our "world famous" tourist attractions, like the Hollywood walk of fame and Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater (hand & footprints of yesteryear's movie stars in the cement of the courtyard of the theater), the Rose Parade on new year's day, Disneyland, Universal studios, and perhaps Catalina Island, just to say you saw it. If you want to impress your wife or girl friend, take her shopping along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

The three places most tourists want to go when they visit are Disneyland, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood walk of fame/Grauman's Chinese Theater. You can also go to a local sporting event depending on who's in season (baseball, basketball, football, Hockey, etc) We've got 'em all out here, college & pro.

If you really want to see something you've never seen before.........anywhere, go to the Hollywood strip on Halloween. You'll see things (people) that evening you'll never ever forget!! Bring your camera, because people will not believe you when you tell them what you saw. Renting a car can be expensive. You can go anywhere in the south land you want using Lyft or Uber, (much cheaper than a cab) and you don't have to be concerned about parking (which can also be expensive). They'll drop you at the door or entrance. They can take you to the airport, but they can not pick you up at the airport.

If you do come in, fly into any airport other that LAX, it's a zoo 24-7, especially during the holiday season. Avoid it if you can. There are 3 other local airports you can utilize: Ontario (35 miles east of L.A.), John Wayne (to the south in Orange County) & Burbank (to the north of LAX in the San Fernando Valley area). One other thing...................bring lots of money.

It costs BIG $$$ to see the sights, reside in our finer hotels and dine in our finer restaurants. This is not the place to come if you're on a tight budget, or a tightwad, especially if there are lots (4-6) of other people in your party. Enjoy your stay.

 

[tennparker3]

is this a cool destination?

I know people talk about Miami, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Bahamas, Orlando, DR, Mexico but never of Los Angles.

Is it boring, what can I visit, hang out etc.

Hotels, Food joints... tourist attractions?

Best time of the year, weather wise?

If you are into golf and slower pace with good hiking, scenery and such stay in Palm Springs/Palm Desert about an hour and a half outside of LA. You can fly directly to Palm Springs. There are a ton of casino resorts and spa resorts to stay at. If you wanted to do anything in LA area it is not too far away to make a day trip of it.

San Diego is my favorite in So Cal. Old Town, Seaport Village, La Jolla Cove, Mission Bay Park, Balboa Park, Torrey Pines, Coronado and my personal favorite, the tide pools at Point Loma. Everything in San Diego area is close enough that you can do multiple things in a day whereas the traffic and distance of the LA area makes that harder to accomplish. Once again though, if you wanted to do anything in LA you could still make a day trip of it from San Diego.

LA has a lot to do. Universal Studios and Disneyland obviously are the mainstream attractions but as others have noted there are plenty of museums, restaurants gems and other points of interests to enjoy.

I live in Palm Desert (house is for sale for pending move to San Diego) and out of all the places to go I say San Diego is hands down the best and everything I listed is free to enjoy except for whatever you decide to buy for food/shopping.

Monterey is the absolute best place is visit in all of California though in my opinion. Out of the thousands of destinations I've been to in the country not a single one comes close to my love for Monterey/Carmel area. Absolutely gorgeous. Whale watching, kayaking, hiking, golfing, shopping, wharf, wildlife, wineries etc. etc..... Brings tears of joy to my eyes just writing about it. If you want to explore the area outside of Monterey there is Santa Cruz that is an hour north which is a lot of fun and just a little north of that in Ana Nueva State Park where you pay 7 bucks and get to hike the sand dunes alongside thousands of elephant seals with their babies. Breathtaking experience. And a little north of that is Half Moon Bay that has great tide pool action.

Sincerely,
Your resident Lady Vol fan California travel guide.

P.S. Best time of year would be Jan. through April for any of the places I mentioned. Marriott is the big resort name in the Palm Springs area but there are many smaller privately owned resorts that are quiet and beautifully maintained. San Diego has a ton of quaint hotels and the actual city of San Diego is centrally located to all the main areas of interest.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I live here now also (in a suburb). Everything the other posters have reported is true. If this is your first time coming to L.A., there are many things you MUST include on your "to do" list.
You'll do well to follow the suggestions of the other posters. If you don't plan on ever coming back, then of course you'll have to visit our "world famous" tourist attractions, like the Hollywood walk of fame and Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater (hand & footprints of yesteryear's movie stars in the cement of the courtyard of the theater), the Rose Parade on new year's day, Disneyland, Universal studios, and perhaps Catalina Island, just to say you saw it. If you want to impress your wife or girl friend, take her shopping along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

The three places most tourists want to go when they visit are Disneyland, Universal Studios, and the Hollywood walk of fame/Grauman's Chinese Theater. You can also go to a local sporting event depending on who's in season (baseball, basketball, football, Hockey, etc) We've got 'em all out here, college & pro.

If you really want to see something you've never seen before....anywhere, go to the Hollywood strip on Halloween. Enjoy your stay.

basically what I would want to do... but now I must take a look at San Diego and San Fransisco

 

[msf22b]

To amplify what I wrote earlier

6 or 7 years ago, the NYTines had a story about the best Sichuan restaurant in the US, a little 10 table dive in Monterrey Park...I hopped near the nearest plane and flew in for a 3-day weekend...

Stayed in Redondo Beach...walked and rode bikes N and S...wonderful

The Asian food in that redoubt (not only Chinese) is spectacular, even if the restaurant I mentioned lost its chef long ago and had gone through 2 or 3 owners...not worth a look...but then, the mouth numbing selections, yet amazing tastes were well worth the trip.

And the sunshine in the morning along the beach, the winter surfers...

Like I said....love LA

 

[Zorro]

For something completely different, you might try the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Very odd, but I found it very interesting.

 

[Charliebball]

If you can manage an 8-10 day vacation then LA/SF or LA/SD would be great combinations...........the drive from LA south to San Diego isn't nearly as scenic or exciting as the drive from LA to San Francisco but it is a heck of a lot shorter (about 2 hours with no traffic but add 1-3 hours more on a bad day) If you chose that route then you gotta stop in La Jolla which is one of the most idyllic places one can live if you have big bucks......San Francisco is one of my favorite cities and there is really nothing like it anywhere in the world.........no city does more with it's location.............I happen to think that if you are in the right part of town, the climate is just about perfect.............almost never less then 50 degrees and almost never more then 75 degrees with a surprising amount of sunshine and not all that much fog.........of course you'll pay incredibly big bucks to live in that micro climate.........