day in LA - tar pits and surrounding area

Hi,

We have 2 nights in LA, staying on Franklin Ave West Hollywood. We want to visit the Tar Pits on our 1st morning, but 1) not sure how to get there from our hotel as won%26#39;t have a car, and 2) any suggestions as to how we should spend the afternoon? how far is beverly hills etc from there? Any suggestions welcome!

day in LA - tar pits and surrounding area

Walk from your hotel to the Hollywood/Highland complex, in front there%26#39;s a tourist booth with bus schedules etc. Last time I was there it was the 217 bus picking up right in front of the complex. Takes you to Farmers Market, The Grove, next to the Tar Pits %26amp; fossil museum.

It would be just one bus from there to get to Beverly Hills, I think it%26#39;s the Rapid Express bus on Wilshire Blvd. Just go to mta.net and the trip planner. Put in the address of your hotel, and the address of where you want to go. Print out the bus instructions.

day in LA - tar pits and surrounding area

To get to the Tar Pits, first go to Hollywood/Highland. Wait for the 217 or the 780 bus on the same side of the street as the Metro station and the Hollywood/Highland complex. Both the 780 and 217 go the exact same route, but if you can, catch the 780 since that has fewer stops and will get you there faster. However, be aware that the 780 stops running by early evening and I don%26#39;t think it runs on weekends, so you%26#39;ll have to take the 217 at those times.

Anyway, the bus will take you down Hollywood Blvd, then will turn left onto Fairfax Avenue. You want to get off at Wilshire Blvd. The Tar Pits will be to your left, just past the massive Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Getting to Beverly Hills is very easy from this point. Head back out to the intersection of Wilshire and Fairfax and wait for the 720 or 20 bus on the same side of the street as LACMA and the Tar Pits. Again, same rule as before: the 720 is faster, but only runs during limited hours. Take this bus about 2-3 miles to Beverly Drive, which is right in the middle of the shopping district. Rodeo Drive will be on block to the west. If you want to see some of the Beverly Hills mansions, you could walk up Rodeo or Beverly and cross Santa Monica Blvd into the residential section.

Since you%26#39;ll be riding the bus at least four times going to and coming back from Beverly Hills, I would recommend just buying a day pass for everyone ($5 each), rather than having to fiddle with exact change.

If find yourself finished with the Tar Pits and Beverly Hills faster than expected, you could then hop back on the 720/20 and take that all the way down to Santa Monica (the pier, Promenade, etc.)

www.myspaces