Rolling Around Los Angeles for 36 Hours

Good Nite Inn

Hotel

Good Nite Inn

This is a budget hotel for the traveler who does not mind a small room and less-than-perfect accommodations. Located in Sylmar, one minute off I-5 at the Roxford Road exit, the hotel is ideally situated if you're visiting anything north of Los Angeles (e.g. Six Flags, Universal Studios, Hollywood, etc.). It's only 10 minutes from Six Flags and 15 minutes from Universal Studios.

Each room is somewhat small (hey, you get what you pay for). A queen-size bed, table with two chairs, dresser, and TV snugly fit inside the bedroom. There is no closet, but there is a decent-size clothes rack with hangers. The sink is not located inside the bathroom, but right outside instead. There are complimentary towels next to the sink, but not in the bathroom, so you need to remember to grab a towel before you go in the shower. The bathroom is very small -- just a toilet and shower. The shower head was at my chest, and I am only 5'8" tall. They give you a complimentary bar of soap and a shampoo packet, but not much else. Overall, though, the rooms are very clean.

The hotel is three floors and located right next to I-5, so if your room faces I-5, then you have to deal with traffic all night. If you don't face I-5, you still have to deal with thin walls. I could hear the guy next door to me snoring all night. The one thing I did not expect at the hotel was a pool and Jacuzzi. I didn't use either, but the Jacuzzi looked hot, and the pool looked wet.

One drawback is the location. Within walking distance, there is only a Denny's and a McDonald's. To find any decent food, you need to drive 5 to 10 minutes.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Good Nite Inn
12835 Encinitas Rd. Los Angeles, California 91342
(818) 362-8899

Universal Studios-Louie's Pizza and Pasta

Restaurant

Universal Studios-Louie's Pizza and Pasta

Universal Studios is all about movies and television and how what we see on the big screen and our televisions is often an illusion. For instance, a city street movie set looks like a real city street, although it is just cardboard and foam. Well, Louie's Pizza and Pasta continues this tradition of illusions with their fake Italian food. The place is made to look like an old-fashioned Italian restaurant, complete with portraits of Louie and his wife. The photos of the food on the menu look amazing. But, then you look below the photos and see the actual food, served cafeteria-style. For starters, the portions you get are much smaller than what the photos suggest. And, although it looks somewhat decent, once you get it in your mouth, you realize you've been had.

The food itself is the worst "Italian food" I have ever had. The pasta is quite soggy, and the sauce is worse than the stuff I had at my college cafeteria. It's served in cheap plastic bowls with cheap plastic ware. I was hoping my $7.50 plate of pasta would at least be hot, but it was only lukewarm. The best thing I had at "Louie's" was the Minute Maid lemonade-only because they didn't make it.

If I were you, I'd go outside Universal Studios to the Universal Citywalk to get your lunch and/or dinner. At least the restaurants there are real, and their goal is to serve you good food, not pretend to have good food.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Universal Studios-Louie's Pizza and Pasta
Universal Studios at 100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, California 91608
N/A

El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant: Restaurant

Restaurant

El Chaparral

In the suburb of Sylmar, I did not find many places to eat. Or maybe I should say that I did not find many places that looked appealing to eat at. However, El Chaparral, a Mexican restaurant, was definitely appealing from the outside and inside. The inside dining area looks as if it can hold hundreds of people. On my visit, late on a Saturday night, the place was nearly empty, so I got a nice booth all to myself. The decor is rather simple, although there were many large paintings of Mexican leaders of some sort on the wall. I do not know who they were, but they looked mean and powerful.

To start you off, they give you free tortilla chips with homemade salsa. It was some of the best salsa I have ever had. The menu consists of mostly Mexican dishes (tortillas, tacos, fajitas, etc.), but there was a large section for burgers and other American food. Since I was eating at a Mexican restaurant, I figured I'd try something Mexican.

The waitresses were very quick and attentive. My order was processed quickly, and my food was out in less than 10 minutes. I do not eat Mexican often, so I cannot judge good from bad Mexican food. However, I did notice that my rice was very dry. The enchiladas were very well made, although a tad too greasy. For $9, though, the portions were rather huge and I could not complain. The price of the food was not too expensive. Most meals were between $8 and $15. There were some more expensive dishes, but they usually consisted of seafood.

In addition to the regular restaurant, there was an attached bar. On my visit there, some live musicians began performing just as I sat down. It was a nice mix of jazz and rock, which felt a bit out of place at a Mexican restaurant.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant: Restaurant
13763 Foothill Blvd. Los Angeles, California 91342
(818) 367-5979

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Activity

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 1

Six Flags Magic Mountain has always been one of those places that shows up on the Travel Channel's list of top amusement parks for roller coasters. So, since I visited Cedar Point last year to check out the coasters, I figured I'd check out Magic Mountain to see how it compares. Overall, it is a mighty fine park. Like Cedar Point, it has a ton of roller coasters to choose from. And, for those who cannot stomach the coasters and thrill rides, there are plenty of smaller rides, games, and snack bars to spend your day at. There aren't as many coasters as at Cedar Point, but there is definitely enough to keep you busy all day. Below is a list of what I rode:

Deja Vu (Roller Coaster)
This is a "boomerang" coaster, which means it follows the track in one direction, reaches an end, and then follows the track again in the opposite direction. It's not very high, but it is VERY compact, which also means lots of twisting and turning. Also, each end of the track is completely vertical . . . meaning, in one direction, you are facing straight up, and in the other direction, you are facing straight down. At each end of the track, they hold you there for 3 to 5 seconds. All the girls were screaming, and I was worried sick because I could feel my wallet and cell phone slowly moving in my pocket and almost falling out. For the first ride of the day, I felt like it was an excellent starter coaster. Also, they had a "Single Rider" line, which means single riders can go straight to the loading/unloading area and hop on as soon as there is an empty seat. Unfortunately, no other rides had that luxury.

The Riddler's Revenge (Roller Coaster)
This is one of those rare stand-up roller coasters. I've only been on a stand-up roller coaster two times before this, and I was not terribly impressed by either. The Riddler's Revenge changed all that. Dubbed as the tallest and fastest stand-up roller coaster in the world, the ride definitely proves its title. The drops are steep, the loops are big, and it is definitely fast. The wait for this line was not terribly long, maybe 45 minutes, and they make you put your bags and cameras in a locker ($0.50).

Read my Part 2 for more reviews of this park!

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Six Flags Magic Mountain
26101 Magic Mountain Parkway Santa Clarita, California 91355
(818) 367-5965

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Activity

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 2

Superman The Escape (Thrill Ride)
Like The Riddler's Revenge, this ride is also dubbed the "tallest and fastest" in its category (thrill rides). Basically, you sit in a car that holds 11 people, and then it propels you from zero to maybe 60 to 80mph down a track. The adrenaline pumps as you see this huge vertical climb ahead of you, and you know you'll be going stright up this track in just a few seconds, unlike the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, which gave you no time to see the huge vertical climb ahead of you (420 feet). After being accelerated, you then shoot 90 degrees straight up on the track until gravity takes over. Then, you're pulled backwards (by gravity) back to the starting point. It's a quick ride that gets your heart pumping, but I did not leave it feeling amazed.

Goliath (Roller Coaster)
Everyone at Six Flags seemed to love this coaster. It's their highest (250+ feet) and one of their fastest (85mph), which is probably why they call it the Goliath. What is also "goliath" about this coaster is the line-it was nearly 2.5 hours long! After waiting in line, I was anticipating a great ride. The first drop into a tunnel is pretty cool and makes your stomach drop, and towards the end there are some high-speed spiral curves that really make you feel the G-forces being put on you. Also, it is rather long (3 minutes), but I did not walk away as amazed as I was after riding The Millenium Force at Cedar Point (300 foot drop, 90mph). Maybe I was just annoyed that I waited 2.5 hours to get on it.

Read my Part 3 for more reviews of this park!

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Six Flags Magic Mountain
26101 Magic Mountain Parkway Santa Clarita, California 91355
(818) 367-5965

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Activity

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 3

X (Roller Coaster)
Simply called "X," I'd have to say that this roller coaster is definitely something you won't see anywhere else. They use the letter "X" to describe everything about this ride . . ."X-treme," "X-hilarating," X-cetera . . . I mean, etcetera. What is also X-treme about this ride, like Goliath, is the line-another 2.5-hour (or more) wait. After riding Goliath and not being extremely impressed, I was hoping this wait would be worth it. Boy, was it! First, the track is very wide, and instead of sitting down, you actually lay down in the chairs . . . sort of. The way it is designed, the cars are on an axel and can flip 180 degrees. It's hard to notice what actually happens to the riders when you watch it from the ground, but once you're on the ride, you definitely get a better understanding of how it works. Basically, the combination of the track and unique cars make you flip 180 degrees without even noticing. It's hard to explain, but at one moment in the ride, you'll be traveling 75mph and feel like you're moving forward, but then the track will twist and you'll all of a sudden be traveling 75mph backwards. I've never felt anything like it. And, as cool as it is, the 2.5-hour line is something I don't want to deal with again anytime soon.

Scream! (Roller Coaster)
One of their newest coasters is Scream! The big hype about this coaster is that it has a floorless design. So, although it operates and looks like a regular roller coaster, your feet dangle. Most roller coasters with feet dangling have a track above you. But, this one has no track above you, rather a track below your feet whizzing by you.

To sum it up, this is simply a very fast coaster. It has seven different kinds of loops that make you dizzy when it is over. Like I just mentioned, the big thing with the ride is the floorless design, so the ride itself is not very impressive, just the engineering behind it.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Six Flags Magic Mountain
26101 Magic Mountain Parkway Santa Clarita, California 91355
(818) 367-5965

Universal Studios

Activity

Universal Studios-Citywalk

Just outside the Universal Studios Theme Park lies their Citywalk. Basically, it is a mob scene of restaurants, stores, theaters, and vendors packed together to form an outdoor mall. Although very busy, it is definitely a place where you can find what you want. Examples of some stores are Abercrombie & Fitch, Electronics Boutique, Billabong, and Fossil. For food, you can get everything from coffee at Starbucks, steak at Tony Roma's, to greasy burgers at the Hard Rock Cafe. In addition, there is an IMAX theater too, which was showing a 3-D version of The Polar Express during my visit.

Citywalk is ideal for getting away from the kiddie-world of the Theme Park and to grab some good food, shop, or simply waste money.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, California 91608
(818) 864 837-725

Universal Studios

Activity

Universal Studios-Theme Park-Part 1

The Universal Studios Theme Park is fun for both adults and children. If you're seeking big roller coasters and thrill rides, this is NOT your place. The rides here are very tame, but you can learn a lot about Universal Studios in the process. They do have an option for a Front of the Line ticket (which is exactly as the name says). It is probably a good deal on a very busy day, but on slow days, like when I was there, the ticket is a waste of money.

Studio Tour
The most informative and interesting attraction is the Studio Tour. In fact, I took it twice . . .once to sit on the left side of the tram and once to sit on the right side. For about 45 minutes, four-car trams wander around the back lot of Universal. Most of the tour focuses around sets and thrills specifically made for the tour; although, the tour guides try to act as if they are currently being used. In the very beginning, they pass actual sound stages still used today, however. The guides themselves read from a script. On the two tours I took, the different guides each said the same thing, including the same bad jokes. It got old, fast. One difference with taking the tour twice with different guides, however, is the fact that they each pointed out some slightly different facts and things along the way (not in their script). For instance, one guide pointed out the signs used in "Back to the Future" that say "Lyon Estates" (where Marty McFly lived), and one guide pointed out the "Leave It to Beaver" house. One thing that did happen, which I didn't think would, was that we did pass through a Budweiser commercial being filmed. I'd recommend the Studio Tour to anyone visiting the park.

Special Effects Stages
As with most of the attractions at Universal, bad jokes are constantly being used by the hosts and tour guides. At the Special Effects Stages, the whole show was one bad joke after another. Aside from that, the facts presented and effects shown were nothing new or impressive today. However, that might just be because I have a background in television. What I did find impressive was how flawlessly the effects are shown. It makes every Hollywood effect seem simple and easy to do, but I am sure a lot of preparation was put into them.

Read my Part 2 for more reviews of this park!

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, California 91608
(818) 864 837-725

Universal Studios

Activity

Universal Studios-Theme Park-Part 2

Backdraft
This short show goes into detail about the making of the movie Backdraft. There are three stages to the show, two of which describe fire and how they made the movie, and then the last stage of the show is an all-out live show with lots of fire. Basically, they set the stage on fire and things blow up. It's pretty interesting, but (obviously) very well-rehearsed and scripted so that nothing goes out of control.

Revenge of the Mummy (Roller Coaster)
This is the only real roller coaster at Universal. Also, it is indoors. Unlike a real roller coaster, however, this one uses small cars that hold about 16 people. It twists and turns in complete darkness, occasionally stopping with something from the movie jumping out at you. There are no loops in the ride, but because it is pitch black, it feels much scarier than the coaster actually is.

Terminator 2: 3D
This is another well-made show. It's presented as if the audience is part of a presentation being put on by the company that makes the terminator robots. But then things get out of hand, and the show gets really wild. Live-action actors are mixed in with 3-dimensional films being shown on the screen. So, you have 3-D objects flying at you from the screen, and then actors with fake guns and lots of smoke physically in front of you in the theater. If you are a fan of these movies, the show is definitely worth seeing. The only disappointments were that some people (in the audience) had never heard of Terminator 2 (nor did they know Arnold Schwarzenegger was in the film) and that the volume of the show was extremely loud.

Back to the Future Ride
As with most of the shows at Universal, the audience often feels more part of the ride, and not just an observer. The Back to the Future ride is no different. After walking through two different rooms with videos playing, you then enter the main part of the show. You are placed in a replica Delorean and then are sent off in a high-speed time-traveling race. The ride shakes and moves a lot, and you really feel like you’re part of it. Once again, I would recommend this ride.

Van Helsing Fortress Dragon
This is basically a big haunted house. It is not very scary, aside from the few live actors who jump out from the darkness to scare you. I did one walk through it and walked away laughing. It really is not scary at all.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza Los Angeles, California 91608
(818) 864 837-725

Griffith Park--Harding & Wilson Courses

Activity

A panorama from the top of Mt. Hollywood

Griffith Park

Close to downtown West Hollywood and Universal City is the most amazing park you'll find in Los Angeles-Griffith Park. Within the park are dozens upon dozens of miles of hiking trails, lots of nature to observe (they have a zoo, too), the Hollywood sign, and million-dollar views of Los Angeles and the surrounding area, from the eastern part of the San Fernando Valley all the way to the Pacific Ocean..

On my visit, I hiked the Mt. Hollywood trail from the Griffith Observatory. At a steady pace, the hike can be completed in less than an hour and a half. The start of the trail is on a regular path, either at Fern Dell or the Observatory. Eventually, you will come across and cement bridge, which is actually above a tunnel for the roadway below. After passing over this cement bridge, you will basically be hiking on a fire road. This wide road switches back and forth, slowly gaining elevation on the mountain. Before you know it, you'll have a great opportunity to get awesome photos of the Hollywood sign and the surrounding area, but, for the best view, continue hiking to the very top of Mt. Hollywood. Once there, the view is tremendous. My pictures do no justice.

I saw many runners and bikers in the park, too, so if you are a runner or biker, this might be a great place to workout. The park is very hilly/mountainous, so don't expect to do anything on a flat trail.

by fallschirmhosen on November 15, 2004

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Griffith Park--Harding & Wilson Courses
4730 Crystal Springs Drive Los Angeles, California 90027
+1 323 664 2255

Santa Monica Pier

Experience

The Santa Monica Pier is a place to hang out, eat, play games, go on some rides, and even fish. Located right at the end of Colorado Avenue, the pier is basically a city on stilts. Just like the city it is located in, it is a hot spot for teens and anyone else looking for a restaurant, bar, or place to shop. It is packed with people, especially at night.

On my visit, I did not do the typical touristy thing . . . eating, drinking, riding some rides, etc. I met a group of wacky fishermen who took me to the end of the pier for some shark fishing. I didn't catch any sharks, or anything else for that matter, but it was interesting to experience the pier with a group of local guys doing something you normally would never even consider. If you visit the pier, I am sure that if you approach these fishermen and ask if you can fish, they'd be more than happy to let you join them. People there are very laid-back. The strangest thing was that at 7pm that night, I was on the pier fishing, and 12 hours later, I was on a bus heading to the Port Authority in Manhattan.

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Sunset Boulevard

Experience

If you're not pressed for time and are not in a hurry to be somewhere specific, I suggest going for a drive down Sunset Boulevard. On my journey, I started in West Hollywood and followed the road all the way to the end, which is right at the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, you'll pass some of the most famous and amazing sights Los Angeles has to offer. If you like comedy, you'll pass The Laugh Factory, and then a few blocks later is The Comedy Store. Continuing west, you'll enter Beverly Hills and see the famous Beverly Hills sign. Look for Rodeo Drive and the Beverly Hills Hotel (on your right). At this point, the road gets very twisty, so be careful. Not too long after going through Beverly Hills, you will come across Bel-Air. Turn into Bel-Air to view some prime real estate that I am sure I'll never be able to afford. UCLA is just a little bit further ahead on your right. After passing over the 405, the road begins to wind towards the ocean. Look for Rockingham Avenue on your right. That's where OJ Simpson lived and ended his famous police chase back in the 1990s. You'll soon notice that the boulevard begins to enter a slightly less-rich area. It's amazing to see the changed from Beverly Hills and Bel-Air to a regular suburban neighborhood. You'll notice that your car is now not surrounded by BMWs and Jaguars, but rather Chevy's and Toyota's. After a few more miles you'll see the ocean, and then you will reach the Pacific Coast Highway. I had plenty of time here to admire the ocean as I sat at the end of Sunset Boulevard, waiting to turn onto the Pacific Coast Highway because the stop light was the longest one in the world (I swear it was a wait of 10 minutes).

Oh, and don't be an idiot like me: Don't drive west on Sunset Boulevard at sunset. You can't see a darn thing with the sun blinding you constantly.

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Organize a Journal

Los Angeles

Good Nite Inn

Universal Studios-Louie's Pizza and Pasta

El Chaparral

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 1

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 2

Six Flags Magic Mountain-Part 3

Universal Studios-Citywalk

Universal Studios-Theme Park-Part 1

Universal Studios-Theme Park-Part 2

Griffith Park