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US Airways Flights from Tokyo, Japan (NRT) to Los Angeles (LAX)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on US Airways, which operates a daily non-stop flight from Tokyo, Japan (NRT) to Los Angeles (LAX) regularly scheduled to depart at 5:50pm and arrive at 10:20am. Usually a Boeing 747-400 is flown for this route. Generally, a movie is offered on this route. The average travel time from Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, CA is 9 hours and 30 minutes.*
* Some flights valid for this market only.
During your Los Angeles vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Farmers Market and The Grove
The original market was little more than a field with stands set up by farmers during the Depression so they could sell directly to city dwellers. Eventually, permanent buildings grew up, including the trademark shingled 10-story clock tower. Today the place has evolved into a sprawling marketplace with a carnival atmosphere, a kind of "turf" version of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. About 100 restaurants, shops, and grocers cater to a mix of workers from the CBS Television City complex, locals, and tourists, brought here by the busload. Retailers sell greeting cards, kitchen implements, candles, and souvenirs, but everyone comes for the food stands, which offer oysters, hot donuts, Cajun gumbo, fresh-squeezed orange juice, corned beef sandwiches, fresh-pressed peanut butter, and all kinds of international fast foods. You can still buy produce here -- it's no longer a farm-fresh bargain, but the selection's better than at the grocery store. Don't miss Kokomo (tel. 323/933-0773), a "gourmet" outdoor coffee shop that has become a power breakfast spot for showbiz types. Red turkey hash and sweet-potato fries are the dishes that keep them coming back. The seafood gumbo and gumbo ya ya at the Gumbo Pot (tel. 323/933-0358) are also very popular.At the eastern end of the Farmers Market is The Grove, a massive 575,000-square-foot Vegas-style retail complex composed of various architectural styles ranging from Art Deco to Italian Renaissance. Miniature streets link The Grove to the Market via a double-deck electric trolley. Granted, it's all a bit Disney-gaudy, but the locals love it. Where else can you power-shop until noon, check all your bags at a drop-off station, get a spa treatment at Amadeus Spa (tel. 323/297-0311), see a movie at the 14-screen Grove Theatre, have an early dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy (tel. 323/965-9665), and be home by 7pm?
Ocean Front Walk at Venice Beach
This has long been one of L.A.'s most colorful areas and a must-visit for any first-time tourist. Founded at the turn of the last century, Venice was a development inspired by its Italian namesake. Authentic gondolas plied miles of inland waterways lined with rococo palaces. In the 1950s, Venice became the stomping grounds of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and other beats. In the 1960s, this was the epicenter of L.A.'s hippie scene.Today, Venice is still one of the world's most engaging bohemian locales. It's not an exaggeration to say that no visit to L.A. would be complete without a stroll along the famous paved beach path, an almost surreal assemblage of every L.A. stereotype -- and then some. Among stalls and stands selling cheap sunglasses, Mexican blankets, and "herbal ecstasy" pills swirls a carnival of humanity that includes bikini-clad in-line skaters, tattooed bikers, tan hunks pumping iron at Muscle Beach, panhandling vets, beautiful wannabes, and plenty of tourists and gawkers. On any given day, you're bound to come across all kinds of performers: mimes, break-dancers, seriously stoned drummers, chain-saw jugglers, talking parrots, and the occasional apocalyptic evangelist.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
When the Hollywood honchos realized how limited the footprint space was at the Grauman's Chinese Theater, they came up with another way to pay tribute to the starts. Since 1960, more than 2,000 celebrities have been honored along the world's most famous sidewalk. Each bronze medallion, set into the center of a terrazzo star, pays homage to a famous television, film, radio, theater, or recording personality. Although about a third of them are just about as obscure as Michael Jackson's sexual preference -- their fame simply hasn't withstood the test of time -- millions of visitors are thrilled by the sight of famous names like James Dean (1719 Vine St.), John Lennon (1750 Vine St.), Marlon Brando (1765 Vine St.), Rudolph Valentino (6164 Hollywood Blvd.), Marilyn Monroe (6744 Hollywood Blvd.), Elvis Presley (6777 Hollywood Blvd.), Greta Garbo (6901 Hollywood Blvd.), Louis Armstrong (7000 Hollywood Blvd.), Barbra Streisand (6925 Hollywood Blvd.), and Eddie Murphy (7000 Hollywood Blvd.). Gene Autry is all over the place: The singing cowboy earned five different stars (a sidewalk record), one in each category.The sight of bikers, metalheads, homeless wanderers, and hordes of disoriented tourists all treading on memorials to Hollywood's greats makes for a bizarre and somewhat tacky tribute. But the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has been doing a terrific job sprucing up the pedestrian experience with filmstrip crosswalks, swaying palms, and more. And at least one weekend a month, a group of fans calling themselves Star Polishers busy themselves scrubbing tarnished medallions.The legendary sidewalk is continually adding new names, such as Muhammad Ali in front of the Kodak Theatre. The public is invited to attend dedication ceremonies; the honoree -- who pays a whopping $15,000 for the eternal upkeep -- is usually in attendance. Contact the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, 6255 Sunset Blvd., Suite 911, Hollywood, CA 90028 (tel. 323/469-8311), for information on who's being honored this week.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Los Angeles area, including:
Cal Mar Hotel Suites
Tucked away in a residential neighborhood just 2 blocks from the ocean, this garden apartment complex delivers a lot of bang for your vacation buck. Each unit is an apartment-style suite with a living room and pullout sofa, a full-size kitchen with utensils, and a separate bedroom; most are spacious enough to accommodate four in comfort. The building was constructed in the 1950s with an eye for quality (attractive tile work, large closets). While the furnishings aren't luxurious, they're all quite modern and very clean, and everything is well kept. It's easy to be comfortable here for stays of a week or more, especially since it's so well located -- a mere bock from the Third Street shopping promenade and a short walk to the beach -- and covered parking is free. The staff is attentive and courteous, which helps account for the high rate of repeat guests. The garden courtyard has an inviting swimming pool and plenty of chaises for lounging. Tip: Request a room on the second floor to avoid the sound of stomping feet.
Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites
This bright four-story hotel is a haven of smart value. Located just off the newly renovated Venice Boardwalk and 200 feet from the beach, the hotel's spacious rooms are brightened with beachy colors and dutifully equipped with chain-standard furnishings, fridges, and two-line phones. The one-bedroom suites are terrific for families, offering master bedrooms with king-size beds, fully outfitted kitchens with microwave and dishwasher, dining areas, queen-size sofa sleepers, balconies, and fireplaces. Photos of local scenes and rock 'n' roll legends along with works by local artists give the public spaces a cool L.A. vibe, and many rooms have at least partial ocean views. Additional incentives include complimentary upscale continental breakfast, free local shuttle service, and secured indoor parking. Stay elsewhere if you need a lot in the way of service or if you don't relish the party-hearty human carnival of Venice Beach (Santa Monica is generally quieter and more refined).
Inn at Venice Beach
This cheery motel at the (relatively) quiet residential south end of Venice is a good choice for travelers who want a near-the-beach, near-the-boardwalk location without being at the center of the fray. Rooms are cheerily colorful (lots of blues and yellows); open-beam ceilings add to the spacious feel. All rooms overlook a cobblestone courtyard, where complimentary continental breakfast is served on warm mornings. It all adds up to a reasonable value for budget-minded travelers (the bi-level loft suites are a great value if there's more than two of you). Since the hotel is just 3 blocks from the ocean on the border between Venice and Marina del Rey, there's an endless parade of people exploring the marina, the beach, or the nearby canals on foot, bike, or in-line skates (rentals are 2 blocks away). About the only thing missing is a pool, but the staff will lend you beach towels for an ocean dip.
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