Advice on Driving Around LA & Anaheim

[Queenie]

Hi,

We're coming to LA and Anaheim for the first time in October and have a load of questions, I hope none of them are too stupid!

1. We're driving into Anaheim from Las Vegas. My SatNav is telling me this journey will take approximately 4 and a half hours ( we can go pretty much non-stop as we have two drivers.) The route is bringing us along I15 - where is there to get some lunch on this route?

2. Showing my ignorance here - do we change time zones on this trip? If we did this would mean our 4 and a half hour journey would only take 3 and a half hours out of the day as we're going East -> West?

3. We've decided to use the afternoon/evening after getting to the LA area to have a look around the famous parts (Beverley Hills, Sunset Boulevard etc.) My SatNav says these are about 30 mins from Disneyland - is that a littl hopeful for newbies navigating LA for the first time?!?! It seems pretty easy from the map, just follow the I5 then the 101?

4. Is there somewhere we can park safely to take a walk around Hollywood? We're mainly interested in the BIG tourist draws - the Hollywood sign, Chinese Theatre, Sunset Boulevard etc.

5. My FFIL has said he wants to drive along part of the Pacific Coast Highway and mentioned something about a ship (ex-military?) he wanted to see. Is this feasible? Could you use the I5 coming back from Hollywood area, then turn onto Lakewood Boulevard and follow that to the Pacific Coast Highway? Drive along the PCH until Newport Beach then get on the 55 to get back to the I5? Would that take forever? I'm struggling with the scale of the maps coming from England!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

 

[Magix]

1. The best stop along the 15 is in Barstow, where you'll find lots of places to eat, plus it's about half-way through the trip. Beyond that, you can stop in Baker, but it's very small and only a few choices (although they are standard type places)
2. No time zone change
3. 30 minutes to LA is wishful thinking. Particulary, if you travel during rush hour. No traffic will take you about 45 minutes. Rush hour will take you 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Best bet for Hollywood is the Hollywod/Highland complex. Underground parking (be sure to get a validation when you buy something). You can view the Hollywood sign from an overlook bridge at the mall, then hit the Chinese Theatre next door. Sunset is one block down, but you'd be better off to drive that street, since there's really nothing to walk to on it.
5. If you really want to do PCH (which isn't very pretty in some areas), you can take the 5 to either the 110 (toward San Pedro) or 710 (toward Long Beach), then get off on PCH. Is the ship your FFIL wants to see the "Lane Victory"? If so, you should take the 110, which will drop you into San Pedro. The ship is located off Harbor St in San Pedro, near the Cruise Ship Terminal. You'll see a turnoff for that area near the very end of the freeway. You could then take PCH all the way down to Newport, but it will take a very long time. But, if you're dedicated, it can be done. The 55 to the 5 will then return you to Disneyland. From Hollywood, to the 110 to PCH to the 55 to the 5, you're probably looking at a drive time of at least 2 hours (without traffic and without any stops for sightseeing).

 

[Peri]

if you are talking about being in Hollywood in the evening or nighttime be VERY VERY careful there- it is a really bad inner city area with LOTS of drug use and needle exchange, etc., just footsteps away from the theater. I would not recommend being there in the evening when you are from out of town or parking your car on the street - use above poster's ideas about the garage. LA is HARD to navigate by car - yes all the freeway maps look easy, but in reality the exits flip around so sometimes you exit left, sometimes right, etc - if you are not used to big city driving (Chicago, New York, or LA) - other cities don't really compare) - then plan DOUBLE the time it takes others.