<p>I am visiting son at USC so my question is: Which is better? to stay Downtown or at the Airport? We will go to a game on Saturday but will also take a day and do some things around LA on Friday. Kind of a Geology nut anything near the tar pits? I will rent a car if needed but hate driving in LA.</p>
<p>All of my time in LA was spent down in Orange County and John Wayne airport, where the company i used to work for, was located. I have not done much of anything in LA itself.</p>
<p>Any Tips or thoughts from experience. Wife stayed at the Raddison across from USC last time but it is booked already this time.</p>
<p>If you stay Downtown, you might not need to drive. There is the Dash to go to 'SC and on gamedays my mom just takes a cab to campus. Downtown is also close to the <em>little</em> public transit we have in LA, so you should be able to get to Mid-City and Hollywood, any further West you will need a car.</p>
<p>I recommend the Biltmore, on weekends the rates are quite low and it’s a great hotel.</p>
<p>I’d stay downtown also - the freeway near LAX is a nightmare 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No point in inflicting that on yourself more than once…</p>
<p>Do not stay near LAX. The noise is horrible.</p>
<p>You should stay in the nice part of town - by UCLA ;).</p>
<p>Downtown puts you between USC and Dodger stadium so that might be convenient except that it’s downtown, unless you like downtown areas. I stayed at the Bonaventure hotel downtown a long time ago and it was nice then but possibly pricey.</p>
<p>You could also stay out by Beverly Hills or something but it’s a bit further of a drive to USC but close to La Brea Tar Pits, Farmers Market, Hollywood, etc.</p>
<p>When my H and I were returning from New Zealand a few years ago, our flight was delayed getting into LA and we ended up having to spend the night there before continuing to the east coast. We were both tired and not particularly happy about having to spend the night in LA. One of the people at the airport counter recommended that we try to book a room at The Culver Hotel in Culver City. That hotel was a pleasant surprise. It’s close to the airport, but not so close that it was noisy. The hotel is on the National Historic Register and has undergone renovations. It was comfortable, funky, and the price was reasonable.</p>
<p>Near the tar pits: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (right next door), Petersen (Peterson?) Automotive Museum, Farmers Market, CBS Studios. Buses run frequently down Wilshire, so you could go to Beverly Hills if that is your cuppa. Not nearby and would need a car but perfect for a geology buff (and film history buffs too) is Vasquez Rocks. Look it up and think about visiting at some point.</p>
<p>I’d hunt around the USC website to find info on getting to campus on game days. My bet would be that there is some kind of shuttle leaving from downtown, especially as there is now a subway system with many lines terminating at Union Station. Check the TripAdvisor LA Board for recommendations on hotels and areas to stay.</p>
<p>trojanchick what does your mom do after the game? I would think a cab would be hard to find after a game.</p>
<p>Usually, I drive her back to the Biltmore, or sometimes she stays at the Vagabond and we walk. However, cabs shouldn’t be too hard to find if you go to the Radisson although maybe hanging around for a bit after the game would be advisable it’s usually nice enough to get a cup of coffee and sit outside for a bit to let traffic die down. Also, you can call Yellow Cab and if your student is willing pay by USC Discretionary.</p>
<p>As for shuttles, sometimes USC runs them from Staples, but usually only for big games if there isn’t anything else going on, so a cab would be your best bet. Also, there is a discount for taking PrimeTime shuttle from the airport to downtown, just mention you are a USC parent.</p>
<p>Good LAX choices are the Hilton and Embassy Suites. Prefer the later, don’t remember noise from the airport in the room itself, but walk outside and you’ll hear it.</p>
<p>We stayed at the Hilton by LAX once. It was fine and I don’t remember it being too noisy. Very convenient to the airport.</p>
<p>Given where you want to go, you want to stay downtown. There are lots of hotels available, and the area has really come alive in the last few years. You can take the subway to Hollywood as well as a few other places (I’m not sure about the proximity to the Tar Pits, but it’s mid-Wilshire if that helps). The Biltmore is a beautiful hotel, as are other “upscale” hotels. The usual chains are also downtown, including a Holiday Inn on Figueroa, a Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton and Omni. Hotel Figueroa is an older, beautiful hotel with a charming restaurant and lobby (though I’ve never seen the rooms). There is nothing around the airport other than airplanes – no subways, no good eats, no quick route to USC or sites of interest.</p>