California

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Meh i'd rather just go to Santa Barbara instead of LA, maybe check out the mission and uh enjoy the nice waters.

[Justin Bimmer]

Carson blows chunks!

Downtown LA if you can.

[Croc]

Carson blows chunks!

Downtown LA if you can.

I'd say Downtown or Westwood-area. Downtown is more central to everything, but if the plan is to stay coastal and maybe spend a day doing Dtown, Chinatown and Pasadena, then stay on the Westside.

Torrance is a decent area, and not too far from the places of most activity. By not too far, I mean a half hour drive, minimum. 15 minute drive to Redondo, but Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood, are all 30 min away most of the time, and Beverly Hills is about 45. Dtown is anywhere between 30 and 50 away depending on time of day and traffic. Pasadena is 55+

Edited April 20, 2009 by Croc

[trinacriabob]

Torrance is good...VERY close to Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, LAX, Palos Verdes, decent access to the Westside, and decent to Long Beach.

Carson? Very industrial, air smells...I wouldn't recommend...

Right.

Don't even think about Carson. That whole area will depress you.

Torrance is a good base. Try to stay on, or west of, Hawthorne Blvd. and definitely SOUTH of 190th. You don't want to be in Lawndale.

Another option is El Segundo. There are a lot of good hotels south of LAX. I have stayed at the Doubletree several times. Another one is the Hilton Garden Inn. There are some good rates to be had, with AAA/CAA or on line, but not much to do. However, it is SUPER close to the beaches.

Please do NOT stay in Inglewood, no matter how tempting the prices are. Do NOT stay along Century Blvd. anywhere east of the 405. It gets nasty real quick.

Ask away if you have more questions.

[the_yellow_dart]

West of 110, South of 405. Is that OK?

[Croc]

Bob, why, WHY would you recommend El Segundo? Between the treatment plant, the oil refinery, and no access to the beach...there is just nothing redeeming about it for a guest to the city.

@ yellow dart: yeah, that sounds pretty good, though the further west the better (duh).

Personally, I'd try to stay close to the 405 so you can get to other places more easily. The South Bay region is a lot less fun when your commute is doubled because the only option is to drive PCH/Sepulveda to the nearest freeway. I know there is a Marriott Residence Inn on the corner of Hawthorne and Torrance. Good location, 5-10 min to the freeway.

[Camino LS6]

I enjoyed the weirdness of Venice Beach.

And the La Brea tarpits.

[trinacriabob]

West of 110, South of 405. Is that OK?

Kind of a bland business park area, and there will be nobody around at night.

Edited April 20, 2009 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

Bob, why, WHY would you recommend El Segundo? Between the treatment plant, the oil refinery, and no access to the beach...there is just nothing redeeming about it for a guest to the city.

Croc, those parts are indeed banal. The very end of Imperial Hwy is a beach, though one wouldn't want to use that beach and would go left (south) to the South Bay Beach towns.

I think TYD is looking at $ (American, Canadian or otherwise) and is looking for a base. I don't ever spend money in LA to stay at a Santa Monica or Redondo Beach zip code, though it would be nice. There are some good hotels along the Sepulveda strip where you wouldn't feel any of those bad El Segundo things. It is a business area with mid-rises, though vapid nonetheless. There is the Doubletree at which I would stay any time, but I think the prices are higher than they have been...it is literally across a plaza from Mattel Headquarters. There is an Embassy Suites at the corner of Imperial and Sepulveda, from which you could watch planes land/take-off. Manhattan Beach Blvd. is but 3-5 minutes south of this area along Sepulveda at which there is a nice shopping center with Barnes and Nobles, nice clothing stores, some decent restaurants and Versailles Cuban food further south on Sepulveda.

TYD, whatever you do, don't judge LA by either Torrance or El Segundo. These are merely bases from which to explore and put a few extra dollars in your pocket, while staying in clean and safe® surroundings.

[pow]

I'm from the South Bay - PV - and whole area is pretty dreary, especially at night, described by some as the cultural wasteland of LA. (I would argue that applies to many other cities in L.A. as well). Big box retail stores galore... the Costco we go to in Torrance is next to a Sam's Club, and there's a Lowe's right across from a Home Depot. It's not a bad place to raise kids or retire... just not the sort of place I'd go on a vacation.

[Robert Hall]

I've stayed at a Holiday Inn in Studio City (kitchy--it's the Bevery Garland Garden Inn), a Holiday Inn Express at LAX, a Holiday Inn Express on Olympic in the Century City area (not bad), but my favorite place to stay is the Loews Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, walking distance from the pier. Stayed there a couple of times.

[trinacriabob]

a Holiday Inn Express on Olympic in the Century City area (not bad)

I've stayed there, too. They gave me the corner room with the round window looking out at Century City. My cousin from Europe was visiting, so she stayed in the loft and I stayed downstairs. What a great base for exploring L.A. Needless to say, she thought it was a great city!

[Robert Hall]

I've stayed there, too. They gave me the corner room with the round window looking out at Century City. My cousin from Europe was visiting, so she stayed in the loft and I stayed downstairs. What a great base for exploring L.A. Needless to say, she thought it was a great city!

Cool..that's a neat looking hotel..nice neighborhood also.

[Croc]

I'm from the South Bay - PV - and whole area is pretty dreary, especially at night, described by some as the cultural wasteland of LA. (I would argue that applies to many other cities in L.A. as well). Big box retail stores galore... the Costco we go to in Torrance is next to a Sam's Club, and there's a Lowe's right across from a Home Depot. It's not a bad place to raise kids or retire... just not the sort of place I'd go on a vacation.

I don't find the Beach Cities to be dreary at all, but right on about PV and Torrance. It's just too...suburban for me. PV has a view, and that seems to be it. Torrance has a lot of mattress stores along Hawthorne, and then the big malls...and that's about it. Very little in the way of non-chain restaurants. But they are so close to the beach towns with all of their unique character. Very ironic.