Hi all,

I don't post very much but enjoy trolling through the topics. Great reading for us DL nuts. It's so great I have this forum to come to for my "problem." We are planning our annual trek to So. Cal, which, of course, includes our stay at the Grand. Our 12 year old wants to see Hollywood and I want to take the children to the Aquarium of the Pacific before we check in at the resort. (Once we get on property, I feel we are paying for every second of our stay, so I don't like to leave.) I have been searching the web for hotels in the Long Beach area and there are so many to choose from. Some of you are "lucky" to reside in beautiful So. Cal and I would appreciate some advise or help as to what areas to look in (or avoid) for hotels. Safety, proximity to beaches, Aquarium and Hollywood are what we are looking for (and probably in that order). We will have and 8 and 12 year old with us. Thanks a lot;)

Ooops! The title reads "a couple night". I wish!! It should read "a couple of nights.

Depending on what beaches you want to go to, it might be worth looking somewhere besides Long Beach to actually stay (I'm not entirely sure how many good swimming beaches are around the port)....maybe something in the South Bay would be better? There are lots of hotels around LAX (about 20 mins from LB, and probably 30-45 from Hollywood)....nice beaches in Redondo, Manhattan, El Segundo.....and it may be safer :)

I would agree. Long Beach is a good day trip, and they have a pretty good combo for the Aquarium and the Queen Mary. Also Shoreline Villiage (near the Aquarium is nice. Great Mexican restaurant there.

Long Beach is not a typical California style beach because it is more a bay than the ocean. No waves and not a decent pier. Long Beach is also not the safest town in So Cal, but if you stay right on the coast, at one of the big hotels right by the convention center, you will be fine. There are also bed and breakfasts around too. But don't get anything even a few blocks from the beach, It gets very scary very fast.

Manhattan/Hermosa Beach south of LAX are much nicer, but very young adult (lots of bars and beautiful people). They aren't particularly kid friendly.

What's in "Hollywood" except t-shirt shops and male hookers? I guess the El Capitan, but there's a lot of more interesting places to go. You might even consider Universal.

The Getty Museum is a must see as is the Griffith Observatory. If you MUST go to Hollywood, take a quick stop at Hollywood and Highland to see the hand prints and where the Oscars are held, and thats about it.

Manhattan/Hermosa Beach south of LAX are much nicer, but very young adult (lots of bars and beautiful people). They aren't particularly kid friendly.

I disagree....I grew up in the area around Manhattan Beach, and it is kid/young adult friendly. I wouldn't recommend Hermosa on a weekend, but as far as beach going, swimming, enjoying the sun, there's no problem in Manhattan or Redondo....(and Redondo has a pretty decent pier as well)...

Another vote here for the South Bay beaches (Redondo, Manhattan, Hermosa)
I am a huge fan of the Aquarium (we have APs there as well as Disney) but if you are actually wanting to go on the beach, I would go to the South Bay. In addition to the fact that it is more of a bay/harbor area, Long Beach also tends to have poor water quality grades.
We take our kids to Redondo/Hermosa/Manhattan all the time, and have always believed it was kid friendly. The only place that I might not take the kids would be the Hermosa pier area at night (but only because it has mostly bars/clubs, not because of any danger)

Personally, I like to take the kids to Hollywood. Hollywood and Highland is a good place, because they have the walk of fame, Manns Chinese, Kodak Theater (home of the Oscars), and a Ripley's Believe it or not Museum nearby, which the kids usually like.

I hope you have a good trip!

I grew up in Manhattan Beach and have lived the last 21 years in Long Beach. A good choice would be the Marriott in Long Beach by the convention center if you want to be close to the Aquarium, Shoreline Village and The Queen Mary. Be very careful, some of the hotels in Long Beach look good on line, but if you go one or 2 blocks in the wrong direction, you're in gang territory. My kids go to high school on Atlantic Ave. and I've often wondered who would stay at some of those hotels on Atlantic, so I googled them and they look like beach side resorts on line. They are in horrible neighborhoods, it would not be safe to be out at night. The hotels by the airport are safe, just not a "pretty" view or neighborhood But close to freeways and easy to get around from. The beaches in Huntington Beach are nice and family friendly. Bolsa Chica is a fine choice. The beaches in the South Bay are beautiful, we're just used to heading to the O.C. beaches now.

I can't express how helpful all this info has been. Really, though, I think my dauther just wants to see the Hollywood sign. She is a Cali nut, we live in the NW but she wants to go to UCLA, eyeeeee, out of state tuition....scary.:eek: Ripley's Museum sounds really cool, and the Kodak Theater. My search continues for a hotel...previouse padder was correct, all the hotels on the web look really good. Thanks to trip advisor, though, you can get some truthful reviews.

If you go to Hollywood and Highland and the Kodak Theater, there is a great view of the Hollywood sign there. You cannot actually get to the Hollywood sign itself, but you can get relatively close if you go to Griffith Observatory, which is a cool place on it's own.

I would agree. Long Beach is a good day trip, and they have a pretty good combo for the Aquarium and the Queen Mary. Also Shoreline Villiage (near the Aquarium is nice. Great Mexican restaurant there.

Long Beach is not a typical California style beach because it is more a bay than the ocean. No waves and not a decent pier. Long Beach is also not the safest town in So Cal, but if you stay right on the coast, at one of the big hotels right by the convention center, you will be fine. There are also bed and breakfasts around too. But don't get anything even a few blocks from the beach, It gets very scary very fast.

Manhattan/Hermosa Beach south of LAX are much nicer, but very young adult (lots of bars and beautiful people). They aren't particularly kid friendly.


I got a four star hotel (we'll see), the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, on Priceline for $110.00 per night. Hopefully I did okay and not too far from the "stuff" we want to see. Then to the wonderful world of Disney!!:D

I got a four star hotel (we'll see), the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, on Priceline for $110.00 per night. Hopefully I did okay and not too far from the "stuff" we want to see. Then to the wonderful world of Disney!!:D

I grew up not far from the Hyatt Regency. At the Priceline price you got, girl you did excellent!! If you don't believe me, check out their reg rates. :D If you want to explore Newport. . . If you stay on Jamboree (where the hotel is) and drive towards the ocean, you'll cross PCH and go down a hill. Stay in the middle lane and you'll drive over a small bridge which will bring you onto Balboa Island. IF you can find a place to park (side streets are your best bet), there's some great walking and very cute shops (and ice cream!) right there on the island. Or, you can take your car onto the ferry and take the ferry over to the peninsula and check out the beaches there. (And if you want a good hair cut, PM me and I'll send ya to the best hairdresser on Balboa!;) )

Enjoy your trip!

She is a Cali nut, we live in the NW but she wants to go to UCLA, eyeeeee, out of state tuition....scary.:eek:

Ahhh, but here's the secret: She moves to UCLA, gets a local job, pays state income tax, gets a CA DL, tee-dah! In state tuition. ;) I don't remember what all there is to it but I knew people at UCI that did it.

Stay in the middle lane and you'll drive over a small bridge which will bring you onto Balboa Island. IF you can find a place to park

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Former UCI sorority girl. I spent many hours looking for parking on the Island...

(side streets are your best bet), there's some great walking and very cute shops (and ice cream!) right there on the island. Or, you can take your car onto the ferry and take the ferry over to the peninsula and check out the beaches there. (And if you want a good hair cut, PM me and I'll send ya to the best hairdresser on Balboa!;) )

Another vote for the Balboa Island Ferry just because it's kind of fun. Then you can drive from the Newport Peninsula back to PCH and get back to Jamboree.

Adrienne

Thanks for the good tips. We can't wait to leave. June seems so far away. As for UCLA, I am hoping my daughter does get accepted, gets a degree in Art, lands a job at Disney Studios, and, baby, we are in!!!!!!!:D

HI There,

I suggest getting a hotel in one of the South Bay cities. Freeways are easily accesible and then you're in between Hollywood, Beaches, Long Beach, and Disneyland.

Depending on price of hotels that you want here are some suggestions (check Torrance for cities when looking for hotels)

Super 8 Motel on Sepulveda Blvd (my nephew stays there when he is in town). There is a nice Mexican restaurant about 1/2 block away called El Paso Cantina and it's about 2 miles from the Del Amo Mall. It's about 5 miles west on Sepulveda and you'll hit Redondo Beach and be near the Redondo Beach pier. There's also Madrona Marsh (although it's pretty dry right now) nearby where the public can go walk through and see some of the migratory birds.

Marriott in Torrance. Right near a Border's bookstore if you're a reader. Also, in walking distance to Del Amo Mall and plenty of restaurants too.

There's also a Residence Inn on Torrance Blvd still in walking distance to the mall but I haven't stayed there.

Those three hotels are within a couple miles of the three major freeways to get you down to Anaheim or up to Hollywood.

Places to go besides Disneyland and the LB Aquarium - I agree with going to Redondo or Manahattan Beach over any of the Long Beach area beaches. Also, Santa Monica and Venice - the Santa Monica pier has Pacific Park with some kiddie rides and games. The Hermosa Beach pier - sometimes you'll see dolphins riding the waves around the pier.

In Hollywood, you can do the Hollywood Stars Walk of Fame, Kodak Theater, Mann's Chinese Theatre (it will always be Graummans to me) and El Capitan Theater together since they are right near each other. Next door to the El Capitan is the Mickey's Fountain Shop which is an old fashion style ice cream parlor with a Disney theme.

hope this helps
Carolyn

Ahhh, but here's the secret: She moves to UCLA, gets a local job, pays state income tax, gets a CA DL, tee-dah! In state tuition. ;) I don't remember what all there is to it but I knew people at UCI that did it.

I don't know about CA, but in AZ it's more difficult than that. DH and I lived and worked in Tucson for over a year before beginning at the UofA. Even with that we had to apply, and then formally appeal, for residency status. If we had started classes when we first moved here I don't think we would have gotten residency before getting our bachelors degrees.

In Hollywood, you can do the Hollywood Stars Walk of Fame, Kodak Theater, Mann's Chinese Theatre (it will always be Graummans to me) and El Capitan Theater together since they are right near each other. Next door to the El Capitan is the Mickey's Fountain Shop which is an old fashion style ice cream parlor with a Disney theme.

hope this helps
Carolyn

Actually, it's Grauman's Chinese Theater again. Mann went bankrupt in 2001.

I am actually thankful for this info as well. We are heading that way June 8th and we are planning one full day in Long Beach. We debated for awhile on leaving the night before and staying in Long Beach....but I don't think we will now! I am unsure about the area and would hate to stay some place that is not "nice"!

I got a four star hotel (we'll see), the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, on Priceline for $110.00 per night. Hopefully I did okay and not too far from the "stuff" we want to see. Then to the wonderful world of Disney!!:D

That's a nice hotel. It used to be called the Hyatt Newporter and was coming up on Priceline all the time in the $39 range, but then they totally remodeled it back to what a Hyatt should be. Thing is, Newport is almost closer to Disney than to Long Beach, so it's not right where you wanted to be, but it's prettier. Oddly, I was going to suggest the Hyatt Long Beach :)

Your kids are about the right age to enjoy the La Brea Tar Pits (Page Museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles) which is a detour of about 5 blocks on your way from Long Beach to Hollywood.

Katprint

Your kids are about the right age to enjoy the La Brea Tar Pits (Page Museum, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles) which is a detour of about 5 blocks on your way from Long Beach to Hollywood.

Katprint


I had forgotten about the Tar Pits. I just visited their website and you are right, the kids, especially our son, would love it. (And I love the price of admission.) ;)

Any info on art museums in the area?

Long Beach is dangerous in some areas down near Cherry Avenue etc.. North Long Beach.

You can also get lost, if you are not familiar. I always try to be out of there by dark, or head toward the Seal Beach side where it's safer.

If you must stay overnight in Long Beach--these three are the only hotels I'd, personally, consider.

1. Hyatt Regency Long Beach
2. Coast Hotel (which is right next to the Queen Mary)
3. Queen Mary Hotel.

I had forgotten about the Tar Pits. I just visited their website and you are right, the kids, especially our son, would love it. (And I love the price of admission.) ;)

Any info on art museums in the area?


In Exposition park right near USC there is the California Science Museum (or Space Science), African American History Museum, and I keep thinking one other museum but can't remember. Near LA Brea Tar Pits is the LA County Museum of Art and in Long Beach is the Latin American Museum of Art.

The only museum you need to see is the Getty Center. Parking is like $5, but the museum is free.