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US Airways Flights from Washington (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on US Airways, which operates 7 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Washington (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX), departing between 8:25am and 9:36pm, and 2 additional non-stop flights, departing between 7:00am and 7:00pm on select days of the week. Generally, a movie is offered on this route. The average travel time from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA is 5 hours and 38 minutes.*
* Some flights valid for this market only.
During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Museum of Contemporary Art/Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
MOCA is Los Angeles's only institution devoted to art from 1940 to the present. Displaying works in a variety of media, it's strong in works by Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns, and Mark Rothko, and shows are often superb. For many experts, MOCA's collections are too spotty to be considered world class, and the conservative museum board blushes when offered controversial shows (they passed on a Whitney exhibit that included photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe). Nevertheless, I've seen some excellent exhibitions here.MOCA is housed in three buildings: The Grand Avenue main building (250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles) is a contemporary red sandstone structure by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. The museum restaurant, Patinette (Mon, Wed, Fri 11am-5pm; Thurs 11am-8pm; Sat-Sun 11am-6pm; tel. 213/626-1178), located here, is the casual-dining creation of celebrity chef Joachim Splichal (see Patina). The museum's second space, on Central Avenue in Little Tokyo (152 North Central Ave., Los Angeles), was the "temporary" Contemporary while the Grand structure was being built and now houses a superior permanent collection in a warehouse-type space that's been renamed for entertainment mogul and art collector David Geffen. An added feature is a detailed timeline corresponding to the progression of works. Unless there's a visiting exhibit of great interest at the main museum, I recommend that you start at the Geffen building, where it's also easier to park. The third gallery, which opened in January 2001, is at the Pacific Design Center (8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood) -- it's the compact building next to the Pacific Design Center. Unlike the other two, admission to this galley is only $3, and emphasis is on contemporary architecture and design, as well as new work by emerging and established artists.
Museum of Television and Radio
Want to see the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show (1964), or Edward R. Murrow's examination of Joseph McCarthy (1954), or Arnold Palmer's victory in the 1958 Masters Tournament, or listen to radio excerpts like FDR's first "Fireside Chat" (1933) and Orson Welles's famous War of the Worlds UFO hoax (1938)? All these, plus a gazillion episodes of The Twilight Zone, I Love Lucy, and other beloved series (including numerous pilots never aired on national television), can be viewed within the starkly white walls of architect Richard Meier's neutral, contemporary museum building. Like the ritzy Beverly Hills shopping district that surrounds it, the museum is more flash than substance. Once you gawk at the celebrity and industry-honcho names adorning every hall, room, and miscellaneous area, it becomes quickly apparent that "library" would be a more fitting name for this collection, since the main attractions are requested via sophisticated computer catalogs and viewed in private consoles. Although no one sets out to spend a vacation watching TV, it can be tempting once you start browsing the archives. This West Coast branch of the venerable New York facility succeeds in treating our favorite pastime as a legitimate art form.
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.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Los Angeles area, including:
Farmer's Daughter
Most people end up at the Farmer's Daughter hotel fortuitously because they're waiting to be the next contestant on The Price is Right. The CBS Studios across the street recommend the budget motel to its game show fans, but I'm recommending it just because I dig this chic little lodge. It's cheery from the moment you walk in the lobby. Bright yellows and cool blues mix well with the country-kitsch theme: rooster wallpaper, faded barn-wood paneling, denim bedspreads, cow-skin rugs, and a parade of inflatable animals that float around the pool. It's obvious that someone with smart fashion sense and a little money turned a dumpy motel into an oasis of stylish affordability for people like me who drive Jettas and wear flip-flops in the winter. Money-saving perks include free Internet hookup, free parking, a free DVD library, and across-the-street access to an entire Farmers Market of inexpensive foodstuffs and some wild weekend entertainment. Tip: Request a room facing the alley -- the view is terrible, but you don't get the 24-hour road noise off Fairfax Avenue.
Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
There are three reasons to stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey: 1) You're a watercraft cognoscenti and you desire a serene view of 10,000 beautiful sailboats and yachts from your private balcony; 2) You want to take advantage of this business hotel's excellent weekend rates; or 3) You want to stay in style near the airport (a traffic-free 10-min. ride). Otherwise, if you just want to be pampered at a luxury resort hotel, a better choice is one of the other two Ritz-Carlton properties in Pasadena or Dana Point. In typical Ritz-Carlton fashion, the Marina del Rey is swathed in elegant European decor -- Italian marble bathrooms, French doors leading to private balconies, English countryside oil paintings, and the most comfortable goose-down feather bed I've ever slept in. The two top floors consist of the Club Lounge, with a dedicated concierge, on-the-house cocktails, and complimentary gourmet spreads all day (including breakfast). Tip: Request one of the "27 series" rooms, which are larger and have the best views. Thanks to its marina location, the hotel offers yacht and sailing charters, and reserves several slips for boat-bound customers. Venice Beach is about a 15-minute walk, but it's easier to rent a bicycle from the hotel.The hotel's superb restaurant, Jer-ne[li] (pronounced "journey"), serves New World cuisine in a stylishly modern setting, but I prefer a table on the deck overlooking the harbor. Be sure to sample chef Troy Thompson's unique Bento Box: five contrasting delicacies artfully arranged in a traditional Japanese box (a full meal for one).Facilities: 2 restaurants; 2 lounges (bar, lobby lounge for high tea); heated outdoor pool and whirlpool; 2 lighted tennis courts; fitness center; sauna; bicycle rentals; basketball court; concierge; 24-hr. room service; in-room massage; babysitting; laundry service; dry-cleaning service.
Wyndham Bel Age Hotel
This high-rise all-suite hotel is one of West Hollywood's best. The Bel Age has it all: huge, amenity-laden suites, excellent service, terrific rooftop sun deck with pool and Jacuzzi, and A-1 location just half a block off the Sunset Strip, but removed from the congestion and noise. What's more, thanks to an excellent art collection (assembled by the hotel's original owners) that fills the public spaces and guest rooms, the hotel has far more personality than your average chain hotel.Accommodations hardly get better for the money. The monster-size suites offer contemporary decor with a few classic touches and a soothing palette of navy, burgundy, and gray. Selected to suit every need -- including those of families and business travelers -- luxuries include pillow-top mattresses with cushioned headboards and plush bedding, a sleeper sofa in the living area that opens into a queen bed, plus an excellent work desk with an ergonomically correct Herman Miller desk chair. The bathrooms come with generous counter space and robes. The best rooms face south; on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Pacific. Be sure to make reservations before you leave home for a special meal at the Franco-Russian Diaghilev restaurant.Note: As we go to print, this property has been bought by Blackstone and will be converted into an LXR Luxury ResortIn room: A/C, TV/VCR w/pay movies, Sony Playstation, and onscreen Internet access; CD, dataport and high-speed connection, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.
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