Anyone been to LA - what's it like?

[Socci]

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I think LA's great. We have stayed several times in Santa Monica - it's an area where you are close to the beach ie can hire bikes (with child seats) etc to go along the coast, and it offers easy access to restaurants etc. It has good shopping (a mall and 3rd Street Promenade which is a great shopping/people watching place). The only thing about LA is that you have to be prepared to travel to go anywhere like Disneyland etc - it's a good hour from Santa Monica. I recently flew with Virgin to Miami with DS (3) and DD (1) and the crew were great on the way out (flight was virtually empty though so that made a difference) but they were vile on the way back. Couldn't have been less helpful to us through the flight and then we had a blazing row because they wouldn't let me use a child seatbelt on DS as we landed. He was dead to the world and kept sliding off his seat so I wanted to have him on my lap with the child belt. In the end I put him on my lap and had my belt around the two of us. Anyway, unlike most other airlines, you can't take your own child seat on board - they supply a foam rubber one which is fine but doesn't recline so not v good for long sleeps. You have to request the seat when booking and re-request it at the airport when checking in. On the plus side their video entertainment is very good. Their child packs are aimed at older kids ie 7 yr up but the backpack went down well. Have also flown Air NZ to LA - would not recommend with children. Going on a bit here but would recommend spending some time in LA and then after some time at Disneyland heading to San Diego (an hour the other side of Disney) as it has a great beach,, the town has trams, you can pop over to Mexico easily and it also has Sea World etc.

dh is going to LA for work and to hang out with mates in three weeks. Not only am I very jealous but am seriously worried about him getting caught in a drive-by crossfire and encountering lunatics, we have just had the auditions of American Pop Idol on tv this week and there are some professional nutters over there.

Suzy i am worried about the guns as well

And being caught up in cross fire

I know to have windows and doors locked BUT am worried about getting lost and ending up in wrong place.

I lived for 3 years in Toronto so the highways and driving on other side of the road is not a problem. I am a very confident driver IYSWIM.

It is just all the other people that worry me.

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Havent been to LA for a few years but have to say that it would be very near the bottom of my list of where to take young children, perhaps above above Detroit and Albany.
Its noisy, seedy, dodgy and over-run with tarmac.
Must be cheaper and equally engaging to stay at the old Scratch wood service station on the M1
Would defo say head up the pacific coast road, which must rate as one of the best drives in the WORLD.
I am a country boy though