need help-where should i stay and how much should i bring to Los Angeles?

Question

i'm flying out next friday morning and leaving sunday evening. i have never been out there just taking a weekend trip to look for jobs, i am from the east coast. how much do you recommend bringing to cover food, drinks, hotel for two nights (3 star nothing fancy). probably cab fare as well and maybe some sighseeing. any help is really appreciated

Answer 1

Job hunting in Los Angeles on the weekend can be pretty tough. Most professional businesses aren't open on the weekend. And coming in on Friday is tough because if you are flying from the east coast, unless your flight is really early you won't arrive very early. Just getting out of LAX (the main airport) is a nightmare!

Flying into LAX I would rent a car rather than take a taxi (unless you have an appointment at a specific firm - then by all means do everything to get there on time!). If you don't have a driver's license LA will be a real shock! You really need a car to get around as public transportation is very different than ont he east coast. Taxis are available at the airport, but for most of the rest of the city you need to call them and have them come and pick you up. And distances and driving times make fares very high.

If you are going to a specific business, look at a map (maps.google.com or mapquest.com) and see where in the city they are located. Then call the human resorce person at the place your going to ans ask them what hotels are near by that they would recommend. If it's a large enough firm, they may have a discounted rate for their visitors.

If you have no plans, then I would recommend you stay in or around Santa Monica. It's very near the airport, but there is a wonderful pier and lots of beach attractions within walking distance. You can get a real feel for 'Southern Californian' life in Santa Monica. Food can be pricey if you are on the beach, but I would say you can still expect to spend about $8 for a hamburg and fries. Dinners are more expensive than lunches, so if you can, eat a bigger lunch and get a 'lite' plate for dinner. Expect to spend about $20 for dinner if it's the full plate. Go to maps.google.com and type 'hotel' in the first search box and "santa Monica" in the second to see a visual map of exactly where hotels are, which are rated 3 stars, and then you can call the hotel and ask for their 'best rate'. Then compare that rate to what you see on Orbit.com or Expedia.com. One that sounds like what your after is

Holiday Inn-Beach-At the Pier
120 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, California
[phone]

Here's a recent review:
"We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Santa Monica in early September. We loved how it was so close to the pier and 3rd Street Promonade. The attractions at night at the promonade are absolutely amazing and worth seeing. We spent a bit of time in the Santa Monica Place(Mall) across the road and also there is a Sears next door which was also handy. We only ate our breakfast at the restuarant in the hotel as there was so many other places to try for lunch and Dinner. The only drawback of the place is the noise when you are trying to relax at the pool. The rooms are spacious and are kept very clean and up to date."
Looks like it runs about $170 a night. Others a bit further inland would be cheaper.

Answer 2

I am going to LA for a few days in march and im only staying for 3 days. I researched everything, and im bringing $700. but that includes the flight. i'd say somewhere around $400-$500.