Best way to get from San Diego to LAX

[momof2disprincesses]

We are going to stay with my best friend who lives in San Diego for a week in May. We are flying into & out of LAX (free tickets on Air Tran and they don't fly into San Diego in May).

My friend will pick us up at LAX when we arrive.

However, her husband just got called away for business on the day we go home. She is flying back to WI with us on the same flight and has 2 kids under the age of 3.

So, we are trying to figure out the best way to get from her house in the Miramax area of San Diego to LAX. There will be 4 adults and 2 kids (ages 7 months and 2 years). Options we're considering include:

• Rent a van in San Diego and return it at LAX - this seems EXPENSIVE!
• The Amtrak train - they say the station is about 1 hour from LAX and with 2 young kids, stroller, luggage, etc. this could be hairy!

We are open to other ideas/suggestions. Can anyone help?

 

[SpectroMan71]

I would do the Amtrak thing - Pacific Surfliner from SAN to LAX and then use the Flyaway bus from Union Station to LAX. It's painless if you allow proper time for everything, and very scenic at the beginning of the train trip.

 

[StageTek]

The Amtrak train - they say the station is about 1 hour from LAX and with 2 young kids, stroller, luggage, etc. this could be hairy!

I agree with SpectroMan71. But it will be a challenge with 2 young kids, stroller, luggage, etc. The van rental does seem expensive, but will be easier.

I know there is an Airport bus from Santa Barbara to LAX. I wonder if they offer service from San Diego? Might be worth checking into. The SB/LAX bus picks up at the Amtrak station there.

 

[SpectroMan71]

I still recommend it since the adult-kid ratio is 2:1 And LAX is NOT an hour from the station - maybe in absolutely worst-case traffic, but it's more like 35 mins.

 

[lexlaw69]

The train from San Diego to LA is AWESOME! It goes right along the beach. Now, in reality it only takes about 15 minutes to get from the amtrak station to the airport with the proviso that it is not a business day. Otherwise 30 minutes to an hour in traffic. There is also an aiport shuttle bus (flyaway?) that takes you from the station to the airport and is cheap (and regular), taxi's are plentiful.

 

[disneybride96]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but the Amtrak sounds awesome! Someone tell me more!! Do you get to see a lot of coast line etc? Senic views?

I see there is and Anaheim station. Is it convenient to DLR? We are doing kind of the same thing as the OP, visiting family in San Diego but then we are going to DLR. Is it easy to get from the station to the resort?