LA Traffic questions (1 Viewer)

[cosjobs]

I've been here about a week and not leaving until Tuesday.

We're staying at the Warner Center and the other morning I drove to LA and the commute down 101 was soul-crushing

1. Tomorrow I am going to a movie at the Chinese Theatre at 11;30. What time do I need to leave?

Would taking the Topanga Canyon Rd south to the PCH and then across on Santa Monica be stupid? It looks further, but if the traffic were not so bad and the drive was decent...

B. Saturday afternoon around 2-4pm we are leaving the Warner Center to go to Laguna Beach for a few days. Any way we should consider the PCH for any or all of the journey?

 

[Shrugs]

Traffic might not be too bad at that time. You never really know. You can check sigalert.com before you would leave to see how the 101 looks. There's an orange line bus that goes in its own separate lane from Warner Center to North Hollywood, from where you can switch to the red line train that gets to the Chinese Theatre at Hollywood/Highland in two stops. If you're staying at the Hilton, you just have to walk up Canoga past Victory and there's the metro station. If you're at the Marriott, the bus stops over there but I'm not sure exactly where. It's like a 45-minute ride on the bus and then 8 minutes on the train. Don't take the PCH route. If you want to drive and the 101 looks bad, you can take Victory to Cahuenga and it leads directly into Highland.

Whether you take the bus or drive, I would suggest going to the North Hollywood metro station and parking for free to take the red line. It's very easy how it brings you right to the Chinese Theatre without having to deal with the traffic/parking mess in that tourist trap of Hollywood/Highland. You could take Victory to Lankershim for a surface streets route to the NoHo metro. The metro cost would be $1.75/person each way, whether you only take the red line or start at the orange line and transfer for free.

Oh, about the Laguna Beach trip. Again, you could look at sigalert.com before you're leaving and see what looks best. But if you think the 101 is bad, you'll really hate the 405 and 5. If you've never taken PCH, I would suggest doing it just for the beautiful view.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

 

[cosjobs]

thanks guys

 

[Shrugs]

By the way, Vista Theatre>Chinese. It has all the vintage charm without the annoying tourists, and with style and amenities that add to the experience. The Chinese is a soul-less tourist trap. The Vista opened four years earlier in 1923 as opposed to 1927 in East Hollywood. It also has some hand/foot prints in front but not to the extent of the Chinese. It has an Egyptian theme. The ticket booth out front is cool. The popcorn is popped fresh continuously, unlike the stale crap at the Chinese. They use real butter, unlike the fake crap at the Chinese. And every other row of seats was taken out some years ago so that you can literally stretch out your legs fully and there's still room in front for people to walk by. Quentin Tarantino called it his favorite theater.

 

[cosjobs]

By the way, Vista Theatre>Chinese. It has all the vintage charm without the annoying tourists, and with style and amenities that add to the experience. The Chinese is a soul-less tourist trap. The Vista opened four years earlier in 1923 as opposed to 1927 in East Hollywood. It also has some hand/foot prints in front but not to the extent of the Chinese. It has an Egyptian theme. The ticket booth out front is cool. The popcorn is popped fresh continuously, unlike the stale crap at the Chinese. They use real butter, unlike the fake crap at the Chinese. And every other row of seats was taken out some years ago so that you can literally stretch out your legs fully and there's still room in front for people to walk by. Quentin Tarantino called it his favorite theater.

I appreciate the info. I really wanted to catch Interstellar in 70mm IMAX and it looked like the CHinese might have the best setup for that in the country. I've never been to the Egyptian, maybe I should see what is playing there after Interstellar.

 

[EYLive]

By the way, Vista Theatre>Chinese. It has all the vintage charm without the annoying tourists, and with style and amenities that add to the experience. The Chinese is a soul-less tourist trap. The Vista opened four years earlier in 1923 as opposed to 1927 in East Hollywood. It also has some hand/foot prints in front but not to the extent of the Chinese. It has an Egyptian theme. The ticket booth out front is cool. The popcorn is popped fresh continuously, unlike the stale crap at the Chinese. They use real butter, unlike the fake crap at the Chinese. And every other row of seats was taken out some years ago so that you can literally stretch out your legs fully and there's still room in front for people to walk by. Quentin Tarantino called it his favorite theater.

I appreciate the info. I really wanted to catch Interstellar in 70mm IMAX and it looked like the CHinese might have the best setup for that in the country. I've never been to the Egyptian, maybe I should see what is playing there after Interstellar.

I saw an early screening last Sunday there. It's a cool venue. The movie was meh.

 

[Scoresman]

first thing you need to know is that LA people add the word 'the' before the number of the freeway when talking about it, which you may consider confusing and backwards, but its just part of their vernacular.

 

[Bucky86]

first thing you need to know is that LA people add the word 'the' before the number of the freeway when talking about it, which you may consider confusing and backwards, but its just part of their vernacular.

But never before driving on PCH.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Another thing about driving in LA is try to avoid the freeways as much as possible. Taking surface streets will get you there in half the time.

 

[17seconds]

first thing you need to know is that LA people add the word 'the' before the number of the freeway when talking about it, which you may consider confusing and backwards, but its just part of their vernacular.

I never realized that was only here

 

[Pigskin Fanatic]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

this is good posting and yea, don't do the PCH until you get past Long Beach. the PCH through the South Bay area is murderous any day of the week. Once you pass Long Beach you won't want to get off the freeway anyway, pretty clear south of that area on the 405.

 

[Bucky86]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

this is good posting and yea, don't do the PCH until you get past Long Beach. the PCH through the South Bay area is murderous any day of the week. Once you pass Long Beach you won't want to get off the freeway anyway, pretty clear south of that area on the 405.

 

[cstu]

By the way, Vista Theatre>Chinese. It has all the vintage charm without the annoying tourists, and with style and amenities that add to the experience. The Chinese is a soul-less tourist trap. The Vista opened four years earlier in 1923 as opposed to 1927 in East Hollywood. It also has some hand/foot prints in front but not to the extent of the Chinese. It has an Egyptian theme. The ticket booth out front is cool. The popcorn is popped fresh continuously, unlike the stale crap at the Chinese. They use real butter, unlike the fake crap at the Chinese. And every other row of seats was taken out some years ago so that you can literally stretch out your legs fully and there's still room in front for people to walk by. Quentin Tarantino called it his favorite theater.

I appreciate the info. I really wanted to catch Interstellar in 70mm IMAX and it looked like the CHinese might have the best setup for that in the country. I've never been to the Egyptian, maybe I should see what is playing there after Interstellar.

The Chinese is the best theater experience in Los Angeles. You made the right call. The only downside is that it's in the middle of a tourist hell hole. I saw Guardians of the Galaxy there and it was awesome.

 

[cstu]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

When the 101 is busy, I'd take Sunset over Mulholland unless you like winding roads.

However, on a Saturday around noon the 101 should be fine.

ETA: I see this was posted yesterday, would definitely avoid the 101 at that time on a Friday.

 

[Pigskin Fanatic]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

this is good posting and yea, don't do the PCH until you get past Long Beach. the PCH through the South Bay area is murderous any day of the week. Once you pass Long Beach you won't want to get off the freeway anyway, pretty clear south of that area on the 405.

i seriously never noticed that until this thread, i also thought it was the normal way to say it. you know, take the 405 to the 10 to the 605. that's so natural...

 

[cstu]

the subway is surprisingly great in LA. if you drive, you could take the scenic route 405/mulholland dr/ laurel canyon and then into hollywood. solid hour including parking. you could also do ventura or 101/laurel canyon and into hollywood

to head down here, you're kinda ####ed with the 405 being the best option. when i go back and forth to downtown, i go 5/605/405/133. if you're gonna do pch, wait until seal beach. good luck and give me a heads up on your itinerary down here.

this is good posting and yea, don't do the PCH until you get past Long Beach. the PCH through the South Bay area is murderous any day of the week. Once you pass Long Beach you won't want to get off the freeway anyway, pretty clear south of that area on the 405.

i seriously never noticed that until this thread, i also thought it was the normal way to say it. you know, take the 405 to the 10 to the 605. that's so natural...

Only numbered highways are referred to as 'the'.

 

[boots11234]

lol @ 'the' 405. You're right they are the only area i know that use 'the' as part of the name.

 

[cstu]

lol @ 'the' 405. You're right they are the only area i know that use 'the' as part of the name.

I grew up in the Midwest and don't think I ever heard it there. Maybe things have changed.

 

[cstu]

Only 20 years until a subway to the west side.

 

[dickey moe]

Another thing about driving in LA is try to avoid the freeways as much as possible. Taking surface streets will get you there in half the time.

Trudat. Be sure to try Florence and Normandy.

 

[EYLive]

Another thing about driving in LA is try to avoid the freeways as much as possible. Taking surface streets will get you there in half the time.

I take the freeways all the time. Just gotta use google maps to check the traffic before you hit the road.

 

[chet]

Go for double breasted.

 

[Aerial Assault]

lol @ 'the' 405. You're right they are the only area i know that use 'the' as part of the name.

I grew up in the Midwest and don't think I ever heard it there. Maybe things have changed.

Not really. Los Angeles and (to some extent) San Diego are the only cities where anyone appends "the" to the name of the freeways/highways. Sometimes you hear it in the Bay Area coming from Los Angeles transplants.