I need your LA tips!

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

We're heading to Los Angeles on holiday at half term. DH has been before with work, but I haven't. We'll be taking the DC (11 and 8). Can you give me any tips and/or recommendations for things to do/avoid? Also, any fantastic food finds?

I'm planning on just going native immediately. We're landing at around 8pm local time, so will head straight to the hotel and bed. It's coming back that I'm expecting to be painful

You'll be fine arriving that time, hopefully all tucked up at 10pm (at border control there is normally a man going around putting people with kids into a shorter queue so the louder they are the better). Every time we went through it was really busy but my parents had really short queue's.

Website for Getty Museums (there are now two)

www.getty.edu/index.html

You should all be in your room hopefully by around 11.00pm; it can take around 90 minutes to arrive in the Hollywood area from the airport.

Going west is okay as you gain time; its when you fly from west to east that the jetlag issues arises.

(BTW mumblechum if it is 7.30am here it will be 15.30 hours in Japan. That 12 hour flight eastwards is a real long one. I can only suggest that he goes out to get some fresh air after arriving at the hotel; if he happens to be flying into Narita then he's looking at a further 90 minute journey into Tokyo).

Yeah, I'd second the fact that you should be ok jetlag wise going out - expect a fortnight of interupted sleep when you get back! I found I was waking at 4am starving hungry, because that was the time I would have been eating my evening meal in CA!

I was in LA for a month in June and used public transport the whole time. I'd recommend staying in Anaheim for the time you are at Disney; we got a town car from Anaheim to LA for $80. Getting round LA is absolutely fine and quick using either the underground and buses, we got from downtown to Santa Monica in 20-30 mins on the bus. In fact, I always prefer using public transport when travelling as you get to overhear and experience so much more. The www.metro.net website lets you plan your journeys.

Myself and my dd loved the Getty Centre, Museum of Contemporary Art (downtown), The Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach, The Grove, Santa Monica pier, Farmer's market (next to the Grove).

Have fun!

I highly recommend this for planning a day at Disneyland:

www.ridemax.com/

We were there during a very busy day near Easter and went on almost everything we wanted to without ever waiting more than 20 mins (and mostly much less). However, it does depend on being there EARLY (about 7.30am, if I remember right), taking a break back in your hotel in the afternoon, then going back again early evening. I'd really, really recommend staying right by the gates so you can there early and take a break. And give California Adventure a miss unless it has come on a long way since Easter this year.

We more or less passed LA itself by, but really loved the Getty Center. We also stayed in Laguna Beach, which is lovely and very nearby once you are at Disney.

Having said all that - October should be MUCH quieter than when we were there, so the planning and timing to reduce queues will be less important.