Taking My L.A. Adventures One Step Further, Public Bus Routes (San Francisco: high crime, hotel)

[tijlover]

I've been coming to L.A. and have ridden every mile of your enviable light rail/subway lines, and next trip I want to step up the adventures and just ride the public buses to explore L.A. Perhaps a route going East to El Monte, a northern route into the San Fernando Valley, some inner city routes, perhaps a southern route as well. Is there a continuous bus line that goes up and down the coastal communities?

Any recommendations? A line where there's some interesting shopping concentrations along the way, some ethnic enclaves to explore. Last trip, last week: Cambodia Town, Korea Town, Little Tokyo and Chinatown. I'm a true adventurer, so no point in scaring me off with dangers/high crime areas!

[TurboThePunk]

Originally Posted by tijlover

I've been coming to L.A. and have ridden every mile of your enviable light rail/subway lines, and next trip I want to step up the adventures and just ride the public buses to explore L.A. Perhaps a route going East to El Monte, a northern route into the San Fernando Valley, some inner city routes, perhaps a southern route as well. Is there a continuous bus line that goes up and down the coastal communities?

Any recommendations? A line where there's some interesting shopping concentrations along the way, some ethnic enclaves to explore. Last trip, last week: Cambodia Town, Korea Town, Little Tokyo and Chinatown. I'm a true adventurer, so no point in scaring me off with dangers/high crime areas!

As far as coastal scenery might I recommend the 534 which would travel to the Metro's northernmost point at Trancas Canyon via PCH. Another suggestion of mine would be the nice (though not as scenic) 232 through Sepulveda/PCH. I've always been partial to Venice Beach though so the 733 would be of use in that event.

Heading east towards El Monte I'd recommend the 770 over the Silver Line, as it provides an opportunity to view the diverse enclaves of Monterey Park and S. El Monte to name a few. To be honest though there isn't anything down that way that is of any interest to me, but I wouldn't let that serve as a deterrent.

[tijlover]

The 770 it shall be! Sounds interesting, the ethnic enclaves alone. Back in 1968, 18YO, I hitchhiked out to CA, stayed with some old neighbors from MN, in Covina, and worked a month at a machine shop in South El Monte, before I hightailed it back to MN. So that alone is worth going out there for!

I'm really not into the scenic aspects of the coastal communities, not really an ocean lover, but I was thinking there was a really slow route from Sunset Blvd. south to Long Beach and beyond. I noticed, in Long Beach last week, the Pacific Coast Hwy sign from the rail train I was riding. The 232 also sounds interesting! And if I see something interesting en route, I'll hop off, and catch another bus later!

I took the Gold line out to East L.A. and I never really walked very far from the rail stop, but I was expecting a Mission District like they have in San Francisco. A strong Mexican enclave. I've been on Alverado? street near McArthur Park, stayed around that area one time, but there must be a bigger enclave somewhere else in L.A., just haven't found it.

[genjy]

You can take the Metrolink or Metro Silver Line bus from Union Station to El Monte's bus station, where you will have a good number of bus lines to choose from. A couple of them should be able to take you to areas like South El Monte, Rosemead, San Gabriel, and Alhambra... and other places.

[tijlover]

One of these upcoming trips, I'm going to solely do the Metrolink trains from Union Station, all the way up to Lancaster, San Bernardino and elsewhere. That'll be yet another L.A. adventure for me! But I'll keep the El Monte stop in mind!

[California Vagabond]

I'll chime in to mention that the 534 also stops at the well-worth-visiting Getty Villa.

http://media.metro.net/riding_metro/...images/534.pdf

Visit the Getty Villa | The Getty

You need a timed ticket to visit, but they're easily obtained online, and free.

[sydlee]

Originally Posted by tijlover

The 770 it shall be! Sounds interesting, the ethnic enclaves alone. Back in 1968, 18YO, I hitchhiked out to CA, stayed with some old neighbors from MN, in Covina, and worked a month at a machine shop in South El Monte, before I hightailed it back to MN. So that alone is worth going out there for!

I'm really not into the scenic aspects of the coastal communities, not really an ocean lover, but I was thinking there was a really slow route from Sunset Blvd. south to Long Beach and beyond. I noticed, in Long Beach last week, the Pacific Coast Hwy sign from the rail train I was riding. The 232 also sounds interesting! And if I see something interesting en route, I'll hop off, and catch another bus later!

I took the Gold line out to East L.A. and I never really walked very far from the rail stop, but I was expecting a Mission District like they have in San Francisco. A strong Mexican enclave. I've been on Alverado? street near McArthur Park, stayed around that area one time, but there must be a bigger enclave somewhere else in L.A., just haven't found it.

The 770 is a great line. From downtown L.A., I believe it takes you through Boyle Heights, which is a very walkable and lively Latino neighborhood with Jewish and Japanese-American roots as well, through Monterey Park's downtown, which is home to a heavy concentration of Chinese Americans and other ethnic groups. Plenty of superb restaurants, especially of the Chinese variety, on Garvey and just north and south of Garvey on Garfield Avenue, a major cross street. From there, it will take you through Rosemead all the way to El Monte.

I don't think the Gold Line would've taken you to a "Mission District" type of place. East L.A. is more suburban in character, IMO, compared to a neighborhood like Boyle Heights (though it does have its points of interest).

I also recommend the 76, which will take you from a stop near Union Station/Chinatown/Olvera Street (stop is next to the Chevron Station, across the street from the Metro Plaza Hotel) all the way down to Valley Boulevard, which is a great way to cruise through the very multiethnic and vibrant (though not in a standard Hollywood-type of way) San Gabriel Valley to El Monte, where there is a major bus depot (!where you can get on a bunch of different lines). If you want to know about some of the most interesting restaurants on Valley, check out Jonathan Gold's reviews. This is the place for Chinese food (not just your average Chinese food -- restaurants are all specialized based on the region and food type, food for Chinese people and anyone else into food, not apologetic, not watered down, and also affordable, all things considered), but it's also a great street for Vietnamese food, Mexican food, fusion (e.g. Korean-Mexican), high end, low end versions, you name it. On Valley, you will pass through some Mexican American enclaves; the route is quite diverse.

I love taking public transit, too, and your trip sounds exciting. Hope it's full of adventure!

[tijlover]

^Thanks for your suggestions! Intuitively, I've suspected that the east valley is where the adventures reside, as I have little interest in the westside of L.A., with the exceptions of certain coastal communities.

I did some research, and I must keep key facts in mind: 1-99 bus lines originate out of downtown L.A. (I'll be staying in the heart of Chinatown at the Royal Pagoda Inn), 100-199 bus lines go east/west, 200-299 go north/south. And then there's the significance of the higher numbered lines!

I really don't mind if the bus line is the slowest, as that gives me more time to look around, and if I see something of interest, like a used bookstore, I'll get off the bus, explore, and resume my journey later. k

[sydlee]

Sounds like an awesome adventure! If you're looking to go slow, I would stick to the non-"rapid" (called "local") buses. for example, instead of the rapid 770, which has fewer stops (and thus is more "rapid", though I use term loosely LOL), you might prefer the 70, which is the same route but with more stops -- or at least that's what I remember; please check on this to confirm.

And though east l.a. is more suburban/quieter in nature, it does some interesting points along the way. For example, there is a great tortilleria (La Azteca Tortilleria -- hand-patted corn and flour tortillas -- go early in the day to watch the ladies work their magic). You can have them make stuff to order, and you can also order bags of just tortillas to go.

The areas I mentioned are filled with very interesting, very good restaurants. If food is your thing, be sure to arrive with an empty stomach!

If I think of any other bus lines, I'll post again. Good luck and enjoy!

[transitfan]

Actually, the 70 and 770 have slightly different routes. Both of them run together from Olive & Venice via Olive (northbound, they use Grand Av southbound) to Cesar Chavez Av & Mission Road. There, the 770 turns onto Mission, goes by County/USC Hopsital, then onto Ramona Blvd and Garvey Av to Santa Anita Av, then into El Monte Station. The 770 continues on Chavez to Atlantic, then up Atlantic to Garvey, where it rejoins the route of the 70 to El Monte Station. I think I rode the 70 back in the day when it was the 422. I know I rode it from near Cal State L. A. to downtown, not sure if I ever rode east of there. Should be a good ride, though.