Best Transportation ideas to get around Santa Monica/Anaheim

[goofy!]

Hello everybody,

I need your help. We are going to LA in late March for a cheerleading competition, but also planning to hit Universal and DL. We are planning to stay 2 nights @ Loews Santa Monica before moving to the Anaheim Marriott (where we are required to stay for the competition.)

I know Orlando backwards and forwards, but am in brand new territory here for California. So, I need the help of all you experts out there.

I need the best ideas for transportation:
LAX to Loews Santa Monica
Loews Santa Monica to Universal Hollywood and back
Loews Santa Monica to Anaheim Marriott
(I am assuming that since the Marriott is across from DL, that they have a shuttle, so we are good on that)
Anaheim Marriott to LAX.

In Orlando, we always rent a car. Do we need a car in LA, or is it better to go with a shuttle service? Or a limo service?

BTW - We are a group of 8 travelling, so we would need a large of anything.

Thanks!!

 

[woody73]

A car is best in L.A.

Woody

 

[woody73]

. . . Loews Santa Monica to Universal Orlando and back . . .

A plane is best for this part.

Woody

 

[goofy!]

A plane is best for this part.

Woody

See, I am so used to writing Orlando. I will change that. Thanks

 

[casaazul]

So Cal is the land of cars. We always have a car, either rental or our own if we drive.

It may look close on the map, but traffic is brutal at times!!

Have a great time!

 

[tracys2cents]

Get two mid sized cars if you can. They will be the same price as one big van, and you will have more freedom. The hotels/attractions are too far apart to be worth taking shuttles and taxis, you would spend a fortune. Try to stay off the roads between 8am and 9:45am and between 3:30pm and 7:15pm as much as possible. Do any driving tours on Sat & Sun when traffic is much lighter.
For Santa Monica to Universal, I would leave at 10am and spend all day into the evening at the park, maybe wait until 8pm for the drive home. If you need a break from the park, pay $1.25 (each way) to take a subway ride down to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, just 5 minutes from Universal. You could spend 90 minutes or so seeing the walk of fame and the footprints at the Chinese theatre, plus stop at some cheap t-shirt/souvenir shops.