I was very excited to hear that LA Metro train and bus routes have now been incorporated into Google Maps, following the example of OCTA (Orange County Transit Authority), whose routes have been on Google Maps for a while, and other public transit systems around the world. This is a great advancement, especially for tourists who would like to depend on public transportation to get around. It actually works better than the Metro website to calculate a route from here to there.

The only problem is that the other 20 public transit systems that serve Greater Los Angeles are not incorporated. So if the most direct route is via a LADOT (LA Dept of Transit) bus or Metrolink train, you're out of luck. In fact, when plugging in a route from Belmont Shore in Long Beach to an address in Bixby Knolls about 5 miles away, the Google Maps public transportation route takes 2.5 hours via Seal Beach, Norwalk, and Lynwood before coming back to Long Beach. It includes 2 buses and a Metro train. I could walk it faster, or take 2 Long Beach Transit buses, which takes 15 to 30 minutes.

The best option I've found for planning trips on public transportation is http://socaltransport.org, which now incorporates multiple transit systems. It's not perfect. It doesn't include all 20 systems, but it's the best I've seen so far, and can route you from a Santa Monica bus to a Metrolink train to an Orange County bus, if necessary. Unfortunately, it doesn't show you the route on a map, so you can't really see if it's the most direct route. It also doesn't seem to include LADOT buses, but since LADOT doesn't even have an online trip planner for their own buses, it's hard for anyone to incorporate them into an online system.

More:

• LA Public Transportation Guide
• How to Ride the LA Metro
• List of LA Public Transportation Systems

Happy 4th of July to all of you visiting LA today, and everyone who lives here too. Be aware that although fireworks are on sale in some smaller cities within LA County, it is illegal to set them off in most parts of the county, including virtually all the beaches. To see whether the city you are in permits fireworks, check this list from the LA County Fire Department.

If you are still looking for something to do, check my Guide to July 4th in LA and OC.

However you choose to celebrate, please don't drink and drive. The auto Club of Southern California is offering their Tipsy Tow service to take you and your car home if you're too tipsy to drive. Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call 1-800-400-4AAA for a free tow home of up to seven miles until midnight July 4th. Visit www.aaa-calif.com.

Photo © 2006 Kayte Deioma, courtesy of www.KayteDeioma.com

After much debate, Staples Center has been chosen as the venue for an official public Michael Jackson Memorial, scheduled to be held Tuesday, July 7 at 10 am. The event will also be simulcast on screen at the Nokia Theatre at LA Live! across the street. Free tickets to both venues will be distributed in a random drawing. You must register at StaplesCenter.com by 6 pm Saturday, July 4th to have your name placed in the drawing. 8750 names will be drawn to receive 2 free tickets each to either Staples Center or Nokia Theatre. You must have a ticket to be admitted to the venue area. There will be NO broadcast on the outside screens. The family has announced that there will NOT be a funeral procession. The service will be broadcast live on local television stations.

For more information and to register visit www.staplescenter.com.

You can find out about all the big 4th of July celebrations around the Southland from parades to music festivals to fireworks in my guide to the 4th of July around LA, but there are some smaller festivities that might be of interest as well.

The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda will be hosting a weekend-long celebration with patriotic music and daily visits from George Washington.

In addition to the more formal festivities in Long Beach, you can watch the 5th annual "Great American 4th of July Bike Parade" along 2 miles of beach bike path. Bikes take off from Granada Ave and Ocean Blvd at 10 am for the 2 mile out and back course. The most patriotic bikes and riders will receive prizes.