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Original poster

Los Angeles alone with no car?

113 replies

ilyana · 30/07/2023 17:28

Would LA be a rubbish holiday for a single woman who doesn't drive? I've always wanted to go and do the Hollywood stuff, tacky tours of celebrity houses, and just spend some time relaxing and being somewhere new, but I've always been put off by not being able to drive and hearing that the public transport there is either non existent or dangerous. The transport issue is why I've been back to NYC many times and still never been to LA.

Has anyone been, and how did you find it?

OP posts:
Borntobeamum · 30/07/2023 17:37

We will be in LA next week. With a car.
We love having the freedom to visit other places - Glendale, Griffiths Observatory, The Grove and Farmers Market, Santa Monica, Rodeo drive etc and it’s so much easier with a car.
Of course you could do it, but I think I’d enjoy it more with a car.

Horriblewoman · 30/07/2023 17:38

It really is a car city. I’ve done it as a single female but relied a lot on Ubers to get around which isn’t ideal.

JamSandle · 30/07/2023 17:39

It would severely limit what you can do but you can always get ubers.

LondonMummer · 30/07/2023 17:41

Honestly it's not the place to go without a car. The beach is miles from Hollywood (which is pretty crap anyway tbh) the studios miles from that etc etc. plus I personally don't think it's the safest city as a single female. There are so many better places.

TizerorFizz · 30/07/2023 17:44

Many places are spread out. You might be able to join tours. Definitely the star’s homes. Some of the tacky things truly are. The best of LA is accessed with a car. Eg the Getty Centre, Malibu, Santa Monica, various beach areas and restaurants. Uber is possible but public transport isn’t.

Keykaty · 30/07/2023 17:45

Use Uber. Or do as I did as a mad twenty something and get the bus to Disneyworld in Anaheim!

Your accommodation might be able to arrange a car and driver for the day if you can budget for that.

There are tours/trips you can take all over the place. Hotel will arrange.

anon2022anon · 30/07/2023 17:46

I've done it without a car but not as a single female- DP and teen. Absolutely fine, got Ubers mainly and the odd bus. The Uber drivers were super friendly, and one of them actually took us to the Magic Castle as his guest for breakfast- a once in a lifetime experience. In general, LA was such a friendly place.

anon2022anon · 30/07/2023 17:48

We actually walked the first day that we got there to the local Target, that wasn't far away on the map. An hour and a half later we admitted we had guaged it wrong 😂

Thethingswedoforlove · 30/07/2023 17:56

uber and tours. We didn’t have a car there. PRking and traffic is someone else’s prob if you let them drive you! Will be totally fine. We chose to not drive even tho we had a car.go for it i say!

HundredMilesAnHour · 30/07/2023 18:08

I went to LA as a single woman (I do drive but I didn't want to drive there - I wa living in Asia at the time so hadn't driven for a few years and felt too rusty). I stayed in Venice Beach (near Rose Avenue) in a small house (I booked an apartment but they upgraded me to the house next door). I got taxis to LAX and back (super easy from Venice as it's not far) and I did various small group day tours (so to Hollywood, homes of the stars, Griffith Observatory, The Grove etc) that picked up /dropped off from Santa Monica which was walking distance from where I was staying. I spent quite a lot of time hanging out on Abbot Kinney (even made some friends there!) and in Santa Monica as well as enjoying the beaches. I loved it. I didn't use Uber/Lyft as the time as I really like walking. I loved an evening stroll along the boardwalk and beach back from Santa Monica pier to my house in Venice. I had a great time.

Original poster
ilyana · 30/07/2023 18:23

Thanks for the comments! I am also thinking about staying in Santa Monica and just kind of soaking up the vibes!

I'm also wondering if potentially I should wait until this writers' strike is over, as one of the things I'd enjoy is going to one of the late night talk shows or something else entertainment-related, and it looks like they're all off air for the moment?

What are the prices like for Uber there? For example, if I stayed in Santa Monica and wanted to go to Hollywood for the day, what kind of price would it be each way?

People have mentioned that other places are better with no car as a solo female - where would you recommend? I'm also looking at San Diego and considering possibly combining that with LA.

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 30/07/2023 18:39

What are the prices like for Uber there? For example, if I stayed in Santa Monica and wanted to go to Hollywood for the day, what kind of price would it be each way?

As always it depends on time of day but you're probably looking at $70+ each way. It's 15 miles so not a short distance. Which is why some of the small group tours work out very cost effective for single travellers.

Don't forget that one of the LA metro lines also stops/starts in Santa Monica and is cheap to use. I'd probably avoid it at night but fine for daytime.

SofiaAmes · 30/07/2023 18:48

I live in LA. You can do things without a car, but it's either expensive (Uber) or unpleasant and takes forever (public transport). Unfortunately our light rail system deteriorated during covid and it's really not so safe or pleasant. Busses are ok and plentiful, but take a long time from one end of town to the other. For example, Santa Monica to Hollywood is showing to be 1.5 hours by bus (involves one transfer) on a Sunday morning (ie no traffic). It's also in the 90's right now, so walking (or waiting at a bus stop) isn't super pleasant either.

And as you noted, the actors and the writers are on strike, so no talk shows being recorded. I would wait until the fall or go to San Francisco.

Original poster
ilyana · 30/07/2023 19:02

HundredMilesAnHour · 30/07/2023 18:39

What are the prices like for Uber there? For example, if I stayed in Santa Monica and wanted to go to Hollywood for the day, what kind of price would it be each way?

As always it depends on time of day but you're probably looking at $70+ each way. It's 15 miles so not a short distance. Which is why some of the small group tours work out very cost effective for single travellers.

Don't forget that one of the LA metro lines also stops/starts in Santa Monica and is cheap to use. I'd probably avoid it at night but fine for daytime.

Goodness me, I definitely do not want to be spending that! That's nearly my entire daily spending budget when I'm in NYC! I get breakfast, lunch, dinner and subway fare for that, and sometimes a boat ride or museum entry! I definitely would only pay that if stranded or stuck.

The metro actually looks fairly extensive...I hadn't even realised there was one! If anyone has been on it, what's the service like? Is it reliable and what kind of waiting times are there for trains?

I'm wondering if it might be more sensible to stay in Santa Monica initially, since it's handy from LAX, do some relaxing beach time, and then move somewhere closer to all the Hollywood stuff (if there's anywhere nice/safe to stay round there?) and do that?

Has anyone taken the bus from LA to San Diego? Is it OK or really dodgy?

OP posts:
Original poster
ilyana · 30/07/2023 19:05

SofiaAmes · 30/07/2023 18:48

I live in LA. You can do things without a car, but it's either expensive (Uber) or unpleasant and takes forever (public transport). Unfortunately our light rail system deteriorated during covid and it's really not so safe or pleasant. Busses are ok and plentiful, but take a long time from one end of town to the other. For example, Santa Monica to Hollywood is showing to be 1.5 hours by bus (involves one transfer) on a Sunday morning (ie no traffic). It's also in the 90's right now, so walking (or waiting at a bus stop) isn't super pleasant either.

And as you noted, the actors and the writers are on strike, so no talk shows being recorded. I would wait until the fall or go to San Francisco.

Is the light rail the metro?

I definitely wouldn't be going right now - I'm thinking late autumn at the earliest (I don't love really hot weather), but from what I understand, the writers' strike might still be in full swing?

I'm not too keen on San Francisco for various reasons...what do you think of San Diego?

OP posts:
Tiqtaq · 30/07/2023 19:29

What's not to love about SF?

patchysmum · 30/07/2023 19:36

I went with my son a few years back you can travel all over on the tube. We went early October and it was very warm. We got the bus from Venice beach to Hollywood as the tube did not run from there at the time. It does now .I loved Venice beach boardwalk. Sadly there are lots of homeless all over LA and lots of weed smoking if that would make you feel unsafe.

RampantIvy · 30/07/2023 19:39

Wouldn't you be better off booking an escorted tour instead? Not being able to drive in the US would curtail what you want to do considerably.

prayforthecottransfer · 30/07/2023 19:48

I've been to LA a number of times in the summer holidays. It's quite difficult to get about without a car as everything is so spaced out. Hollywood Blvd to Anaheim to Santa Monica to Beverly Hills is a lot of distance. Traffic is also horrendous at the best of times, so if you were to get an Uber or Lyft, you would want to make sure you knew the upfront price.

That being said, LA is amazing. Have a fab time! As they say, west coast is the best coast.

Ljc1985 · 30/07/2023 19:49

My experience of travelling via rail in LA was not great. I wasn't solo was with a female friend and It was a few years ago but it did not feel safe we were harassed by some drunk men and it was really scary as not many people use the rail system we opted for Ubers for the rest of the trip.

SofiaAmes · 30/07/2023 20:07

Yes, light rail = metro. It was a great way to travel before the pandemic and probably will be again, but right now it's pretty dire. My friends who take public transport regularly currently choose the buses over the light rail/metro. If you don't love hot weather, LA is not the place to visit. It won't be predictably below 80 until late October/November. Weirdly, I have never been to San Diego even though I grew up in California, so I can't give advice.

SofiaAmes · 30/07/2023 20:08

P.S. Bus from LA to SF can be dodgy. Train is nice, but expensive. If you book in advance, the flights are pretty much the same price.

Siddalee · 30/07/2023 20:20

We’re currently sitting in San Diego airport waiting for a flight to Vegas.

We landed in LA on Tuesday and didn’t hire a car. We used Ubers everywhere and TBH didn’t find them as expensive as I thought they were going to be. Our hotel was over near universal and an Uber from there to San Diego was $43.

in your shoes, I’d def stay at Santa Monica as you c as n get the metro from there into the centre and then pick up Uber from there making things a lot cheaper.

We then took the train from LA to San Diego - it was $55 each in the business class. The journey was lovely.

If I was planning this stay again, I’d prob skip LA and focus on San Diego - it’s lovely here

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 30/07/2023 20:34

I just use the metro when I go - including to get to Santa Monica. It’s much better than driving.

xyz111 · 30/07/2023 20:48

I went to LA and didn't like it at all. Luckily only a couple of days, but it was nothing how it was going to be in my head. So many nicer places in US to go

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