Help with layover in Los Angeles. What to do in 12 hours?

[happycamper]

Many times. Other nice stops are San Clemente Pier,Oceanside and San Juan Capistrano.

Awesome thank you! This would really make the trip much more enjoyable and memorable.

 

[Cal]

Many times. Other nice stops are San Clemente Pier,Oceanside and San Juan Capistrano.

I reccommend San Juan Capistrano, lovely little place. There's the San Juan Capistrano Mission within walking distance, a pretty good (Chicago) pizza place, a movie theatre, and a great antique shop. Trevor's at the Tracks is also right on the platform, it's great for train watching while eating.

 

[Chris I]

Thank you - I will look into the Metro Line - is it safe? I would like to go back to Santa Monica - we went to the pier on tour so didn't get to stay long. The Science Center sounds good too.

I think so. We have taken most of the rail lines in LA with our little kids. Never had an issue.

 

[coventry801]

One word to train enthusiast: Disneyland.

take Pacific Surfliner to Anaheim and then take ARTIC bus (free)

 

[Asher]

Peterson Automotive Museum is a place of interest for some. It’s in the Miracle Mile district near Hollywood .

 

[zephyr17]

Peterson Automotive Museum is a place of interest for some. It’s in the Miracle Mile district near Hollywood .

Along with the La Brea Tar Pits, LACMA and the Academy Museum. Lots to do along Wilshire there.

 

[choochoodood]

Thank you. Anything you would recommend in Santa Barbara near the station?

Just visiting the downtown area. It is beautiful and unique. Be sure to go up in the observation area atop City Hall.

 

[PVD]

Funny, I have visited the LaBrea Tar Pits while in LA, and enjoyed the visits but for some reason whenever they are mentioned, I think of the version of Pico & Sepulveda that was used as the intro to "The Dr. Demeneto Show"

 

[trainman74]

Funny, I have visited the LaBrea Tar Pits while in LA, and enjoyed the visits but for some reason whenever they are mentioned, I think of the version of Pico & Sepulveda that was used as the intro to "The Dr. Demeneto Show"

There's nothing particularly touristy at the titular intersection of Pico and Sepulveda - an office building, a lumber/hardware store, a couple strip malls indistinguishable from all the others in L.A. They should at least put up a monument to that song.

 

[PVD]

There was even less there when the original was released in 1947......

 

[MrsRedlegTexian]

OK thinking of taking Sunset Limited to LAX with a 12 hour layover to the SW Chief to go to Flagstaff and tour the Grand Canyon. I think the trip would be much better if we look forward to the layover and not dread it. Sooooo... I have already toured Los Angeles and Hollywood. Thinking maybe train to San Diego and back or Santa Barbara and back but will have at least one spinner small luggage. I thought I could push the luggage and put a picture of a dog on it so it makes it look like a stroller... LOL LOL but seriously I could leave the luggage in the Metropolitan Lounge as planning on a room on the Sunset Limited. BUT not sure if that would be good to leave for hours and hours... Will have essentials in backpacks on us. Other than that any ideas? Dont really want to take transport to Longbeach or San Pedro as we have done both on cruises... Could take train to Universal Studios?? Or Disney Land? not sure we will have that much energy after 32 hours on the Sunset though... Ideas please!!!!!!

I’m doing a very similar trip and have the 12 hour layover at the LA train station after coming from Houston in a roomette. What did you end up doing? How did it work out?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

A couple of ideas right in LA

- see a movie at the Chinese Theatre or El Capitan (El Capitan is right across the street from the Chinese Theatre, it is owned by Disney and shows disney movies - it's a really cool historic movie theatre - neat experience.)

- ride the Angels Flight Railway.... it's the shortest railway in the world (maybe?) - very fun historic incline railway. It costs like $2?

- Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory

- Visit a great museum like the Getty Center, the Broad, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

And of course, there are the studio tours including Universal Studios which is a tour and theme park in one!

 

[user 6862]

Agree with everything crescent-zephyr has suggested but would add get down to Santa Monica Pier entrance.

To the right is a very pleasant ocean front walking path, to the left is Muscle Beach leading into Venice Beach, world class people watching and such a happy atmoshphere.

 

[BCL]

- ride the Angels Flight Railway.... it's the shortest railway in the world (maybe?) - very fun historic incline railway. It costs like $2?

- Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory

- Visit a great museum like the Getty Center, the Broad, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Getty is really hard to get to without a car. Even with a car it requires parking and then taking their tram.

They do claim that Angels Flight is the shortest in the world, but it might be difficult to prove. Cash fare is $1 each way, but only 50 cents from the TAP interagency fare card useful for most LA County transit agencies. And it's easy enough to just take it up and walk down the stairs, which is what we did.

 

[TinCan782]

If you happen to be there September 9 and 10 ...
https://www.unionstationla.com/happenings/train-festival-2023

 

[user 6862]

The Getty is really hard to get to without a car. Even with a car it requires parking and then taking their tram.

They do claim that Angels Flight is the shortest in the world, but it might be difficult to prove. Cash fare is $1 each way, but only 50 cents from the TAP interagency fare card useful for most LA County transit agencies. And it's easy enough to just take it up and walk down the stairs, which is what we did.

Agree.

We travelled into Union Station by train from Chatsworth, from there 2 buses with a simple transfer then the tram up to the museum. It was worth it.

 

[PeeweeTM]

A couple of years ago, I took Metro to Long Beach, walked a couple of blocks, took a boat trip and ate lunch before heading back to the Union Station.

 

[joelkfla]

They do claim that Angels Flight is the shortest in the world, but it might be difficult to prove. Cash fare is $1 each way, but only 50 cents from the TAP interagency fare card useful for most LA County transit agencies. And it's easy enough to just take it up and walk down the stairs, which is what we did.

Yeah, but if you go round-trip, you get a souvenir ticket.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The Getty is really hard to get to without a car. Even with a car it requires parking and then taking their tram.

It's only 20 minutes by car from LA Union Station so wouldn't be a crazy high Uber or Taxi ride.

 

[joelkfla]

It's only 20 minutes by car from LA Union Station so wouldn't be a crazy high Uber or Taxi ride.

From the Getty, I'd plan to get back to Union Station, or some place with easy transit access, extra early (like a couple of hours), in case there's a crash, breakdown, or police chase on the freeway.

That said, the place is huge, and if you like art, it's easy to spend several hours or half a day there.

 

[BCL]

It's only 20 minutes by car from LA Union Station so wouldn't be a crazy high Uber or Taxi ride.

I don't know about that. Only been to the Getty once, and that day (a Saturday) traffic was horrible on I-405 (yeah I don't use SoCal highway lingo). The biggest problem would be getting stuck in traffic.

I've had 10 hours from LAX just to see what I could do, and I only used public transportation. That was very interesting dealing with public transportation, especially when I saw one bus just take off without passengers from the LAX City Bus Center. Had to wait 20 minutes for the next bus.

 

[anilou]

La Brea tar pits. There are other museums in the area too. Or Griffith Park and the zoo, even closer to downtown.

 

[MrsRedlegTexian]

I appreciate all of your suggestions. I’m still looking at places to go but I don’t want to venture too far. I did see a history park with old rail yard stuff nearby. We will be there the day after thanksgiving so I don’t expect typical traffic issues as it’s usually a lighter traffic day even for Houston.

I want to be safe about the area we are in too.

 

[tgstubbs1]

Well, don't give up hope, you have a lot of time to figure it out.

I was looking at the web site Train Festival Sept 9 at the LA Union station, and I found this site that has a number of tours very convenient to Union Station.


https://www.viator.com/searchResults/all?text=los angeles union station

 

[jccollins]

I’m doing a very similar trip and have the 12 hour layover at the LA train station after coming from Houston in a roomette. What did you end up doing? How did it work out?

If headed to Flagstaff, Arizona or the Grand Canyon via Sunset Limited westbound, you might also want to consider:

Detrain Sunset Limited at Maricopa, Arizona at 8:52pm
- then -
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Departs Maricopa at 9:15pm
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Arrives Phoenix Airport at 10:15pm
- then -
* Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Departs Phoenix Airport at 10:30pm
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Arrives Flagstaff, Arizona at 1:40am

* There is a high probability that the westbound train will arrive into Maricopa late, causing its connecting thruway to depart Maricopa late and make your arrival into Phoenix Airport late enough to miss the 10:30pm connection to Flagstaff.

In that case, you could either take the next thruway from Phoenix Airport to Flagstaff/Grand Canyon at 7:30am (or every 90 minutes thereafter all day long) after spending the night in Phoenix, or just choose to rent a car at Phoenix Airport (available 24 hrs/day) and drive the 3 hours north from the airport to the Flagstaff/Grand Canyon Area. In any event, this itinerary would give you an extra day and night to explore Arizona rather than a 12 hour layover in Los Angeles.