Races, Parks & LA itinerary, opinions please

[tinkerbell3399]

With our trip quickly approaching I'm in the final stretch of planning. I'm getting excited & nervous. And my brain is filling with crazy questions. How long will it take for us to walk to the race start? Did I pick a nice, safe, close hotel? What will the weather be like? It says it could be in the 90s but that isn't like the 90s in NJ is it? Does SoCal have humidity? Do I really need to pack all these extra clothes? Will there be a lot of traffic heading into LA on Labor day?

The itinerary is this:
Thursday arrive 1pm at Hilton Hotel. Walk or take ART to expo. Dinner & shopping in DTD. Back to hotel early since it will have been a long day.

Friday morning up early because mom running 5k After race breakfast at the Plaza Inn. Some park touring. Mom wants to ride RSR & I want to be sure to ride Jungle Cruise before it closes for renovation. I also would like to ride attractions that they don't have in WDW. So, Mr. Toad, Alice, Circus Train, Storybook Land, Indy, etc. We have other days to get to them so no rush to cram them all in today. Then Naples Ristorante for a late lunch/early dinner (even though our east coast bodies will be telling us it's dinner time). Then back to the hotel to rest up for the 10k.

Saturday morning up & over for the 10k. Maybe hit some of the cozy cones for a late breakfast/early lunch snack. Some more park touring but no set rides or plans. Storytellers Cafe for a 3pm dinner. Then again back to the hotel for rest before the big day race.

Sunday. Earning the DDD & C2C medals. Victory lunch at Cafe Orleans. Thinking about the Mickey Pants sundae for dinner. After running all that way, don't judge We are staying for the fireworks in DL. It's our only chance to see them.

Monday, Labor Day. I have rented a car to drive up to LA/Hollywood. I would like to head to Santa Monica Pier first then drive up Sunset Blvd to the observatory. We are also planning on going to Hollywood Forever, the tar pits, Hollywood Blvd, the Soda Fountain & studio shop and maybe take one of those tours of stars homes. Mom has never been to Hollywood or LA so I just want to give her a small touristy taste. I'm worried about Labor day & beach traffic. Will it be any worse than a normal traffic day in LA?

Tuesday we are taking the new DCA Tour. Then lunch at Carthey Circle with the World of Color thing. We will probably spend most of the day in DCA riding and exploring there. I just hope the lunch package will get us a nice viewing spot. Mom is short & I hope she can see everything.

Wednesday we are taking Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. They never said anything to us about not seeing the apartment so I hope we still get too. We will probably spend most of the day in DL. We have dinner at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ then I think we will head back over to DCA to see World of Color again. Do you think I should go over in the afternoon and get fast passes or do you think we will be ok just walking up?

Thursday we are leaving but not before breakfast at PCH Grill. Then back to the hotel to catch our Super Shuttle and head home.

Any opinions, suggestions and/or advice that you can give would be wonderful. It's been a long long time since I've been there and only mom's second trip to the west coast. We are so looking forward to this trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

You're running all three races? You know your body best but I would not get in a car on the 1st. I would make that purely a walking day. Not a car touring day.

 

[tinkerbell3399]

I'm not running the 5k, just mom. I am going Dumbo.

Another question I forgot, does the 7-11 in the corner sale fruit? Like bananas and apples.

 

[SMD]

Anaheim can be humid compared to other parts of LA, but it's nothing like other parts of the country. However, this has been by far the most humid summer in at least 15 years. I'm not going to lie, if it's 90+ on race da, it's going to be miserable out there on the asphalt.

Yes, Labor Day traffic will be fairly extreme at the beach. Definitely go there first if you have any hopes of parking. Your LA day is a lot for a single day, and an even taller order for a holiday. Is there any chance you can split it over 2 days? Maybe get a hotel Monday night near SM pier, so you can start and end your day there.

 

[2tinkerbell]

I'm not running the 5k, just mom. I am going Dumbo.

Another question I forgot, does the 7-11 in the corner sale fruit? Like bananas and apples.

Yes, I have hit the 7-11, along with a lot of other runners, for bananas, peanut butter, chocolate mild and yogurt. I was there about 7 pm the night before a 1/2 marathon and it was pretty crowded. I would suggest you go a little earlier.

Your plan sounds good. However, I would take the PP suggestion of maybe switching a park day and your beach, car tour day around. I know this from personal experience as I flew home the day after I did a 1/2 marathon and by the time I had sat for 5 hours I was stiff and sore. If you can't switch them around, just get out and move every hour.

 

[tinkerbell3399]

I know this from personal experience as I flew home the day after I did a 1/2 marathon and by the time I had sat for 5 hours I was stiff and sore. If you can't switch them around, just get out and move every hour. [<QUOTE]

I'm not really worried to much about that. I drive long distances to run races so sitting & driving 5-6 hours after a race isn't that big a deal for me. I'm crazy like that

Your LA day is a lot for a single day, and an even taller order for a holiday. [<QUOTE]

We aren't doing more than stopping for a few photos & then on to the next location. I was thinking of maybe going up the coast further to Will Rogers so she can dip her toes in the Pacific but not planning on spending a lot of time at the Pier. If there isn't parking we will just move on. (My husband drove me past it about 10 times before I ever got to stop there).

If we leave the rental car place by 8am I would hope to be up at the Pier before 10am. Then take about 2 hrs to drive up to the observatory. An hour or so at the cemetery. Photo op at the tar pits then to Hollywood Blvd for the bus tour, dinner & dessert. Then call it a day. I didn't think it was too overzelous but maybe it is. If you had to cut something out what would it be?

 

[SMD]

Logistically, the beach is the farthest from everything else you're doing. But have you read reviews of the star homes tours? I did see that Starline tours homes in Malibu and leaves from SM, if those 2 things are a priority, consider combining them and taking the earliest Malibu tour, maybe.

 

[tinkerbell3399]

Oh that's an idea. Homes in Malibu. I wasn't really set on any tour just figured we'd grab one on the Blvd that isn't TMZ based when we got there but this is a good idea.

 

[tinkerbell3399]

My husband recomended going to Santa Monica/the beach on our way back. That way we can watch the sunset. This does away with the beach traffic. Instead we are going to head straight to the observatory, then all the Hollywood area stuff and the drive down Sunset to the beach. Plus it has that view of the ocean as you get close that is really neat.