visiting LA and Palm Desert

Hello, Californians!

i am a regular on the NE forum, and have "met" some of you there, or in the chat room...

Next week, i get to escape the NE for a while, and visit LA and Palm Desert. My DH and i will be in LA Tuesday night - Thursday afternoon/evening, drive to Palm Desert for Thurs night - Sunday morning, when we will drive back to LA, and fly home on Monday.

I am looking for interesting things to do, particularly in the Palm Desert region - he will be working most of the time there. Has anyone been to the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens? It looks nice from the website. What else is there to do out there for an extremely unwealthy person with a rental car?

Is it worth driving from LA to San Diego for the zoo? How long does it take to get to Mexico? (i would love to get to say i'd been to another country!)

What have i just GOTTA do in LA? (well, i want to go see the Hollywood sign, cause i am so uncool - but what else?) Any restaurants anyone is dying to recommend?

i eagerly await your suggestions!

amy
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(on my only other LA visit, for one day on the way to NZ, on the Santa Monica beach, june 2006. That water was COLD.)

LA to San Diego is about 2 hrs if there's no traffic, but I'm not sure if there's ever a time when there's no traffic! I wouldn't waste your time with Mexico--Tijuana is very icky compared to other places I've been in Mexico (and I doubt if any of the other towns on the CA border are much better) so in my opinion it's really not worth it. If you do go, make sure you have your passport--I think the new rules have gone into effect that you have to have them now. And I'd recommend walking across the border rather than driving...for starters most rental car companies don't let you take their cars into Mexico, and the lines to get in and out of the country are shorter if you're on foot rather than in a car. Other than that, I'll let someone who actually lives down there give you advice on what else to do--I've spent very minimal time in LA and have never been to Palm Desert.

thanks!

Don't go to T.J.....period.
Sherry
edited to add that it simply isn't worth wasting your time on with a limited amount of time. If you were only going to see one part of Mexico,Tijuana isn't the place to see. With a car you'd spend all of your time getting across the border and back, without a car you're limited. On a week day, you probably really don't want to drive from L.A. to San Diego either. If you're going to be in the Hollywood-L.A. area hopefully someone more familiar with that area can suggest places closer so that you can maximize your time rather than trying to get to other areas in traffic...and,boy, is there traffic!

This message was edited Jan 12, 2008 4:48 PM

thanks gypsy!

Definately go to the Zoo! The plantings are wonderful and it is one of the best Zoos in the whole world! Here is a link to Balboa Park http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/organizations.php?catID=8 which has several museums and a botanical park. Coronado Island is a nice place to visit while you are in San Diego - there is a bridge to get there from the "mainland". The Coronado Hotel is fabulous! Old Town San Diego is fun.

In LA, Barnsdale Park is the home of Frank LLoyd Wright's Hollyhock House. http://www.hollyhockhouse.net/ I hear that the Getty Museum is fabulous but you need reservations http://www.getty.edu/museum/. (It was built after I left CA -so I haven't been there.) LA County Art Museum at Hancock Park is a fine museum. By all means go to the beach and watch the sun set into the ocean. Sigh - I miss that so much living on the East Coast.

Yankee Cat is right about everything she said. You could also go to the Huntington Library and Gardens (home of the original Pinkie and Blueboy paintings),in San Marino, but the gardens probably won't be too exciting right now. I've never been there in winter.

Everyone else is right: Don't waste your time on Tijuana...it's the end of the earth.
If you do go down there, DON'T DRINK the WATER or you'll get Montezumas Revenge.

I'd pick Tijuana over Hollywood.

There's ALWAYS traffic here...

If you do want to do the LA to San Diego drive, I did it once on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't too bad (I was coming from visiting a friend in Brentwood, and it probably makes a difference where in LA you're coming from whether you'll run into traffic or not). And on the way back, I left SD at 4:30 AM on a Friday morning, ran into a pinch of traffic in LA but still made really good time getting through there (that time I was driving straight through on I-5 on my way back up here)

thanks cat, jd, and ecrane!
ok, i get the idea - don't drive to Mexico! my thought really was just to go across briefly - i mean, i'd love to actually go to Mexico someday, but this was just to be able to say i'd been there..!

Does anyone know anything about Palm Desert, or the Zoo and Garden there? i will have one or two days (and probably one evening) there on my own, and it looks like the weather is going to be lovely, but it looks like rich people land, and the only kind of golf i do is the sort with the little windmillls...

amy
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Can't help you on that one, Amy. I never go to the desert.

Well there are lots of windmills in the desert (lol). I don't think there's much to do in Palm Desert either. I've heard there is a tram that goes up the mountain, and tours of the windmills, and of course shopping.

Maybe i'd better pack some good books.
; )

I'm sure someone there might give you some better suggestions...maybe the hotel clerk. But I'd bring some books just in case.

Just looked it up and it looks like they still have the street fair in Palm Springs on Thursday nights.

ooh.. sounds neat!

Good idea, betterbloom...the tram on Mt. San Jacinto is supposed to be awesome. I would love to take it up to the top,but alas, am afraid of heights. This would probably be something very memorable to have done during your visit, amethystsm. There is lots of info online about it. Street fair would be good, too.

Los Angeles has museums, gardens, Brea tarpits,etc. and if you want Mexico, but not going to TJ, there's always Olvera Street and Chinatown is close and Phillipe's for lunch with beef dip sandwiches. I have great nostalgia for all 3 of these places! Descanso Gardens, L.A. County Arboretum.

thanks gypsy (and bb)!
the tram sounds cool - and i am the opposite of afraid of heights...
i looks like we are staying in a place called indian wells - which claims to be "minutes from Palm Springs."
Don't ask me - it looks like a fancy place, but it is where DH's job is putting us, so okeydokey...

If you take the 5 freeway back to LA from San Diego - think about stopping in Laguna Beach (fwy 133) for lunch and shopping. It is my favorite thing to do. Here is a picture I took two weeks ago from lunch on the patio at the Laguna Beach Hotel.

once upon a time, i met a guy who worked at the theatre in Laguna Beach... he was pretty scenic too... (shh)

The Beach House Inn in Laguna is right on the water; they have very inexpensive dinner special (early bird specials) and you get to watch the sun set. I think you have to be there by 5:30 or 6PM to get the special.

If you head to Laguna, stop by Sherman Gardens on Coast Highway in Corona del Mar (Near Newport Beach.) This is a beautiful little garden that looks great all year round. I love this place--DH and I always find something new and interesting there. We last visited in November, 2007.

thanks! it sounds lovely. 70º sounds lovely too!

There are NO restaurants right on the beach that are as reasonalbe as the Beach House Inn.

The living desert in Palm Springs is definitely worth a visit. You can go up in the mountains (up the 74) to Idylewild too - a very nice drive, and interesting. You might even see a bighorn sheep! It's a great drive for lunch, and a wonderful place to visit.

yep...you could go to Idyllwild and have lunch at the Bread Basket...sit out on the deck if the weather is nice.

This message was edited Jan 13, 2008 7:59 PM

the more i look at the living desert website, the more fabulous it seems... i like animals and birds of all kinds, and the gardens look amazing: http://www.livingdesert.org/exhibits/gardens.asp
i will look into idlewild...
the tram is about 30 miles from where we are staying, but i'd love to do it! another friend suggested Joshua Tree, but that is almost 70 miles away.

70 miles is only about an hour in California!

(unless it's three...)

heading out tomorrow - thanks for all the suggestions - the living desert looks great, and the tram looks like a must do, though it is apparently v cold up there this time of year!

Just caught this thread. Agree with everyone's suggestions. The tram is great! And yes, it is cold, and often there is snow. Living Desert also a good choice.

If you go to Laguna and want to splurge, have lunch or brunch at Las Brisas - on a cliff overlooking the beach, the most fantastic view and food, too! White linen, good service, etc. It's the only reason we drive up there. They also have a casual bar and grill.

The Huntington is a great place to while away the good part of a day, and they used to do a formal tea - reservations - not sure about during the week or if it's just on weekends.

If you can manage the SD Zoo and/or Wild Animal Park - they are both wonderful! Take the tram rides and then hit the highlights. If you time your drive time, it would make a long but pleasurable day. Don't bother with SeaWorld - just my opinion.

Have a great time whatever you do. The weather down here is great right now.

Kathleen

thanks Kathleen - looking forward to 70º very much - it is snowing here right now... i am not planning on taking a winter coat, so i don't think i want to hang out too long at the top of the tram...

amy
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There are so many gotta do's.
LA:
1. La Brea tar pits. Sounds yucky but it is absolutely excellent.
2. Santa Monica board walk. If it is a sunny day, you will see some amazing people that come out. Famous area for lots of movies.
3. HOLLYWOOD. How can anyone miss that.? Walk downtown and just see the people. Everyday seems like Halloween there. If you get a chance, try to spend one evening at the Magic Castle. Dinner and then they usually have 4-5 theaters with live performing magicians going simultaneously. http://www.magiccastle.com/

4. Tommy's Burger. You just have to have a Tommy's Burger from downtown LA. Very busy but very fast. It is a LA cultural experience.
5. Can we forget the original Disneyland? takes a day at least.
SD:
1. San Diego Zoo. A "gotta see". Also add in Balboa park/museums.
2. Point Loma lighthouse. http://www.nps.gov/archive/cabr/lighthouse.html

3.Drive the loop around San Diego bay crossing the Bay bridge. Drive around via the Silver Strand and save a toll as your cross the bridge on the way back. I like to stop and walk out the Imperial beach pier.
4. Scripps Aquarium. Cheap and excellent.
5. La Jolla beach. Nice beach to visit. Go to Windansea beach nearby to watch the surfing crowd. http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/windan.shtml

6. Visit Old town for some first class Mexican food. Homemade tortilla not that frozen stuff. http://www.sandiegorestaurants.com/location.cfm/location/12/OldTown




That is more than enough to fill a vacation.

This message was edited Jan 14, 2008 3:17 PM

This message was edited Jan 14, 2008 3:18 PM

This message was edited Jan 14, 2008 3:20 PM

wow - and i only have 3 days. but, i am not a Disneyland kind of girl! (nor a burger kind of girl - just the veggie ones...)
thanks for all the suggestions...
Silly question for southern CA women...
i have a new-ish pair of dressy black velvet/velour palazzo pants. will they be ok for nighttime there? or too wintery? it looks loke 40s at night, esp in the desert - can i wear these to dress up in CA? i have lighter weight ones too, but the velvet is really nice...
end of girly aside...

The velvet pants will be nice for evening, not too wintery. :)

thank you.
(i was beginning to worry it was just too dorky of a question...)

This is California...wouldn't surprise me at all if Tommy's had veggie burgers as well as the meaty kind :-) I've never been there so I don't know that for sure, but with the exception of the McDonalds/Burger King/In &Out type of places, most of the places I've been to have veggie burgers too. It's much easier being vegetarian out here than it would be in many places in the country!

Tommy's Burgers:

http://www.originaltommys.com/

You can go there anytime 24 X 7 and there will be a big line. You will get through the line in about 5 minutes. They are fast. But each order is cooked to order..

Rick

This has been a great read. Now, one thing, don't forget that it may be 70 degrees during the day but it'll be right chilly at night....so your velvet would probably be welcome. Don't forget to pack a jacket for nights. I was wondering when someone would mention Laguna. That's where I moved from. If you look at yankeecat's photo you'll see the two tiled domes up the beach. That's Las Brisas, the restaurant Kathleen recommended and it was four doors away from me. You can sit outside on the cliff and have nachos or something and watch the spectacular sunsets in January. There is a fairly inexpensive place to eat on the water too, besides the Beach House. I always call it The Bluffs, but that not the name. It's pretty much across from the Chevron station in what is called Laguna Village. They have a great veggie burger and you're right on top of the waves. But that's only a lunch kinda thing. I used to volunteer at Sherman Gardens in Corona Del Mar too. It's well worth a stroll for sure. There's a Santa Ana blowing in tonight so tomorrow should be warmer than usual too, but again, the nights get cold. I repeat that because I would have so many people coming to visit in the winter thinking "ah, summer weather!" which is true during the day.....but the temps drop fast after sunset, trust me. Have a really wonderful time on the visit.

Bit of trivia here, re: The original Tommy's Burger : For many, many years, they did NOT supply napkins for customers ! It was all part of their "gimmick". It was virtually impossible to eat a Tommy's Burger without a napkin...but people did it !

My folks used to take us there for a real treat, and mom would always bring a roll of paper towels...sometimes she'd forget and we'd end up using Kleenex.

It was very entertaining watching the "first timers" trying to eat a TB without a napkin! I think they've done away with that nowdays and DO supply napkins, now.