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[Vellamint]

I am really trying to cram alot into our upcoming trip to San Diego/Anaheim.......but I need help with this one day of my plans.

We would like to do the Warner Brothers tour...we are staying right across from Disneyland (at the Carousel Inn). How long of a drive do you think that would be and what time can we leave without TOO much traffic. I would like as early a start as possible but my family will be at Disneyland until midnight the night before.

The tour is 2 hours and only offered on weekdays. We would be going on a Friday. Then I would like to go to Venice Beach. Any idea of how far that is from WB and how long it would take to get there?

After a few hours of soaking up the "atmosphere" at Venice Beach (which will hopefully HAVE "atmosphere" on a Friday afternoon) I thought we would drive to Hollywood to see the sign and the Walk of Stars. I am aware that you can only see the sign in daylight. How long of a drive would that be?

Does this sound doable at ALL? I would have mapquested this but they wont take LA traffic into consideration.

Can anyone help me please?

Thank you...........

[stretch2864]

Hi! It sounds like you have an ambitious day planned. If I remember correctly, Warner Brothers Studio is located in Burbank. That is a fair distance from Anaheim. Depending on the time of day you are going, I would allow 60-90 minutes at a minumum to get there. Traffic on LA freeways is infamous for crawling along especially during peak rush hours. As far as your other plans, I would suggest perhaps stopping in Hollywood on your way to Venice Beach as Hollywood is located between Burbank and Venice Beach. Otherwise you will be doing a lot of backtracking and spending even more time on the LA freeways. If you have never been to Hollywood before, prepare to be disappointed. The area in general is pretty rundown with lots of "interesting" characters roaming the streets. It is not as glamourous as one might think. It is cool though to see Mann's Chinese Theater and the stars on the Walk of Fame. However the Walk of Fame extends for blocks past the theater and you will be walking past adult type stores and some abandoned storefronts on your quest. One option might be to take one of the many Star Tours that originate from Mann's Chinese Theater. Then you could see the sights of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and the Hollywood Hills from the comfort and safety of a tour bus. I would definitely start out early if you want to try to do all of these things though. Good luck and I hope you have lots of fun!

[mitchg]

I agree with Vicky that you should try to stop in Hollywood on your way to Venice from Warner Bros. You will definitely spend too much time on the road back and forth if you do Warner's, then Venice, then Hollywood.
If you do go to Hollywood, check out the new Hollywood & Highland complex - it's aptly named, since it's on the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave. It's where the Oscars are held now, and there's always a lot of activity going on there. Depending on what time you hit it, you may be able to see some of 'On-Air with Ryan Seacrest' - the studio is also in that complex.

Have a great time seeing the sites!

[snoozy]

I was raised in LA. I learned how to drive a car on those freeways. My dad drove those freeways everyday but still use to get turned around going the wrong way or taking the wrong exit and he was a pro. The freeway system in LA can be overwhelming. Get to know those freeways on your maps real well before you get there. Plan out your route. Like the others said do WB, HW, and then VB. Your going to run into traffic on a Friday people usually start getting off early from work so the evening rush hour starts around 3pm. Have fun and be safe. Let us all know how your trip went.

[Vellamint]

Thanks - I actually think we are going to cut the Warner Brothers tour . It is very pricey and I am not sure the 4 kids will enjoy it.

Plans now are to go to Venice Beach then hit Hollywood. On a SATURDAY. Will this be better for us traffic wise?

I was also thinking of stopping at the Santa Monica Pier for a little while before leaving the beach area....do you think kids will enjoy it - or is it overkill?

I am having a VERY hard time with this part of our trip for some reason and AM very afraid of getting lost in LA!! (Lol).

Do you think it would be better to go to Universal on a Friday and deal with commuter traffic but get there later or go on a Sunday and deal with weekend crowds?

(Sheese its so much easier in Florida for some reason when Disney is practically the whole trip!)

Thanks.

[snoozy]

Vellamint,

If you are going to do Hollywood first, then go to Santa Monica Pier, then head down PCH to Venice Beach. I would start out very very very early in the morning. You said earlier you were staying in Anaheim. When we visit Anaheim we usually just do stuff in Anaheim, Disneyland, Knotts or Medeival Times, Laguna Beach (which is way better then Venice Beach), or if we drive any distance its to San Deigo to the Zoo or Sea World. I usually skip LA all together, I grew up there, LA can be real cool just be safe. As for the traffic its the natural way in LA you can't avoid it.

[infinity&beyond]

AS far as weekday traffic goes, just keep in mind that the worst of it will be going towards downtown LA in the morning and leaving downtown LA in the afternoon. And, the closer to downtown you get, the worse it is. Going from Anaheim to Hollywood, you have to go pretty close to downtown, so it will be icky. But hey, what's a visit to LA without some time in a terrific traffic jam!? Take pictures, so everyone can wish they were there enjoying it with you!

Traffic will be much better on the weekend. Downtown really gets quiet!

Hollywood and Highland is really a nice center. Hollywood Blvd. itself has cleaned up alot in the last few years, but stay away from Sunset Blvd., that's really getting rough! And, if you want a little more Disney magic and you have the time, take in a show at the El Capitan, the Disney-owned theater palace across the street from the Chinese Theater. It's very cool, complete with ushers, curtains, and spotlights!

I'm also a big fan of Scoopy's french fries and lemonade. They are right on Hollywood Blvd. The Pig and Whistle is a great place to eat, too, for a little of that traditional Hollywood feeling. I can spend all day in and around Hollywood and never see everything I want to see!

[Jaya]

You might consider skipping Universal Studios altogether and going to one of the other parks, unless you really had your heart set on going to US. We live about 10-15 minutes away from it, and during rush hour traffic it can take us over an hour. Plus, there's not a lot to do there, particularly at $50 a person. DH & I have annual passes; we went ONE day, and vowed not to go back! They took away one of the best rides, IMO, E.T. The queue to Terminator was CLOSED because "the line got too long" (according to the CM!)

Unless you're staying for a REALLY long time, or if US is really high on your list, I would skip it.

About geting to Venice from Anaheim, I'm not sure how long that would take, but expect it to be fairly busy, especially on a Friday. It takes us about an hour to get there from the west end of the valley.

You might also consider something like Olvera Street, or the Queen Mary, or the Aquarium of the Pacific. I always reccomend doing the Queen Mary in Long Beach: it's one of my favorite destinations, although if you have young kids you might skip the Ghosts & Legends tour; with the special effects it can be pretty scary!

Have fun in the sunny LA weather!