Visiting LA? Where to go? What to do? Ask here

[Buddy The Elf]

A part of me misses easy parking adjacent to Staples, but looking at the bigger picture, parking lots are dead zones in urban environments...you certainly don't see the volume of parking lots in NYC, SF, Chi etc that you do in downtown LA.

There's some serious Shanhai-ification going on downtown right now. That project that is under construction right across from Staples is pretty gaudy.

Yeah, that thing is going to be a beast. It really is remarkable how much the area has changed since Staples was developed. Hell, i remember when they dug that massive hole to start LA live. We used to drink beers there when it was a parking lot. I would save all my bottles for Larry the Homeless guy. I even bought him a Christmas present one year. That was probably around 2004 or so.

I remember Diehard King Fan (old poster here) was saying AEG owned swaths of land between Staples and Union Station and planned to develop everything between the two. It looks like anyone else who owns property in the area is doing the same thing. Spring Street was completely gentrified 7 or 8 years ago (maybe longer). The Financial district has been cleaned up for a while now. I guess Broadway is currently undergoing the restoration of lots of the old theaters which I think is awesome. It's a shame they are almost all bodegas and souvenir shops right now. But I do miss the days of easy parking. I'm sure it's getting annoying if you spend any amount of time down there now with how congested it's getting.

 

[onlyalad]

Maybe a football stadium would help traffic
Oh scratch that idea

 

[TheSentinel]

I'm on the fence about getting tickets for the freeway faceoff Feb 28 and/or March 5, tickets i'm looking at will be in the Lower bowl.

For sight lines which is better Honda or Staples?
For extras, if there are any, which is better?

Of course my personal schedule will ultimately determine the decision but input would be helpful.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

I'm on the fence about getting tickets for the freeway faceoff Feb 28 and/or March 5, tickets i'm looking at will be in the Lower bowl.

For sight lines which is better Honda or Staples?
For extras, if there are any, which is better?

Of course my personal schedule will ultimately determine the decision but input would be helpful.

They are pretty close. I am going to say Honda just so we can see another Kings fan at the Ponda on Tv

What do you mean by extras?

 

[TheSentinel]

They are pretty close. I am going to say Honda just so we can see another Kings fan at the Ponda on Tv

What do you mean by extras?

Like at Dodger stadium if you get those seats near the infield you get all you can eat, not even sure that's still around.

 

[onlyalad]

Like at Dodger stadium if you get those seats near the infield you get all you can eat, not even sure that's still around.

You can get beer and hotdog packs at Ponda
Team store at Ponda is bigger but more expensive
You can watch Disneyland fireworks at Ponda

 

[Reclamation Project]

Staples Center is nicer and has all of LA Live around it. No contest.

 

[TheSentinel]

Staples Center is nicer and has all of LA Live around it. No contest.

Touché good sir.

 

[mitchdisaster]

Dumb question but whats the taxi situation? I'm heading out for a business trip in the end of February and planning on attending the Feb 23rd game against the Flames. Since the entire event will be held at one location the company is not covering rental cars. The Hotel they booked us at is the Crowne Plaza LAX. Would I be better off with an uber or something?

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Dumb question but whats the taxi situation? I'm heading out for a business trip in the end of February and planning on attending the Feb 23rd game against the Flames. Since the entire event will be held at one location the company is not covering rental cars. The Hotel they booked us at is the Crowne Plaza LAX. Would I be better off with an uber or something?

Uber or Lyft, then a taxi.

You might also look in to a jet pack

 

[onlyalad]

Uber or Lyft, then a taxi.

You might also look in to a jet pack

You might want to look at metro
I think the Green line goes very close to that hotel

 

[Buddy The Elf]

You might want to look at metro
I think the Green line goes very close to that hotel

Yeah you can take the green line to the blue line north for $5 I think (round trip) if you buy a day pass. The Green Line station is at aviation and imperial. You could also take the flyaway bus from LAX to Union Station. From Union Station you'd take the red line but you're better off with taking the Green/Blue line I think. Plus Flyaway picks up at LAX terminals only so you'd have to take the hotel shuttle there first.

Uber/Lyft will cost you roughly $30 each way.

 

[TheSentinel]

It's a bit of a run around, but you can take the complimentary shuttle to LAX, then take the 'G' green line shuttle to the green line, then the green line to Blue line north.
Unless the Hotel can swing their complimentary LAX shuttle to the Green line, I'd call and find that out.

The hotel may even be able to get a shuttle for you direct to Staples. Some hotels do that in LA, I took a complimentary shuttle to San Antonio Winery for a tip.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Relay Rides is a good place to rent cars for cheap. It's like VRBO but for cars. I've used it 3 or 4 times now with no complaints. People pick you up at the airport and there is no money to exchange.

 

[mitchdisaster]

thanks for the advice guys. I'll probably use one of the metro options. Being a D.C. guy i'm used to rail travel should be interesting to check out the metro system out there.

 

[Sybil227]

Food

So .. I think this is a good place to post this.
After Saturday's game we went for dinner at Fogo de Chão - Brazilian BBQ. If you've never been, it's a carnivore's dream. They bring around a dozen or so different cuts and varieties of meat on skewers to your table, and cut off slices for you. It's all you can eat, and they'll keep bringing it as much as you want. There's also a side/salad bar, but I usually ignore it and just go for the meats.

ANWAY, the reason I'm posting about it in here is that they told us that they have a special for Kings fans - show up in your Kings gear (shirts, jerseys) and you get a free desert. And it was an awesome desert:

So ... recommending them!

 

[Reclamation Project]

That's awesome!

 

[TheSentinel]

So .. I think this is a good place to post this.
After Saturday's game we went for dinner at Fogo de Chão - Brazilian BBQ. If you've never been, it's a carnivore's dream. They bring around a dozen or so different cuts and varieties of meat on skewers to your table, and cut off slices for you. It's all you can eat, and they'll keep bringing it as much as you want. There's also a side/salad bar, but I usually ignore it and just go for the meats.

ANWAY, the reason I'm posting about it in here is that they told us that they have a special for Kings fans - show up in your Kings gear (shirts, jerseys) and you get a free desert. And it was an awesome desert:

So ... recommending them!

That's awesome!

I've been to a different Fogo, that is awesome they do that here.

 

[Lame Lambert]

I'm visiting my cousins in Thousand Oaks this week and I think I'll grab tickets for the Calgary game. This'll be my first time at the Staples Center. What's the best way to get there from TO?

 

[ElKingsFan92]

I'm visiting my cousins in Thousand Oaks this week and I think I'll grab tickets for the Calgary game. This'll be my first time at the Staples Center. What's the best way to get there from TO?

My suggestion? Drive to Hollywood; leave your car by a Metro(aka the subway) station. Take the Metro to 7th/Fig(if you don't mind walking a few blocks) on the Red Line or transfer to the Blue Line and get off at the first exit(which is literally right in front of Staples).

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I can also state that everyone that mentions the Getty as top notch.
It should also be noted if you appreciate art, the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is incredible.

I would surmise many here have not been there....do yourself a favor and go! I recall walking up from the parking and seeing all these Rodin sculptures before you enter and that alone was incredible.

I had no idea they had ALL of: Rembrandts, Raphael, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Van Goghs...and on and on. Jaw dropping and mind blowing. World renowned Asian art too. If you've ever seen the Rose Parade, the cameras are usually set up across from the Norton Simon...on Colorado Blvd.

http://www.nortonsimon.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Simon_Museum

 

[onlyalad]

I can also state that everyone that mentions the Getty as top notch.
It should also be noted if you appreciate art, the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is incredible.

I would surmise many here have not been there....do yourself a favor and go! I recall walking up from the parking and seeing all these Rodin sculptures before you enter and that alone was incredible.

I had no idea they had ALL of: Rembrandts, Raphael, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Van Goghs...and on and on. Jaw dropping and mind blowing. World renowned Asian art too. If you've ever seen the Rose Parade, the cameras are usually set up across from the Norton Simon...on Colorado Blvd.

http://www.nortonsimon.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Simon_Museum

When my nieces were young would take them to something artsy every other Saturday. And something more fun on the others. One Saturday we took them to the Getty for a showing of "the hands of Rodin". It was hands that never were attached to statues. Two weeks later we did the Tar pits and the Nortin Simon. As we are parking the oldest niece 12 asks "Is that statue by Rodin? Because it looks like those hands we saw" from the parking lot she recognized the hands.

 

[ricky0034]

so I managed to score myself a free plane ticket to and hotel room in LA next month

anyways suggestions on things to do for someone that doesn't really care about the whole celebrity aspect of things or about beaches?

down for whatever other than that really(and even open to celebrity things as long as it has more of a historical focus instead of this is whoevers house and this is where whats his name drinks coffee or whatever those things are about )

I do also have a particular interest in trying out a variety of restaurants

 

[Quacktastic]

Hey folks. Looking to come to town Thursday Dec 8th for the Hurricanes game.

Would there be any issue with me waiting to buy tickets at the arena box office? I'm not picky about where I sit as long as it's decently cheap. Think I would be OK, or should I look into buying tickets in advance?

 

[skymachine]

In line with the poster above, what would you all say is the best way of getting Kings tickets? Craiglist? Stubhub? Guy on street?

I'll be in LA for work in early November, and intend to spend the last evening in my twenties at Staples for the Kings/Flames tilt on November 5th. I'd prefer to avoid the upper level above all the suites - been to Staples before and much more prefer the lower levels.