13 Hrs in LAX
 

I'll be arriving in LA at 11:30 next Monday, and laid over until 12:55 Tuesday Morning. Don't want to spend the day at LAX, so, does anyone have any ideas how to kill 13 hours?

This was my situation a couple of years ago en route home from SYD. A friend picked me up and we went to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for shopping, people-watching, cocktails and dinner. Very enjoyable. If you don't have a friend in LA, perhaps other FTers can estimate the LAX-BH taxi fares for you.

There must be 50 threads and hundreds of replies for this topic. Skip the taxi as it will be far too expensive. Just rent a car for $20-$30 and drive around. There's 1000's of things to do in LA. Post what you are interested in and we can give support.

Stimpy's correct. Give us more details re: what you're interested in (walking along the beach, shopping on Rodeo Drive, eating at fab restaurant, clubbing it starting early, going to a museum-you get the idea), if you're willing to spend $$ for cab or 1-day car rental, etc, & we can come up w/ some suggestions. You can also do a search. Cheers.

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Sharon

Have a look at my post on FT Airports for LAX:

http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ft...ML/000083.html

Some great things to do, but definitely don't hang out at the airport for that long!!

take a tour, rent a car, get some zzz's, grab a taxi to somewhere nearby if ur not up to driving or being stuck in a tour. Some of the tours are great value and relatively cheap.

For some ideas on taking a tour, see:

http://www.la-tours.com/

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 05-01-2003).]

I have similar lay overs at LAX. My tactic is to get a day room at a nearby hotel. Shower, sleep, swim and tidy up and then back to the airport. For me it is a lifesaver.

Bradford, as I reread your post, am I correct in understanding that you'll be there from 11:30am Monday to 12:55 Tues. just after midnight? Or 11:30pm Mon. to 12:55 Tues. noontime?

If you do the hotel route, you can probably get the Crowne Plaza for $31/night on Priceline... they have flexible check-in times, as early as 7am.

If you rent a car, and you get it from one of the lesser known companies, double check the hours of operation: Advantage, for one, closes their office at 9pm. That means the shuttle driver is in his own car at 8:59..... so don't expect a ride to the terminal after 8:30. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/frown.gif That will cut into your plans a bit.

You may want to post on FT Community.... and a good natured local may even escort you for part of the day. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif Public transportation is OK if you're going to somewhere on the train lines: into downtown or to Hollywood. There's also Rapid Bus service along Wilshire Blvd. from downtown through Beverly Hills (past Rodeo Drive) to Santa Monica. Or Route 4 travels from downtown along Santa Monica Blvd (near Hollywood) through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills to Santa Monica. From Santa Monica there is Big Blue Bus service to the LAX transit center. Blue Bus Route 3 travels from Santa Monica to LAX every 30 min, and the last one leaves Santa Monica around 11:15pm, arrives 11:54pm, and you catch your flight.

Schedule for the Santa Monica to LAX route: http://www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/...eek=weekdays#b

LA Metro subway map: http://www.mta.net/metro_transit/met...system_map.htm

Metro Rapid Bus route map: http://www.mta.net/metro_transit/rap.../rapid_map.pdf

Route 4 bus schedule: http://www.mta.net/metro_transit/tim...es/004-304.pdf

Good luck!!

[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 05-01-2003).]

Just a word of advice: Drive carefully at night around LAX.

LA is my hometown, and it's pretty safe most of the time if you know where to go. But there are some areas near LAX I will avoid at night. I can recall at least two recent incidents that rental car drivers got lost on the massive LA freeway, exit the wrong place and unfortunately got carjacked/shot.

I notice your flight leaves late at night. I will be extra careful driving near east of LAX.

ridiculous

Yes if you too far east, you would be in a bad area, but it's not like you'll automatically get shot there. You'd really have to stand out and do something dumb to get attention from the wrong people.

Plus, you'd have to be pretty blind to not notice all the planes landing to the west of you. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

It's not ridiculous if you read the news more often.

Last year a Canadian exited the wrong freeway. He was parking his car near a freeway exit trying to read his map. Someone carjacked and shot him.

Two years ago, there is a German tourist near Santa Monica got shot.

As I say it’s rare, but it happens. I fly out of LAX often, and I took a lot of red-eyes. I would never take certain exits on 105 at night; especially I drive a nice car.

And in what major city with a major airport won't you find individual occurances.

These are not common occurances at LAX. The way these comments are being phrased is like LAX is a dangerous thug infested carjacking
airport which is far from the truth. Yes, don't drive thru South Central but then again, in any city don't drive in the wrong areas... common sense

he won't have a nice car, at most he will have $30 a day rental... some sort of Geo or 3 Banger plymouth horizon..

I used to live 7 miles from LAX, never a problem and have been to other airports that are much worse.

Just be aware of your surroundings as you would anywhere else

My son lived east of LAX (Inglewood) and worked on Century Blvd. for several years, still owns a condo there next to the Forum, and a short distance from South Central. Believe me, you'll know when you get close to the "bad area." But if you're not a gangsta wannabe, just look straight ahead and drive on through.

13 hours... fly to Vegas, gamble and come back... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...um/biggrin.gif

Gaucho! That's the best idea yet. You are already at the airport and inside security, so you've already done the hard part of getting to blackjack tables. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif