2016
Jerry's Motel
City Views in Downtown: City Hall Free ...

City Hall Observation Deck

For one of the best and FREE views of the city, venture up to the City Hall Observation Deck located on the 27th floor, which offers an awesome 360 degree view of the city. It is free to the public and open Monday - Friday from 10:00am-5:00pm.

City Views in Downtown: City Hall Free Observation Deck and More
2016
Jerry's Motel
Free Museums in Los Angeles

Los Angeles offers a great variety of free museums throughout the city. Here is a list of some of the most popular options:

Annenberg Space for Photography - Contemporary photography exhibits.

Free Museums in Los Angeles
2014
Jerry's Motel
Getting a SIM Card in the US

Getting a US SIM card for your smartphone while in the US will make your travels much easier by accessing the internet on the go and using Google Maps.  Car rental companies offer navigation systems, but they can get costly - especially for longer trips since they charge you per day.  A better option is to purchase a SIM card for your unlocked GSM smartphone.  Be sure to check if your phone is unlocked with your provider back home first.  If you do not own a GSM phone, you can always purchase an inexpensive phone here along with your SIM card.

Getting a SIM Card in the US
2014
Jerry's Motel
Closest Metro Stations to Jerry's Motel

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located within 1 mile of 2 Metro light rail stations.  We provide maps of the Downtown LA area at check in, so all of these locations will be easy to locate on a map.

7th Street/Metro Center Station is located just 1 mile away from us, and can be reached by either a 15-20 minute walk, or you can catch bus #16/316 (toward Downtown LA) across the street on 3rd Street and get off at the 6th St/Hope Street stop.

2014
Jerry's Motel
Modern Art in Downtown LA

If you are a modern art buff, you will have two great museum choices in Downtown Los Angeles thanks to The Broad Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

Downtown Eats: Grand Central Market

Grand Central Market in Downtown LA is a historic open air market that originally opened in 1917.  During the last two years, the market has been reinvigorated and new trendy gourmet stalls have opened and operate alongside the traditional produce, spices and taco spots.

Planning Your Trip

TOURS

WESTSIDE + MIRACLE MILE

  • Have lunch at the popular Farmer's Market and then do some shopping right next door at The Grove.
  • Visit Museum Row and see fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits (Page Museum), see classic cars at the Petersen Automotive Museum and take in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
  • Shop (or window shop) at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills
  • Visit the The Getty and enjoy stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, art and great views of Los Angeles 

HOLLYWOOD/WEST HOLLYWOOD

  • Stroll down the Walk of Fame
  • See a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the El Capitan Theatre
  • Watch the sunset at the Griffith Park Observatory and enjoy the best view of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign
  • Bar hop or go clubbing and hopefully run into some celebrities along the Sunset Strip - a 2 mile stretch of nightlife and home to the famous Chateau Marmont

DOWNTOWN

  • Watch a Lakers, Clippers or Kings game at Staples Center and hang out or have dinner at LA Live
  • Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Eat at Little Tokyo
  • Visit Chinatown and eat a treat at the famous Phoenix Bakery
  • See the classic architecture of Union Station
  • Enjoy a performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a musical at the Ahmanson Theatre, or an opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
  • Visit the Endeavor space ship at the California Science Center

BEACHES

  • Stroll along the Santa Monica Pier
  • Shop, have a meal and watch street performers along the 3rd Street Promenade
  • Explore the Venice Boardwalk along with artists, one-of-a-kind boutique stores, street perfomers and Muscle Beach.

STUDIOS

  • Warmer Bros. Studios offers fun VIP tours
  • Paramount Studios
  • Sony Picture Studios

THEME PARKS

  • Disneyland
  • Universal Studios Hollywood
  • Knott's Berry Farm
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain (roller coasters - not for the faint of heart)

Dodger Game Time: Getting There

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located approximately 2 miles from Dodger Stadium.  Although pretty close distance-wise, we do not recommend you walk to Dodger Stadium.  Unlike stadiums and arenas in other cities that are located in the thick of the city, Dodger Stadium is awkwardly tucked away within a park on a hill.  

LA Culture

Car Culture

Los Angeles is a driving city. Public transportation is slow and not as developed as other cities and countries.  A few Metro trains will get you to a few convenient locations such as Union Station, Universal Studios, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Pantages Theatre, Culver City and Santa Monica (opening late 2015), and a few others. To get to other places using public transportation, you have to rely on buses, which are often slow due to both the size of the city and traffic.  

If at all possible, consider renting a car to make the most out of your visit to LA.  If driving on the right side of the road is too intimidating or if you are too young to rent a car, it is still very possible to see a lot of the LA sights.  But it is very important to PLAN AHEAD by deciding what you definitely want to see and then use Google Maps and Metro.net to get an idea of transportation options and travel times.

You can also take a look at our Tours section, which can help you see all of the highlights without a car.

Diversity

LA is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the entire country.  Be prepared to run into people of all sorts of backgrounds.  This also means we have great food options ranging from Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Ethiopian, Peruvian and Indian food just to name a few!

Mulholland Drive Scenic Route

If you want to get a taste of glamorous Hollywood Hills homes and great views of the city, the Mulholland Drive scenic drive can be a great experience.  Be aware that some stretches of road are very windy/curvy, so drive safely.

One of the best highlights of the tour is the Hollywood Bowl Overlook, which is best accessed when traveling from West to East.  It will be easy to stop at that point since it will be on the same side of the road you are driving on.

Click here to visit LA Tourist for additional tips on where to access Mulholland, and a full Mulholland Drive scenic route map.

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