United Airlines Flights from Santa Maria (SMX) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates 4 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Santa Maria (SMX) to Los Angeles (LAX), departing between 6:00am and 8:34pm, and one additional non-stop flight regularly scheduled to depart at 6:10pm and arrive at 7:07pm, everyday except Saturday and Sunday. Usually an Embraer 120 Brasilia is flown for this route. The average travel time from Santa Maria, CA to Los Angeles, CA is 58 minutes.
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During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Norton Simon Museum of Art
Named for a food-packing king and financier who reorganized the failing Pasadena Museum of Modern Art, the Norton Simon displays one of the finest private collections of European, American, and Asian art in the world (and yet another feather in the cap of architect Frank Gehry, who redesigned the interior space). Comprehensive collections of masterpieces by Degas, Picasso, Rembrandt, and Goya are augmented by sculptures by Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin, including The Burghers of Calais, which greets you at the gates. The "Blue Four" collection of works by Kandinsky, Jawlensky, Klee, and Feininger is impressive, as is a superb collection of Southeast Asian sculpture. Still Life with Lemons, Oranges, and a Rose (1633), an oil by Francisco de Zurbarán, is one of the museum's most important holdings. Perhaps the most popular piece is The Flower Vendor/Girl with Lilies, by Diego Rivera, followed by Goya's Disasters of War. The collection of paintings, sculptures, pastels, and prints by French Impressionist Edgar Degas is among the best in the world. Tip: Unless you're an art expert, you'll probably want to take the "Acoustiguide" audio tour -- it's $3 well spent.
The Arboretum of Los Angeles County
Tucked into the hillsides of the San Gabriel Mountains, this sprawling horticultural and botanical center was formerly the estate of silver magnate "Lucky" Baldwin -- the man responsible for bringing horse racing to Southern California -- who lived until 1909 on these lushly planted 127 acres overlooking the Santa Anita racetrack. You might recognize Baldwin's red-and-white Queen Anne cottage from the opening sequence of Fantasy Island ("de plane, de plane"); the gardens are also a favorite location for movie filming and local weddings. In addition to spectacular flora (every continent is represented here), the Arboretum boasts a bevy of resident peafowl who seem unafraid of humans -- one of the best treats here is being up close when the peacocks, attempting to impress passing hens, unfold their brilliant rainbow plumage. Avid gardeners will want to visit the nursery-like gift shop on the way out.
Six Flags California (Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor)
What started as a countrified little amusement park with a couple of relatively tame roller coasters in 1971 has been transformed by Six Flags into a thrill-a-minute daredevil's paradise called The Xtreme Park. Located about 20 to 30 minutes north of Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain is one of the only ones out of the 38 Six Flags parks that is open year-round. The 16 world-class roller coasters (more than any other place in the world) make it enormously popular with teenagers and young adults, and the children's playland -- Bugs Bunny World -- creates excitement for the pint-size set (kids under 48 in. tall.) Bring an iron constitution; rides with names like Goliath, Déjà Vu, Ninja, Viper, Colossus, and Psyclone will have your cheeks flapping with the G-force, and queasy expressions are common at the exit. Some rides are themed to action-film characters (like Superman The Escape and The Riddler's Revenge); others are loosely tied to their themed surroundings, like a Far East pagoda or gold rush mining town. The newest thrill rides are Scream!, where riders are strapped into a "flying chair" and raced upside down seven times at 65 mph, and X, the world's first and only roller coaster where riders rotate 360 degrees forward and backward. Arcade games and summer-only entertainment (stunt shows, animal shows, and parades) round out the park's attractions.Hurricane Harbor is Six Flags's tropical paradise, which is located right next door to Magic Mountain and is open May through September. You really can't see both in 1 day -- combo tickets allow you to return sometime before the end of the season. Bring your own swimsuit; the park has changing rooms with showers and lockers. Like Magic Mountain, areas have themes like a tropical lagoon or an African river (complete with ancient temple ruins). The primary activities are swimming, going down water slides, rafting, playing volleyball, and lounging; many areas are designed especially for the little "buccaneer."
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.
The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa
Originally built in 1906, the opulent Huntington Hotel was one of America's grandest hotels, but not the most earthquake-proof. No matter -- the hotel was rebuilt and opened on the same spot in 1991, and the astonishing authenticity (including reinstallation of many decorative features) even fools patrons from the resort's early days. This Spanish-Mediterranean beauty sits on 23 spectacularly landscaped acres that seem a world apart from L.A., though Downtown is only 20 minutes away. Each oversize guest room is dressed in conservatively elegant Ritz-Carlton style, softened by English garden textiles and a beautiful palette of celadon, cream, and butter yellow. Luxuries include beds dressed in Frette linens, marble bathrooms, thick carpets, and terry robes. You might consider spending a few extra dollars on a club-level room, which also features featherbeds, down comforters, CD players, morning coffee delivered with your wake-up call, and access to the club lounge with dedicated concierge and complimentary gourmet spreads all day (including breakfast).The 12,000-square-foot full-service Ritz-Carlton Spa makes the Huntington an ideal place for a pampering getaway. Both guests and locals enjoy dining in the casual elegance of The Dining Room, but I prefer the more casual California-style Terrace Restaurant, which also serves at umbrella-covered tables by the Olympic-size pool (Southern California's first). High tea is served in the Lobby Lounge.Facilities: 2 restaurants; 2 lounges (bar, Lobby Lounge for high tea); Olympic-size heated outdoor pool and Jacuzzi; 3 lighted tennis courts; full-service spa w/whirlpool, sauna, and steam room; fitness center; concierge; business center; salon; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry-cleaning service.
Best Western Hollywood Hills Hotel
Location is a big selling point for this family-owned (since 1948) member of the reliable Best Western chain: It's just off U.S. 101 (the Hollywood Freeway); a Metro Line stop just 3 blocks away means easy, car-free access to Universal Studios, and the famed Hollywood and Vine intersection is just a 5-minute walk away. The walls showcase images from the golden age of movies, and the front desk offers an endless variety of arranged tours. Rooms are plain and clean but lack warmth -- outer walls are painted cinder block, and closets are hidden behind institutional metal accordion doors. Still, management is constantly striving to improve the hotel, and all rooms have a refrigerator, coffeemaker, microwave, and free movies. Rooms in the back building are my favorites, as they sit well back from busy Franklin Avenue, face the gleaming blue-tiled, heated outdoor pool, and have an attractive view of the neighboring hillside. A major convenience is the 101 Hills Coffee Shop located off the lower lobby.
