FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - The "LAX Airport Hotel Questions/Suggestions" Consolidated Thread
Old Apr 18, 2007, 2:04 pm
  #72  
iapetus
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Originally Posted by kef0913
Sounds like some fun things to do. Unfortunately, getting from the airport to Hollywood is not easily done via our limited Metro. Literally, to get over there you would need to take a shuttle from LAX to the Green Line station, then the Green line all the way across L.A. to Union Station downtown, and then the Red Line up into Hollywood. If you take the flyaway to Union Station you could shave some time off that. All told you are looking at 1:30 - 2:00 hours of travel time and a bunch of walking once in Hollywood. Here is a sample routing from MTA. I think they are being generous in saying that it would only take you 1:15 to get to Vermont/Sunset. That of course requires hitting your connection downtown just right.
Sorry, kef0913, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with this. Your route on the Metro is all wrong. Strictly speaking, to get to Hollywood from LAX on the Metro would require taking the shuttle to the green line, the green line to the blue line to the red line. Of course, that's all moot, as the FlyAway bus to Union station has made this routing obsolete. ^

I'd take the FlyAway to Union Station; I'm a huge fan of this service. It really does take only 30 minutes to downtown from LAX once the bus has left Terminal 7. I'm always amazed at how spot on that time is. From Union Station the red line train to Hollywood should take only 20 minutes, but you might have to wait that long for a train (at the most).

Originally Posted by kef0913
Not to mention that "jetting" over to Pinks requires a car, the bus, a taxi or teleportation, since the metro doesn't go very near Melrose. The Nearest station is Hollywood and Highland. The walk down to Pink's wouldn't be too bad at about 1.6 miles and all slightly downhill. Of course, that means when you go back to Hollywood and Highland you would be walking all slightly uphill. You could walk it, of course, but your schedule is so tight. Really reconsider renting a car for your limited time.
But, fly4funsea, I do more or less agree on this. Where you want to go is much closer to the Hollywood/Highland and Hollywood/Vine stations, particularly Amoeba (which I think is worth the trip, personally). This might all be much more feasible if you were to stay in the vicinity of one of those stations. And, getting down to Pink's will be something of a schlep without a car. But, you should be able to get there on the Metro's 212 or 312 from either the Hollywood/Highland or the Hollywood/Vine stations. Just expect that it'll take slightly longer having to wait for the bus and all. Check out Metro's website. Clearly, public transportation is slower than not having your own car. But, if you're willing to put up with that and the advance planning that is required, it is doable.

Originally Posted by kef0913
Another thing to consider is that Hollywood, other than the immediate vicinity of Hollywood and Highland and the areas near the Hollywood sign, is not a great neighborhood.
This is, unfortunately, true. It's not horrible, but I wouldn't exactly classify it as safe. But, you will be there during the daytime, is that right, fly4funsea? I wouldn't worry too much about the area during the day. The hotel might be a little sketchy, though.

Just make sure this will all work with your time frame. I'd hate to have you spend all your time on buses and trains when you could be enjoying southern California! If you think it will be tight, you just might want to consider going to Santa Monica, Venice or Manhattan Beach for the day, as kef0913 suggested.
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