Driving (Los Angeles, San Diego, Pasadena: car rental, rentals, how much)

[londoner1]

Heya!

This is a nice board

I'm a new member and would like to ask a question regarding driving in Los Angeles. I've heard that nobody walks in LA. I live in London myself & use public transport & walk a lot. I can't drive. And I am visiting LA later this year. Will I be doomed?

[Mr. Mysterious]

Nah... you'll be fine.

[uptown_urbanist]

Pick a hotel in the right area and you will be fine. I lived in LA for three years (recently moved) and I, too, don't drive. I got around by foot and public transportation. It's a great way to see the city, and as an added bonus you'll get a different perspective than you would if you just drove from one tourist destination to the next. Depending on your interests and goals for the trip I'd suggest staying in Hollywood - it's on the Red Line (subway), has lots of bus connnections, is centrally located (depending on what you want to do while in LA), and has a ton of hotels at various price points.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by londoner1

Heya!

This is a nice board

I'm a new member and would like to ask a question regarding driving in Los Angeles. I've heard that nobody walks in LA. I live in London myself & use public transport & walk a lot. I can't drive. And I am visiting LA later this year. Will I be doomed?

Are you on a three day business trip with your hotel two blocks from your work location?
Are you in LA for six weeks for sightseeing and a long vacation?

Both situations are different; the former you won't need a vehicle, the latter you will.

[missionhome]

What is the situation? Many people on vacation in L.A. do so without a car, but they only want to go to tourist sites and aren't trying to go to far away random locations. Some locations for hotels are perfect for getting to tourist sites and places via public transit and others are horrendous. Pick carefully. A poll on tripadvisor.com (one of the largest travel sites) had roughly 70% of travelers using public transport in L.A. say they were satisfied or very satisfied with how public transport in L.A. met their needs.

It really depends what you want to do though and if you are ok being limited to public transport areas.

[londoner1]

Ok, this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous but I heard LA doesn't have underground transit system.

I will be in LA for 2 weeks for mainly sightseeing. I'm a film student and want to see the major studios, UCLA, libraries, art galleries. I don't go clubbing and I like to be in bed relatively early (11pm). I want to see LA for myself and whether it's a place I could consider moving sometime in the future.

So obviously I want to have a lot of fun but I also want it to be an educational trip.

[DowntownVentura]

I think you will want to rent a car. Those things you mentioned, and perhaps I will add the beaches, mountains, and deserts, are all spread out. Once you live here, you may find a place to live that is accessible to the things you frequent without a car. But for exploring, you will save a lot of time if you drove.

[uptown_urbanist]

Londoner, you say you can't drive, so if I'm reading right it's not a question of whether you should rent a car, it's more to figure out how much trouble you're going to have not driving. I think you will be fine. You can get to those places by public transportation - easily. You'll want to be organize your days carefully and not try to, say, go from Pasadena to Santa Monica in the same day (too much time spent in transit, but that would be the same thing if you were driving), but assuming you stay in a convenient location and organize your time well you should have no problems.

As far as transportation itself, LA has a subway line (the Red Line), several light rail lines, commuter rail, and lots of buses. You can find out more at the website below, including checking schedules, maps, getting directions, etc.

metro.net | Trip planning, transit services and project information for Los Angeles County

[drunk on kool aid]

Originally Posted by londoner1

Ok, this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous but I heard LA doesn't have underground transit system.

I will be in LA for 2 weeks for mainly sightseeing. I'm a film student and want to see the major studios, UCLA, libraries, art galleries. I don't go clubbing and I like to be in bed relatively early (11pm). I want to see LA for myself and whether it's a place I could consider moving sometime in the future.

So obviously I want to have a lot of fun but I also want it to be an educational trip.

Most of the Metro Rail (light rail system) is above ground; only the Purple line and a portion of the Red Line (light rail) is subterranean.

As mentioned by uptown_urbanist and missionhome, a centralized starting point will allow public transportation to get you efficiently to many of your destinations. The combination of Metro and buses will get you to virtually anywhere in L.A., but it can be very time consuming, especially if multiple transfers are required.

It may behoove you to rent (hire) a car so that you can squeeze in as much experience as you can in your two weeks. If you're traveling almost halfway around the globe to L.A., why waste precious time at a bus or train stop?

Are you unable to drive because you don't have a license or because of a physical disability?

Do you plan to spend all your time in L.A., or do you also plan to explore Orange County & San Diego to the south or Ventura and Santa Barbara to the north?

A trip to Death Valley (2 days) will probably give you an experience unlike anything available in Western Europe.

Although about 25km east of Hollywood/Westside, a trip to Pasadena might be worthwhile. You will be able to check out the Huntington Library and Gardens (might be small potatoes to a Londoner), the Norton Simon Museum, and Art Center College of Design, which may interest you as an artist. Add in the Gamble house if the pinnacle of craftsman architecture is up your alley.

All the best.

[BennyPhoenix]

Car rentals are not that bad if you rent a small car. Shop around on the internet. Call places besides the big names and you will find cheap rentals.