I%26#39;m spending five days in Los Angeles by myself (happens every two years!), and this time I%26#39;ve booked in 2 nights in Anaheim, then 3 nights staying on Melrose Avenue so I can see another neighbourhood.
My big problems are firstly how to get from Anaheim to Melrose.. how expensive would a cab (taxi) be? Are there any cross-town shuttles (everything I%26#39;ve looked at on-line involves the airport)? Public transport with a suitcase?
And then the big one - what to do around Melrose? I%26#39;m not looking to %26#39;pick up%26#39; as I%26#39;m attached, but I don%26#39;t want to twiddling my thumbs in the hotel room every night like I was for four nights in Anaheim last time.
Any help or suggestions gratefully received..
Travelling from Anaheim to Melrose Avenue - March 2007Good questions!
First of all, where on Melrose (which is a LONG street). I%26#39;m going to guess that you are somewhere near Fairfax Avenue (postal (zip) code of your hotel should be: 90048
Just an aside, Melrose is not an especially great street for public transit because it doesn%26#39;t span the entire city and there are only ';local'; buses running on it (no express buses -- which go faster). BTW, because of the poorer public transit on Melrose, the transfer time between Anaheim and your hotel will be increased and you%26#39;ll have to take one additional bus (if you decide to use public transit)..
A taxi from Anaheim to Melrose/Fairfax will run about $80-$90. You have a number of options besides a taxi. Here%26#39;s a brief overview. Let us know which sounds better and we%26#39;ll give you the details:
1. Municipal bus (no luggage storage and no guaranteed seat!): 2-1/2 hour trip (requires transfers between 2 buses), fare: $3.50
2. Above ground train from the Disneyland area (accessible by a 10-minute taxi ride); 40-minute train ride into downtown L.A. Onboard luggage storage and guaranteed seating. Transfer to local mass transit (metro rail and/or metro bus) or a taxi. Train from Anaheim will cost between $3.50 and $10 depending on the train company you select, the day of the week and whether you are a child or pensioner (or not). A taxi from Union Station to your hotel will cost about $35 (30-40 minutes), The metro rail/bus option will cost $3 (buy a DAY PASS for $3 for unlimited rides). You%26#39;ll need to take 2 conveyances: metro rail + bus or 2 buses (about an hour). Again, no luggage storage or guaranteed seating. Total time in transit (including waiting for connections: 1 hour, 15 minutes to 2 hours at a cost of between $45 and $6.50)
3. Express coach from Disneyland to LAX (L.A. Airport). 40 minutes to one hour (depending on traffic). Onboard luggage storage and guaranteed seating. $19 Transfer to:
a. a Tax -- To Fairfax/Melrose: (30-40 minures: $40)
b. an Airport Shuttle (1 hour and 15 minutes which includes waiting time for this van to fill up and drop off other passengers: $25)
If you stayed in Hollywood (near Hollywood Bl %26amp; Highland Av) you could take the train into Union Station as mentioned above and transfer to red line metro rail and get off at Hollywood %26amp; Highland (21 minutes, $1.25) Total time in transit -- about an hour and 5 minutes at a cost of between $5 and $11.25). It would be good to change your hotel!!
The mass transit system consists of the metro rail and the metro bus systems.
1. Metrorail radiates from downtown L.A. into a number of communities, e.g. Hollywood.
2. Metro bus goes everywhere else.
The cloest thing to a ';cross-town shuttle'; are express buses (buses with numbers that begin with either a 3,4,5 or 7, These buses run on the more popular east/west streets (what you would call ';cross town';) and north/south streets.
Examples of streets with these buses are:
East/West:
Sunset Bl, Santa Monica Bl, Beverly Bl, Wilshire Bl
North/South:
La Brea Av, Fairfax Av, La Cienega Bl., Ocean Av (this last street is in the city of Santa Monica)
Most of the nightlife is in either:
HOLLYWOOD -- Hollywood Bl %26amp; Highland Av
BEVERLY CENTER AREA -- La Cienega %26amp; Beverly Bl
FARMER%26#39;S MARKET/THE GROVE -- Fairfax %26amp; 3rd St
THE SUNSET STRIP -- Sunset Bl between Crescent Hts Bl and Doheny Rd
All of these areas have restaurants, and bars. All but the Sunset Strip have tons of movies, The Sunset Strip is known for its nightclubs.
Your present hotel -- assuming it%26#39;s where I think it is -- is within 10 minutes of all of these 4 nightlife areas, Melrose itself has a number of shops catering to the interior design industry and some boutiques and restaurants.
Hope this is helpful!
Tell us more!!
Travelling from Anaheim to Melrose Avenue - March 2007OMG my head is spinning and I see why you are the expert for LA.. My hotel in Anaheim is Carousel Inn and Suites. 1530 S Harbor Blvd Anaheim, CA, 92802 and my hotel in Melrose is 7950 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90046.
By the looks of it, either going back to the airport or perhaps two buses or the downtown train via Union Station appear to be it.
Its definitely not a taxi; I emailed one company (Kamel or Karmel?) and after I supplied the addresses, they quoted me $150.
The two night stay in Anaheim is free so no point changing hotels..
Thank you very much for your help.
You would be very close to the Grove/Farmer%26#39;s Market
http://www.thegrovela.com/
http://www.farmersmarketla.com/
They%26#39;re connected. The Farmer%26#39;s Market has lots of little food stands that you could eat dinner at by yourself and not feel weird. Lots of good people watching at both.
If you like sushi, try Azami
http://www.azamisushi.net/info/index.html
Very close to your hotel. Sushi chefs are both women (pretty rare), and they have a great omakase (chef%26#39;s choice of sushi/dishes) for only $45.
There%26#39;s lots of trendy shopping on Melrose, as well as great restaurants in the Fairfax/Melrose/Beverly district.
You are close cab rides to either the Improv or Groundlings comedy clubs, as well as the smaller theaters in Hollywood, around Santa Monica Blvd, if you%26#39;re interested in plays.
Why not consider renting a car?
agree with the Farmer%26#39;s Market idea. Other good eating on Melrose:
Red Pearl Kitchen, LaLa%26#39;s, Anarkali, depending what food you like.
At the Farmer%26#39;s Market, you%26#39;ll have it all. Great choice.
Go see a movie at the Chinese theatre (main) or the Arclight (any)/ Better with a car, though.
Hi, Canterburygirl
Well, it looks like I guessed correctly. Your hotel is 1 block west of Melrose and Fairfax and, therefore, all of the recommendations I made are valid. The Farmers Market/The Grove area is a lot of fun and there are tons of buses on Fairfax that can take you there from your hotel (go southbound and get off at Fairfax and 3rd St -- 6 minutes). The same buses will take you to the Sunset Strip area (go northbound and get off at Sunset Bl -- 8 minutes -- and walk west 3 blocks) and to Hollywood (continue northbound and, eventually, eastbound, until you reach Hollywood Bl %26amp; Highland Av -- 12 minutes).
Have a great holiday!
Danny S is absolutely right.
Canterburygirl, a car in Los Angeles is as essential as the tube and buses are in London. It%26#39;s how the locals get around!
It%26#39;s impossible to over-exaggerate how much more fun you will have if you have a car in LA. Yes, it%26#39;s that simple.
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