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Flights to Los Angeles (LAX) from San Francisco (SFO) on Varig
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Varig, which operates a non-stop flight everyday except Saturday and Sunday from San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX), regularly scheduled to depart at 9:05am and arrive at 10:31am. Usually a Boeing 737-300 is flown for this route. The average travel time from San Francisco, CA to Los Angeles, CA is 1 hour and 26 minutes.*
* Some flights must connect with international service on this airline.
During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
The "Fighting Dinosaurs" are not a high school football team, but the trademark symbol of this massive museum: Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops skeletons poised in a stance so realistic that every kid feels inspired to imitate their Jurassic Park bellows (think Calvin & Hobbes). Opened in 1913 in a beautiful domed Spanish Renaissance building, this massive museum -- it's the largest natural and historical museum in the western United States -- is a 35-hall warehouse of Earth's history, chronicling the planet and its inhabitants from 600 million years ago to the present day, and housing more than 33 million specimens and artifacts. There's a mind-numbing array of exhibits of prehistoric fossils, bird and marine life, gems and minerals, and North American mammals. The kid-friendly Discovery Center entertains children via hands-on, interactive exhibits: Kids can make fossil rubbings, dig for fossils, and view live animals such as snakes and lizards. The best permanent displays include the world's rarest shark, a walk-through vault of priceless gems (including the largest collection of gold in the United States), and an Insect Zoo.The Dinosaur Shop sells ant farms and exploding volcano and model kits, the Ethnic Arts Shop has one-of-a-kind folk art and jewelry from around the world, and the bookstore has an extensive selection of scientific titles and hobbyists' field guides.
Bergamot Arts Station & Santa Monica Museum of Art
One of L.A.'s primary cultural destinations is the Bergamot Arts Station. Home to the Santa Monica Museum of Art, this campuslike complex is a hugely popular destination for visitors from around the world. The location dates from 1875 when it was a stop for the Red Line trolley, and retains its industrial, rustic look. Filled with 20 galleries, the unique installations on display here range from photography and sculpture to interactive pieces that are both eclectic and cutting edge. Its central location allows visitors to park and spend the day seeing art rather than driving from one gallery to the next, and many pieces are available for purchase. A must-see for the arts lover.
NBC Studios
According to a security guard, John Wayne and Redd Foxx once got into a fight here after Wayne refused to ride in the same limo as Foxx, who called the movie star a "redneck." Well, your NBC tour will probably be a bit more docile than that. The guided 70-minute indoor tour, which departs every half-hour, includes a behind-the-scenes unstaged look at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno set; wardrobe, makeup, and set-building departments; and several sound studios. In fact, NBC is the only TV studio that offers the public a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of its television operation, and it's a lot less expensive than the competition's studio tours. It doesn't have the cachet of a major motion picture studio tour, but it's entertaining nonetheless. Note: Tours are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and sell out early during peak vacation season, so arrive early. Also, this is one of the few studio tours that doesn't have a minimum age requirement.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Los Angeles area, including:
Omni Los Angeles
The Omni chain forsook its old location (now the Wilshire Grand) to assume this boxy tower at the top of Bunker Hill because, as they say, location is everything: It's adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art and within walking distance of the L.A. Music Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, making the Omni Downtown's best base for culture buffs. Recognizing the geographical appeal, the hotel caters to theatergoers more than any of its peers, with complimentary car service until 11:30pm (great for dinner/show evenings), late-night dining during performances, and good-value theater packages.An eager-to-please staff runs the property beautifully, and public areas enjoy a graceful air thanks to elegant accents and artworks from the likes of Jim Dine and David Hockney. The bright, spacious, and conservatively styled rooms are amenity-packed -- 25-inch flat-screen TVs, free wireless Internet access, fluffy robes -- and offer floor-to-ceiling views and oversize bathrooms with separate dressing areas; larger rooms also have a chaise, and business rooms feature an extralarge work desk with halogen task lighting and desk-level inputs (most also have a fax/copier/printer). At $35 extra for two, club-level rooms are a great value considering the accompanying freebies: continental breakfast, all-day beverages and pastries, evening cocktails and appetizers. Another reason to book a room here is the Omni's new flagship restaurant, Noé, which has been garnering high praise from the local press for it progressive American cuisine with Japanese influences. Tip: Request a room overlooking the Walt Disney Concert Hall.Facilities: Restaurant; lounge; outdoor heated lap pool; exercise room w/sauna; access to nearby health club; Omni Kids program; concierge; courtesy car within 3-mile radius; business center w/secretarial services; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service; dry-cleaning service; executive-level rooms; 24-hr. on-call physician.
Sea Shore Motel
Located in the heart of Santa Monica's best dining and shopping action, this small, friendly, family-run motel is the bargain of the beach. The Sea Shore is such a well-kept secret that most denizens of stylish Main Street are unaware of the incredible value in their midst. Arranged around a parking courtyard, rooms are small and unremarkable, but the conscientious management has done a nice job with them, installing attractive terra-cotta floor tiles, granite countertops, and conveniences like voice mail and data-jack phones. Complete with a sitting room and microwave, the suite is a phenomenal deal; book it as far in advance as possible. With a full slate of restaurants out the front door and the Santa Monica Pier and beach just a couple of blocks away, it's a terrific bargain base for exploring the sandy side of the city.
Century Wilshire Hotel
This amiable and pretty hotel, located just south of UCLA, is a good choice for discerning travelers without a lot of money to spend. The older building boasts a European flair and an English country-style lobby that leads to a pleasant courtyard, around which 99 guest rooms sit garden style. The individually decorated rooms are simple yet attractively furnished. Units are large, with good closet space; the double/doubles are spacious enough to house four who don't mind sharing to save a few dollars. Junior-, one-, and two-bedroom suites offer fully equipped kitchens. Rooms open either onto the courtyard, with pretty wrought-iron cafe tables, or onto a very nice pool. A complimentary continental breakfast (served alfresco on nice days) and parking add to the wallet-friendliness, and discounts on longer stays make a good value even better.
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