Flying into LAX for vacation. Need suggestions for lodging... (1 Viewer)

[Helaire-ious]

GF and I are doing a drive the PCH vacation late June. Flying into LAX & leaving from San Francisco. Week long trip.

Of course, we won't know for sure what area we will be in at the end of each day, but I'd like to at least book lodging for the first night. Any suggestions? We arrive around 1:30 PM PST. We're going to rent bikes & bike fro Venice Beach to Santa Monica & back & who knows what else for day one.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

how much do you want to spend?

one possibility, for night one, would be to drive out of LA.  north malibu, or somewhere off the 101 in the thousand oaks area

 

[GoBirds]

GF and I are doing a drive the PCH vacation late June. Flying into LAX & leaving from San Francisco. Week long trip.

Of course, we won't know for sure what area we will be in at the end of each day, but I'd like to at least book lodging for the first night. Any suggestions? We arrive around 1:30 PM PST. We're going to rent bikes & bike fro Venice Beach to Santa Monica & back & who knows what else for day one.

Interested to hear where you end up stopping along the way, we did SF to Big Sur a couple years back....great time. 

 

[Eephus]

I prefer funky old beach hotels over deluxe resorts for a one night stay. Two I'd recommend in the area are:

Sea View Inn in Manhattan Beach. Tough to beat free rentals of bikes, boogie boards and beach chairs. It's a few blocks from the beach and has a pool. 

Huntington Surf Inn in Huntington Beach.  It's on the PCH a few blocks from the pier. The feature here are the uniquely painted rooms; you'll know you're not in the Marriott.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I prefer funky old beach hotels over deluxe resorts for a one night stay. Two I'd recommend in the area are:

Sea View Inn in Manhattan Beach. Tough to beat free rentals of bikes, boogie boards and beach chairs. It's a few blocks from the beach and has a pool. 

Huntington Surf Inn in Huntington Beach.  It's on the PCH a few blocks from the pier. The feature here are the uniquely painted rooms; you'll know you're not in the Marriott.

Gods I loved Manhattan Beach back in the day

 

[Drunken knight]

Bacara in Santa Barbara 

 

[Major]

Chateau Marmont if you're on a budget 

 

[Rodrigo Duterte]

LOL @ "the" PCH.

And I would skip Huntington Beach.  Unless you're into "White Lives Matter" protests.  There are much nicer beach towns to hit than that sprawling stretch of a tourist trap with high rise hotels.  Way better options abound.

 

[belljr]

If it's free is it a rental?

 

[nirad3]

GF and I are doing a drive the PCH vacation late June. Flying into LAX & leaving from San Francisco. Week long trip.

Of course, we won't know for sure what area we will be in at the end of each day, but I'd like to at least book lodging for the first night. Any suggestions? We arrive around 1:30 PM PST. We're going to rent bikes & bike fro Venice Beach to Santa Monica & back & who knows what else for day one.

After your bike tour I'd head up to Santa Barbara for dinner and lodging.  Pretty much anything along Cabrillo in SB will be more than sufficient.  

 

[Gally]

how much do you want to spend?

one possibility, for night one, would be to drive out of LA.  north malibu, or somewhere off the 101 in the thousand oaks area

I agree with getting out of LA but I would go further north than Thousand Oaks and look at Ventura or Santa Barbara (depending on what time you are getting out of LA.  

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I agree with getting out of LA but I would go further north than Thousand Oaks and look at Ventura or Santa Barbara (depending on what time you are getting out of LA.  

he wants to do SM/Venice first.  i was keeping the drive shorter because of this.  otherwise, totally agree

 

[Judge Smails]

For me I would do day 1 in Santa Monica/Venice and just stay there for the first night.  Leave the next morning. Tons of great places in Santa Monica depending on budget.  Next morning I’d drive PCH through Malibu them turn right at Pepperdine and go through Mulholland to 101 N and continue on. If you do want to drive north I would recommend the Westlake Inn in Westlake Village. Cool vibe and great outdoor wine bar connected to it.  Don’t like hotel options in Ventura. Good stop for breakfast or lunch or beach only. Santa Barbara works. Bacara if budget allows. If not you have more hotel options anyway than Ventura. 

 

[Helaire-ious]

how much do you want to spend?

one possibility, for night one, would be to drive out of LA.  north malibu, or somewhere off the 101 in the thousand oaks area

We won't be staying in LA night one. Not sure how far we will get, but well out of LA

 

[The General]

In Santa Monica I have stayed here: Shutters on the Beach - it’s just south of the pier and you can walk out the back to the path that goes down to Venice

Also stayed here years back and it was ok at the time: The Georgian - just north of the pier in great location

 

[Helaire-ious]

In Santa Monica I have stayed here: Shutters on the Beach - it’s just south of the pier and you can walk out the back to the path that goes down to Venice

Also stayed here years back and it was ok at the time: The Georgian - just north of the pier in great location

$500 a night? Wowzas!

 

[The General]

$500 a night? Wowzas!

Shutters I stayed at for work was spendy but they have apparently raised the prices  even more   Paying for location for sure. You are right on the beach.

The Georgian was less for sure last time I was there. Location almost as good if you are looking to stay in that area. 

 

[DA RAIDERS]

We won't be staying in LA night one. Not sure how far we will get, but well out of LA

i would go to the beach and bounce.  stay anywhere nice-ish 1-2 hours north.  then start your trip early the next day

 

[Chaos Commish]

i would go to the beach and bounce.  stay anywhere nice-ish 1-2 hours north.  then start your trip early the next day

agreed, and maybe more specifically, check out the cliffside inn, punta gorda, away from the bright lights, between ventura and santa barbara. great place to wake up, coffee and whatever at the cliffside pool. it's adjacent to a long walking pier that connects to a small island. super peaceful. minutes from the semi-famous rincon surfbreak for watching the early morning "pros" before heading north. 

edit -- cliffhouse inn, not cliffside... it's been awhile...

 

[Drunken knight]

Bacara in Santa Barbara 

. Santa Barbara works. Bacara if budget allows. 

Looks like we are heading down to a lacrosse tournament in June.  Haven't been to Bacara since it's changed ownership.  Should be a fun weekend

 

[Helaire-ious]

Cliffside Inn, Chateau Marmont, The Georgian  or Crowne Plaza in Ventura anyone? Other suggestions in Santa Barbara area?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Cliffside Inn, Chateau Marmont  or The Georgian Hotel anyone? Other suggestions in Santa Barbara area?

depends how much of a day you make of, venice/sm  if you do all day and are tired.  the georgian.  otherwise, i'd go cliffside, night 1.  and then visit SB the next day, but stay further north, night 2. 

 

[Helaire-ious]

depends how much of a day you make of, venice/sm  if you do all day and are tired.  the georgian.  otherwise, i'd go cliffside, night 1.  and then visit SB the next day, but stay further north, night 2. 

We're planning to fly into LAX (arrive around 2pm) & end up in the santa barbara area for night 1 & stay there.

Crowne plaza in Ventura a better option?

 

[DA RAIDERS]

We're planning to fly into LAX (arrive around 2pm) & end up in the santa barbara area for night 1 & stay there.

Crowne plaza in Ventura a better option?

anything will work, for that first night.  if you want to wake up ocean front, you can.  but, it you're just going to wake up and head to SB, who cares   what day are you landing?  2 o'clock could translate into a 2 hour drive to ventura.  but i highly recommend getting out of LA, day 1.

cliff house inn is old and funky, but you're on the water.  been a while since i've been by there.

 

[Helaire-ious]

anything will work, for that first night.  if you want to wake up ocean front, you can.  but, it you're just going to wake up and head to SB, who cares   what day are you landing?  2 o'clock could translate into a 2 hour drive to ventura.  but i highly recommend getting out of LA, day 1.

cliff house inn is old and funky, but you're on the water.  been a while since i've been by there.

Land on a Monday. I think the plan is to head out of SB & go north on day 2...unless we missed a bunch to do in SB

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Land on a Monday. I think the plan is to head out of SB & go north on day 2...unless we missed a bunch to do in SB

sounds good.   get at least to ventura, night one.  knock out SB, and head north day 2.  smart.  

if you're inclined to go atv-ing.  pismo is incredible.

 

[The Z Machine]

Gods I loved Manhattan Beach back in the day

My favorite spot in LA.

 

[Helaire-ious]

We booked an ocean view room @Crowne Plaza in Ventura for night 1

 

[Judge Smails]

We booked an ocean view room @Crowne Plaza in Ventura for night 1

OK spot.  Right on the beach with a little pier there.  There aren't many hotel options in Ventura.

 

[Helaire-ious]

OK spot.  Right on the beach with a little pier there.  There aren't many hotel options in Ventura.

Not sure how far we will get on day 2 so who knows where we'll be able to stay for that night. I'm a little worried about not knowing where we'll stay the rest of the trip, but I'm sure we''l find decent places each night.