JoannaD

Has anyone any idea what would be really good to do in LA for a couple of days? No themeparks please, we're a couple of wrinklies that did the theme parks when our kids were little . We really need somewhere relaxing and have a chillout time before we fly to NZ

best wishes Joanna

Buzzy--Bee

Top tip - go to Catalina island. It is 1 hour off the coast of LA - you get the boat from the Long Beach part of LA and it is $20 return. It is paradise, where people do not lock their doors and there are no cars.

Great place for relaxing and chilling out.

Cheers

Buzzy

JoannaD

sounds fantastic and just up our street

JoannaD

JAJ

What time of year are you planning on making the stopover?




Jeremy

JoannaD

January

JAJ

I'm not sure if January is the best time in weather terms to visit California. Have you thought about Hawaii instead?




Jeremy

woodsey

Catalina Island is wonderful but the weather can be a little ropey in January with bad storms off the coast and sometimes without warning the ferries don't come back over...something to bear in mind. Although if the weather continues to be as nice as it is now I wouldn't worry, middle of November and its 85 outside..
Maybe if the weather is bad when you're here you could always go to Long Beach and visit the Queen Mary, I loved it, found it completely fascinating, you could stay on the Queen Mary as its also a hotel. Ports O Call village is also down that way and is worth a visit..its very cute.
If you want to relax then book yourself into a nice hotel in Hollywood and go on a tour of the Stars Houses, do the Chinese Theatre etc..

Lord Lionheart

Not sure if you will have transportation or not? If you do and want to just chill I suggest;

Santa Barbara: http://www.santabarbaraca.com/

Look at the 101 free things to do link or wine tasting where you can follow the route in the movie Sideways;
http://www.santabarbaraca.com/static...p&contentID=83

The Getty Center Museum - Beautiful ride to the museum up the side of a mountain overlooking Santa Monica bay......... and it's free!
http://www.getty.edu/

San Juan Capistrano mission - A seventeenth century Spanish mission;
http://www.missionsjc.com/

You can get the train from downtown LA to Santa Barbara and San Juan Capistrano if you don't have a car.

Good Luck

JoannaD

many thanks, loads of things to do and as ususal not enough time. Hoping to have transport so will go to do a few of the things you suggested. Many thanks

Joanna