Information on Los Angeles?

Question

We are visiting for the first time in April and are staying at the Rennaissance Hotel in Hollywood. I have read mixed reports on the area and would like to get some real advice. We wanted to do some sight seeing like the Universal Studios, Mullholland Drive, Rodeo Drive and maybe a couple of Stars Homes. Also I would like to go down to Venice Beach for a few hours. Obviously we dont know how far away these places are and would be prepared to take a taxi. If the area is bad then it would be good to do our sightseeing during the day and then get back in evening in plenty of time to eat locally without us being unsafe. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

i've heard that is a nice hotel.

the area can be dodgy, but it's hardly the barrio. just keep your wits about you, especially at night. get a good map and know where you are going.

all of your sites of interest are in close proximity (for LA anyway.) you'll enjoy all of those locations.

send us a postcard.

Answer 2

The Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood is a newer hotel, it's a nice hotel steps away from Hollywood Boulevard, which has improved quite a lot over the years. The hotel is located at Hollywood and Highland (it's a shopping complex with some upscale designer stores). It's also the location of the Kodak Theatre where they hold the Oscars every year. So the area is o.k., scale of 1 to 10 i'd say it's a 6.5. The boulevard is very touristy and not nearly as dirty as it was in years past, they've cleaned up the area quite a bit.

The location of that hotel is in close proximity to Universal Studios, and Mulholland Drive is nearby also (although I don't recommend going there - it's just a twisty street with a sheer cliff - the views are nice but I wouldn't recommend trying to navigate it (EXPECIALLY at night). Instead there is a Japanese restaurant called Yamashiro that has exactly the views you would want to see without risking your life on Mulholland Drive.

Rodeo Drive is West of where you will be staying, it is close enough for a cab ride but the traffic will be a headache I'd approximate $30.00 give or take a few dollars for a cab ride one way.

Venice Beach is much further away (15 miles +) ($45+ cab ride one way).

There are restaurants all over Los Angeles, many are very good. But here's the trick -

Every restaurant in Los Angeles county is "graded" A, B, C. ... Every single restaurant, and they display their blue letter (A grade) in the window. I suggest you only eat at A restaurants, no matter where they may be located. Only a B if there is no A around, and under no circumstances do you Ever eat at a C graded restaurant.

And speaking of crime, the city is relatively safe in the places you will be going. Venice Beach isn't really the safest place to visit, but a lot of tourists still go.

Cheers.

Have fun.

Answer 3

That lengthy answer up there is really great. Listen to that and follow it. But to add, the crime level where you'll be staying is relatively low during the day. There are however a multitude of cops and tourists patrolling the streets. They've gotten a lot better at keeping crime away recently. I still would recommend you don't go out past about 10PM walking and if you're coming on a weekend, maybe even driving as you'll get cruisers who like to cause problems. Venice Beach is a lot of tourists and a lot of sideshows. Interesting place. Not much, though. And it's about 20 miles away. I really wouldn't recommend a taxi bc those do tend to get VERY expensive really fast. Especially that you don't know your way around they'll pick up on it and take the scenic route to places. You'd be much better off renting a car for about $30 a day from enterprise or budget or something similar. Most are unlimited mileage so it'll be ok to drive the distances. If you aren't used to traffic then get really prepared before driving here. People are notorious here for being VERY aggressive drivers. And the other person was right, don't do Mulholland Dr. It's a super narrow and super dangerous street that's really not much of anything. You'll also probably get lost. And as far as seeing stars homes, you can purchase a "Map of the Stars" from a vendor sitting at a little booth up and down Sunset Blvd. in Beverly Hills. From Hollywood, go West on Sunset to run into Beverly Hills in about 10 miles. Those maps will cost about $10-15 bucks and are really informative and easy to follow. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

LA has a travel bureau website, with a lot of great information about what to see and do in LA. Check out www.seemyla.com

For the most part, LA is very spread out and even when locations are close to each other, traffic always slows things down. So always plan things with plenty of cushion time. As far as safety, LA is not as dangerous as portrayed. You should also consider renting a car to drive yourself around, because taxis are not very much in demands in LA and can get pretty pricey driving around in heavy traffic. I'd say try to fit as much as possible and have fun!

Answer 5

Check out the Beverly Garland hotel. It is not in hollywood but very nice. it is just over the hill a few miles away. You make reservations for the tour for the Hollywood homes, some will even pick you up at the hotel. Have fun.