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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:
ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 31/07/2023 03:05

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

Agree, it's a bit of a shitshow. Seedy. But the studio tours were fun.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 31/07/2023 03:06

PixiePirate · 30/07/2023 21:42

You can get the hop on, hop off tourist bus that covers Hollywood, Sunset Blvd, Beverley Hills/Rodeo Drive, Venice Beach and Santa Monica, as well as downtown LA and Universal Studios. It costs about £40 for a day ticket but if you buy a multi day ticket the per day cost comes down significantly.

Celeb tour is good and costs about £35 for a 2 hr trip, leaving from Hollywood Blvd.

I stayed in Pasedena (about an hour from Hollywood) and caught the above-ground metro for less than $2. I also caught the red line (Hollywood) underground but not sure I’d want to do it as a single female traveller.

We caught an Uber from Santa Monica to Pasedena one evening. It cost $50 and took an hour.

I wouldn’t hesitate to visit LA as a single female traveller. It’s fab x

Pasadena is 20 min by Uber, not an hour.

runwithme · 31/07/2023 03:06

Oh and San Diego is lovely. Little Italy and Old Mexico are great for dinner. We then took a taxi to La Jolla, where we stayed a few nights

madeleine85 · 31/07/2023 03:39

Another LA resident throwing in their 2 cents here. Hollywood is very grimy, go for a bus tour then you’ll be done with it. Santa Monica is really good, very walkable too. The train there connects to various places, it is slow and its frequency is every 30 mins or so. Driving Is easier, but it’s ok to walk/Uber/public transport here. If you like outdoors walks, try hiking here, there are some truly beautiful spots (Griffith park, Malibu etc). The surf liner is a good idea to go to San Diego. I’ve taken an Uber before from Santa Monica to Glendale for $35 (recently). It’s surprisingly cheap if you time it to off peak hours. Enjoy your trip!!

TizerorFizz · 31/07/2023 08:02

There’s always divided opinion on whether LA is worth visiting. The people who didn’t like it have always been to the tacky sights and never bothered with seeing anything else. There’s lots of wonderful things to see!!! Do your homework and you will find vibrant places, fantastic buildings, great beaches with their own beach culture and a huge choice of restaurants. San Diego is more about beach life. We found the Balboa Park area less interesting than we thought it would be.

Usernamen · 31/07/2023 08:52

Loved LA. Went in 2017 so can’t comment on what it’s like post-Covid. I went as a solo female traveller, stayed in Santa Monica and used Uber / buses to get around. Parts of it were ropey but I think that can be said about most US cities (or cities generally?!) and it definitely wasn’t as bad as SF.

Have fun!

windmill26 · 31/07/2023 11:39

We were in LA a few months back. We rarely hire a car as it can be stressful to drive in a city that you don't know well. We used Uber which is what we generally do when on holiday.

TizerorFizz · 31/07/2023 12:15

LA is pretty easy driving. We went in late Feb though. It was great.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 31/07/2023 12:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Nodancingshoes · 31/07/2023 12:45

We stayed in Hollywood several years ago and did tours of the Hollywood hills, Venice beach and santa Monica. The bus picked us up at our hotel. I was not a fan of LA tbh.

SerenityNowInsanityLater · 31/07/2023 13:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

LondonMummer · 31/07/2023 13:21

TizerorFizz · 31/07/2023 08:02

There’s always divided opinion on whether LA is worth visiting. The people who didn’t like it have always been to the tacky sights and never bothered with seeing anything else. There’s lots of wonderful things to see!!! Do your homework and you will find vibrant places, fantastic buildings, great beaches with their own beach culture and a huge choice of restaurants. San Diego is more about beach life. We found the Balboa Park area less interesting than we thought it would be.

Don't agree with this. I used to go there for meetings at the studios when I worked in film and tv. I always felt it was an amazing city if you are part of the entertainment industry and there for that reason but a pretty hateful sprawl and at times rather sketchy if not. I'm not saying there aren't any nice parts but as a tourist I just think there are far better places to head (especially as a solo car-less female)

Alloveragain3 · 31/07/2023 13:26

We just got ubers. Easy peasy.

TizerorFizz · 31/07/2023 14:14

@SerenityNowInsanityLater Absolutely great weather. Whales too. We saw a pod of killer whales. Very happy with where we stayed and what we saw.

@LondonMummer I am a tourist but a discerning one! No sprawl for us. I’m not convinced it’s great for a lone female but many cities aren’t the best either. I think touring with like minded people can be better.

Original poster
ilyana · 01/08/2023 11:36

Thanks for the responses - they're a really mixed bag! I'm still totally on the fence. Not sure at all! I go from thinking it's just going to be too much hassle without a car and thinking I might be better off choosing another destination (where, though?) and thinking that it would be really cool just to be there, even if it is a bit of a faff to get around. The only other similarly huge, spread out city I've visited is Mexico City, and that was totally fine, although their metro system is pretty decent and probably way more regular and reliable than LA's?

The accommodation prices look surprisingly high, even compared to NYC. Is it always like this? I'm sure eating out is expensive too, given inflation and the poor exchange rate. Would anyone happen to know of any good self catering options, like an aparthotel? I like to grab a coffee and a muffin from independent places in the mornings (not a big breakfast person) and a sandwich or burrito out is usually reasonable enough, but I want to be back early in the evenings for safety and would like to cook some pasta or whatever rather than spending money eating out every night. Maybe also have a laundry option so I don't have to overpack!

I think if I go, I'd probably do a few nights in Santa Barbara or Venice, maybe a couple of nights somewhere more 'central' (Hollywood?) to do the tacky tours, maybe hike to the Hollywood sign, then get the train to San Diego and either fly back from there or go back to LA for a few more days before returning from LAX? So like, 8-10 days total. Does that sound like a good plan?

OP posts:
BigCheeseSandwich · 01/08/2023 11:41

I’ve just returned from there and I bussed everywhere. It was easy to navigate (after the confusion of the airport) and I found it safe, just slow. The underground was sketchy but okay for short distances. Most buses had wifi so easy to track where you were going etc.

ilovemydogmore · 01/08/2023 11:42

I literally couldn't think of anything worse.

BigCheeseSandwich · 01/08/2023 11:42

just seen your update. I would avoid the Hollywood area like the plague - rundown, tatty and stunk of piss. I stayed in Beverley Hills and found it too sterile. If I could go again I’d head for Venice Beach.

Original poster
ilyana · 01/08/2023 11:47

BigCheeseSandwich · 01/08/2023 11:41

I’ve just returned from there and I bussed everywhere. It was easy to navigate (after the confusion of the airport) and I found it safe, just slow. The underground was sketchy but okay for short distances. Most buses had wifi so easy to track where you were going etc.

Were you alone? Did you enjoy it there overall, and what sort of stuff did you do?

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 01/08/2023 11:49

@ilyana I stayed at Su Casa at Venice Beach. They have self-catering apartments as well as their own cafe The Fig Tree downstairs. It's not swanky but it's clean and right on the beach.

Original poster
ilyana · 01/08/2023 11:51

BigCheeseSandwich · 01/08/2023 11:42

just seen your update. I would avoid the Hollywood area like the plague - rundown, tatty and stunk of piss. I stayed in Beverley Hills and found it too sterile. If I could go again I’d head for Venice Beach.

I was thinking about staying a few days in Beverly Hills (would prefer sterile over rundown and stinking of piss) but it looks like quite a trek to Hollywood from there!

I definitely would stay around Venice Beach/Santa Monica for most of the trip, but also don't love the idea of sitting on a bus, going back and forth to Hollywood from there. Maybe it's actually worth it though?

Looks like the train to San Diego leaves from Union Station, but I probably wouldn't want to stay anywhere near there (looks sketchy, Skid Row etc.) so would have to bus or Uber it that day.

OP posts:
ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 01/08/2023 11:58

ilyana · 01/08/2023 11:36

Thanks for the responses - they're a really mixed bag! I'm still totally on the fence. Not sure at all! I go from thinking it's just going to be too much hassle without a car and thinking I might be better off choosing another destination (where, though?) and thinking that it would be really cool just to be there, even if it is a bit of a faff to get around. The only other similarly huge, spread out city I've visited is Mexico City, and that was totally fine, although their metro system is pretty decent and probably way more regular and reliable than LA's?

The accommodation prices look surprisingly high, even compared to NYC. Is it always like this? I'm sure eating out is expensive too, given inflation and the poor exchange rate. Would anyone happen to know of any good self catering options, like an aparthotel? I like to grab a coffee and a muffin from independent places in the mornings (not a big breakfast person) and a sandwich or burrito out is usually reasonable enough, but I want to be back early in the evenings for safety and would like to cook some pasta or whatever rather than spending money eating out every night. Maybe also have a laundry option so I don't have to overpack!

I think if I go, I'd probably do a few nights in Santa Barbara or Venice, maybe a couple of nights somewhere more 'central' (Hollywood?) to do the tacky tours, maybe hike to the Hollywood sign, then get the train to San Diego and either fly back from there or go back to LA for a few more days before returning from LAX? So like, 8-10 days total. Does that sound like a good plan?

Honestly, unless you're a huge cinema buff and want to do the studio tours and see the few historical remnants of Hollywood, amid the grime, LA is a long way to go & big expense for very little.

The beaches aren't that great, Venice is mainly a residential area. Santa Barbara is too. San Diego is meh.

For that money, go to Honolulu. Or Vancouver BC, or Cape Cod/Boston. Or Savannah and Charleston on the east coast.

prayforthecottransfer · 01/08/2023 12:38

Definitely go to Hollywood, it's too iconic to miss. I would say though, the further you get down Hollywood Blvd the more visibly ropey it is. I walked about half a mile down and started to feel uncomfortable so turned back around.

Flipin · 01/08/2023 12:45

Southern California is crap without a car. Ubers and Lyfts are more expensive than they used to be. And don't underestimate how much time you may spend in traffic.

If you want to do late night shows you'll have to wait until the strike is over. Hollywood has been seedy AF for decades. Just keep that in mind if you want to do a lot of walking there.

Original poster
ilyana · 01/08/2023 13:11

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 01/08/2023 11:58

Honestly, unless you're a huge cinema buff and want to do the studio tours and see the few historical remnants of Hollywood, amid the grime, LA is a long way to go & big expense for very little.

The beaches aren't that great, Venice is mainly a residential area. Santa Barbara is too. San Diego is meh.

For that money, go to Honolulu. Or Vancouver BC, or Cape Cod/Boston. Or Savannah and Charleston on the east coast.

Show quote history

I am a huge cinema buff. I'm aware this isn't the best time to go because of the strike, and that's putting me off quite a bit.

I've got no interest in Hawaii, don't think I'd like Charleston or Savannah, have already done Vancouver, Boston, and Cape Cod.

The main reason I'm looking at LA is that it seems like a good mix of decent autumn/winter weather, relaxing/beach possibilities and stuff to do. If it rains, I can keep busy with studio tours and things like that. If I feel tired, I can just relax on the beach or people watch. Is there anywhere else I can get this in late autumn? I loved Mexico City for the food and culture, but being in such a big polluted city nowhere near the coast got to me after a few days. I had a wonderful time but felt like I needed a holiday from the holiday after I got back!

I've briefly considered Texas (Austin, San Antonio for 'stuff to do', Corpus Christi/Padre Island for the beaches) but am very much put off by the whole guns and abortion thing and other stuff like that. I'm not sure I'd feel overly safe there, and it seems even harder to get around without a car than California.

OP posts: