By Jesse Liu, Ben Karl Edited by: Fang Sheng
It’s not an overstatement to say that Los Angeles is the crown jewel of Southern California. Both a city and a county, the Great Los Angeles Area includes 5 counties, sprawling nearly 34,000 square miles with 18.5 million people.
Having been featured so heavily in pop culture, the word “LA” brings about many ideas that might be more stereotypical than accurate. Surprisingly, many of the places that often make the cut to the “must-do list while in LA” often aren’t in LA, such as Disneyland, Universal Studios, Santa Monica, and Malibu, just to name a few.
As people are preparing to make their way to the City of Angels for the flagship event of the ATA, the 63rd Annual Conference, to be held at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown LA, a pair of CLD members and Angelenos, Jessie Liu and Ben Karl, have put together the following tips and tricks specifically for the conference attendees to help make the most out of their trip while being wallet-smart, safe and fun!
1. Which airport should I fly into?
LAX is the largest airport in the area and is perfect for international or transcontinental travel. You usually get the cheapest fare and the most timely options when flying in to and out of LAX. Southwest fans or West Coast travelers might also check out Burbank (BUR), which is closer to the hotel but has fewer airlines and flights.
2. What are the transportation options available between the conference hotel and LAX?
Rideshare is the easiest way to get to and from the airport, though there are public transit connections. LAX has a centralized area for all the rideshare pickups. It is within a walkable distance if you arrive in T1, possibly T2, but we suggest taking the advantage of the shuttle bus that picks up people from each terminal arrival to the pickup location. If you and other conference attendees arrive around the same time, why not share the ride too to reduce the cost? The ride (i.e. Uber X) could cost anywhere between $30 and $40, depending on the time of the day.
3. How far is the hotel from LAX?
The Westin Bonaventure is about 16 miles from LAX, but this information might not be that useful to you. Thanks to our storied traffic, distance in LA is commonly measured in minutes and seconds. If you want to time your arrival at a certain place, we highly recommend the GPS app WAZE. It works quite well integrating the typical traffic data in the Los Angeles area during different times of the day and it certainly can help eliminate some uncertainty related to traffic.
4. What about a rental car during the conference days?
We strongly suggest not renting a car during the conference. Gas price hasn’t been friendly to our wallet, and the parking cost downtown will certainly devour your budget in no time at $50-$60 per day on average. Plus, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel is in such a great location that it really would be a pity if you didn’t break out your walking shoes and explore. What’s a better way to experience the heart of a city than on foot? And if you really need to travel to a place out of walking range, once again, share an Uber or Lyft, or explore the LA Metro system that a lot of people don’t know about. It’s an expansive network of subways, buses, and trains, which connect LA to many surrounding places. Google certainly has more details on that, we just want you to know that you’ve got options!
5. Is downtown LA safe?
Downtown LA is safe, and safety is something the Board looks at when selecting a host city. That said, Los Angeles is a big city, with big city risks, which means it’s advisable to be mindful and smart of when and where you walk, keep your valuables close, and trust your intuition (if you don’t feel safe somewhere, find a new place!)
6. Would it make economic sense to not stay at the conference hotel?
Most Airbnb accommodations and hotel rooms near the conference hotel are likely to be in the same price range if not more expensive. As we mentioned, the conference will be at an awesome hotel in the heart of downtown, and we truly believe that attendees will be most comfortable at the conference hotel and will be able to avoid a commute in the morning or evening and take full advantage of the awesome location, with a gym and rooftop pool! An option to save on the cost of accommodation is the conference roommate blog, which helps members looking to save while staying at the hotel: https://ata-conference.blogspot.com/
7. The internet has an overwhelming amount of tourist information. As locals, what are some must-haves you personally recommend?
If possible, on your way to and from the airport, make sure to check out Randy’s Donuts! It’s delicious plus the film Iron Man shot a scene there where Tony sits inside the big donut on the roof when Nick Fury says: “Sir, would you please exit the donut, please?” (A little grammatically repetitive to the ear of many language professionals, but that’s the line.)
Also, In-N-Out burger is an iconic Californian institution, and lucky for you, you can do it all at one scoop either before or after Randy’s donuts, because the location near LAX is said to be the most IG worthy and you get an amazing view of those planes as they take off and land.
Other places you have to check out for great food are Koreatown and Little Tokyo for their namesake cuisines; the San Gabriel Valley for Chinese food; and of course, you can just “Yelp it” for many more options.
There’s amazing public art all over downtown, great inexpensive eats at Grand Central Market, and the really fun and walkable areas of Echo Park and Silver Lake are a short Uber ride away.
8. Should I add a weekend either before or after the conference?
Most certainly if you want to experience the best of LA. There truly is something for everyone, but because LA is so spread out, it will be difficult to enjoy things at a leisurely pace during the conference. Please be sure to plan out your days and prioritize those spots you really want to hit and start making peace with the idea that you can’t do LA in one go, which isn’t bad because then you’ll have a reason to come back. But yes, seriously consider making that priority list. Here are some ideas:
a. Sports fans: Check out games at Crypto Arena (former Staples Center) – home of the Lakers, Clippers, and LA Kings. Dodger’s Stadium is also nearby.
b. Art buffs: LA has incredible art museums for every taste, from ancient Western art at the Getty Villa to art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the Fowler, to iconic highlights of modern and contemporary art at LACMA and the Broad to the most exciting contemporary art galleries in North America. Some of these are even within walking distance of the hotel.
c. Music fans: Check out what is playing at the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, which is the home of LA Philharmonic, or any other iconic venues in LA.
d. Movie fanatics may enjoy the studio tours, theme parks, and more. You can even attend a taping of one of your favorite shows if you do some research online of those studios, including Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal.
e. Nature lovers can enjoy the ample hiking, beaches, and botanical gardens. The closest hiking is in Hollywood and the closest beaches are in Santa Monica, both accessible by metro. The Huntington Gardens in San Marino/Pasadena and The Griffith Observatory are not to be missed.
Jessie and Ben have also produced an episode in the CLD Podcast about visiting LA for the conference. Be sure to listen to that as well to get additional tips and tricks. We hope you find the information useful and we look forward to seeing everybody in Los Angeles in October!
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