NJDevs.com Travel Agency OR: Cali Devs fans, I need your help!

[thelastonealive]

I don't travel much, and I don't know much about the LA/Anaheim area, but I'd really like to work out a way to get to the Devils games in both locations in January. I'm looking at flights, hotels, etc as we speak, trying to figure out what's the easiest/cheapest way to go about it.

So, my question for those out there:

How far is the Staples Center from LAX?

Is going to LA, Anaheim, and back only using public transportation VERY unlikely? Essentially, will the extra money spent renting a car be worth it?

What's the travel distance like between LA and Anaheim, specifically to the arena?

I'm considering the hotel right at LAX for convenience sake (unless, of course, it turns out to be not all that convenient), and I know if you live in LA you probably wouldn't know much about the hotels there, but any suggestions there as well?

I probably sound like an idiot right now, but that's why I'm thinking about this so early, I don't know a damn thing about what I'm doing here.

[sammyk]

I went out there in 2003 and had rented a car because I was gonna go up to San Jose also.

LAX is around 15-20 miles from Staples Center. Honda Center is around 30 miles from Staples Center.

Now I do remember there being rail along the way but I don't know who ran it, where it stopped or anything.

Hotels, my hotel reservations were a fiasco so I'm not gonna recommend anything.

[thelastonealive]

I went out there in 2003 and had rented a car because I was gonna go up to San Jose also.

LAX is around 15-20 miles from Staples Center. Honda Center is around 30 miles from Staples Center.

Now I do remember there being rail along the way but I don't know who ran it, where it stopped or anything.

Hotels, my hotel reservations were a fiasco so I'm not gonna recommend anything.

Okay, how about recommending where NOT to go in that case?

In my head (and I'm not sure where I get this, if it's based in reality or not), I imagine Honda Center as being CAA-ish in nature, in the middle of nowhere and difficult to get to via mass transit. Am I correct in this view or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Thanks for the info on the distances, might be smarter to get a hotel closer to the Staples Center than LAX perhaps...

[sammyk]

Yah, Honda Center is in the middle of nowhere but not quite like CAA. After all, Disney is right there too.

Actually, now that I remember, I stayed in one of those Candlewood Suites near Honda (Arrowhead) Center back then. If I recall there was bus service available.

Try googling OCTA.

[PeteyNice]

I am sure one of the LA based folks will chime in but....

You don't want to stay by the airport. If you visited NYC would you stay out by LaGuardia? Hells no.

There is transit to both arenas (the LA subway to Staples and MetroLink to Anaheim) but they aren't worth it. Pay the money, rent a car.

Anaheim Arena is down the street from the Angels stadium and right near DisneyLand. There are some bars/restaurants walking distance away.

For hotels recs, http://www.tripadvisor.com

[thelastonealive]

I am sure one of the LA based folks will chime in but....

You don't want to stay by the airport. If you visited NYC would you stay out by LaGuardia? Hells no.

There is transit to both arenas (the LA subway to Staples and MetroLink to Anaheim) but they aren't worth it. Pay the money, rent a car.

Anaheim Arena is down the street from the Angels stadium and right near DisneyLand. There are some bars/restaurants walking distance away.

For hotels recs, http://www.tripadvisor.com

I was thinking staying near the airport because I'm not going to be doing much sightseeing or anything between the games, but you make a valid point. I also tend to forget that airports tend to be on the edges of the cities they service, or in the suburbs.

LA-folk, where are you?

Thanks for the link also.

[LOTCB]

About renting a car: Unquestionably you should; the mass transit system here is definitely not worth your time. LAX is about 15-20 miles from the Staples Center and there is plenty if parking there. FYI when going to Staples: Do NOT wander too far, stay right around the arena (and if you ever visit USC campus, I advise the same).

Anaheim is a good area and 26 miles from downtown LA (which can be an ETERNITY during rush hour), and like Petey said it is right by Disney and the Angels Stadium as well. There is a nice place across the Honda Center to have some dinner, a bar, and watch some games. Other then that, not much going on there.

As where to stay, consider staying in Anaheim, nice area, and then you will at least be close for the Devils / Ducks game.

Flights: If you are flying from Newark: Continental has a lot of direct flights to LAX: If you are going from JFK, consider Long Beach Airport: 1 terminal, easy to get in and out of.

I am only 2 years here in CA, so I'm not a certified expert, but if you have any questions, do not hesitate to PM me.

Edited September 3, 2008 by LOTCB

[PeteyNice]

Flights: If you are flying from Newark: Continental has a lot of direct flights to LAX: If you are going from JFK, consider Long Beach Airport: 1 terminal, easy to get in and out of.

I am only 2 years here in CA, so I'm not a certified expert, but if you have any questions, do not hesitate to PM me.

Long Beach airport freaks me out with their outdoor baggage claim. But they have free wireless which is a plus. You also might want to see if you can get cheaper flights to John Wayne Airport (SNA). Much smaller and easier to navigate than LAX and it is named after the Duke!

[sammyk]

I stayed at the Candlewood Suites on Garden Grove in Anaheim. If you have a car it's a quick drive to Honda Center.

[LOTCB]

Long Beach airport freaks me out with their outdoor baggage claim. But they have free wireless which is a plus. You also might want to see if you can get cheaper flights to John Wayne Airport (SNA). Much smaller and easier to navigate than LAX and it is named after the Duke!

Good call with John Wayne; the only issue I have with that (this is when I fly back to NJ) is that I cannot seem to find a direct flight back to Newark, so I use LAX, unless there is a specific airline I need to look at

[PeteyNice]

Good call with John Wayne; the only issue I have with that (this is when I fly back to NJ) is that I cannot seem to find a direct flight back to Newark, so I use LAX, unless there is a specific airline I need to look at

Continental runs two flights a day each way. IIRC, there is an early morning and an evening departure from both airports. I used to be on them constantly when I worked in the city and traveled for work a lot. I had a no LAX, no JFK and no CDG rule on my travel list so I was almost always sent through SNA. When I had to be in Irvine and they flew me into Ontario I almost rethought my no LAX rule. Almost.

Edited September 3, 2008 by PeteyNice

[LOTCB]

Continental runs two flights a day each way. IIRC, there is an early morning and an evening departure from both airports. I used to be on them constantly when I worked in the city and traveled for work a lot. I had a no LAX, no JFK and no CDG rule on my travel list so I was almost always sent through SNA. When I had to be in Irvine and they flew me into Ontario I almost rethought my no LAX rule. Almost.

Cool...I am planning a trip back East around the Holidays so Ill be sure to look for SNA as well. Thanks for the heads up on that. I can tell that since they flew you to Ontario you still prefer that over LAX...that does not say much for LAX, does it???? :lol:

Plus I'm as close to Irvine as I am Inglewood so that works well.

[thelastonealive]

About renting a car: Unquestionably you should; the mass transit system here is definitely not worth your time. LAX is about 15-20 miles from the Staples Center and there is plenty if parking there. FYI when going to Staples: Do NOT wander too far, stay right around the arena (and if you ever visit USC campus, I advise the same).

Anaheim is a good area and 26 miles from downtown LA (which can be an ETERNITY during rush hour), and like Petey said it is right by Disney and the Angels Stadium as well. There is a nice place across the Honda Center to have some dinner, a bar, and watch some games. Other then that, not much going on there.

As where to stay, consider staying in Anaheim, nice area, and then you will at least be close for the Devils / Ducks game.

Flights: If you are flying from Newark: Continental has a lot of direct flights to LAX: If you are going from JFK, consider Long Beach Airport: 1 terminal, easy to get in and out of.

I am only 2 years here in CA, so I'm not a certified expert, but if you have any questions, do not hesitate to PM me.

Thanks for all this (and in the info in the posts that followed). Hopefully I'll be flying out of Newark, as I don't really intend on making anyone drive me to/from the airport, so I'll just take the train to/from. So far the best rates I've found have been through Continental, but the only time I've flown with them (which, come to think of it, was Newark/LAX and back) was miserable, so I'm thinking of going NWA and dealing with the fact that I'll have a layover in Detroit.