Any Locals willing to offer Driving Tips?

[ddcrna]

We are flying into SD on 5/19 and staying there for two nights then driving up to Anaheim for 4 days. We will be staying at the Marriott Vacation Club in Newport Beach. What is the best route to DL from there? Also, we want to spend a day at US in Hollywood and do that whole Hollywood tour thing. What is the best way to get up there and can you recommend a tour or should we just do our own thing?

[rjbarker]

I make the drive from SD to LA and Disneyland every weekend. Take the I5 the whole way, it's direct, but be careful what time of day you leave because without traffic it'll only take like an hour and 15 minutes but with traffic it could take up to 3 hours. On Monday-Thursday, I would recommed leaving SD between 10am and 1pm or after 7:30pm to best avoid traffic. If it's a Friday, leave by noon. On a weekend, I would go early or late and avoid 11am-6pm. Also, go to www.sigalert.com to check traffic conditions for LA, SD and Orange Counties before driving anywhere in LA or between counties.

When driving to Hollywood, there are many routes, go to sigalert and pick the one with the least amount of traffic. I used to live in LA so I've never taken a tour and I don't know how cheesy or good they are but if you do your own thing, just be prepared for a lot of traffic because it literally takes 45 minutes to get anywhere in LA.

Hopefully that helps, if you have any more questions or want to know more about certain places in SD or LA, let me know!

[rjbarker]

Sorry, I misunderstood your question: you're not asking the best route from SD to Disneyland. I am unfamiliar with Newport Beach but I'm guessing you have to take the 405. If so, the same time rules apply for traffic but note that the 405 usually has more traffic than the 5. Also note that the 73 (connects the 5 to the 405 in southern Orange County) is quicker with less traffic but is a toll road.

[DisneyLandMomma]

I think Harbor Blvd goes all they was down to Newport but I don't know if that would be the best or fastest way to get there.

You can take the 55 north up to 5 north and there are PLENTY of signs letting you know where to get off for the DLR.

As for Hollywood, you would take the 5 North until you get to the 101North (Hollywood Fwy) and take that into Hollywood. If your going to Universal, you past Hollywood and I think the exit is Universal Way or something like that.

If you are going to Universal Studios, IMHO, I would just skip the rest of Hollywood. It might be because my grandma lives there so it's not very exciting to me, but Hollywood isn't that great. LOL I never understood why people would want to go there. But then again, I spent practically every weekend of my childhood there so to me its boring.

[autumn]

i would not do a tour in hollywood - there just isn't enough to see. you have the walk of fame, the chinese theater, and the kodak, and it's all inthe same few blocks along hollywood blvd. i think it's worth seeing at least once if you never have, but it only takes about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, max, depending on how detailed you want to get (some people could probably be happy with 45 minutes).

the inside of the chinese theater is cool, but a lot of it was refubed in the '70s (i think), and you can tell - the design scheme is still original (1920s), but the paint, etc. is obviously more recent. anyway, they offer tours, but i have never been on an official tour (i was there for an event).

you also get a good view of the hollywood sign from the kodak hteater/hollywood and highland mall.

[BrerGnat]

By my calculations, you will be heading up to DLR sometime on a Monday morning, correct?

If so, take the following route (I am VERY familiar with this area...I live here, so you need to trust me on this one. No one you ask will give you these directions, and it avoids the 55N, which is a gridlock pretty much all day on weekdays):

From the resort, head NORTH on the 1 (Pacific Coast Highway)

Turn Right onto JAMBOREE ROAD. Stay on Jamboree Road until you get to the on ramp for 5 North. It's approximately 7-10 miles (Jamboree splits off to a toll road near the 5 connection...make sure you pay attention to the signs and follow the lanes marked "Jamboree Road/Interstate 5".

Get on 5 North and drive up to Anaheim (it's about 10 miles north once you get on the 5).

Where are you staying in Anaheim? The following directions will take you to the DLR property hotels: (if you are staying elsewhere, let me know and I'll revise)

Exit HARBOR BLVD, turn RIGHT.

Make the FIRST LEFT onto BALL ROAD.

At the second light, you will see overhead signs pointing to the DLR. Get in the left lane, towards "Downtown Disney/Disney Resort Hotels/Convention Center".

This total trip should take about 30 minutes.

I would not recommend taking a tour of LA. "Smell"-A is dirty, ugly, and NOT the way it looks in the movies. Save the time and gas money. US is very boring...it's worse than the one in Orlando (if that's possible). You will spend more time in traffic GETTING TO and AROUND L.A. than you will actually seeing anything of interest. There is plenty more in the area to get excited about. I would personally leave the Anaheim area a day early and spend time in San Diego. There is MUCH to see and do down there and it is SO MUCH PRETTIER than L.A.!!!

[2Epcot]

I lived smack in the middle of Hollywood for the last seven years, before moving to Orange County. I enjoyed the time I was there and have a coffee table book full of pictures I took of stars from movie premires and star ceremonies. Watched several movies being filmed, including Charlie's Angels 2, and the Italian Job. You never know what may be going on when you visit. There have been lots of improvements in the area around the Chinese theater. The Hollywood & Highland complex was built which is where the Kodak theater is located (home of the Oscars, and where they have the American Idol Finals). It doesn't take too long to see it, and it is something you can do on your own.

Disney's El Capitan theater is also across the street from the Chinese theater. Often they will do live stage shows with Disney characters before some of their movies. Though if you are just going up for the day, you wouldn't have time for that.

I've watched where a lot of the tours go, though never taking one myself. Many of them take you to famous movie locations, or where stars homes are. In most cases, you are only looking at a front gate, since almost all the stars home are not easily seen from the street.

If you never been to Universal Studios Hollywood, it is worth going. I used to live only 5 minutes away, but only went about a couple of times a year. Unlike Disney, it doesn't have too much a repeat visit factor. Universal Orlando is a much better park. That said, I like CityWalk at Universal .... personally, I think it is designed better than Downtown Disney at Disneyland. Most of the rides are similar, but the main difference is you get a real backlot tour at Universal Studios Hollywood. Something you won't get at the Orlando park, or Disney MGM.