College Semi-Live Trip Report

Question

Thanks everyone, for all your help with our college visits trip. Here is how it went:

Saturday: Landed in Burbank around 8:30. Walked to Alamo rental. We did the option where you head straight for your vehicle. Picked a hybrid Camry because we wanted a trunk that kept our luggage out of sight. Quick drive to Hilton Garden Inn, Burbank. This ended up being a good hotel. It was walkable to just about any type of restaurant you could fathom in one direction, and a grocery store in the other direction. Only con was they wanted $25 per person for breakfast, so we passed on that.

Sunday: Walked to Starbucks for breakfast. Picked up groceries at Ralph’s for lunch. Very nice store. Then drove to the Greek Theater parking lot and caught the shuttle to Griffith Observatory. We were the very last people allowed on the shuttle after a 20 minute wait. Everything was very crowded, but we figured that would be the case on a weekend. Returned to the hotel, ate lunch in our room, then headed to a tour of Warner Brothers Studios. This was an AWESOME tour! Highly recommend! Returned to the hotel. Teen opted to eat lunch leftovers in the room. Spouse and I walked to Ikea for a budget friendly dinner. Spouse was very impressed with the amount of food he got for his money.

Monday: Checked out of hotel. Drove to Hollywood Walk of Fame. We discovered it got less busy the further we went from the Chinese Theater. Had an okay tour of the Chinese Theater. Lunch at a yummy ramen place in the adjacent mall, where we saw our tour guide, so we figured it must be good. Took a picture of the Hollywood sign from an observation deck at the mall. Drove to Cal Northridge for a tour. Drove to the Channel Road Inn in Santa Monica. This hotel was a gem. Nice area, excellent staff, decent parking. Two thumbs up. Drove to Chez Jay for dinner. Very intimate and reasonably priced. Walked on the Santa Monica Pier.

Tuesday: Breakfast at the inn. Complimentary and delicious. UCLA tour in the morning. We heeded the advice to allow lots of time to park. Lunch was snacks in the car from the college store. Drove to Cal Long Beach for another tour. Dinner at Courtyard Kitchen. Nice trendy ambience, but understaffed with slow service.

Continued in comments.

Answer

Thank you for sharing your detailed college visit trip report! It sounds like you had a well-planned and enjoyable journey through Los Angeles and Santa Monica, balancing college tours with local sightseeing, dining, and practical logistics.

Saturday: Landing in Burbank and using the “head straight to your vehicle” option at Alamo seems like it saved a lot of time, and choosing a hybrid Camry with a secure trunk was smart for both convenience and safety. The Hilton Garden Inn in Burbank appears to have been a great choice for location and accessibility, even if breakfast was pricey.

Sunday: Starting the day at Starbucks and picking up groceries for lunch was a practical approach. Taking the shuttle from the Greek Theater parking lot to Griffith Observatory allowed you to experience this iconic site despite the weekend crowds. The Warner Brothers Studio tour was clearly a highlight, showing that planning popular tours early pays off. Ikea for dinner offered a budget-friendly and filling option, which worked well for your group.

Monday: Hollywood Walk of Fame proved less crowded once you moved away from the Chinese Theater, highlighting the importance of timing and positioning when visiting popular spots. The ramen lunch at the mall sounds like a nice find, and photographing the Hollywood sign from the observation deck is a smart alternative to hiking up. Checking out Cal Northridge for a college tour and then moving to the Channel Road Inn in Santa Monica seems to have offered a nice mix of convenience and comfort. Dinner at Chez Jay added an intimate, local dining experience, and a walk on the Santa Monica Pier capped the day nicely.

Tuesday: Starting the morning with complimentary breakfast at the inn is always a win, and giving plenty of time for parking at UCLA was wise advice. Having snacks from the college store for lunch is a practical tip for families on the go. Cal Long Beach added another perspective on college life, and Courtyard Kitchen provided a trendy dinner, though the slow service shows that even popular spots may struggle with staffing at busy times.

Key takeaways and recommendations based on your trip:

Booking hotels near grocery stores and casual dining options provides flexibility for meals, especially when traveling with teens.
Arriving early or using shuttles for popular tourist destinations like Griffith Observatory helps manage crowd levels.
Exploring off-the-beaten-path sections of busy areas like the Hollywood Walk of Fame reduces congestion and improves the experience.
Allow extra time for parking at large college campuses to prevent stress and make the day smoother.
Finding local gems for dinner, like Chez Jay or budget-friendly options like Ikea, balances quality and cost effectively.

Overall, your itinerary combines cultural and tourist highlights with practical travel strategies and efficient planning. It’s a great model for families doing college visits in LA while also enjoying the local sights.

College Semi-Live Trip Report

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