Los Angeles Travel Answers

LA is not the best city in the U.S. for public transportation. It has been over 10 years since I was last out there on a business trip, but I always had to rent a car to get just about anywhere.

Where are you staying? Seeing the tourist sites in Los Angeles is somewhat possible with public transit, but it completely depends on where you're staying. For instance, from Downtown LA, you'll be able to reach Universal Studios, Hollywood and Santa Monica relatively easily by public transit. But if you were staying near, say, the airport, then it would be a particularly bad idea to not rent a car because there's very little around there of interest and it's not particularly well-connected with public transit. I assume it's one of these two areas because that's where they charge for guest parking most often. I make it a special point to get out of hotel parking fees, personally, but, like I said, it depends on where you're staying.

I would pick up a car at the airport and stay in a hotel that didn't charge for parking.

I'm not certain I've stayed in an LA hotel that didn't charge for a car. That said the Best Western on Franklin is not as expensive as some and it's walking distance from most "Hollywood venues." A lot depends on what you want to see and do in LA. Lets get an agenda and we can reply or just email me via VT and I'll see what I can suggest as my daughter lives there and I'm there frequently. Public Transit in LA is not that great if you want to get to most "tourist destinations." So what would you like to visit...

It all depends on where you want to go. LA has made major strides in the last few years in the way of public transport. The last two times I was there I did not rent a car and went all the way to Pasadena from LAX without much trouble. If your interests are limited to seeing the sights in downtown LA, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Pasadena you can get buy without renting a car. If on the other hand you also want to go down to Orange County to say Knotts Berry Farm or Disneyland I would rent a car. Otherwise stick with public transport right from the LAX airport to Union Station and then on to the different lines that serve the above areas. You will feel more relaxed not having to worry about a car. Here is the web site I have used; http://www.metro.net/ Give it a shot.

While its true that the LA Metro connection to the airport is somewhat feeble, there is a station connection not far away, but it's also true that a recent bond was passed to make a firm LAX station on the Metro train line. In any care, Universal Studios, Hollywood, Long Beach (Queen Mary), Downtown LA, are all well served by the new rail transit system. Orange county destinations, including Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm are not for some goof reason--probably conservative politics of Orange County shut themselves out of the original rail deal. Overall, the regional bus system is really not too bad, considering most are new low emission natural gas or hybrid diesel buses. Go to www.metro.net to plan your trip. You definitely won't like driving in LA traffic.

Hi, many thanks for all your responses. That's very helpful indeed. I'll be staying at Farmer's Daughter Hotel, 115 South Fairfax Avenue in West Hollywood. This will be my visit to LA and I'll be there for only two and half days to see the main attractions. I hope it's not too difficult to move around from there to the main attractions with public transportation.

Public (bus only) transportation around the hotel is good, but public transport two and from LAX airport is not. It would probably be the same price to rent a car for 3 days, and pay the parking...as getting shuttle or taxi service to and from the airport.