What to do - 25 hrs in Los Angeles
 

Edit: Found out I could book a 3 leg trip for the same 25,000 miles. So, we're going to fly the same route, but add a day to the trip. Now we're flying out of SFO to LAX on Monday Oct 12 at 10:00 am, arrive at 11:30. Leave Tuesday at 12:55pm, so we'll have about 25 hours to do whatever. Looking for ideas. Skip to post 20.

I'm looking at flights for RR V, and I'm trying to use my frequent flyer miles with Delta. No problem, non stop flight out to SFO, but the direct return flight would cost me 32,500 miles, and I only have enough miles for two 25,000 mile flights, so Delta wants me to fly to LAX first, with the choice of a 1, 2 or 3 hour layover. So, if I took that option, could we leave the airport and do anything in 3 hours, or am I better off just taking the 1 hour layover flight, or buying more miles for the direct flight, or is there another option I haven't considered? My girlfriend has only been to San Francisco / Monterey once (RR IV), and she's never been to Los Angeles, and I don't think I've been there in about 10 years. Just trying to make the most of the trip. Thanks.

No

No.

ditto

Unless you've got a long-lost Angeleno buddy to hang out with for 3 hours, it's not worth it.

Skyclub

Absolutely not.

Yes.....

Strip Club Near Lax in Los Angeles, California with Reviews & Ratings - YP.com

You could grab a cab and go sit on the 405 for an hour, then go back to the airport.

Only thing within (long) walking distance is In and Out Burger.

1 hour layover ftw.

In-N-Out is a 20-minute walk past the north side approach runways. Sit and eat and watch A380s and 747s come in 200 feet over your head.

U can often burn a hour just getting between gates......3 hours is no big deal......I usually head directly to my departing gate and then find a bar/restaurant close by......Read a book or whatever....

Keep in mind that LAX is a very old airport. It isnt designed to handle security checkpoints and passenger screening. You cant even go between terminals without going through security again.

I try to get about a 2 hour layover for more breathing room and to grab a bite- 1 hour doesn't leave much room for error, if your flight gets delayed a little, you'll miss the connecting one.

You can go between 4-5-6 via tunnels.

Alaska Boardroom in T6 is much better if you have SkyTeam privileges.

Yep, I would shoot for a 2hr layover so you don't risk missing your connection and get abandoned in LAX for 2 weeks.

If you get out you will have to say hello to TSA again, do you feel lucky ?

Another option to consider would be to signup for a Delta Gold AMEX card, and do the minimum spend quickly to earn your bonus miles. I'm not sure what the current promo is, but they usually give at least 40,000 miles. You could also transfer miles from your Starwood Preferred Guest account to Delta, if you have one. You could also buy miles from one of the brokers out there.

Thanks for the info everyone. Looks like I'll pick the two hour layover.

Update - found out I can book a 3 leg trip for the same amount of miles. There was no direct flight available back from SFO to MSP, had to do a layover in either LAX or SLC, picked Los Angeles. So we're flying in to Los Angeles Monday October 12, arrive around 11:30, fly out Tuesday around 12:55. She's never been to Los Angeles, what would be the best use of our time while we are there? Especially Tuesday morning, I'd hate to just check out of the hotel and go sit in the airport.

Need more info, if you are just stuck at the LAX for a few hours my favorite hangout is Gladstone's fish in terminal 3, always busy and a little pricey but great bar and good food with a nice view of the landing strip.
If you are staying over the night there are fun places to eat/drink close by in El Segundo, Marina Del Ray, Manhattan beach.
When my wife and I were doing the long distance relationship thing I often just went down to Dockweiler State beach (adjacent to LAX), walked on the beach, checked out the waves and watched the planes come in.
Oh and there is the famous round restaurant right in the middle of LAX, never tried it but it is on my bucket list.

We'll be staying overnight, since we have 24 hours we don't necessarily have to stay anywhere near LAX.

LAX for a flight around noon, you'll want to be there two hours ahead of departure. I'd book an airport area hotel and rent a car the day you arrive and drive through Beverly Hills or something. Not much to see in Downtown LA.

If you want a tour of the Disney studios in Burbank, let me know. We aren't open to the public for tours.

If you can connect with Hugh for a tour of the studio that would be by far the coolest thing you could do in one day. I did some the contract work at the studio and got to dink around there a bit.

A Disney studio tour would be awesome. I was also hoping we could check out either the Venice boardwalk or Santa Monica Pier. Just how bad are the crazies in those areas these days?

I don't think there are many large airports that I would want to leave for only having a 3 hr layover. That's what you bring a Kindle for....to sit there patiently and read a book, or play a game, not to grab a cab, find a place to eat, and get the cab back to the airport without any problems.

a little bit of the crazies are still there (the body builders and the guys dancing on skates, but the bad ones are gone and it is pretty pricy living areas now. I know about your concern, Venice was a dump when I was a kid. You will have no issues in terms of safety visiting. NOW, parking is a btich at both places. Santa Monica has the boardwalk and fun to people watch but really no place to eat and relax to have a beer. There's Third Street Promenade Third Street Promenade - Santa Monica - Reviews of Third Street Promenade - TripAdvisor Drive south for another 30 min to Manhattan or Hermosa beach. The pace is much slower there (I am bias, because I hung out there lots as a kid). Walk on the sand, find a place to eat and stroll through downtown, go out on the pier (nothing on it really but a few people fishing) and get you guys out on top of the ocean. Parking is still not too much fun to find but better then Santa Monica. That's close by, then there's Rodeo Drive in BH so you can spend money shopping at the porsche store. If you want to see more freaks, come on up to West Hollywood and have lunch or dinner at many of the fine restaurants. All the men are great looking, every corner you turn (according to my wife) but they are mostly gay. the Griffith Observatory is a great place to visit and kill 3-4 hours. You see all of LA from the hill top. Stroll down to Hollywood in 10 minutes and hang out there and walk around. Plenty to see and do.

Never mind. Rennsport Reunion rescheduled, cost me $300 to rebook our flights, but now we have a direct flight home, no layover at LAX.

Sucks.