California Travel Forum

I would like to have a quick taste of LA/Hollywood area before we fly out.

I figure I have a half day when we arrive and the whole next day. Am i better to stay in LA or Santa Monica?

I have found a Mariott Redidence Inn in Beverly hills with a great rate and it includes breakfast but I am wondering if I sound stay out in Santa Monica and drive in?

Thanks

Any hotel suggestions

$143.00

Hmmm ... we could say Santa Monica or Marina del Rey. Marriott shows a hotel in Marina del Rey right around where I used to take my kids when they were small.

Nice part about Marina del Rey is that you can hop on Lincoln Road and have an easy commute back to the airport, no freeways involved. If you like bikes, you could also rent bikes and ride the trail from Marina all the way to Santa Monica - you will ride past Venice. You do have to keep an eye on the bikes!

Santa Monica has more things to do other than restaurants, like the Promenade.

Make sure you see the *distance* , but above all please post back before determinig a hotel. I have noticed many times hotels are listed for a certain location, but they are in the "wrong end" of the location.

Confusing reply. So, if you don't find anything else in Santa Monica close to the ocean and 3rd street (use mapquest or the map provided at the hotel site) - you may want to look into the Marriott.

Both Santa Monica but particularly Marina will be a much easier commute back to the airport than Hollywood.

OK I'll check it out and post back.

Our Flight out is at 6am so maybe closer to LAX is better

6 am ... awwww!

Sometimes finding the car return in LA is a pain, and it's not a good idea to get too lost in the immediate areas past the car return. Most car returns have a map on the location ... it's a good idea to make sure you're clear on how to get there before leaving for the airport. Easy to get to the airport ... pain to get to the rental car.

Option: Drop your car off the night before your flight, and make arrangements for an aiport shuttle. You can check at the hotel.

left something out ...
Sometimes the car rental place will give you a ride back to your hotel - this usually works with the *local* rental place, so you could give the LAX office a call and see if this can be arranged - so if you wanted to drop the car off the night before you'll just need a shuttle.

You could also move to a hotel close to the airport for the last night. Everything has tradeoff's. If you choose this option, realize the Hilton is in need of an upgrade, so I would stay at another place, maybe the Embassy suites for the last night, although you will miss breakfast.

I have to be at the airport for 4 am anyway, laughing, so I figure we are gonna miss breakfast anyway.

Great ideas though