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Old 18 Aug 19, 11:40 AM  
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Bad Pink Tink
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Join Date: Aug 19
Solo In LA - An Overview of My Annual Escape To LA LA Land

Introduction
I've been travelling to LA every June since 2009. I have friends in California, some who live in South Pasadena and some who live in North California. I travel solo, some years I have stayed in AirBnB, some years I stay in a hotel. I meet up with my friends and depending on their schedules we go shopping and hang out. On the days I dont meet up with my friends I do various touristy things in LA.

Where To Stay In LA
Over the last 10 years I have stayed at
  1. Backbackers hostel in Santa Monica
  2. Comfort Inn near LAX airport
  3. Comfort Inn Santa Monica
  4. Santa Monica Motel
  5. Kawada Hotel in Downtown LA
  6. Milner Hotel (now closed and reopening as The Wayfarer Downtown Los Angeles in October 2019)
  7. AirBnB South Pasadena
  8. AirbnB in Hollywood near Hollywood and Vine Metro station
  9. Travelodge in Hollywood near Vermont and Sunset Metro Station

How I get Around
I dont drive so I use public transport
  1. Supershuttle from LAX and to LAX
  2. Underground Metro
  3. Metro and Hollywood DASH buses
  4. Pacific Surfliner train from LA to Anaheim

For the underground metro and city buses I use a TAP card which is basically the same as Oyster card in London. You can buy it at the self service ticket machines in an underground station. I use the Pay As You Go and top up either online before my trip or during my trip at the self service machines. Just like the Oyster Card, the LA Tap card is valid on underground Metro trains, over ground Metro trains, LA Metro Buses and Hollywood Dash Buses.

I use Google Maps to plan my routes. When you click on an underground Metro station on Google Maps it will shown you the train route. Bus stops are also marked on Google maps.

Things To Do and See
Over the last 10 years I have been to
  • Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street Promenade
  • South Pasadena Old Town
  • Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Chinese Theatre
  • Hollywood and Highland Mall
  • Universal Studios and City Walk
  • Warner Bros Studios Tour
  • Paramount Studios Tour
  • Sony Pictures Studio Tour
  • The Grove and Farmers Market
  • The Museum of Tolerance
  • Psychiatry: An Industry of Death Museum
  • Amoeba Music Shop
  • Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
  • La Brea Tar Pits

I book as much as I can in advance direct with places.
I fly Aer Lingus direct from Dublin to LAX, I usually book in January for my June trip as Aer Lingus usually have a January sale.
I book and pay for SuperShuttle online
I book the hotel direct through the hotel website. If anyone is interested in the 2 AirBnB's I have stayed in, let me know, I would recommend both of them.

Unless I am with my friends I dont go to bars and clubs and I am usually back at my hotel around 7.30pm as it is dark by 8pm.

If I am out later than that I make sure one of my friends will drive me back to my hotel, I don't use public transport or ride shares like Uber or Lyft when it is dark.

LA is like any major city, you need to be very aware of personal safety, especially if you are a solo female traveller. You should research areas as often in LA nice areas are just 2 streets or blocks from not so nice areas.
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Old 18 Aug 19, 03:47 PM  
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baybeeuk
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baybeeuk's Reviews
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Restaurant Reviews: 2
This is so helpful as I’m going solo to l.a. In October! No friends though, just me ha
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Old 18 Aug 19, 04:12 PM  
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Bad Pink Tink
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Originally Posted by baybeeuk View Post
This is so helpful as I’m going solo to l.a. In October! No friends though, just me ha
oh cool, well feel free to ask me anything about solo in LA, its starting to feel like my second home now
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Old 26 Aug 19, 01:55 PM  
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lizzie145
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Join Date: Mar 07
Location: Devon
im debating whether to book a solo trip for disneyland and universal next year. People complain about the costof WDW but LA seems more expensive.
Though i have a sort of timeshare that i book in Orlando but will have to book a hotel in LA so the cost will be more anyway.
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Old 26 Aug 19, 07:06 PM  
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Bad Pink Tink
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Join Date: Aug 19
Originally Posted by lizzie145 View Post
im debating whether to book a solo trip for disneyland and universal next year. People complain about the costof WDW but LA seems more expensive.
Though i have a sort of timeshare that i book in Orlando but will have to book a hotel in LA so the cost will be more anyway.
it only seems more expensive as with LA / Disneyland you have to book everything yourself and everything is a separate charge, where as with Orlando most people book a package with a travel agent.

With hotels both in Anaheim and LA my budget is $130 or less per night, I usually average around $120 a night

Disneyland tickets I get through an authorised discount reseller.
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