Our SoCal trip February 2011 - Tiki Travel

C cathuna Member Scotland Joined: Nov 14, 2009 Posts: 67	C cathuna Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 6:36 AM In just a few weeks time, my husband and I are flying to LA for 2 weeks of fun around LA and San Diego - hurray! Most hotels are booked and the itinerary runs something like this; Nights 1-3: Long Beach. First full day we'll probably go to Santa Catalina Island and do all the stuff listed in Tiki Road Trip. This will be our bible for the fortnight! Second day we must fit in a visit to Huntington Beach, and of course Don The Beachcomber. I'm sure we can squish in a visit to the Puka Bar in Long Beach itself. Nights 4-7: Hollywood. We're staying close to the Tiki Ti, but I gather it's only open one of the nights we're there. Not sure how we'll manage this without a car (taxi, most probably!), but will try and get to the Tonga Hut and Tiki No while in the Hollywood area on the other nights. Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills (I know the Hilton bar is a shadow of what previously existed...) will also feature en route to, or from, an excursion to Santa Monica. I'd also love to fit in the Charles Manson Helter Skelter tour, but it's not happening while we're there. Nights 8-11: San Diego. We're taking the train down from LA, and staying in Old Town for the first 2 nights. Might spend some time on the first full day taking a hop over the border to Mexico, as we've never been! Then we move on to Shelter Island, to stay at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn which I am ridiculously excited about. We check in on a Sunday, so the plan is to get there earlyish and go to the Bali Hai for brunch. Probably spend the rest of our time in San Diego in this area. Nights 12-13: Not yet booked accommodation but may stay in the Union Station area (Miyako hotel looks OK), so we can get around on the Metro some, and get back to LAX easily. Another possibility is Manhattan Beach. So we'll spend some time doing 'normal' tourist junk, but there's gonna be a strong tiki bias to the holiday! Between Tiki Road Trip, Tiki Central and Tripadvisor there's been a ton of info helping put this thing together! [ Edited by: cathuna 2010-12-22 06:36 ]
H Hakalugi Special Tiki Central Agent Redondo Beach, CA Joined: Aug 10, 2004 Posts: 3465	H Hakalugi Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 10:47 AM Don't miss visiting the Bahooka in Rosemead.
A arriano Tiki Socialite San Diego Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 1602	A arriano Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 11:00 AM That's quite an itinerary. If you do go to Tijuana, be careful. It's not quite as dangerous as the press makes it out to be, but you'll want to stay on the tourist drag of Revolucion and not venture off. I live in San Diego so send me a PM if you need some directions.
C cathuna Member Scotland Joined: Nov 14, 2009 Posts: 67	C cathuna Posted posted on Sat, Jan 8, 2011 6:03 AM Thanks folks. The Bahooka looks pretty cool - although it looks to be a couple of miles from the Metrolink. If we can get there by public transport will definitely do so! Also the advice on Tijuana - we don't want to be getting into any trouble! I'm not sure whether we'll have the time, but it seems such a shame to be so close to Mexico and not cross the border. That said, I'd love to go back to SD for Tiki Oasis later in the year if we can manage the cost! Latest idea is to spend the last 2 nights in Anaheim, as it's on the train route from San Diego. Disneyland! Looks like there is plenty of transportation to LAX direct from that area too.

C

cathuna Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 6:36 AM

In just a few weeks time, my husband and I are flying to LA for 2 weeks of fun around LA and San Diego - hurray! Most hotels are booked and the itinerary runs something like this;

Nights 1-3: Long Beach. First full day we'll probably go to Santa Catalina Island and do all the stuff listed in Tiki Road Trip. This will be our bible for the fortnight! Second day we must fit in a visit to Huntington Beach, and of course Don The Beachcomber. I'm sure we can squish in a visit to the Puka Bar in Long Beach itself.

Nights 4-7: Hollywood. We're staying close to the Tiki Ti, but I gather it's only open one of the nights we're there. Not sure how we'll manage this without a car (taxi, most probably!), but will try and get to the Tonga Hut and Tiki No while in the Hollywood area on the other nights. Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills (I know the Hilton bar is a shadow of what previously existed...) will also feature en route to, or from, an excursion to Santa Monica. I'd also love to fit in the Charles Manson Helter Skelter tour, but it's not happening while we're there.

Nights 8-11: San Diego. We're taking the train down from LA, and staying in Old Town for the first 2 nights. Might spend some time on the first full day taking a hop over the border to Mexico, as we've never been! Then we move on to Shelter Island, to stay at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn which I am ridiculously excited about. We check in on a Sunday, so the plan is to get there earlyish and go to the Bali Hai for brunch. Probably spend the rest of our time in San Diego in this area.

Nights 12-13: Not yet booked accommodation but may stay in the Union Station area (Miyako hotel looks OK), so we can get around on the Metro some, and get back to LAX easily. Another possibility is Manhattan Beach.

So we'll spend some time doing 'normal' tourist junk, but there's gonna be a strong tiki bias to the holiday! Between Tiki Road Trip, Tiki Central and Tripadvisor there's been a ton of info helping put this thing together!

[ Edited by: cathuna 2010-12-22 06:36 ]

H

Hakalugi Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 10:47 AM

Don't miss visiting the Bahooka in Rosemead.

A

arriano Posted posted on Wed, Dec 22, 2010 11:00 AM

That's quite an itinerary. If you do go to Tijuana, be careful. It's not quite as dangerous as the press makes it out to be, but you'll want to stay on the tourist drag of Revolucion and not venture off. I live in San Diego so send me a PM if you need some directions.

C

cathuna Posted posted on Sat, Jan 8, 2011 6:03 AM

Thanks folks. The Bahooka looks pretty cool - although it looks to be a couple of miles from the Metrolink. If we can get there by public transport will definitely do so!

Also the advice on Tijuana - we don't want to be getting into any trouble! I'm not sure whether we'll have the time, but it seems such a shame to be so close to Mexico and not cross the border. That said, I'd love to go back to SD for Tiki Oasis later in the year if we can manage the cost!

Latest idea is to spend the last 2 nights in Anaheim, as it's on the train route from San Diego. Disneyland! Looks like there is plenty of transportation to LAX direct from that area too.