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Hubby and I are planning on taking the SW Chief in December to LA Union Station on our way to a cruise which leaves from San Pedro Pier. I have some questions. We plan to get in the day before so we can spend the day visiting the area and go to some of my hubby's old favorite places. So, I want to know: 1) Does the train station have a rental car office/kiosk? Who rents from there? 2) Can we get a shuttle bus to our hotel in San Pedro if we decide we want to get to the hotel and rent a car at the hotel? price? 3) Does the station have storage for luggage? 4) I know that there is a amtrak truway bus to San Pedro which gets us close to the pier. Is it close to hotels as well? Or do they have cabbies waiting to pick folks up to get to a hotel? It doesn't look like it's an actual station, just a drop off place. Is that true? 5) We get back from the ship in the early morning - What is around the LA Station? Is it safe? We may just rent a car, if they have that avaiable.... Any suggestions are much appreciated Thanks!
Posts: 9 | From: Albuquerque | Registered: Jun 2008
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1. As of my last trip to LA (May 2006) there were two companies offering rental cars on site at Union Station, Budget and Hertz. Be aware, though, that especially on weekends they may have limited hours (i.e., closing at 2 pm on Sundays) for pickup or return. We were originally planning to rent from Hertz, but switched at the last minute because the Sunset Limited ran over 6 hours late and Hertz refused to let us pick up at the airport and return them to the train station—but Budget would.
2. I suggest you check with your hotel as regards the availability of shuttle service between the station and your lodgings.
3. I understand that most full service stations will store your luggage upon payment of a small fee. However, nothing requires you to claim your luggage immediately upon arrival; I picked ours up after taking the flyaway bus to the airport to pick up our Budget rentacars and then driving back to the station. There was no storage fee for this delayed pickup (although I did give the attendant a tip for carting and loading our 20 pieces of checked luggage [11 passengers!])
4. Don't know, but most Thruway bus pickup points are, in my experience, not dedicated stations but simply local businesses. A quick check of the Amtrak website shows two Thruway bus stops in San Pedro; one at 931 S. Gaffey St. and the other at N. Front & Swinford, Berth 95, Catalina Terminal. Check with your hotel to see which is more convenient (and safer) and carry a cell phone to call a cab for the last few blocks, if necessary.
5. Other posters have recommended Philippe's Restaurant which is, according to their web site, just one block north of the station. I can't tell you much else about the immediate vicinity of the station as I haven't explored it, but based upon casual observation I would not advise wandering very far to the south or east of the station area.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Olvera Street and the Plaza (where Los Angeles began) are directly across the street. Philippe's is an old stand by. Reasonably priced food from the counter, saw dust on the floor, etc. I've said it here before, give me a "Double Dip Lamb with slaw".
A little further away is Chinatown which is enjoying something of a revival. Our favorite there is Empress Pavillion. Great dim sum and seldom over $10.00 a person.
You could also ride the DASH busses for 25 cents and get to just about anywhere in downtown LA. Or use the Metro Red Line or Gold Line. They both have stops there.
I would suggest you look at cruisecritic.com for info on San Pedro. The only time we've sailed in there we took the ship's transfer to LAX where our car was parked. Perhaps Vicki can help???
Frank in Sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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I agree with Eric that your San Pedro hotel would have the best info on their location compared to the Thruway stops. Where you rent the car rather depends on where you want to drive in your one day in LA at the front end of the cruise. And there may be prohibitive drop off fees if you rent it at LA Union Station and try to drop off in San Pedro. I'd be inclined to rent in San Pedro but that may not work well for the places you want to visit. Sounds like your husband has specific places in mind and knows the city? Remember too, traffic is unpredictable, always allow lots of extra time.
When you return, the area around LA Union Station has lots to do per Frank's note.
I have never cruised from San Pedro but will be doing so in September. But I do know the cruise port is not near anything else. And sadly, our Metrorail system doesn't come anywhere near San Pedro.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Thanks for the info. I think coming in, we want to rent a car at the hotel since that will be where we leave from to get to the Pier on sailing day. I've heard Crowne Plaza in San Pedro has a car rental place. And then I'm thinking on getting home day, we go to the train station and hang around in that area, or rent a car at the train station and do whatever hubby has left over on his list. Hubby grew up in southern California, so he definitely has stuff in mind - Clearman's Northwoods Inn, Claimjumper, Jack in the Box, maybe even Tommys. Yes, he likes to eat. And Seal Beach, maybe Santa Monica, Rose Hills Cemetary. I'm sure we won't get all that stuff done, but at least we'll try awful hard. Thanks for all the help!
Posts: 9 | From: Albuquerque | Registered: Jun 2008
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Yes, you certainly have a wide area to cover to see all those things. I don't know Clearman's Northwoods Inn, where is that? Claimjumper and Jack in the Box??? Don't have those in NM?
On your getting home day you can use the Metrorail lines from Union Station and see a lot. If he likes food take the Red Line to Metro/7th St and walk a few blocks down to the Pantry. Check out Staples Center and the Nokia Theater in that area. Or you can go into Hollywood on the same Red Line. All day on the Metrorail for $1.80 if you are age 62 or over.
-------------------- Vicki in usually sunny Southern California Posts: 951 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Aug 2006
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Be sure to take some time photographing Union Station. It is gorgeous. It is one of the few surviving (even thriving) Union Stations in the US.
I would recommend taking the Gold Line and checking out Pasadena. I think there is a Gold Line station in the heart of Old Pasadena. Can anyone else provide extra expertise on the Gold Line?
Olvera Street is charming as well. I concur with other members that you should NOT venture further than maybe Olvera Street ESPECIALLY to the south...when you head south on Alameda over the 101...your heading right into GANG and DRUG territory. I'm not sure what lies to the east...but as you head more to the SOUTH WEST...into the heart of town...the environment gets a little Skid Rowish (I walked the streets there once in the early AM hours....long story)
Can anybody report on the restaurant inside...Traxx? Any good???
Union Bagelry is good as well. Try a Bagel Pizza or there Chicken Salad Sandwich on either an Onion or Cranberry Bagel.
-------------------- Patrick Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Visited Union Station one evening in 2005 with US train enthusiast. Very difficult to park in the area. The security people were dumbfounded when we said we simply wanted to have a good look at the station. It really is well worth a look. I am so glad that the mindless destruction of these temples to the railway age has been halted. When we were in Penn last year it was so frustrating to know what had once been there. I have seen it mooted somewhere that there were/are plans to link Grand Central and Penn. Does anyone have any further information on that?
Posts: 168 | From: uk. northumberland | Registered: Jun 2007
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Amtraxmaniac asked about the Traxx restaurant in Union Station. I had dinner there on a recent trip. In my opinion, the food was very good, but the prices were high.
I noticed that Amtrak has been using the bar area of Traxx (across the hall from the restaurant) as a "Coast Starlight Lounge" for sleeping car passengers.
Posts: 133 | From: Canaan, CT | Registered: Dec 2004
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Thanks for the great info! No Claimjumper here and no Jack in the Box. I've been hoping for a Claimjumper since I tried it in CA. Northwoods Inn is in San Gabriel and Covina and La Mirada. They have a lobster dinner that is wonderful! And cheesy bread and salad with blue cheese dressing. My husband liked to go there because they used to have paintings that were a bit un-PC although last time we were there, they had taken them down or sold them.
Posts: 9 | From: Albuquerque | Registered: Jun 2008
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quote:Originally posted by cuterlt: Northwoods Inn is in San Gabriel and Covina and La Mirada. They have a lobster dinner that is wonderful! And cheesy bread and salad with blue cheese dressing. My husband liked to go there because they used to have paintings that were a bit un-PC although last time we were there, they had taken them down or sold them.
Personally, I'd take Northwoods over Claim Jumper any day and I would not travel from NM to LA for Jack in the The Box. You'll need a car to get to any of the Northwoods, though perhaps a bus would get you to San Gabriel from the Gold Line and from Metrolink to Covina. Did they really take the paintings down? How sad.
Posts: 99 | From: Escondido, California | Registered: Jul 2003
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I would (and did!) travel from Houston to LA for a Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger, among other things (e.g., Disneyland!).
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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If you're interested in Japanese culture, there is Little Tokyo to the south along Alameda; a bit longer of a walk than Chinatown, though. Keep your wits about you as you pass the big prison on your right and do not engage any "street people" along the way. I've walked it several times w.no problems, in day hours. Once in LT, the "zen" garden on the second floor of the New Otani hotel is a peaceful place, and it's easy to get a reasonable authentic Japanese lunch/dinner in the small restaurants in the area.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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You can also take the DASH bus to Little Tokyo. Less frequent service on weekends and very crowded at noon. The stop for Little Tokyo would be across Alameda from Union Station.
Eric--
You do know that Hardee's is the same as Carl's, Jr. don't you. I don't think there are any Hardee's in Houston but I know they are in Texas! I think they have the best "fast food" around. The $6.00 Burgers are great!
Frank in Sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Regarding returning Hertz cars at Union Station: last December I wanted to return a car I rented in Las Vegas to Union Station, but for some strange reason Hertz won't allow it, however, I could return it at their nearby Marriott Hotel agency and they gave me $10.00 to pay for a taxi back to Union Station.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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A year or so ago we checked into picking up a Hertz rental car at LA Union Station. At that time, Hertz had limited hours, as someone else mentioned, and no on-site inventory. Seems like you phoned from their desk and someone brought a car over, or picked you up and took you to the actual car rental office. I wonder if the Marriott Hotel agency is the "real" Hertz agency and they service Union Station this way.
-------------------- Sue B Posts: 11 | From: Redondo Beach, CA | Registered: Oct 2006
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I have eaten at Traxx; the food and service were outstanding. As noted by others here, it is not inexpensive, but no more so than other big city restaurants.
Posts: 255 | Registered: Nov 2001
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