Gonna be visiting Southern California. Need a nice centrally located place to stay. Can anyone help me?

Gary

 

Is this business or pleasure?

well, what is your main destination? Which airport? What towns/cities?

LA is a big *** place, and there really isn't a good central location.

Oh, and there is more traffic than any other place on earth.

 

We are flying into LAX - family trip with two teenage girls. Looking at maybe Torrance. Probably do the whole tourist thing - Check out Beverly Hills, Catalina Island, Disneyland, Universal, & Venice Beach. We just don't want to end up in a seedy area with our 16 yr old daughter & niece.

Thanks,
Gary

 

Some of torrance turned seedy IMHO (if not all of it). I was born there.
I dont know what to recomend. I hate LA. That place is a **** hole.

I go to venice every year or so. That place is filthy as well. But should be fun to check out once. It is just a bunch of shops outside that sell crap/drug paraphernalia/ cheap crappy pizza.
Catch a few freaks on the side doing thier thing (music/incense sales.)

I like to stick with just north of LA. It is borring and not so much traffic hussle bussle BS to put up with.

You might want to check out santa monica. it is crazy traffic, but a lot of shops and a pier with rides. I'm thinking the girls will wanna do the shopping thing.
from here you could cruise the hwy 1 (pch) up north a bit all along the coast. it would take you out of santa monica, to malibu, into ventura county. there is basically nothing along here but coast line. oh well, just an idea for an "out" if LA turns you off.

 

Gee, Bill... you sure do know how to hurt a guy.

I live in Torrance. It's a good place for what you want to do. Just don't get on a road until 9am... or better yet, try 4am...

You can reach about any major free way and the airport from here.

The 110, 91, 105, 405, 710, 605, 5, 10 are all within an easy spin to get to.

However.... be aware of the traffic flows. In the morning, EVERYONE is coming into LA. That means the east bound roads are clogged. West bound are moving ok. And the 110 is simply jammed. If I was going to Hollywood, for example, I would head up later in the day, and spend the late afternoon/evening there.

Whatever you do, map out your routes well in advance. Go to AAA and get maps. Lots of maps. Map out various routes, then review them with us here on the forum. If you don't have AAA, just order a Thomas Guide for LA (the best $30 you will spend) and use the web. Make some route maps in advance and save them in a manila folder. Pick where you want to go and take the map(s) with you. I suggest a main route, and a backup.

Tune your car radio to AM 980 or 1070. 980 has traffic reports on the 1's. 1070 is every 10 minutes, but I don't know their pattern.

Also, check Marriott for hotels. There is a Court Yard on 190th street, just off the 405. It's close to the 91, the 110 and the 405 (duh).

The 91 and the 110 will get you to the 105, the 105, the 405 and the 91 will get you to the 710 and the 605. Disney is off the 91. The 710 and 605 will get you to Long Beach.

The 110 will get you to the 101, which is Hollywood. Universal and all that stuff is up there.

Oh, the freeways have names! Many times you will hear them referred to by a name. It's the direction it's heading in.

The 110 is the Harbor Fwy, going south, going north, it's the Pasadena Fwy.

The 101 is the Hollywood Fwy...

If you hear references on the radio to the "Four Level," that's where the 5, the 101, and the 110 meet... There are 4 levels of freeway ramps there! It's real close to Dodger Stdm.

One place you should visit is the Peterson Muesum. It's the cool.

I am outta ideas for the moment... PM me if you have questions.

Another forum member to PM is Scott, forum handle Air1070. He is an air traffic reporter for AM 1070. I am sure he can help you, too.

One more radio tip... Many rentals are coming with Sirius sat radio, tune into channel 150 for LA weather and traffic. Every 4 minutes it's replayed, refreshed every 20 minutes.

A real important thing - Don't violate carpool lanes, they will zap you hard, however, you will have a car load, so your cool. Use them and enjoy them, just don't cross the boundry lanes, wait for an exit. Speed limits are something of a suggestion. Ride with traffic, but don't be surprised if it stops without warning.

I hope this helps ya some...

 

when are you planning on coming?

 

I'd consider staying in the "OC" (orange county),somewhere close to Disneyland in Anaheim as it is centerally located for what you want to do. There are a lot of hotels, restaurants in the area. Doing Disneyland is a long day in itself(fireworks in the evening). For swimming and surf/sun fun I'd suggest Corona Del Mar State Beach as the water is cleaner than others and it is safer for those not experienced with the ocean surf etc. It's at Newport Beach just south of the Newport harbor enterance. The piers at Newport and Balboa are interesting also. Driving south from Corona along the coast on PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) is a great view and the town of Laguna Beach has lots of neat shops. One can continue down the coast a few miles to Dana Point and even on San Clemente. Come back inland to Disneyland area on the 5 freeway.
To go to Catalina you can go out of either Newport or Long Beach. The fastest and most comfortable is the catamaran http://www.catalinaexpress.com/ out of Long Beach. Call for reservations as it fills up quickly in summer.As mentioned LA is a big place but with the freeways it is fairly easy to get around as long as you keep away from the rush hours. On another day you could do Universal in the morning and Hollywood and Venice Beach in the afternoon.Venice Beach is mainly for people watching rather than swimming. Stop and check out Rodeo Drive (Row- Day-OH) in West Hollywood as that's where all the rich shop. The girls would probably get a kick out of saying they were there.
Hope this is of some help to you.

 

I was born in Torrance too. The whole LA basin sucks. That's where the term "low-lifes" came from.

Go to the Getty museum, Sunset blvd, Santa Monica pier, drive up PCH to Santa Barbara for the afternoon.

You can tell when you're getting into the good parts of California, when there's less people around. The polished parts of Orange county have no soul IMO. It's all new, built specifically for tourist dollars, and has no history.

 

I did have a very good and fun time in Marina del Rey, did some serious turtle racing there. Had none, so I raced a rental turtle (yes, I mean those four legged swimmers with retractable appendici)
It was a while ago though, but perhaps it is still there.

 

I am not familiar with Torrence, however the general rule I follow is: almost all the older motel/hotels which are a bit off the "hot" touristy spots are okay, but definately dated facilities and the surrounding area is often seedy. But you can also afford to stay there, like at or under $100/day. I have never had a "safety" issue in these places, but you will be off the beaten path (like old Hwy 99/101), ie, I stay in these when I go to Bakesfield/Famosa Raceway, because all I want is a shower and bed. They are frumpy but overrall okay. For a nice vacation I would recommend a serious upgrade, especially for kids.

For the "hot" spots, and Disneyland should be one of those, you will pay 50% to 100+% more, especially during the summer season, but the facilities are first rate. The surrounding neighborhoods tend to be very nice too. neighborhoods can also change character within just a few blocks.

Major chains, like Hyatt Regency are terrific facilities, but pricey, but they are also on the water, marinas, etc, so very nice surrounding areas. Your wallet can almost determine the balance between these criteria. If you just need a place to hang your hat but will be driving around a lot visiting and having fun, then I think it is mainly a $ question. AAA is an excellent resource guide. They rate the facilities and give you maps.

 

Your best bet is to turn back time and visit there around the mid to late 60s. That's when it was at its best. Too many people there now...

 

nice idea...

but the TARDIS hasn't opened itself up for tours yet.

 

Are you a AAA Member? Their hotel choices are great. I'm from So Cal currently attending a military school in VA. I visited Baltimore and Philadelphia and stayed in selected AAA hotels. Good Luck and have fun visiting So Cal.

 

AAA may have some good info. All of us from LA hate it here

If you are in the Beverly Hills area around Sunset blvd, be sure to stop into the Peterson Automotive Museum. You and your kids will love it. Not far at all from the famed Rodeo Dr./Sunset Blvd., high end shopping for the wifey, or at least some great window shopping to make her drool.
After that, head West on Sunset which will take you through Pacific Palisades and right to the beach (PCH). Scenic coast drive!

 

stay in redondo beach, manhattan beach, palos verdes, or hermosa beach those pretty much are very nice. within distance of what u wanna do