Great Hotel Location for Exploring LA for a Couple of Days
My daughter and I recently took a cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver. We decided to go to LA a couple days early to relax and explore the area other than Disneyland where we have already visited. The concierge (Albert) was super and full of great suggestions. He advised us that for $5 hop-on-hop-off trolley fare we could go south to Manhattan Beach. Ticket good for 24 hours. Got on the trolley in front of the hotel. What at great place. We visited the beach front area and the shops. Got back on the trolley and got off at the Manhattan Village shopping center for awhile. Nice place also and a great little restaurant with happy hour drinks and appys at really good prices. A rum and coke for $2.95 The next day we took Albert`s advice again and for $1.00 we got a city bus just across the street from the hotel parking lot. Sure it took us through the city north to Santa Monica but that was interesting also. Trip was about 30 minutes going but more on the return trip as we got caught in the rush hour traffic. Beware - you need to leave the Santa Monica area by about 2:30. We left at 3:00 and we were in the beginning of the busy traffic. But...Santa Monico is really nice. An entire area is cobblestone pedetrian area only with bistro tables and street musicians and lots of great boutique stores for shopping as well as a mall with Nordstroms. Of course, the pier at the beach area has the Palisades Park with ferris wheel and roller coaster too ! Both of these very inexpensive options were a great adventure. Loved both Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica. You can swim at both places but for us in May was still too cool but there were some people on the beach and in the water. Looked like there were life guard towers also. For sure all along Manhattan Beach.