updated college visit itinerary (October)

Question

Per the suggestions on here to minimize changing hotels, and to be closer to the water during warm weather, here is my updated itinerary:

Day 1: Fly into Hollywood Burbank airport. Overnight Hilton Garden Inn Burbank.

Day 2: WB Studios tour in AM. Drive to Cal State Northridge for tour. (Tours are only offered at 2:00PM.) Overnight Channel Road Inn Santa Monica.

Day 3: UCLA, La Brea Tar Pits, Griffith Observatory, ON CRI.

Day 4: Loyola Marymount film school and general campus tours (two tours), ON CRI

Day 5: USC tour, ON CRI

Day 6: Drive to Chapman University for 11:30 film school tour and 2:00 campus tour (2 tours). Not sure whether we should overnight in the area, or head back to Burbank and overnight at the HGI again, although that will depend on the flight times. Too expensive to book flights this far out.

Day 7: fly home

Please let me know what you think.

Answer

Your updated itinerary looks well thought out, balancing college visits with some sightseeing. Here are some detailed suggestions and considerations to optimize your plan and minimize stress, especially with traffic and hotel changes in LA.

Day 1: Arriving at Hollywood Burbank Airport and staying at Hilton Garden Inn Burbank is a good choice. It’s convenient for pick-up and drop-off, and close to Warner Bros Studios for your tour the next day.

Day 2: WB Studios in the morning, then driving to Cal State Northridge for a 2 PM tour works logistically. Santa Monica for the overnight at Channel Road Inn is a great choice for proximity to the coast, evening walks, and nice dinner options.

Day 3: UCLA, La Brea Tar Pits, and Griffith Observatory are spread out, but doable. Consider traffic—morning or late afternoon at Griffith Observatory can be very busy. You might want to allocate more time for parking and walking.

Day 4: Loyola Marymount film school and campus tours: staying overnight in Santa Monica again keeps your base near the coast, which is good for a relaxed evening after tours.

Day 5: USC visit: Since you are coming from Santa Monica, plan for at least an hour drive in normal traffic. Downtown LA traffic can be heavy midday. Staying in Santa Monica still works if you want one base, but leaving early is important.

Day 6: Chapman University tours (11:30 AM and 2 PM) are in Orange. Options:

Overnight near Chapman University (Orange/Fullerton area) to reduce stress and avoid long afternoon/evening drives back to Burbank.
Drive back to Burbank after tours and overnight at Hilton Garden Inn again. This keeps your hotel consistent, but expect a 1.5–2 hour drive post-tour depending on traffic. It’s doable but could be tiring.

Day 7: Fly home from Burbank or LAX, depending on your flight. Staying in Burbank on Day 6 may be easier if your flight is in the morning.

Additional Tips:

Consider LA traffic patterns: mornings and late afternoons can be heavy on the 405, 10, and 101 freeways.
If possible, keep two hotel bases: one in Burbank for early arrival and departure, and one near the coast (Santa Monica) for central access to UCLA, Loyola Marymount, and sightseeing. This reduces back-and-forth driving.
Google Maps or Waze can help adjust departure times to avoid the worst traffic.
For Chapman University day, an overnight nearby may make the day less rushed and more enjoyable.

Overall, your plan is feasible. Staying mostly in Santa Monica for central coastal access and adding an optional overnight near Chapman University on Day 6 might provide the most relaxed experience, especially after multiple campus tours.

updated college visit itinerary (October)

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