Antoine said:
....I would be most grateful if somebody could advise me somehow :
- a map of Los Angeles, especially of the Santa Monica district
- advise about travel means
- advice about hotels
Thanks very much in advance.
Antoine;
Two recommendations to consider, and then some specifics.
First, if you are disabled in *any way* indicate this to your airline
and make sure they arrange the accomodations for you when you arrive at
the airport. There are many very good additional services provided at
no cost for the disabled. It is especially helpful concerning
transportation /around/ the airport and baggage claim.
My second recommendation is that you call the clinic providing your
treatment. They should have a short list of hotels/motels/etc that are
close to the facility which are in good standing. This is probably the
best way to do it if your trip is solely medical in nature. This is
because you can make sure the accomodations also include free shuttle
service to and from the clinic as well as to and from the airport. As
well, staff at the hotel would be familiar with special needs, etc.
Here's the more general information:
From my experience, maps.google.com and mapquest.com cover California
very well, including directions between points.
Transportation depends on what you anticipate doing. Santa Monica is
only about 6 miles from the airport (LAX) so there will be 3 main ways
to get there:
-Mass Transit (bus)
-Shuttles & taxis
-Car rental
Often if you are staying at a hotel, they will provide free shuttle
service to and from the airport. Check w/your hotel.
Mass transit is frequently not very convenient in Southern California.
More prosperous communities have better mass transit systems though.
Santa Monica is such a case. From LAX to Santa Monica it costs $1.75.
See "Line 3 Montana Ave & Lincoln Blvd" on their website at:
www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/index.asp for schedules and maps.
Shuttle services are fairly economical and the vehicles tend to be
clean. Essentially, small privately-owned buses which target common
destinations. Shuttles between LAX and Santa Monica charge
approximately $20 per person one-way, $30 round-trip:
www.supershuttle.com
The taxi ride from LAX to Santa Monica is approximately $30, not
including tip. Taxis tend to be dirtier but you won't have to follow a
shuttle's schedule.
If you do not plan on site-seeing or doing day-trips and you're only
staying for a few days, you can do well with taxis, shuttles and Santa
Monica's bus line. Otherwise, renting a car at LAX is the way to go.
Parking at your hotel/motel won't be a problem. A final word on
rentals: Contact your auto insurance agent in France. Will your
insurance cover your driving in the US? If so, you will not need the
"supplemental insurance" offered by car rental agencies. If you do
intend on driving, I'd recommend Google's "hybrid" map to visualize the
route you will take to Santa Monica.
Regarding accomodations, that really depends on your budget.
The least expensive option is a Hostel,
www.hilosangeles.org. If that
is too restrictive, I recommend viewing the Santa Monica Chamber of
Commerce business listings,
www.smchamber.com/business/cw_lst.htm and
look under hotels and motels.
One final word on prices in Southern California (& the US in general):
Everything is negotiable. Every company has "frequent customer"
programs that are linked to other companies. Also, many major French
companies have a strong presence in the U.S. Accor (Sofitel) for
example owns the "Red Roof Inn" and "Motel 6" chains.
(Si tu veut me contacter directment, enlève le <<AT>> de mon mèl
au-dessus..)
good luck,
-Craig
