Hi
I am planning a Vacation for a week in LA (I am from SFO) and cover disney,seaworld, hollywood and san diego zoo. . I gonna use city pass from costco.
I would appreciate any tips on where to stay, where can i find good hotel deals and any places to visit around LA. Do we get good deals if we book for a week instead of 5 days or something?
I am planning this with my wife and 2 year daughter
Thanks
I suggest moving from hotel to hotel, rather than staying at one place, and having to drive back and forth.
For example: consider Hollywood area one day, Dizzyland a second day, Seaworld a third day, the zoo a forth day. Give yourself a break in between, especially with a two year old in tow.
Consider any chain motel, and you’ll be fine.
Have fun.
If you can plan on 3 days in Anaheim/LA, and the other 3 days in San Diego, that would be better because you won’t spend all of your time on the freeways between the 2 places. If you try Orbitz, Priceline or another online travel place, you might score a package whereby you spend a few days in LA and a few days in SD, which is my first and best choice for how to get the most enjoyment out of each place
Food inside Disneyland can be pricey, but if money isn’t that big of an issue right now, plan on spending about $20 per person, per day, inside the park just for food.
There’s a Howard Johnson’s just outside Disneyland that shares a driveway with a Mc Donald’s and there are tons of restaurant choices right near the Ho Jo. There’s also a Fairfield Inn by Marriot directly next door to the Ho Jo. I remember an IHop and another restaurant similar to IHop next door to the HoJo and the Fairfield. Even if money isn’t an issue, it’s still a nice idea to get away from the crush and have a lunch or a dinner away from D’Land, and also to take a break for naps for your daughter in your room when you need to. I can’t recommend nap time enough … and she’s so small that she won’t remember anything anyway, so the naps are for ALL of your comfort. Another hotel option might be the Grand Californian, which has its own entrance to Disney’s California Adventure park, and is just a lovely place to stay. They made it look like a hunting lodge, and even with a 5 story atrium/lobby, they still somehow managed to make it feel cozy. It’s definitely on the pricey side, but definitely worth the money if you can swing it.
From Anaheim, it’s about a 45 minute drive into the heart of Hollywood, but if you can arrange for a tour bus to take you up there, I would recommend that before driving yourself. The purpose of your trip is to enjoy the sights, and you won’t be able to if you’re behind the wheel. If you check online or call Disney, I’m sure they can help you with this. You can see the major sites in a day, and then spend the other 2 days enjoying Disneyland and California Adventure.
I don’t spend as much time in San Diego as I wish I could, but Sea World and The Zoo are always a good idea, and if you can take a short drive over to the historic Hotel Del Coronado, you won’t regret it.
Safe journey, and have a great time !
There are literally hundreds of things to do here in LA. Here is my list of “must sees”. Visit as many as you have time for.:
Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. #1 Destination.
Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. #2 Destination.
Even if you don’t visit Disneyland or Universal Studios Tour, Downtown Disney District and Universal City Walk are very fun places to visit for shopping and eating. And they’re free to visit.
Hollywood: Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Chinese Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. The Hollywood & Highland complex is AMAZING. It has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I also like the El Capitan theater, right across the street, where Disney shows their movies. And the Hollywood Bowl is a GREAT place to listen to concerts outdoors.
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.
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. Third Street Promenade – Downtown Santa Monica’s shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just north of 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.
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.
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. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.
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 Orchid Suites, Hollywood Celebrity Hotel, or Holiday Inn Walk of Fame, all near Hollywood and Highland. Another one is the Best Western Sunset Plaza. 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. There is also a nice place in Burbank called the Best Western Media Center, very close to Warner, NBC, and Universal Studios.
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