Los Angeles

RandallFlagg

It's our 20th wedding anniversary next year and after having had a wonderful holiday in New York in 2016 we're thinking of trying Los Angeles and maybe another west coast location next year.

Anyone been to LA and have any thoughts on it as a holiday destination for the last week July and first week of August? We would want to see the usual touristy stuff like the Hollywood sign, Universal studios, spend some time at the beach at Santa Monica but what else would you do, where would you stay?

where else would you visit? A week in LA and a week where else?

Funkfingers

jonnyburgo

I'd defgo want to check out San Francisco and Haight Ashbury even though it's supposed to be proper touristy. So much musical history there and obvious connection to the Beats  etc

octatonic

I've done a lot of America and lived there twice, although on the East Coast.
LA isn't a traditional city- it is very spread out.
I would suggest doing the obvious stuff in LA and then getting out of it.

You could do Hollywood etc in a day or so and then go north to San Fran, south to San Diego or north west to Las Vegas.
You can do LA to Death Valley to Vegas quite easily- it is about 300 miles.
Hiring a car is cheap but the best way to see it is by motorcycle.

holnrew

I've heard it's a bit of a sprawl. If I was going that way I'd visit Las Vegas and San Fran too

FelineGuitars

LA in July /August can be really Hot weather wise.

RandallFlagg

Not at all interested in Las Vegas, and as for motorbike, we have 2 teenage kids so that ain't happening.

Hot? No problem. It was a heatwave in New York when we were there last year 35c+ for a few days, we adjusted ver well and got on with it.

A sprawl?, well New York was that but planning where you are going and what you want to do plus budgeting for Uber makes it easy. Using Uber was a revelation in New York, it was quick, safe and cheap.

as for San Francisco, it's not 1968 anymore...you hippies!

I'm looking for a nice place to stay with a pool, interesting things to do and see with the kids in the day and good food and some family things to do in the evenings.

octatonic

RandallFlagg said:

I'm looking for a nice place to stay with a pool, interesting things to do and see with the kids in the day and good food and some family things to do in the evenings.

Have you tried Spain?

EricTheWeary

25 years since I went to LA but it was obviously a sprawl then so I can only imagine even more so now. It's about 50% bigger than New York with less than half the population ( according to what I just googled)so there's a lot of travelling to see particular bits. San Francisco has it's touristy bits a bit closer together so it works better for a shorter break I guess. 

HAL9000

Drive 100 miles south to San Diego. Good parks, museums, etc. La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) beach and Mission Bay both worth a visit - for the Mission Bay area I'd rent bicycles. Top Gun was filmed at Miramar airbase which is just up the road and if you're into aircraft you'll sometimes see (and hear!) the US airforce giving it a bit of Welly.

rocktron

RandallFlagg said:

where else would you visit? A week in LA and a week where else?

3 days in San Francisco would be enough to see the tourist attractions in Fisherman's Wharf, China Town, Union Square, to ride on the Cable Cars, and to walk down Lombard Street (the famous Zig Zag Street) from the top of Russian Hill. You can also do a trip to Alcatraz Prison Island from Pier 39. 

The Hop On Hop Off Tour Bus covers all the tourist attractions. The tour bus even goes over the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Fisherman's Wharf. 

https://www.bigbustours.com/en/san-francisco/classic-san-francisco-tour-ticket/

You can choose a hotel located at Union Square, or at Fisherman's Wharf.

Further, considering that you would be all the way over on the West Coast, if you have the time and the budget, and if you haven't visited Las Vegas before, a short stay of 3 days there would round up your trip nicely. Your teenagers would love the "death rides" on top of the Stratosphere.

RandallFlagg

octatonic said:

RandallFlagg said:

I'm looking for a nice place to stay with a pool, interesting things to do and see with the kids in the day and good food and some family things to do in the evenings.

Have you tried Spain?

Yes many times, not interested now. Hardly a special treat for your 20th wedding anniversary is it?

RandallFlagg

rocktron said:

RandallFlagg said:

where else would you visit? A week in LA and a week where else?

3 days in San Francisco would be enough to see the tourist attractions in Fisherman's Wharf, China Town, Union Square, to ride on the Cable Cars, and to walk down Lombard Street (the famous Zig Zag Street) from the top of Russian Hill. You can also do a trip to Alcatraz Prison Island from Pier 39. 

The Hop On Hop Off Tour Bus covers all the tourist attractions. The tour bus even goes over the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Fisherman's Wharf. 

https://www.bigbustours.com/en/san-francisco/classic-san-francisco-tour-ticket/

You can choose a hotel located at Union Square, or at Fisherman's Wharf.

Further, considering that you would be all the way over on the West Coast, if you have the time and the budget, and if you haven't visited Las Vegas before, a short stay of 3 days there would round up your trip nicely. Your teenagers would love the "death rides" on top of the Stratosphere.

Thanks, thoses points in SF sound interesting not sure about LV though. 

blobb

Santa Barbara is nice. LA was meh.

nocasternoproblem

LA is wonderful, my favorite city in the world.  You must do the obvious Universal Studio (get VIP passes), Santa Monica, drive down sunset strip, head into the Hollywood hills, see the Chinese theatre, people watch on Rodeo Drive.  Ok, it's sprawled out but, er - hire a car!  Avoid the rush hours and you'll be fine.  Good hotels in Century City that's central.  Check out Korea town too.  Roscoes Chicken and Waffle Shack dies great breakfasts.

second city to go to is Vegas.  Fly there in an hour, worth paying more for a high end hotel.  Visit the Grand Canyon, go by helicopter not coach.  Hire a car and drive out to the Hoover Dam. See a proper show.  I thought I'd hate vegas but loved it.    

Emp_Fab

RandallFlagg said:

octatonic said:

RandallFlagg said:

I'm looking for a nice place to stay with a pool, interesting things to do and see with the kids in the day and good food and some family things to do in the evenings.

Have you tried Spain?

Yes many times, not interested now. Hardly a special treat for your 20th wedding anniversary is it?

...and an uncultured plastic sodom and gomorrah is ??

Nitefly

I would have thought that, with your username, Las Vegas would have been perfect...  And then move on to take Boulder

RandallFlagg

Emp_Fab said:

RandallFlagg said:

octatonic said:

RandallFlagg said:

I'm looking for a nice place to stay with a pool, interesting things to do and see with the kids in the day and good food and some family things to do in the evenings.

Have you tried Spain?

Yes many times, not interested now. Hardly a special treat for your 20th wedding anniversary is it?

...and an uncultured plastic sodom and gomorrah is ??

Thanks for you positive contribution. There's good and bad everywhere, the excitement of travelling to the US and my fascination with it never tires, after dozens of trips to US, Canada and Mexico.

I have never been to LA and the cultural history of Hollywood is appealing and the opportunity to see a show at The Greek Theatre or Hollywood Bowl appeals very much.

Sitting on a beach in Benidorm, surrounded by Brits seems somewhat less appealing.

Have you spent much time in LA?

RandallFlagg

Nitefly said:

I would have thought that, with your username, Las Vegas would have been perfect...  And then move on to take Boulder

That's ancient history, I have moved on...

ronnyb

Everybody has a different take on things but last year I found LA to be a bit tacky if anything the walk of fame and the shops reminded me of the sea front in Blackpool. We didn't use a car in LA until we left the place to travel up to San Francisco and used the metro system to get around. Downtown is just like any other city and there are plenty of weirdos about and I wouldn't have fancied travelling on the metro at night. Santa Monica is well worth a visit and we wished we could have spent more time there. Went back to San Francisco this year and love the place.  

RandallFlagg

ronnyb said:

Everybody has a different take on things but last year I found LA to be a bit tacky if anything the walk of fame and the shops reminded me of the sea front in Blackpool. We didn't use a car in LA until we left the place to travel up to San Francisco and used the metro system to get around. Downtown is just like any other city and there are plenty of weirdos about and I wouldn't have fancied travelling on the metro at night. Santa Monica is well worth a visit and we wished we could have spent more time there. Went back to San Francisco this year and love the place.  

What's the climate like in SF, isn't it supposed to be a bit chilly? The wife is looking for hot weather