Expert: Steve Summers - 5/7/2008

Question
Good morning from Memphis!!! Me and my mother will be taking a vacation together to LA the end of this month. I am pretty aware of where to shop and what to see but I have been having the hardest time finding where to stay. Initially, I thought the airport area would be alright. I have visited Miami several times and tend to stay in the airport vicinity. While I know its not the nicer neighborhoods it keeps us close to the airport. With that being said, I hear LA traffic is pretty bad and that staying near the airport would not be ideal. Most people are telling me to stay in Santa Monica. But I did research and its pretty expensive. My mother prefers a "one door" entrance to the hotel and a suite. I have looked at Torrance and have been told that its too far from where "I would want to be" please help. We will be renting a car so driving is not a problem and we would prefer not to be more than 30 mins from LAX!!

Answer
One of the trademarks of LA is that everyone drives cars. The main reason is that everything is so far apart, and the public transit system is slow and inefficient at this time. When people visit, they tend to stay in Santa Monica, Hollywood, or Anaheim, depending on their budget and itinerary.

In Hollywood, I recommend the Renaissance Hotel at Hollywood and Highland, the Best Western Sunset Plaza, or the Holiday Inn Walk of Fame. Universal Hilton is also another option.

In Anaheim, I recommend the HoJo Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience.

In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced. Loew's is very nice, but pretty expensive.

One thing you'll find out quickly is that LA is not like Miami. As I mentioned, everything here is spread out. The airport is just not a nice neighborhood. Century Blvd is mainly for business travlers who won't leave the hotel. The only thing there are hotels, fast food joints, and strip clubs.