Santa Monica/Barbara? Help....thanks!

Missyelliot2

Hi there,
We're doing this 'once in a lifetime' trip with our crew and we'll have a week to find our own accommodation. We've a week to stay in either Santa Monica/Barbara - we're not fussy, but don't know where to start looking for accommodation or areas that are ok.
Any help would be great! Thanks boardsies!

GoProGaming

In Santa Monica Ive stayed in the hotel carmel on 2nd st(on the corner of broadway) and Ive stayed in lowes on the beech(which in reality should be named lowes sorta near the beech). Any of the beech front hotels are very pricey but they are really nice and upmarket. the hotel carmel is cheap and cheerful(no pool, business center, gym etc) there is alot of hotels in the area are are mostly similar in price.

Where you looking at anywhere in Santa Monica in particular? Ive poked my head into most in the area to see what they were like for my return visits.

InTheTrees

Are you going to Los Angeles for a week? Where are you going to arrive? What airport do you land at?

You know that Santa Monica is kind of part of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara is a town a hundred miles away right?

JackieChan

As well as hotels, I'd recommend looking at airbnb.com.
I've used it to book some accomodation in San Fran, one near Yosemite and another in Santa Monica in September.
I'm just using hotels where we need a one night stay(like the night you arrive)
Just get a place that suits which has good feedback.

Missyelliot2

InTheTrees wrote: »

Are you going to Los Angeles for a week? Where are you going to arrive? What airport do you land at?

You know that Santa Monica is kind of part of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara is a town a hundred miles away right?

Yes...I knew that. We're arriving in San Francisco and doing the Alcatraz trip. We've a week to spend near the beach and was just wondering whether to go to Santa Barbara or Santa Monica.

InTheTrees

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

Yes...I knew that. We're arriving in San Francisco and doing the Alcatraz trip. We've a week to spend near the beach and was just wondering whether to go to Santa Barbara or Santa Monica.

ah right.

I think I'd take Santa Monica over Santa Barbara.

Are you looking for sun? There's also Las Vegas close by. All the big hotels have massive pool areas.

Just a thought....

Missyelliot2

InTheTrees wrote: »

ah right.

I think I'd take Santa Monica over Santa Barbara.

Are you looking for sun? There's also Las Vegas close by. All the big hotels have massive pool areas.

Just a thought....

Thanks a mil....we're staying in Las Vegas at the end of the hols and flying back to reality from there :D

InTheTrees

Will you have a car?

Santa Barbara is nice but a week would be too long, while a week would be fine in Santa Monica. YOu'll have the whole of LA to go and explore. A car really helps in LA but you may have to pay for parking at the hotel.

The district just south of Santa Monica is called Venice Beach and is also a good area to stay. Funkier and more laid back than Santa Monica.

Afraid i'm no help with specific hotels though. There's a lot of them around there, you wont have trouble.

Missyelliot2

InTheTrees wrote: »

Will you have a car?

Santa Barbara is nice but a week would be too long, while a week would be fine in Santa Monica. YOu'll have the whole of LA to go and explore. A car really helps in LA but you may have to pay for parking at the hotel.

The district just south of Santa Monica is called Venice Beach and is also a good area to stay. Funkier and more laid back than Santa Monica.

Afraid i'm no help with specific hotels though. There's a lot of them around there, you wont have trouble.

That's brilliant help- thanks. I had heard that Santa Barbara is maybe a little too quiet for a week. We'll have a car, so are pretty mobile. Will have a look at Venice Beach too and a friend mentioned Laguna Beach.

Thanks for all the advice

sh__93

I spent last summer in Santa Barbara and made the trip down to Santa Monica for a weekend too. Both places are brilliant so no matter where you pick you're in for a treat.

It all depends what you want out of it. Californians are generally pretty laid back but if you wanted a more relaxing week I'd recommend Santa Barbara. There's lots of great places on State Street to go out in too if you're up for a bit of a party. There's LOADS of Irish there. Mostly college ones who live out in Isla Vista beside UCSB. If you go you have to visit the courthouse. You can climb to the top and look out over the City. And its free.
Agh, I wish I was in SB right now. Next to home it's my favourite place in the world.

We stayed in a hostel for 2 weeks which was a brilliant experience but I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for. Thern we rented a house out in Isla Vista. If hostels arent for youthere's tonnes of hotels about but I can't recommend any as I didn't stayin one. They did look nice though.

Santa Monica was certainly a lot busier. It's right beside L.A too so if you're into all the celeb culture and touristy stuff you coukd check it out. They do tours of celebs homes and stuff which some ofvtge girls I was living with seemedvto enjoy. It wouldn't be my thing though so I passed on it.

they're both great places. Why not split your time between both?

Any more questions ask away.

athtrasna

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

That's brilliant help- thanks. I had heard that Santa Barbara is maybe a little too quiet for a week. We'll have a car, so are pretty mobile. Will have a look at Venice Beach too and a friend mentioned Laguna Beach.

Thanks for all the advice

I was just about to suggest heading further south to the area around Laguna and Newport. Much less plastic than Santa Monica, though I did love Santa Barbara, there are great wine tours.

InTheTrees

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

That's brilliant help- thanks. I had heard that Santa Barbara is maybe a little too quiet for a week. We'll have a car, so are pretty mobile. Will have a look at Venice Beach too and a friend mentioned Laguna Beach.

Thanks for all the advice

And remember to drive the coast road (highway one) between San Fransisco and Los Angeles. Spectacular.

Dont take the inland roads, they're quicker but dull and boring.

Missyelliot2

athtrasna wrote: »

I was just about to suggest heading further south to the area around Laguna and Newport. Much less plastic than Santa Monica, though I did love Santa Barbara, there are great wine tours.

Love to do a wine tour, but will have 3 teens/nearly teens with me, so I'd better stay sober(ish!);)

InTheTrees

Los Angeles is a little like London. The City of London is only a small area around st.pauls.

In Los Angeles, "Downtown Los Angeles" only occupies a small area around the financial district, but Los Angles County is the larger urban sprawl.

Santa Monica is in LA.

While Newport beach/Laguna are in Orange County. Not LA.



It can get confusing.

You're going to go to Disneyland right?

Missyelliot2

InTheTrees wrote: »

Los Angeles is a little like London. The City of London is only a small area around st.pauls.

In Los Angeles, "Downtown Los Angeles" only occupies a small area around the financial district, but Los Angles County is the larger urban sprawl.

Santa Monica is in LA.

While Newport beach/Laguna are in Orange County. Not LA.



It can get confusing.

You're going to go to Disneyland right?

We might go....but have been to Disneyworld in Florida, so am all disneyed out! as we're travelling a bit, we just wanted a place to chill, with a nice beach and touristy things to do...

faceman

Santa Barbara is nice but I wouldn't spend a week there as there is so much to do up the pacific coast.

When staying in SB try find somewhere close to State Street at the centre of town for convenience. There's plenty of shops, restaurants and bars there. (I counted 3 Irish bars)

There is of course the beach and marina too.

If it was me I would drive up the coast and stay in a few places. I highly recommend Monterey which is beside the quaint Pacific Grove and the famous but expensive Carmel. Monterey is great.