Chrissie Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Howdy... My family are heading to the Anaheim area for 6 days in July/August. It's not a credit holiday or anything like that, as its my Mums 50th and also my Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary. We are staying at the Hilton Anaheim, then afterwards we are heading to VEGAS BABY!! Wooop! (Can you tell I'm excited?? Lol!!!) We have currently planned 2 days @ Disney, 1 day for sight seeing in the Hollywood area and one day at the beach. Can any of you suggest any cool non-theme park activities in the area/surroundings for our remaining days? We have had a wee look around, but nothing seems to jump out at us! Also, if any of you have any suggestions of anything we can do in Hollywood/the beach, that would be awesome too! Also, as far as I am aware, we are not hiring a car.. but would be open to the possibility, if something is really worth seeing. Any help will be appreciated! Thanks! Chrissie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Going to move this into the main forum and hopefully some of our OC locals can help out! (Chris, Dane, Jeff...) Have a great time Chrissie! Hopefully you'll meet up with some TPR members during our visit. --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Disneylander Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 we are not hiring a car Bad idea. Public transportation in OC is practically nonexistent. Please please reconsider and rent a car! They'll make California that much better. Now...there's a lot of things to do apart from theme parks. The Richard Nixon Library is nearby as well as South Coast Plaza, the best mall in the world as far as I'm concerned. If you're able to go farther, there's the Getty Center which is a heck of an awesome museum. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boose Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I live about 20 minutes from anaheim so i know the OC inside and out. I suggest going to the local malls, and DEFINITELY spend a day at the Irvine Spectrum. Its like a big outdoor shopping area (I mean BIG). Very nice looking with a few hundred shops, a huge arcade (Dave & Busters), and Several (about 30) different places to eat. You'll love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UberBeavis Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 If you're gonna be in the Hollywood area, I can show you some excellent tattoo parlors/art galleries, and some great restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
U2Rox Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I'm also planning a non-coaster trip in LA and the surrounding areas. I plan to be there for five days before the West Coast Trip starts. Some activities that I am looking at are: The Getty Museum 2 hour Harbor cruise(s)--Long Beach Day trip to Catalina Islands Day trip to Channel Islands National Park Hollywood Museum, Museum of Tolerance, and an aquarium/botanical garden, China Town, Museum of Contemporary Art, LA, Petersen Automotive museum..... It really all depends on what you and your family like to do. I enjoy it all so I have a tough time deciding! I also strongly recommend renting a car. Last year we upgraded for a Red Mustang Convertible, it was California living(driving), For a few days. Here are some links to sites that can help plan your trip. http://www.buylosangelestours.com/?gclid=CJb656XvlJoCFRFMagodxxfVMQ http://www.frommers.com/destinations/losangeles/14_indattr.html http://www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm There are many more websites where you can research activities. Don't forget to check out the Griffith Observatory: http://www.griffithobs.org/ Admission is Free and it has a great View!! Hope this helps!! Now back to my planning...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Thrill Dragster Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 You could take the Metrolink from Anaheim's Station to LA Union Station and visit Olvera Street, Fashion District, Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA Zoo and the Griffith Observatory. And if you want to eat at the place where the French Dip was created Philippes is a block away from Union Station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I also highly recommend renting a car. Southern California is NOT public transit-friendly, nor is cab fare reasonable. Being able to get from point A to point B on your own time is going to do nothing but maximize what you all will be able to see and do on your trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 ^^^As giving local advise is part of my job, I tend to advise against the day trip to Catalina. Yeah its a great place and all, but I just think there is sooo much else to do in Southern California than spend $60 per person round trip to sit on a boat for and go to a tiny town on an island. If anything, I would adjust that to an overnight trip or just skip it. A day trip is too rushed and too expensive to actually enjoy yourself. This is based on my experience of going out there multiple times. Even on a one night trip I felt a bit ripped off and rushed. It's supposed to be laid back! Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the ghost Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 I don't know if you are into this kind of thing, but if you drive probably 2 hours to San Diego the zoo/wild animal park is really nice there. Also, there is the aquarium of the pacific, in Long Beach, which is very nice, if your into that kind of thing. There is also an awesome (so I hear) wax museum near knotts that is supposed to be really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 ^Didn't that wax museum close a few years back? The building is still there I know, but I think it's closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawrtotheargh Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 And what about Medieval Times. Always a classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 ^You know I hear Pirates is much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 You could always include USH on your hollywood sightseeing day. [/shameless plug] It really just depends on what you want to see...within two hours of Anaheim you can pretty much do anything: nature, shopping, sports (baseball), casinos, tourist trap stuff, historic stuff, cultural stuff, lots of great food, etc. Could you give a little more info on your preferences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COASTER FREAK 11 Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 ^You know I hear Pirates is much better. The Pirates Show down the street from Medieval Times is not better than Medieval Times at all. The Pirates show is an interactive show geared toward little kids. Its a cool, show, but its not better than a jousting tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotdane Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 It really just depends on what you want to see...within two hours of Anaheim you can pretty much do anything: nature, shopping, sports (baseball), casinos, tourist trap stuff, historic stuff, cultural stuff, lots of great food, etc. Could you give a little more info on your preferences? Agreed...And I could help better too if I knew some of your preferences, Chrissie! Since you're not renting a car. (I highly suggest you do.) When you're in the Anaheim area, Angels may have a home game during your trip. It would be easy to get to if you call a cab from the hotel. Anaheim GardenWalk is footsteps from Disney and has a great movie theater (check out the 21+ section!) and an amazing bowling alley (300). If you're going to the beach and want to make a day out of it, I'd suggest either Santa Monica so you can hang out around the pier or Huntington Beach so you can walk around their pier area, too. Hollywood...I never was impressed with anything in Hollywood, as far as just "sightseeing" goes. I'd recommend seeing "Up" at the El Capitan Theater...or Fiddler on the Roof or Legally Blonde at the Pantages Theater. I don't see how you can make a full day out of Hollywood without seeing a show or something similar. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctriceman Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 The Queen Mary in Long Beach has some very interesting tours with lots of good information about the history of the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepp Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I'm also planning a non-coaster trip in LA and the surrounding areas. I plan to be there for five days before the West Coast Trip starts. I'm really not shilling for the company, but I recommend looking into the Los Angeles Go Card. It's a one-price pass that includes a lot of the museums and stuff you're considering, and a lot more (including KBF, USH, and SFMM, but you've got those covered). It also includes a really good walking tour of Hollywood, and the excellent, high-priced tours at Warners and Paramount, each of which is, oh, about 1000 times better than the USH tram tour...unless you're really into plastic sharks. Getting your money's worth out of the pass involves a lot of planning and dealing with the horrors of the freeways, but I found the whole thing totally worth it. Also note that after 5:00, when a lot of other museums are closed, LACMA is pay-what-you-wish, and it's really first-rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Also, as far as I am aware, we are not hiring a car.. but would be open to the possibility, if something is really worth seeing. Like the others have said... you'll need to rent a car. Public transportation here is VERY poor at best. Cab fare gets expensive very quickly. There are some great suggestions before mine, but I'll add a couple and include some ideas. As for your beach day, if you haven't already planned it, Santa Monica Pier would be a great choice for an all day/evening event. Universal Studios Hollywood would be great! Aside from being a theme park, it is a working studio and has quite a bit of movie history interspersed throughout the park. The Getty Museum and LA County Museum of Art are both great places to see. Another great suggestion is heading down to San Diego Zoo and/or Balboa Park. You can actually take the Amtrak train down there, and hire a cab for the drive to the park. Also, check out the local venues for the various shows or concerts. It all depends on want kind of entertainment you'd be interested in, and seeing. The more we know, the better we can help! Good Luck! JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 Thanks for all your help guys!! Could you give a little more info on your preferences? Well, we're pretty open to everything!! We like shopping, eating, touristy stuff, sight seeing. We'll have my 13 year old sister with us, so maybe museums and "arty" things will be out of the picture. We are all hockey fans and were hoping to catch the ducks but its the off season So would you guys say Santa Monica is the best beach? We were thinking of heading to Newport, is it any good? Also, my sister quite fancies going to knotts, again, would you guys say it was worth it? My Mum n Dad don't really like coasters, so we don't wanna go somewhere where they would be bored. And, I hear there is a water park near by, is that worth a look? Again, thanks for all your help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplepills Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 We went to Newport and Santa Monica, I preferred Newport, but then we didn't spend ages at either. Sat on the beach for an hour and had a little wander around and up the pier at Newport. We went to Santa Monica too just for a walk along it really. Can’t comment too much on the facilities etc though as we weren’t there for a day or anything. We ‘did’ Hollywood, and found a few hours there was enough to see the main interesting things. There’s the museum in the old Max Factor building which is okay, with loads of original props, outfits etc from loads of famous films including the entire prison cell set from Silence of the Lambs. Obviously the Chinese Theater, Kodak Theater etc, and the Stars on the sidewalk are things you’d probably want to see too. I’d seriously recommend a car, although we didn’t even attempt public transport, I’ve been warned by several people not to. If you’re concerned about driving over there don’t be, its really not that hard (I drove quite happily there 2 months after I passed my test here). You can get Sat nav with your hire car if you want it which would help, and you’ll find most places have tons of parking. It’ll definitely help you make the most of your time. As for other things, I'd guess you'd already thought about Sea World and USH. If you did decide to do one I'd say USH as its something you can't really see in that many other places, where a lot of the exhibits at SW you could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Disneylander Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 If you learned just one thing from this thread...it should be that you need to rent a car. Seriously, don't even try to navigate the LA Area by taxi, bus, and/or light rail...they are just horrible. I'm not even going to mention walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy4Coasters! Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 ... We are all hockey fans and were hoping to catch the ducks but its the off season Now why did you have to go and remind me of that again... Any who, Newport Beach is a pleasant and relaxing beach to "chill." Santa Monica Pier is has a lot more to see and do. Let's just say that if you want to go into the water more than walking around in the beach then head Newport instead of Santa Monica. By the way you can check with Knott's if they'll have the half price deal after 4pm if you plan to visit the park. In the summer time Knott's is usually open until 10pm so you can probably still have a great time and grab a discount on tickets at the same time... if you can talk your parents into going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBJ Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 If your'e in the Hollywood area, then Hollywood & Highland is really the main focus. From there, you can take an bus tour of stars homes/beverly hills area. Also, the El Capitan theater is a pretty nice place to see a movie, and there is the historic Chinese theater. It's also incredibly easy to catch the subway from there and go up to Universal Studios/Citywalk in in the valley. Santa Monica is a more "fun" beach, and the famous Venice Beach area is very close by. Santa Monica's Pier is the best developed on in our area, and the 3rd Street Promenade is Santa Monica is decent. Many, many restaraunts on the Promenade. There are also a number of waterparks in the area. Knott's Soak City would be the nearest to your hotel, and Raging Waters in San Dimas (30 minutes by car) is by far and away the largest. San Diego would be a fun day trip. 1.5 hours from Anaheim. Not only is there SeaWorld, but the Zoo, Wild Animal Park (outside of San Diego, by Encinitas), Belmont Park, Sea Lions at La Jolia Cove, the Gaslamp District, and Old Town. If your'e into malls, the best looking one in the LA area is Glendale's Americana on Brand. It would be an easy place to stop on the way back from the Getty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 Again, thanks guys!! If anyone has anymore suggestions, keep them coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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