Los Angeles - What to do first night in LA?

We (2 boys, 8 and 12) my husband and I arrive at LAX on a Friday afternoon and will be checking in near the airport for one night before heading to Santa Monica on Saturday. I'm thinking of grabbing In n' Out for dinner but probably would want to take a quick drive before heading to the hotel for sleep. We will probably be pretty tired with the time change (and a long flight) but excited enough to want to see something on our first night in LA.

Any suggestions?

If I wanted to just take a quick drive --- I'd go to one of the nearby beach cities, either Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach - and just enjoy the atmosphere of the beach and the town for a while. There are many places where you can walk along the beach or out onto one of the piers. If you aren't in rush hour, you shouldn't need much more than 15-20 minutes to get there.

Do your boys like watching airplanes take off? You can go to Dockweiler State Beach, just behind the airport, and see lots of aircraft undersides! It's also loud... But I would have liked that as a boy! (A simpler time...)

We (2 boys, 8 and 12) my husband and I arrive at LAX on a Friday afternoon and will be checking in near the airport for one night before heading to Santa Monica on Saturday. I'm thinking of grabbing In n' Out for dinner but probably would want to take a quick drive before heading to the hotel for sleep. We will probably be pretty tired with the time change (and a long flight) but excited enough to want to see something on our first night in LA.

Any suggestions?

David's suggestions are pretty good and those places are not too far from LAX. Why are you staying at LAX Friday night though? Seems like a waste to not just go straight to Santa Monica. The area around LAX is not that great.

In N' Out is amazing but I would go to Pancho's mexican restaurant. Its pretty good, more entertaining and its near the Airport-ish.

I'd go to Tito's at Washington Pl. and Sepulveda over Pancho's.

If you're ultimately going to be in Santa Monica for the hotel, I'd recommend 3rd St. Promenade. On Friday nights, especially in the summer time, it is a very popular destination with a lot of good people watching and street performers out and about. Just mind the mall rats and transients, they're usually harmless.

Similarly, the South Bay cities such as Redondo, Manhattan, or Hermosa often have some kind of festival or event on weekend nights, a lot of classic car shows etc.

Presumably staying at LAX because it is much cheaper than Santa Monica (less than half the price). Some of the airport hotels are quite nice and have kid-friendly pools (e.g. Hilton). But staying at the airport is a bit of a ghetto, while the neighbouring cities are quite nice. There are some serviced apt. style hotels around Rosencrans/Sepulveda that should be cheap on the weekend and more fun than on Century Blvd.

Thanks for all the suggestions - we're staying at LAX Friday night because it's much much cheaper - around $100. Friday nights at airport hotels generally are - I think. And we don't get in until late afternoon. We're on points in Santa Monica - otherwise we were looking at $325 +. I realize the area around LAX probably isn't the best and I was curious which way I should go without landing up in a worse area.

All the talk about In n' Out on the board has got me curious and dying to try it - if anyone is willing to leave the terminal between flights to get there I guess it must be pretty good. Pancho sounds good too.

I think a walk on the beach and early to bed will be the way to go.

Cheers

Before you decide to rent a car that first day, check on the parking fees at your hotel. LAX hotels I've stayed at charged pretty hefty fees. Of course,you could rent a car just for the day. I am definitely not an In-N-Out fan (just a hamburger to me, which puts me at odds withmany on this site), and prefer to splurge at the kitchy Encounter restaurant in the spider-shaped building in the middle of LAX (great place for vewing planes). But with kids, things obviously different.

You can get to nearby beaches, such as Manhattan Beach, by bus or shuttle. Definitely not within walking distance. Marina del Rey not a bad cab ride. But, all in all, you're pretty isolated (and I have stayed at LAX-area hotels many times, and have taken busses from the "LAX transportation center," which is a block in back of the Sheraton Gateway, to both Santa Monica and Westwood).

I think you should try In n Out, but don't overhype it. While I love their hamburgers as much as the next non-fanatical guy, I'm not going to claim they're to die for. :)

However, since you are going to be there, double-double _animal style_! :D

Which hotel are you staying at? As some have suggested, you may want to pick up your rental car the next day because of the overnight parking fee at hotel.

I would definitely take the boys to In-N-Out and sit on the patio so they can watch airplanes land. It's a fun way to burn some time. In-N-Out is walking distance to most hotels on Century Blvd (10 minutes from Sheraton, about 20 minutes from Hilton) but not reachable by foot if you stay south of airport.

1. You should factor in traffic for sure.

2. You will be in Santa Monica for a couple days but that is honestly the place to be, and you are in luck for it is not a far drive from LAX at all.

3. Perhaps check out Beverly Hills or walk around UCLA campus. First time visitors like to see the stars homes and can be fun to drive around Bel Air and look at all the huge homes (or what you can make out of them from all the landscaping.

4. If you are arriving on a weekday and in the late afternoon or evening it won't be as nice but Venice Beach is certainly a place to go. You can hit this from Santa Monica as well.

5. Getty museum is great as well, won't be open at night.

What you are looking for isn't necessarily around lax, but still in the beach, westside area.

Which hotel are you staying at? As some have suggested, you may want to pick up your rental car the next day because of the overnight parking fee at hotel.

I would definitely take the boys to In-N-Out and sit on the patio so they can watch airplanes land. It's a fun way to burn some time. In-N-Out is walking distance to most hotels on Century Blvd (10 minutes from Sheraton, about 20 minutes from Hilton) but not reachable by foot if you stay south of airport.

I agree with this. If your schedule allows, try to be there to watch the heavies land. You can look these up.

I agree with this. If your schedule allows, try to be there to watch the heavies land. You can look these up.

Sorry what are the heavies? And when do they land?

We're staying at the HIX on Airport Blvd - take a shuttle from the airport spend check in and then walk to off airport rental on West Manchester. I don't see a charge for parking at the HIX but I will check for sure.

Sorry what are the heavies? And when do they land?

We're staying at the HIX on Airport Blvd - take a shuttle from the airport spend check in and then walk to off airport rental on West Manchester. I don't see a charge for parking at the HIX but I will check for sure.

"Heavies" are spotter talk for widebody aircrafts (e.g. 747, 777, A330 etc). A lot of European and Asian arrivals line up to land at LAX in late afternoon/early evening. If you get to In-N-Out at a good time, you will see a wide variety of large airplanes landing one after another. It will be a treat for your boys while they eat burgers and fries.

I believe the Holiday Inn Express you are staying at first night has free parking... but you should call them just to be sure.