First timers

[mumsthebigkid]

Hi all ☺️

Couple of first timers for the west coast here 👋 Have taken a leap of faith and on a whim booked a cheeky 5 night trip to LA in Jan 2022 for mine and the hubby’s 50th (I know it’s short, but have a 3 week Aug/Sept 2022 in Orlando🤞🏼

Direct flights with BA and staying in Anaheim. Planning to do 2 days at Disney, 1 day at Universal and the rest driving around beaches and tourist hot spots.

So after looking at Goggle maps travel times, I’m starting to noticed that estimated travel times are not realistic, and travel from Anaheim to Hollywood can be around 60-90 minutes each way (Google tells me around 40 minutes, YouTube vlogs implying longer 🥴

Looking for advice from those in the know, if it would be better to move last 2 days hotel stay, closer to a Universal area as a base, with a view to minimising travel times?

Also, if anyone has any suggestions on hotels for the 2nd part stay, with ‘inexpensive’ parking charges that would be absolutely fantastic. So many districts I have no idea where to start looking 😩 We are not looking at top end hotels to be honest. As long as the hotel is clean, safe with places around we could walk to for food/drinks would be ideal. Given the short time we are there, I don’t anticipate we will spend lots of time in our room.

Any others hints or tips to help us get the most from our whistle stop trip would be so greatly appreciated 😌 Thanks in advance guys 👍🏼

[dx4100]

LA traffic isn't great. Google Maps will give you the best idea on travel times - make sure you set the departure time to get proper estimates.

You would be well advised to get a hotel close to Disney for the first part and then a hotel near Universal / Hollywood etc for the second part.

Always better to be close to were you want to visit.

You could even do three hotels.

Disney / somewhere in LA and then maybe Santa Monica.

From Santa Monica you can walk from there to Venice beach and back along the beach path. Better than driving I really loved doing that when I went.

From Santa Monica you can pick up the LA in a day tour which I did and loved.

[cornishfrogboy]

Nothing is cheap in LA.

I would suggest the Hilton at Universal as this is what we have booked in order to have one day in Universal and a day in nearby Warner Bros Studios.

Many recommend the not too far away ‘Tangerine’, but I have no personal experience and in any case intend having a Cocktail or 5 in Margaritaville.

What I would certainly not do is single centre it for accommodation. Driving is very congested, particularly at the times you may want to move.

I also agree with the above poster re Santa Monica.

It is important to realise and understand that LA is huge and with severe congestion issues. In honesty, it is not a City that I like.