Hi,
I'm after a bit of advice please...
My fiance and I want to combine a bit of 'activity' with a bit of 'relaxation' on our honeymoon so have plumped for a multi-centre honeymoon. We intend to go to Los Angeles for 4 nights staying in Hollywood just off of the Boulevard. We want to do universal Studios; the 'Rich & Famous Hollywood Houses' tour among other things. We're then off to Maui (Hawaii) intending to stay at Royal Lahania Resort in the Tower - has anyone been there, have any reviews? We're then intending to have 2 nights in Vancouver on the way back (we have to make a stopover anyway so thought why not!)
The things is, it is costing a lot of money and i'm worried about how expensive Maui will be to eat and drink out, do trips/excursions and hire a car. I don't want us to spend all this money going and then not enjoy it because everything is so outrageously expensive when we get there. I have been searching on trip advisor and on here but am not getting a sense of how much spending money we're likely to need - we need to be realistic about whether we can really afford it.
If anyone can tell me how much it's likely to cost to eat out, drink, hire a car etc...I would be really grateful.
Also, any tips on what we should do on our trip also gratefully appreciated.
Many thanks,
Jen
Mmm I wouldn't stay in Hollywood personally. It's really not all that it's cracked up to be. On the other hand, you only intend to stay in the LA area for 4 days so I don't know if it makes sense to stay outside the city or not. Do you intend on hiring a car in LA? If so, that definitely gives you a lot more options and, if you do hire a car, I really would stay outside of the city. You can do Hollywood in a few hours... it's not an all day thing by any means... and there is no need to stay in a hotel near Hollywood.
I would personally consider staying in a nicer area like Anaheim which would allow you go easily get to Disneyland. You didn't say you want to go to Disneyland but I would recommend it. If you hire a car, you can get to Universal Studios and Hollywood easily enough too. Santa Monica would be another possibility... I am not too familiar with Santa Monica (to my shame, even having lived in the LA area for over 3 years, I think I've only been there once) but I've read reports from others on this site saying that they felt safe in Santa Monica, how it was a nice area, etc. Santa Monica is also handy for getting back to LAX. The 405 freeway connects the two.
I would personally consider staying in a nicer area like Anaheim which would allow you go easily get to Disneyland. You didn't say you want to go to Disneyland but I would recommend it. If you hire a car, you can get to Universal Studios and Hollywood easily enough too. Santa Monica would be another possibility... I am not too familiar with Santa Monica (to my shame, even having lived in the LA area for over 3 years, I think I've only been there once) but I've read reports from others on this site saying that they felt safe in Santa Monica, how it was a nice area, etc. Santa Monica is also handy for getting back to LAX. The 405 freeway connects the two.
Do a bit more research before you settle on staying close to Hollywood Blvd. A not very nice area to start a honeymoon!
Be better to stay somewhere nice and take organized tours of the tourist attractions.
Be better to stay somewhere nice and take organized tours of the tourist attractions.
Can I put a total spanner in the works and say leave LA out of the itinerary altogether? For a honeymoon I would seriously consider San Francisco over LA any day of the week.
If it has to be LA, avoid staying in Hollywood. Stay in Anaheim, and either get a car to travel around the city or book tours with pick ups from Anaheim hotels. An alternative would be Santa Monica, which is nice enough but still not an outstanding "must do" attraction if you ask me.
If it has to be LA, avoid staying in Hollywood. Stay in Anaheim, and either get a car to travel around the city or book tours with pick ups from Anaheim hotels. An alternative would be Santa Monica, which is nice enough but still not an outstanding "must do" attraction if you ask me.
Ordinarily I would have suggested San Francisco too, but anyone who wants to do Universal Studios, visit Hollywood, and see the homes of the rich and famous is presumably a bit of a film buff and, therefore, Los Angeles is going to trump San Francisco. But yeah, don't stay in LA itself. It's much more of a "working" city than San Francisco (given San Francisco's extremely high homeless population, that statement is likely true in a literal sense) and it doesn't really offer as much for tourists... unless, as I say, you are going because of the whole Hollywood/movies thing or because you like theme parks. San Francisco doesn't come close to LA if you are wanting to visit theme parks.
Thank you everyone! My fiance is really keen to do Universal Studios, hence LA. We have cut down on the number of nights there though to 3 now so we will have just 2 full days, 1 of which will be spent at Universal Studios, the other perhaps doing a tour of the rich and famous in Hollywood. Given that, do you think that we should still stay outside of Hollywood? And if so...any recommendations of hotels close enough for convenience given our short stay?
Am also still really keen for any advice on Hawaii too - we plan so far to stay in Maui at the Royal Lahania.
Many thanks,
Jen
Am also still really keen for any advice on Hawaii too - we plan so far to stay in Maui at the Royal Lahania.
Many thanks,
Jen
Jen,
Universal Studios Hollywood is very good, the backlot tour is absolutely amazing and worth the entrance money alone. I remember a story a while back when during a backlot tour Jim Carrey who was filming at the time came running down from the Bates Motel dressed as Mother (from Psycho) and jumped on the back of the tram scaring the living daylights out of the tourists.
The only downside to Universal in Hollywood is the setting. Due to it being in the hills, the different areas of the park can only be reached by taking fairly slow escalators up and down which when the park is busy can really grind. Not a major problem admittedly but factor in some time for this.
As for accommodation. If it's just Hollywood you want to see then by all means stick with a hotel in and around the area, especially if you are just going to have a few days now.
Universal Studios Hollywood is very good, the backlot tour is absolutely amazing and worth the entrance money alone. I remember a story a while back when during a backlot tour Jim Carrey who was filming at the time came running down from the Bates Motel dressed as Mother (from Psycho) and jumped on the back of the tram scaring the living daylights out of the tourists.
The only downside to Universal in Hollywood is the setting. Due to it being in the hills, the different areas of the park can only be reached by taking fairly slow escalators up and down which when the park is busy can really grind. Not a major problem admittedly but factor in some time for this.
As for accommodation. If it's just Hollywood you want to see then by all means stick with a hotel in and around the area, especially if you are just going to have a few days now.
Hi,
We are stying 3 nights so that we will have 2 full days. 1 for Universal Studios and the 2nd for a Hollywood tour - i've heard you can do day tours which take in the walk of fame, the houses of the stars, Santa Monica pier etc... if you know of any good ones i would be most grateful for any tips.
Also any hotel recommendations in Hollywood also greatly apperciated - so far we are looking at the Renaissance Hotel Hollywood.
Many thanks,
Jen
We are stying 3 nights so that we will have 2 full days. 1 for Universal Studios and the 2nd for a Hollywood tour - i've heard you can do day tours which take in the walk of fame, the houses of the stars, Santa Monica pier etc... if you know of any good ones i would be most grateful for any tips.
Also any hotel recommendations in Hollywood also greatly apperciated - so far we are looking at the Renaissance Hotel Hollywood.
Many thanks,
Jen
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