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United Airlines Flights from Portland (PDX) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Portland (PDX) to Los Angeles (LAX), departing between 6:35am and 3:59pm, and one additional non-stop flight regularly scheduled to depart at 6:35pm and arrive at 8:56pm, everyday except Saturday. Usually a Canadair Regional Jet 700 is flown for this route. The average travel time from Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA is 2 hours and 19 minutes.
During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Universal Studios Hollywood & CityWalk
Believing that filmmaking itself is a bona fide attraction, Universal Studios began offering tours to the public in 1964. The concept worked: Today Universal is more than just one of the largest movie studios in the world -- it's one of the largest amusement parks as well. By integrating shows and rides with behind-the-scenes presentations on movie-making, Universal created a new genre of theme park, stimulating a number of clone and competitor parks.The main attraction continues to be the Studio Tour, a 1-hour guided tram ride around the company's 420 acres. En route you pass stars' dressing rooms and production offices before visiting famous back-lot sets that include an eerily familiar Old West town, a clean New York City street, the famous town square from the Back to the Future films, and newer sets such as Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, Jurassic Park III, and The Grinch. Along the way, the tram encounters several staged "disasters," which I won't divulge here lest I ruin the surprise (they're all very tame). Though the wait to board might appear long, don't be discouraged -- each tram carries several hundred people and departures are frequent, so the line moves quickly.Other attractions are more typical of high-tech theme-park fare, but all have a film-oriented slant. The newest ride, Revenge of the Mummy, is a super-high-tech indoor roller coaster that's enhanced with animatronics, motion picture technology, and lots of really creepy Warrior Mummies that drop down and scare the crap out of you. Back to the Future is a virtual-reality ride within a bucking simulation chamber (similar to Star Tours at Disneyland). You're a guest in Doc Brown's lab and get caught up in a high-speed chase in a time-traveling DeLorean through a million years (try to count how many times Biff says "butthead"). Jurassic Park -- The Ride is short in duration but long on dinosaur animatronics; riders in jungle boats float through a world of five-story-tall T-rexes and airborne raptors that culminates in a pitch-dark vertical drop with a splash ending. Terminator 2: 3D is a high-tech cyberwar show that combines live action along with triple-screen 3-D technology, explosions, spraying mists, and laser fire (Arnold prevails, of course). Shrek 4D is one of the park's best attractions, a multisensory animated show that combines 3-D effects, a humorous storyline, and "surprise" special effects -- the flying dragon chase is wild.There are also several live shows performing daily. Waterworld is an entertaining, fast-paced outdoor theater presentation (and far better than the film that inspired it) featuring stunts and special effects performed on and around a small man-made lagoon (most performances are sold out, so arrive at the theater at least 15 minutes before the show time listed in the handout park map). In Backdraft, guests move from theater to theater amid realistic ruptured fuel lines, melting metal, and scorching warehouse scenes. Spider-Man Rocks! is a high-energy rock 'n' roll musical with lots of song, dance, acrobatics, loud noises, and pyrotechnics. Animal Planet Live! stars trained monkeys, pigs, hawks, and other animals doing various entertaining tricks (well, most of the time). Tip: Straight ahead of the park's main entrance on Main Street is the TV Audience Ticket Booth, where you can obtain free tickets to join the audience for any TV shows that are taping during your visit (subject to availability).Universal Studios is an exciting place for kids and teens, but just as in any theme park, lines can be brutally long; the wait for a 5-minute ride can sometimes last more than an hour. In summer, the stifling Valley heat can dog you all day. To avoid the crowds, try not to visit on weekends, school vacations, and Japanese holidays. If you're willing to pay extra money to save the hassle of standing in line, the park offers a "Front of Line" pass with -- obviously -- front-of-the-line privileges, as well as VIP passes (essentially private tours). You can also save time standing in line by purchasing and printing your tickets online. Log onto the website for more information.Located just outside the gate of Universal Studios Hollywood is Universal CityWalk (tel. 818/622-4455; www.citywalkhollywood.com), Universal Studio's version of Downtown Disney, complete with throngs of bored-looking teens. If you have any money left from the amusement park, you can spend it at this three-block-long pedestrian promenade crammed thick with flashy name-brand stores (Billabong, Fossil, Skechers, Vans), dorky nightclubs (Blues at B. B. King's, Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar, Rumba Room Latin dance club), chain restaurants (Hard Rock Cafe, Daily Grill, Jerry's Famous Deli), a six-story 3-D IMAX theater, an 18-screen cinema, a 6,200-seat amphitheater, NASCAR virtual racing, and even a bowling alley (Take that, Disney!). Entrance to CityWalk is free; it's open until 9pm on weekdays and until midnight Friday and Saturday. Tip: The sushi at the Wasabi at Citywalk restaurant (tel. 818/622-7224) was surprisingly good and very reasonably priced.
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.
Capitol Records Building
Opened in 1956, this 13-story tower, just north of the legendary intersection of Hollywood and Vine, is one of the city's most recognizable buildings. The world's first circular office building is often, but incorrectly, said to have been made to resemble a stack of 45s under a turntable stylus (it kinda does, though). Nat "King" Cole, songwriter Johnny Mercer, and other 1950s Capitol artists populate a giant exterior mural. Look down and you'll see the sidewalk stars of Capitol's recording artists (including John Lennon). In the lobby, numerous gold albums are on display.The light on the rooftop spire of the Capitol Records building flashes "H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D" in Morse code. Really, it does.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Los Angeles area, including:
Le Montrose Suite Hotel
Nobody pays rack at this terrific all-suite hotel, which offers money-saving specials of every stripe for travelers who want more than a standard room for their accommodations dollars. Nestled on a quiet street just 2 blocks from the red-hot Sunset Strip, cozy Le Montrose features large split-level studio and one-bedroom apartments that feel more like comfortable, upscale condos than hotel rooms. Each contemporary-styled suite has a sizable living room with gas fireplace, a dining area, a comfortable sleeping nook (or dedicated bedroom), and a very nice bathroom. Executive and one-bedroom suites have kitchenettes (which can be stocked upon request). The two bedrooms are a great deal for families or sharing friends. You have to go up to the roof for anything resembling a view, but once you're up there, you can swim in the pool, soak in the Jacuzzi, or brush up on your tennis game. Recent upgrades include a new fitness center on the fifth floor, 17 newly renovated suites, and wireless service in all the public areas. This place is a favorite for long-term stays among the music and film crowd, so don't be surprised if you spot a famous face in the pleasant Library restaurant during the breakfast hour (open to hotel guests only). Tip: If you're only staying for the weekend, the Le Montrose offers an great package deal: Sunday's free when you stay Friday and Saturday nights.Facilities: Continental restaurant; outdoor heated pool w/whirlpool and sun deck; lighted tennis court; fitness center; exercise room w/sauna; complimentary bicycles; concierge; car-rental desk; business center; secretarial services; 24-hr. room service; coin-op laundry; laundry service; dry-cleaning service; executive-level rooms; DVD and CD libraries. In room: A/C, TV/VCR w/pay movies, Nintendo, high-speed Internet access, and DVD, CD, fax/copier/scanner, dataport and high speed connection, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe.
Summerfield Suites Hotel--West Hollywood
This four-story all-suite property in a residential West Hollywood neighborhood looks and feels much like a high-quality apartment building. An unassuming interior and quiet public areas are hallmarks of value -- less flash for less cash. Likewise, accommodations are nicely outfitted without being excessive in either size or style. All of the pastel-colored suites have kitchenettes, contemporary furnishings, dedicated living areas, pretty good original art, and petite balconies overlooking Hollywood or Beverly Hills. Some larger units feature sunken living rooms, gas fireplaces, and full kitchens. A complimentary full breakfast buffet is offered daily.
Avalon Hotel
The first style-conscious boutique hotel on the L.A. scene, this mid-20th-century-inspired gem in the heart of Beverly Hills still leads the pack. With a soothing sherbet-hued palette and classic atomic-age furnishings -- Eames cabinets, Heywood-Wakefield chairs, Nelson bubble lamps -- mixed with smart custom designs, every room looks as if it could star in a Metropolitan Home photo spread. But fashion doesn't forsake function at this beautifully designed hotel, which offers enough luxury comforts and amenities to please design-blind travelers, too.The property is comprised of the former Beverly-Carlton (seen on I Love Lucy and once home to Marilyn Monroe and Mae West), as well as two neighboring 1950s-era apartment houses. The main building is the hub of a chic but low-key scene, but I prefer the quieter Canon building, where many of the units have kitchenettes and/or furnished terraces. No matter which one you end up in, you'll find a gorgeous, restful cocoon with terry bathrobes and Frette linens. You'll also have easy access to the sunny courtyard with its retrohip amoeba-shape pool, the fitness room, and the groovy Jetsons-style restaurant and bar that shakes a terrific green apple martini. Service is friendlier than you'll find in other style-minded hotels.
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