Los Angeles - Help getting from LAX to Santa Monica

We will be visiting the LA area this weekend and need some help. No, we can't cancel/alter the plans...everything is prepaid unfortunately. I feel sure others are in the same boat as us so maybe your replies will help others searching for the best way to avoid this mess. I have read all the FAQ's out there (marginally helpful) and surfed blogs with the available time I have. We get to LAX on the morning of 7/16 and need to get to the beach in Santa Monica. Once we get there we will stay put but I'm really dreading getting stuck in traffic. I don't want our summer vacation to be remembered as "the year we got stuck in traffic". :-)

I don't know how we missed this...unless the city of LA didn't advertise it until it was too late for us. Anyway, thanks for any advice you can provide.

PS. How long would it take to walk from the airport to SM?

It's 8 miles from LAX to Santa Monica. There may be bus service, also can take a cab. I always take 405, and the traffic is always backed up. 405 is closing this weekend so I would not want to tbe anywhere near LA this weekend.

Very simple by bus unless you have a ton of baggage. I 'think' (verify this) it is the letter C(?) shuttle bus to the transit center and then their is a direct "Big Blue" city bus to "Santa Monica" like every half hour for next to nothing cost wise. Normally I would not consider that but for 405 Carmageddon 2011 I would give it serious thought.

I recon a taxi might be $30-$40 on surface streets as well.

Try http://www.bigbluebus.com for the city bus option.
http://www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/map/index.asp?routeid=3

We will be visiting the LA area this weekend and need some help. No, we can't cancel/alter the plans...everything is prepaid unfortunately. I feel sure others are in the same boat as us so maybe your replies will help others searching for the best way to avoid this mess. I have read all the FAQ's out there (marginally helpful) and surfed blogs with the available time I have. We get to LAX on the morning of 7/16 and need to get to the beach in Santa Monica. Once we get there we will stay put but I'm really dreading getting stuck in traffic. I don't want our summer vacation to be remembered as "the year we got stuck in traffic". :-)

I don't know how we missed this...unless the city of LA didn't advertise it until it was too late for us. Anyway, thanks for any advice you can provide.

PS. How long would it take to walk from the airport to SM?
Welcome to Flyertalk, wrldseries
LAX, this weekend will be a mess;pure and simple. Are you staying in a hotel in Santa Monica? If so, perhaps the hotel may offer some options. I know that a friend tried to book a taxi for this weekend and they were not taking reservations. Fortunately, LAX is close to Lincoln Blvd which goes to Santa Monica. Lincoln will likely be horribly congested. Suggest some type of public transport. I think the Santa Monica Bus #14 runs from LAX to Santa Monica. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Bring along some bottled water and perhaps some protein bars.

Very simple by bus unless you have a ton of baggage. I 'think' (verify this) it is the letter C(?) shuttle bus to the transit center and then their is a direct "Big Blue" city bus to "Santa Monica" like every half hour for next to nothing cost wise.

Yep, it's the Parking Lot C bus that you're looking for which can be found at the outer curb under the blue sign in the arrivals level.

I think the Santa Monica Bus #14 runs from LAX to Santa Monica.

I believe you're looking for Route 3. ^ You can take that from the LAX Transit Center. Unfortunately, though, the 3 goes through Lincoln which indeed might not be at it's finest this weekend. :(

Traffic will be a mess regardless so don't take a cab (which will probably be stuck in traffic and rack up a big charge) or drive (why subject yourself to torture?). Take the #3 bus. It's easy and cheap and you can sit back and relax on the ride to Santa Monica.

Take LAX Shuttle C to the parking center and walk over to the bus station. Wait for the blue bus to show up (I think it is bus bay 12). The head sign for the bus should say "3 Lincoln Blvd / UCLA" (the other direction is "3 LAX/ Green Line Station Aviation" and you don't want to get on that one).

The fare is $1 per person. There is a luggage storage space in the front of the bus on top of the wheel housing next to the handicap seats. Tell the driver you are getting off in Downtown Santa Monica... most drivers will be more than happy to remind you if you are nice to them (most #3 bus also has recorded stop announcements to tell you exactly where you are).

Most likely, you will be getting off at 4th/Broadway or 4th/Santa Monica if you are staying on Ocean Ave hotels. If you are staying at Sheraton Delfina or Casa Del Mar, you want to get off at 4th/Pico.

I agree with most posters here: #3 is the way to go. bzcat did a very good job of giving detailed instructions, so I can't really add much more.

Carmageddon is coming!!!

I also saw on the news that the airport shuttle companies are offering discounts for Carmageddon weekend. The advantage I see to that is that the bus is limited to a set route (Lincoln Blvd) where as an airport shuttle can take any route and turn off when the going gets tough.

The same would be true with a taxi, but more expensive.

You could try Prime Time Shuttle (http://www.primetimeshuttle.com)or Shuttle2LAX (http://shuttletolax.com).

If you're going directly from the terminal, go to the section for shuttle busses nd get the one for the consolidated LAX transit center (ask if in doubt). The "center" is essentially a large, multi-bay bus stop used by the L.A.,Santa Monica and Culver City bus companies. The shuttle goes there. You don't have to walk, though it sounds like walking from a parking lot is another option. Just ask there or look at the posts by the Santa Monica busses and you'll find one that goes to Santa Monica, dropping you off within walking distance of the Santa Monica Pier. Bus route avoids the 405, but traffic will be heavy. Just be prepared for a long, slow ride. We used this bus when we stayed at the Radisson Hotel near LAX, and walked to the bus center. It's about a block in back of the Sheraton on Century Blvd.

If you have much luggage, then Super Shuttle or Prime Time Shuttle. Again, they won't avoid the traffic but at least you won't have to drive in it.

Google Maps says 9 miles, and estimates 2 hrs. 57 mins. to walk it (with luggage it might take longer). Who knows, this weekend maybe you'd be passing cars on Lincoln Boulevard!

You don't say why Santa Monica, but unless your hotel is in SM, you might consider going to another beach. Manhattan Beach is closer to LAX. I think there is a shuttle there, but if not, I think a regular bus should get you there. On a normal day perhaps no quicker than to SM, but this weekend, maybe better. Check www.metro.net or the public transportation option on Google Maps. Even heading south to someplace like Huntington Beach might be easier, in terms of traffic, since you'd be headed away from the direciton of the 405 closure. Not sure about busses.

I don't think you'll have a problem getting to santa monica. There are plenty of surface streets (i would probably stay away from 405/10 route but check live traffic when you get here) and the main congestion will likely be closer to PCH and 10-feeding streets. I wouldn't worry. Where exactly in Santa Monica do you need to be?

Google Maps says 9 miles, and estimates 2 hrs. 57 mins. to walk it (with luggage it might take longer). Who knows, this weekend maybe you'd be passing cars on Lincoln Boulevard!

You don't say why Santa Monica, but unless your hotel is in SM, you might consider going to another beach. Manhattan Beach is closer to LAX. I think there is a shuttle there, but if not, I think a regular bus should get you there. On a normal day perhaps no quicker than to SM, but this weekend, maybe better. Check www.metro.net or the public transportation option on Google Maps. Even heading south to someplace like Huntington Beach might be easier, in terms of traffic, since you'd be headed away from the direciton of the 405 closure. Not sure about busses.

Can report that Lincoln seems no worse than normal, maybe even a tad lighter so far. All of the hype seems to have scared everyone off the streets.

A friend flew into LAX last night at 10:00 PM. He picked up his car and said he made it home in record time via Lincoln to San Vicente to Brentwood.

Yes. It seems like Carmageddon was a dud. The good thing is, people actually listened.

Probably worked out to be the best weekend ever to go to Santa Monica, seeing as how you probably have everything all to yourself since everyone else stayed away.:D:D

Yup ... I had a friend fly into LAX on Saturday afternoon. He used Prime Time Shuttle (http://www.primetimeshuttle.com)s Carmageddon deal, which was $20 from LAX to anywhere in the valley. He met me in Burbank in 40 minutes ... AMAZING!! He said the driver kept saying how he had never seen the roads so dead. So Thank you everybody for heeding the warnings and staying home!