Stay Where You Play
The most important factor in choosing a hotel for your visit to Los Angeles is location. You may think you're getting a bargain by booking a hotel away from the tourist centers, but when you calculate how much of your visit you will have to spend sitting in traffic to get where you want to be, it may not be such a good deal.Of course, where you want to be depends on what you are planning to do. Some people recommend staying in one hotel for your entire visit, so you can get unpacked and settle in. I would only recommend this if all or the majority of your chosen attractions are close to each other. Otherwise you'll waste hours of your precious vacation time sitting on the freeway.
Most of the things you are likely to want to do in the Los Angeles area will fall into a few geographical areas. The following sections describe each area with links to more information on attractions and hotels.
Hollywood
If you're coming to Los Angeles to see Hollywood, go to nightclubs and fine restaurants, see TV shows being taped and see movie stars' homes, then staying in the heart of Hollywood is your best bet. This is the area around Hollywood and Highland where you'll find the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre.There are a variety of accommodations from youth hostels to three star hotels (trying hard to be 4 star) within a few blocks of this intersection. From here you can pick up most tour buses, go to nightclubs and theatres up and down the strip, or take the Metro to Universal Studios Hollywood or Downtown LA for more options. In general, staying west of Vine Street is preferable. Hotels listed in East Hollywood are in a somewhat less desirable neighborhood for tourists, although it is improving. If you're in town specifically to attend a TV show taping at CBS Television City, like The Price is Right, there are a couple nice hotels in the Fairfax district (near Fairfax and 3rd) right around the corner from the studio. There are also hotels near NBC/Universal Studios which provide easy access by Metro to the heart of Hollywood and Downtown LA.
West Hollywood/Beverly Hills
Although there are fewer specific attractions in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, these two cities, completely surrounded by the City of Los Angeles, have the highest concentration of trendy boutique and luxury hotels. The primary appeal of staying in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills are nightlife (particularly gay nightlife and the live rock music scene in West Hollywood), fine dining, and high end shopping and spas. West Hollywood hotels are reasonably convenient for visiting Hollywood attractions.Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown is where you want to be if you're coming to town for a convention or a sporting event at the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, or Staples Center. L.A. Live, near Staples Center and the LA Convention Center, has brought additional entertainment venues, restaurants and nightclubs to the area. Downtown is also a great place for a performing arts weekend getaway at the Music Center or a visit to the historic and cultural center of LA. You can walk from El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Site, home of the oldest house in the city and a Mexican marketplace, to Chinatown and Little Tokyo. For shoppers, there's also the Fashion District, Diamond District, Flower District, Toy District and the bustling Mexican shops along Broadway among the elaborate old movie palaces. Hollywood is just a 15-minute Metro ride away.Disneyland
Disneyland is one of the top tourist draws to Southern California, and if you're planning to visit Disneyland, it makes sense to stay nearby. You can get a shuttle from Hollywood or Santa Monica to Anaheim, but to get the most out of a Disneyland visit, you'll want to arrive early and stay late, possibly with a break in the middle of the day.The Disneyland Hotels are naturally the most convenient, being inside and adjacent to the park itself, but there are plenty of less expensive options surrounding the park, some even within walking distance. There is an Anaheim Resort Shuttle that picks up at area hotels and drops you at the theme park for a small fee so you can avoid dealing with Disneyland parking.
Los Angeles Beaches
The LA area has over 80 miles of beaches. Santa Monica is the most popular tourist beach. It has the widest selection of hotels and nightlife within walking distance and plenty of shopping. It's also convenient for accessing the quirky boardwalk at Venice Beach to the south, or the more scenic Malibu beaches to the north. If you're looking for something more low key, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach, known collectively as the South Bay Beach Cities, have more of a beach town vibe and are popular with surfers and people looking to get away from the feel of being in a big city.- Venice Beach Attractions
- Things to Do in Santa Monica
- South Bay Beach Cities
- Find hotels in Santa Monica, Malibu, or South Bay Beach Cities.
Long Beach
Long Beach has a nice waterfront, marina and plenty of nightlife, dining options and other attractions besides the Queen Mary oceanliner hotel and attraction. There is plenty of sandy beach to lie on if you're not planning on going in the water. However, a breakwater eliminates any wave action. Although the water usually passes bacteria screenings, it often has a petroleum residue, so it's not the most pleasant option for swimming, although the lack of waves makes it less scary for kids.- Things to Do in Long Beach
- See Top Downtown Long Beach Hotels
- Search for hotel availability in Long Beach
Orange County Beaches
In Orange County, you'll find most of the surfers at Huntington Beach, bikini babes and resorts at Newport Beach and a thriving arts community and nicest landscape in Laguna Beach.Pasadena
Pasadena is a city just northeast of Los Angeles which is closer to Downtown LA than many LA City neighborhoods. Although it is best known for the Tournament of Roses on New Year's Day, there are plenty of year-round attractions including excellent museums and gardens that make Pasadena worth a visit any time of year. If you're a frequent LA visitor, it should definitely find a place on your itinerary.Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA is not really near any other attractions. It's about 30 miles north of Universal Studios Hollywood, which takes about 35 minutes without traffic. Rush hour traffic is usually going the other direction, but it's unpredictable. If you're planning to visit Magic Mountain, you'll probably be there the whole day, so you might want to stay at one of the hotels surrounding the park in Valencia or Santa Clarita.Poll:What part of town do you prefer to stay in when you're in Los Angeles?Continue to Booking Strategies for Getting the Best Hotel Rates in LA
- Hollywood
- Downtown LA
- Beverly Hills
- West Hollywood/West LA
- Santa Monica
- Disneyland Area
- Long Beach
- South Bay Beaches
- Orange County Beaches
- Valley/Suburbs
See where others like to stay in Los Angeles.
