I'm thinking we'll do the Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica. With the buy two, get one free weekend offer, we can get three nights for under $400. Location looks great, hotel looks good in the photos, and Google maps says it's only about 15-20 minutes from LAX.

If you are not wed to Starwood for this trip, ssullivan, I would recommend the Le Marigot JW Marriott Resort in Santa Monica. I stayed there recently and was very impressed.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-santa-monica/

The wait to get in can get long and the service is meh but I had a brand new server/actress wanabe. Good atmosphere though.

I've stayed at that Hyatt before. Last year was there for a conference, and was "upgraded" to a family suite, complete with bunk beds, child-sized furniture, and toys. Fortunately there was also a parent's bedroom in the suite, with more adult furnishings. Nice room, just laughed at the upgrade when I saw what it was.

Yeah , it is pretty close to LAX , you can take the 405 to the 90 or the 10
or just take 1 straight from Airport .

I have only been to the Pasadena Yard House once or twice , I was usually at the one in Costa Mesa and sometimes at the one in SAN .

Looks like a great place! Unfortunately the rates are even higher than those at the W for that weekend.

I love how in California freeways aren't just referred to by number, but have "the" in front of them. In Houston we'd just say "Take 45 to 59," not "Take the 45 to the 59." Is there any place outside of California where "the" is used in that context?

Thank you Jerry!

I have never thought about it until now, but I certainly can not think of anyplace beyond Cali.

The UK does too "Take the M1 to the M....."

In The NJ
we have The parkway , The Turnkpike
Route 1 9 usually said 1 and 9
but as far as the Interstates it is usually Route 80 , or 80
or 78 West

ETA: What about Atlanta , Do you just take The Peachtree ?

There's ALWAYS something going on in Santa Monica, fun place ^

Promenade has lot's o restaurants,shopping, bars and characters
Then there's the pier at Santa Monica

Like a 5 buck taxi ride from the Delphina to about any of it

Wait till locals tell you to take the freeway name not the number-
take the golden state freeway to the pasadena intersection exit at the long beach freeway, go 3 miles get on the san diego freeway and you're almost there

It's been years since I've driven in southern California. What used to get me was looking at the rental car map (aren't those useful:rolleyes:) which has the freeways marked with the route numbers. There you are driving along thinking, "okay the exit I need is coming up soon..." and see a sign for the Santa Monica Freeway. (no route number) How in the hell am I supposed to know where Santa Monica is in relation to where I'm going???:mad::rolleyes::mad::confused::mad::rolley es:

Then there's just Route 1 which people in other parts of the country call either US 1 or Highway 1. I-95 and then simply 195 and 295 and just the number for everything else except the Rt 78 and 80 stuff as you mentioned.