<p>Hi,
We decided to spen 12/24-12/30 in LA. We want to go to the Getty and Knotts Farm, Hollywood sign and Huntington Garden for starters. I have looked at VRBOs and am thinking that might be a good option.</p>
<p>Any suggestions of a location that will minimize traffic (hahahaha it is LA)? Hotel or VRBO?
Restaurant for Christmas dinner?
Any special events happening for the holidays that only happen in LA?</p>
<p>thx.</p>
<p>In October, we stayed at a hotwire blindly chosen hotel that turned out to be a nonsmoking Holiday Inn Express in Pasadena for $94, including free parking, wifi, and daily breakfast. Would probably stay one or two days near Knotts to avoid too much backtracking, especially if you may also wish to see Disneyland. We would stay at that HInn again–good location near Huntington, Pasadena, San Marino. </p>
<p>The places I tend to eat in LA don’t evoke Christmas to me. Maybe dinner at Knotts?</p>
<p>North Orange County and the Valley are much better traffic wise than Santa Monica area. However they’re also further away from many of the more interesting parts of LA. I’d suggest you go to Westminster of Koreatown if you want a good, cheap meal although traditional Christmas it is not. </p>
<p>Three years ago, I went to Universal Studios with some friends the day before Christmas and there were almost no lines.</p>
<p>Traffic in LA is grossly exaggerated imo, it’s much slower getting around NY at rush hour. Pasadena itself is quite pretty and I highly recommend a visit to the Gamble House if you go to Huntington Gardens. [Tours</a> of The Gamble House in Pasadena, California | Visiting Info](<a href=“http://gamblehouse.org/tours/]Tours”>http://gamblehouse.org/tours/) If you feel like looking at a pretty campus - I think the original core of Caltech is dropdead gorgeous, though the middle of winter is probably not the best time to see it.</p>
<p>Oh, and while I can’t recommend a place for Christmas dinner, this place makes wonderful pies and burgers and they used to have a pecan roll on Sunday mornings (still on the menu, and I presume still delicious) that was to die for: <a href=“http://pienburger.com/history/[/url]”>Pie 'N Burger; I haven’t been since I took my older son (now 25) to see colleges, but at that time it hadn’t changed a bit since when we went in the 80s, and it looked just like 1963. It’s a real institution.</p>
<p>Rose Parade (Tournament of Roses) float building viewing. Tickets are sold ahead of time and I believe they start building on December 27. I have not been, so cannot say what shape the floats would be in before you leave town. That would be in the Pasadena area.</p>
<p>If you don’t have time to go to Disneyland itself, there is Downtown Disney. It has shops (Disney souvenirs as well as big names such as Fossil or Roxy), food carts and restaurants, Disney atmosphere right outside Disney park gates. I don’t think this would be the best place for a Christmas meal, tho.</p>
<p>Never underestimate LA traffic. It is fickle and full of surprises. If you’re going to spring for a VRBO I suggest you choose a scenic coastal location with plenty of options within a short drive. Santa Monica, Malibu, Marina del Rey, Long Beach even Newport Beach though that’s probably too far south. You’re going to be in heavy traffic no matter what, and it has less to do with distance than the time of day you’re driving. The Naples area of Long Beach goes all out with holiday decorations, way over the top. Be sure to see a boat parade, flotillas of yachts decked out in lights. Several of the harbor cities have them, though I’m not sure of the schedules.</p>
<p>Edit: looks like boat parades are all mid-December</p>
<p>Newport Beach is great. It’s close enough to L.A. that you can easily do 2-3 day trips, close to Knott’s and Disneyland, and has plenty to offer on its own: restaurants, shopping, lots of Christmas activities, and ocean views to boot. It is not unusual to have beach weather in December. Marriott has a timeshare property in Newport that is very nice. This listing is currently on ebay, which, though not your exact dates, can give you an idea of the property:
[url=<a href=“http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Newport-Coast-Villas-2-bd-2ba-LUXURY-condo-avail-Sat-12-21-13-12-28-13-/221324130075?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item3387f2371b]Marriott”>http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marriott-Newport-Coast-Villas-2-bd-2ba-LUXURY-condo-avail-Sat-12-21-13-12-28-13-/221324130075?pt=US_Lodging&hash=item3387f2371b]Marriott</a> Newport Coast Villas 2 BD 2ba Luxury Condo Avail SAT 12 21 13 12 28 13 | eBay<a href=“I%20am%20not%20affiliated%20in%20any%20way”>/url</a>.</p>
<p>If you are into Mideastern food, Burger Continental has very reasonable and delicious options. If you like shanghai dumplings, Arcadia has Din Tai Fung, which has about the best – we try to get there several times during any stay in the area.</p>
<h1>7, I didn’t know vacation rentals were available on Ebay, interesting! And with “free shipping” to boot.</h1>
<p>Thanks very much. My daughter was just in Hong Kong and suggested Din Tai Fung. They aren’t open for Christmas but we will definitely eat there at least one meal although the reviews were mixed. The Rose Parade floats would be cool.</p>
<p>Make sure that you get to both the “old” and the “new” Getty museums…the first is in Malibu, and you used to have to reserve parking in advance. The new Getty’s restaurant is terrific, but is also something you’ll want to reserve in advance.</p>
<p>I have to recommend the Beach House in Hermosa Beach for a wonderful hotel. Best for couples due to the room configuration, but the room does have a pull-out couch in a slightly separated step down sitting area. </p>
<p>It is right on the beach and just a block or so from downtown Hermosa Beach. If you like to walk, it’s walkable to Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach.</p>
<p>Agree traffic is fickle, but Christmas week is usually better. Avoid rush hour. Getting to the old Getty will give you a good sense of the wonder of the southern CA coast. Agree about trying to get down to Newport, Balboa and Laguna, maybe Dana Point, maybe the mission in San Clemente, as much driving along the coast as possible. That can be a day trip. In Long Beach, you can look at the Queen Mary. </p>
<p>If you’re used to a cold Christmas, S. CA is a neat experience. We had a several year tradition of eating Christmas Eve dinner dockside in Newport Beach, steak/seafood place.</p>
<p>Good options if you are looking for a “traditional” restaurant for Christmas dinner: Lawrys, The Tam o Shanter, or even the Napa Rose at Disneyland.</p>
<p>fyi: BOOK NOW</p>
<p>Please note: The Rose Bowl parade is on January 1st. </p>
<p>Venice Beach is fun, lots of outdoor stores. If you enjoy Lobster Enterprise Seafood Company has a Monday to Thursday lobster dinner for 33. 3rd Street Prominade is a hit with the young uns. Beverly Hills…the trolley tour is inexpensive ($10 per adult last time I looked) and you get a tour in a cable car. The Grove and the original Farmer’s Market (Fairfax between 3rd street and Beverly Boulevard). </p>
<p>The Valley: Universal Studio tour or the Warner Bros. tour. The latter is a DEFINITE must have reservations. You go in a golf cart around the lot.</p>
<p>Restaurants: I don’t know your price point but there are so many…from the Farmer’s Market (La Loteria) CHEAP, to Gardens of Taxco (West Hollywood) 6 course meal for under 30 per person (very funky vibe. We have gone here for 37 years…)to Spago, Maestros, Flemings, Nate and Als…And so many more…</p>
<p>Sunset Plaza: Totally cool, great window shopping…restaurants can have a view. Note: don’t wear tourist clothes (including camera around the neck)…you are too cool for that.</p>
<p>For hotels…I admit to knowing just a few…Most of the hotels that I know aren’t bargain priced…but there is a small hotel on Spaulding south of Wilshire which seems to be less money…</p>
<p>The original Getty on the ocean is home to Greek and Roman art. The new Getty is atop Sepulveda…car reservations for parking a must.</p>
<p>Enterprise! Just had to pop back and say we have so many fond memories of eating there when we lived in the area, and wish there were something similar in the NE. Hard to find anyone using mesquite. <a href=“Not found”>http://www.enterprisefishco.com/santamonica/</a></p>
<p>The ocean side (ancient art) Getty Villa requires advance reserves, but the Getty Center (off of Getty Center drive) does not require reservations. You can, however, book your trip to the Villa and if you do it online you can pay once for one parking ticket ($15.) and use that one pass for both museums. BTW, the restaurant at the Getty Center is quite good and offers spectacular views all the way to the ocean. Be sure to reserve ahead of time. And during New Years week, thanks to the Rose Bowl crowd, the parking lot fills up early.</p>
<p>Agree with hyperette about visiting the Getty. There can be looooong lines of cars waiting to get into the Getty center parking lot between Christmas and New Year’s. There are a lot of tourists in town to visit family and also to see the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl. If you want to get to the Getty Center (and you should, it’s wonderful), plan on getting there earlier in the day. Once you park there’s a funicular to the top and that can be another long wait which can be avoided by walking up to the center if you are in reasonable shape and comfortable shoes. Though the funicular is great fun. :)</p>
<p>busyparent, if the four things in your OP are on your absolute must list, I’d stay more up in LA rather than in Orange County and do Knott’s as a day trip. For the Hollywood sign, do you mean you want to see it, or that you want to be next to it? The latter isn’t easily do-able; if you want a great view, suggest you go to the Griffith Park observatory which is interesting anyway (and famous as the final scene in “Rebel Without a Cause”. </p>
<p>Second seeing the floats being decorated. There are also usually some outdoor ice-skating rinks set up around the area which is pretty funny given the weather. Oh, and the Posada at Olivera Street in downtown LA, though that’s only through December 24.</p>
<p>For Xmas dinner suggestions, I’d look on the chowhound LA forum. It really depends on where you’re staying–no sense in recommending a place in, say, the beach communities in Orange county if you’re staying in Downtown LA.</p>
<p>Another option for a wonderful view of the San Gabriel Valley (up where Pasadena is) is to visit the Mt. Wilson Observatory. You’ll get a really nice drive in the hills, and they offer a pretty cool tour of various telescopes which, in their time, were the largest in the world.</p>