Los Angeles Holiday

[tamborine]

anything I should fear? I want to hire a car or should I rely on taxis? Advice welcome as I dont know USA.

[TonyV]

How many times you been there Derek? Too make your decision?

[AuntPollyGrey]

Seriously, don't hire a car and don't drive in LA. The only things worth seeing are easily accessible by tourist coaches or taxis - public transport -no thanks! Most parts are dumps as derek says, no different to other large cities though LA does sprawl out more than most.
Why sit in a car for 4 hours driving over a flat dessert 'nothing to see here folks'! Again get a tourist bus (not a greyhound) air con toilets snacks. It supposed to be a holiday not a challenge so cut yourself some slack and enjoy yourselves.

[derek-33]

3 with work tonyv and glad to leave

[Bazile]

//I've never been to LA, tamborine, but regarding the renting a car situation I would consider the stress you might be under by having to learn, very quickly, to drive on the "wrong side" of the road...//

I don't think you should worry too much about driving on the ' wrong side of the road ' or even driving a left hand drive vehicle

My first holiday to the states had we slightly concerned about it , but within a few hours in the car , it was fine - no problems

You may or may not know the following -

''Right turns on red are permitted in many regions of North America. ... All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico have allowed right turns on red since 1980, except where prohibited by a sign or where right turns are controlled by dedicated traffic lights''

[zebo]

Make sure you disable mobile data before you go, it cost me £50+ when I didn't and I'm usually so careful.
Rand McNally provides good driving instructions on line if you want to go to Vegas. Depending on how long you're going for ask yourself if it's really worth the journey. Consider flying into LA and out of LV, there isn't a car hire drop off fee between Ca and Nv.

[zebo]

If you're thinking about going this month you need to get your ESTA sorted pdq in case there's a problem.

[Zacs-Master]

There's a great train service called the Pacific Surfliner if you want to go down to San Diego or up to San Fran. It's pretty cheap and great views from top deck.

If you're driving to LV, I'd go via Yosemite and the Tioga Road (check it's Open!) and stop a night there.

BTW, everybody and their uncle drives a Mustang convertible ! ;-)

[cassa333]

Just don’t stop or drive slowly In any of the many skid rows. The homeless population is growing and there is between 50,000 and 60,000 homeless in Los Angeles with 44,000 on the streets on any given night.

There is literally nowhere for them to take a crap and so they do it openly in the streets. It is a major health problem.

However if you keep to the established tourist hotspots I’m sure it isn’t as bad as slightly off Main Street.

[mumstheword1]

Don't bother with Hollywood in my opinion I was totally disappointed what a dump, the streets were filthy, hadn't been washed full of rubbish, loads of beggars and people very rude. Last Vegas not my cup of tea apart from Grand Canyon and Freemont Street. Unless you are into gambling or clubbing not much else. Go up coast to Santa Monica much better

[zebo]

Tioga Road usually doesn't open until April but it's lovely when it does. We like to use the south entrance into Yosemite, the waterfalls are stunning in Spring.
I'm feeling the need to get my bags packed!

[tamborine]

oh please zebo, am dreading this trip but coerced by dter. It would be great to have an aber escort

[calmck]

Agree Santa Monica much nicer to stay in than LA itself. Take transport to Rodeo Drive and walk around that area. Downtown LA is a sprawling area not like in other cities.

[bookbinder]

My wife and I went to the USA some years ago, but not to Los Angeles. We were in mainly New England, but what I have to say is relevant to what you ask. We rented a car. It took me about 20 minutes to get used to left-hand drive and to driving on the right. The car was an automatic. I had no trouble in getting used to that. As regards using the roads, I found that advance warning of an approaching road junction wasn't as 'immediate' as it is in the UK. I knew when a junction was coming up, but it wasn't until I was there that I saw a sign that told me whether to turn left or right. Many traffic lights and signs are hung above junctions on wires, rather than on poles that are fixed in the ground. Sometimes you are allowed to make a right turn even when the lights are red, but sometimes not. Keep your wits about you for that. Driving in the USA was second nature to me by the end of our 3 weeks over there. Road signs were not as informative as I would have liked. In the New York area, for example, many signs said something like 'Lincoln Boulevard', or 'Riverside Parkway', rather than saying where the roads went. Try not to get uptight before you go. You won't have a problem.