JerryFF

It sounds as if you are going to LA because it is a well known city, but to be honest, I think many people would say it is not as interesting as many other places in California, especially southern California. There are the theme parks - Disneyland and Universal Studios, but they are not actually in LA. There is the whole Hollywood/Beverly Hills scene that you have probably seen on TV, and there is the beach scene - Venice of course is very unique. But as has been said several times, everything is very far away from just about anything else and public transportation is nearly worthless.

San Diego, on the other hand, is much more compact and easy to get around. There is Balboa Park and the zoo, the Wild Animal Park, and Sea World. Downtown, there may be a baseball game and the Gaslamp District for restaurants and entertainment. La Jolla is just north and well worth some time. And Coronado and the Coronado Hotel on the beach is also worth a visit.

Since you are coming in April, this is the best time to visit the desert when the cacti are in bloom. There is truly nothing like it in Europe. It is just an hour or two outside of San Diego - especially Anza Borrego.

aBroadAbroad

No. Even if you get a really, really cheap rental car, you'll still need to pay for gasoline, which is running over $4 a gallon in this area. Depending what you decide to do in the LA area, you may find yourself paying for parking, too. Most of the attractions in LA also charge entry fees, and some are costly. You should also count on spending about four hours on the road just getting there and back. The odds of it taking even longer are high.

So, unless you have a travel buddy who might want to split the transportation cost with you, I don't see a day trip to LA coming out at anywhere near $40... although a rental car is definitely your cheapest option for transportation.

Also, I agree with other posters that, unless there's something specific you want to do/see in the LA area, it's really not worth the time and expense of adding it to your itinerary.

For example, if you wanted to be able to say you've done Disneyland, you could take a very early train to Anaheim, hit the main attractions in the park, and take late train back.

You can also reach Burbank by rail, where you can do a tour of Warner Bros. Studios.

Or, take the train to Union Station, switch to the subway and go to Universal Studios (again, not cheap) where you get both an amusement park and studio tour experience.

All of these require paying for your train ride along with some fairly hefty entry fees, but they all represent the sort of quintessential LA tourist activity.



~mrs.

baggio777

I am going to San Diego on my own so there is no one else to share rented car with. It means cost of the trip to LA would not be cheap.

After reading all of what was written I think I will focus on exploring San Diego.
Nevertheless, if I will find any good offer for car rental or sth else I may decide to visit LA.

Meantime, can you please point what is the best to see in San Diego?
I've checked and La Jolla, Balboa Park and Hotel Corondao look preety good so I definetely want to see it.

I would like to also do some shopping. So are there any good shopping malls there (maybe some outlet centers?)?
I've heard that clothes are much cheaper in US than in Europe.

Uh Clem

Plenty of shopping and outlet malls in San Diego. It depends on where you are staying so check with your hotel. I recommend you try some Mexican food. Much better Mexican food in Southern California than anywere in Europe with the exception of the "Patio Restaurant" in Berlin but that closed down in 1989. It may help if you posted more info on what you are hoping to do. Scuba dive, surf, snorkling, sailing, nightlife, etc. If you're into aviation, there's a nice aviation museum in Balboa Park.

TWA884

San Diego has one of the best, if not the best, zoos in the world.

baggio777

I will probably stay somewhere near to Montgomery Field.
It is quite northern area of San Diego as I've checked and it's about
10miles from Balboa Park, San Diego Bay etc.

What would you recommend as the best means of transport?
Most efficient. Public transportation?
Is it well connected with down town?

I've been thinking about going to the Padres Game?
What do you think? Where to seat at Petco Park?

cbn42

I'm surprised that so many people are trying to discourage you from coming to LA. If it's your first time in the US, then LA is definitely worth seeing (not trying to imply that San Diego isn't, but it's a much smaller city).

Greyhound charges $18 from San Diego to LA, each way, and takes slightly under 3 hours. You can book in advance at greyhound.com. The bus will drop you in downtown LA. The public transportation system in LA is not comparable to New York or London, but it does cover most of the major tourist attractions. If you get a hotel in downtown for the weekend, then you can easily go to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monica beach, and many of the major museums by metro or bus.

mlshanks

While Amtrak is the *obvious* way from San Diego to Los Angeles by rail... It is not the ONLY way. There are two commuter rail services that might be just what you are looking for... especially as the combined ticket price is EXACTLY the $40 you stated as your budget.

From San Diego, the North County Transit District's commuter train the COASTER runs North to Oceanside station. Which happens to be as far South as the Los Angeles metropolitan commuter rail service, METROLINK, operates. The former is a $5.50 fare....the later a $14.50 fare. While the seats are not as comfortable...and there's no lounge care serving overpriced junk food like on Amtrak, the commuter services will get you between the cities fairly promptly. (...and if your really need a junk food snack en-route, there's a Burger King 1/2 a block away from the Oceanside station...)

And no, I would not take a Greyhound bus... The service is lousy, the other customers are scary, the stations & buses are filthy, and Los Angeles station is in a terrible neighborhood that is not particularly convenient for transferring to local transportation.

azepine00

i would strongly advice any first time visitor to LA to rent a car
there are some places that can be accessed by metro and buses but it would require a lot of homework to plan

Doc Savage

You should consider how you plan to get around San Diego - are you going to be able to function for your work there without a car? You could rent a car for the full time you are in the US for about $350. Nobody in Southern California goes without a car, really.

jerry305

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction...alifornia.html

It's not perfect, but it's a good start.

And, absolutely, do not take public transportation in LA, or to LA, to save money. You will waste your vacation.

SWCPHX

Petco Park is a great venue to see a game. Before paying walk up ticket prices or going through Ticketmaster or a similar site, check Stubhub.com. You can probably find a ticket for below face value. I would sit anywhere other than the outfield bleachers.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

San Diego has a lot of outdoor activities. Don't forget about Mission Bay, and Torrey Pines State Park.

SoCal

Do you feel that renting a car would be too expensive overall, including for during your stays in LA and SD, or just for the trip between the two cities (due to one-way rental costs)? When my wife and I needed to get from LAX to a hotel in downtown SD, renting a car turned out to be the cheapest, but we dumped the car in SD the same day (high parking fees where we were staying in SD, near the convention center).

You don't say what you define as best (e.g., comfort, or cost or avoidance of driving) but seem disenclined to rent a car. If so, Amtrak is best, IMHO, followed by bus. Metrolink commuter trains cost less than Amtrak, but would get you only as far south as Oceanside (maybe rent a car there?). SD is a bit more compact than L.A. (a term many use to define not just the City of L.A., but also the wider County of L.A. and even much of Southern California, including Orange County), so easier to see using public transportation, though if you want to go to outlying areas (e.g., La Jolla, SD Wild Animal Park), it's not easy. It took me an hour to get from the convention center area to the Scripps/UCD aquarium in La Jolla using light rail and bus. Even getting to Balboa Park using bus wasn't quick and easy, but no parking fees, either. Certainly lots of organized tours to any attractions you can think of in either SD or L.A.

For L.A. County public transportation check www.metro.net. BTW, I would not give up L.A. if there are specific things you want to see there. Tons of places to see, and not just Hollywood and theme parks.

baggio777

After all what I have read here I think I may rent a car.
Can you please tell what is worth seeing in LA to get LA's essence?