I'll pass through LAX with a 7 hour layover next month and although I can use the new QF lounge in TBIT or the AA lounge at T4, 4-5 hours is too long for me...I visited Santa Monica and Venice Beach about 15 years ago so more than happy to go back, or Manhattan Beach(?). What are the buses/taxis/traffic like on a Sunday?

I arrive at 0625AM, and allowing an hour or two to get off the plane (I'm in Y), pass through immigration, baggage reclaim, customs and re-drop my bag, that still gives me about 4 hours to kill before having to be through security ahead of a connecting flight to IAH at 1325. Breakfast in Santa Monica or somewhere similar sounds more appealing.

Any advice or alternative suggestions welcomed!

Traffic is relatively light on Sunday morning. I would take a taxi to Santa Monica (~20 minutes). However, be advised that many places don't open until 10AM or so on Sunday for brunch.

On the way back, traffic will be thick, although not gridlocked. Give yourself at least 30 minutes. There is a taxi stand at Broadway and 2nd street at the Santa Monica Place mall.

For a change of pace, good restaurants, smaller crowds and fewer tourists, you ought to give a try to Manhattan Beach. It's only about five miles from the airport.

^ Thanks - will give this a go :)

Hello fellow Fts

Two quick questions for LAX, hope this thread is appropriate:
1) <please see this question in the 2014-15 Consolidated LAX Connecting / Connection / Connections thread>

2) We will have 2 nights in LA. One full day and second day flight is leaving at 7pm. On the full day we want to take a tourist tour (bus ride with star visits, LA downtown etc), second day shopping and then airport. What location / area would you recommend for a hotel? Airport hotel with shuttle? Or something more downtowny? We don't intend to rent a car and don't want to go to the beach.

Thank you for your insights and suggestions.
W

In the Los Angeles Times today:

Have a layover coming up on Thursday as part of a mileage run. Flight lands at 9:30 AM and leaves at 11:30 PM same day. Never been to LA before so just looking for suggestions on what to do with ~12 hrs to kill :D

Would it be worth it to rent a car for the day and try and catch some touristy things? Or should I just spend the whole day on Manhattan Beach?

Any advice is appreciated!

You will run out of things to see in Manhattan Beach after 45 minutes so I suggest you rent a car and do the typical tourist thing ^

This thread has plenty of good ideas.

12 hours is a long time, especially to be trapped in Manhattan Beach. Check out Santa Monica and possibly drive up and down PCH for a bit.

^

Hey all,

I've been thinking it would be fun to head down to L.A for the day or so. Looking at Alaska's cheap flights out of YVR, I'd arrive at LAX at 9am, and would likely catch the return flight departing at 8:25pm. This would leave me with just under 12 hours to spend the day in L.A. Anything in particular you'd recommend I go to? I likely would not bother to rent a car.

Thanks!

If you don't want to rent a car, I would recommend staying near Wilshire Blvd due to frequent and reliable bus service. Check this thread for things to do in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Petersen Automotive Museum, La Brea Tar Pit/LACMA - all along the 720 bus route.

Something like this:

1. Take LAX Shuttle C, get off at the first stop outside airport (it's officially the stop for "cell phone waiting lot")
2. Walk across Vicksburge Ave to the "City Bus Center"
3. Take the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus #R3 (or the slower #3) toward Santa Monica - $1.25 about 45 minutes
4. Get off the bus at 4th street/Colorado (in front of the Santa Monica Place Mall)
5. Do whatever you want in Santa Monica... walk to the pier, visit the beach, rent a bikeshare and ride it to Venice Beach etc. Read the rest of this thread for some ideas.
6. When you are ready, go to Wilshire/4th street and catch the Metro Rapid 720 bus (they are red/silver). You can take this bus to Beverly Hills (get off at Wilshire/Rodeo 30~40 minutes), or Petersen/LACMA/Tar Pits (get off at Wilshire/Fairfax 40~50 minutes).
7. Do the reverse to get back to LAX (or Uber)

If you are here after April, you can also easily each Downtown LA from Santa Monica via Metro rail. It will make visiting the California Science Center (to see the Space Shuttle) really easy and painless.

What??? When did it go up to $1.25? I was just on the BBB a month or so ago and it was a buck!

Yesterday.
And now, back to our regularly scheduled program.

TWA884
Moderator

Thanks!! I've looked through the remainder of this thread as well and gotten some good suggestions! I'll likely try and fit in some of the "touristy" things up on Hollywood Blvd as well, see Grauman's Theater etc.