Expert: Steve Summers - 11/28/2007

Question
Steve,
I am planing our family trip(me,husband,2kids girls 9/11. We are staying in Anaheim but I am renting a car..I am planning on going to Disney 2-3day/knotts1-day/universal 2days? We are going over Easter 19-29 of march. How far is universal from Disney and how the weather? Bathing suits? Also I would love to go to San Diego how far again from Disney? Travel time to Hollywood also? great places to eatin/out of the parks?  What else you you do for a great vac?? Any help would be great..Allison

Answer
Hi Allison,

Universal is about 35 miles from Disneyland in Anaheim. Allow at least an hour travel time.

The weather in springtime is usually excellent. However, some years we get a lot of rain in March. It's too early to tell how it will all pan out this year. Temps are often in the 70's and 80's during the day, and 50s and 60's at night. Definitely YES on the bathing suits, even it rain is forecast. I've seen kids playing in the hotel pools in all temperatures and weather conditions (even rain).

San Diego is about 95 miles from Disneyland. I would almost recommend staying there for a couple days. You have Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Old Town San Diego, and other areas to explore. The best web site EVER for local info is www.localwally.com.

If you're going to SD, you might as well get a CityPass. It offers admission to Disneyland Resort (3 days), Universal, San Diego Zoo, and Sea World. I think there's an additional admission, as well. You can get them from a number of web sites: Disneyland, Universal Studios, or citypass.com.

Travel time to Hollywood is about the same as travel to Universal City, since it's just north of Hollywood. "Hollywood" isn't that great, it's really more of an idea than an actual place. It's an industry, like any other, except that the product is entertainment. So, there's not much of "Hollywood" to see, except the Chinese Theater, the Hollywood/Highland Complex, and maybe the El Cap. Do a google search on El Capitan Theater to see what's playing there when you're in town. It's a grand old theater from Hollywood's Golden Age, now owned by Disney. They show Disney movies there, and usually have some sort of pre- or post-movie entertainment.

I consider the whole Universal thing to be part of "Hollywood". One thing to see while at Universal is City Walk, which is a great place to shop and dine. You can leave the park, walk to City Walk, and then go back in. I've always liked Gladstone's 4 Fish and Tony Roma's, but Hard Rock Cafe is also a great place to check out. Enjoy.

At DLR (Disneyland Resort), I always call 714-781-DINE to make reservations for sit down eating. We especially like Carnation Cafe on Main St. However, Cafe Orleans has become a favorite spot for a late dinner on Friday or Saturday, because you can stay and get a very good spot to watch Fantasmic. If you want to splurge, eat at the Blue Bayou, the restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Once again, call well ahead of time for the BB, it fills up days or weeks ahead of time. There are good character meals at Goofy's Kitchen (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) in the Disneyland Hotel, as well as the Plaza Inn inside Disneyland (breakfast only). Plaza Inn has some excellent fried chicken dinners. The only better fried chicken is at Cordelia Knott's restaurant outside Knott's Berry farm. There are also some very good restaurants in Downtown Disney. Rainforest Cafe is very popular.

I'm also going to include my list of top ten activities for LA. This should give you enough ideas to fill out your vacation. There's a bit of overlap from what I've already written, but it's a compilation of the most popular attractions here:

Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once)

Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. Check out eBay. You can find some discounted tickets there. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park.

Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Mann's Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. I have also added the Hollywood & Highland complex to my top ten list… it has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory, unlike the Chinese, which was essentially gutted and turned into a multiplex.

Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.

Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best.
Here you'll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore.
Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it's a short bike ride from:

Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and "Three's Company" come immediately to mind).
After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach.

Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Downtown Santa Monica's shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.

Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world's most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars' posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the "Sunset Strip" on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods. Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone's for Fish.

Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she's been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price.

Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner.
Farmer's Market is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping "The Price is Right". You might even get in.

Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.

Getty Museum - The Getty's architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you'll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free.

Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It's very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the tonight show. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.

Places to eat:
In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.
Pink’s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. Might see a celebrity.
Tommy’s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. Original location at Beverly & Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.
Canter’s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly & Melrose. Near CBS, might spot a celebrity.
Phillippe’s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station, Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it’s hot.

Places to Stay:
In Hollywood, I recommend the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel and the Farmer's Daughter Hotel.
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. If you don't need to stay by the park, then stay at the Doubletree on Harbor, or even the one in Orange on Chapman.
In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.

Places to Shop:
South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa
Fashion Island, Newport Beach
Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica
Citadel Outlets, Commerce
Beverly Center, Los Angeles
The Block at Orange, Orange
Ontario Mills, Ontario

Have fun!

Steve