As the West Coast Eisteddfod approaches we are aware that many people will be travelling from outside L.A. and indeed from outside the USA to attend this event. This is the first in an occasional informational series for first time visitors to L.A. Today we present a personal view with advice and recommendations from AmeriCymru member Margaret Lloyd Beckham.
2) Getting around in LA is not difficult with Public Transit (or so my brother says). If you have a GPS device, take it with you, and set it for LA. There are no toll roads to worry about.
Image via Wikipedia 3) Griffith Park is just North of Barnsdall Park, where the WCE will be held. Several have voiced an interest in going there. It has the Gene Autry Museum, Train Town (you can ride the train there), a Zoo, and an Equestrian Park where you can ride horses. Along the South End of the Park, there is an area that reminds you of the "land that time forgot". There are huge, beautiful ferns, plenty of places to picnic, and beautiful scenery. A lot of people use this for birthday parties, and other family gatherings. It's quite beautiful.4) The WCE site is also close to Hollywood and Vine, a very famous location. Don't bother trying to get up to the "Hollywood" sign, taking a "Hollywood" star tour, or buying star's maps. It's a waste of your money.
Image via Wikipedia 5) Investigate your hotel, motel or lodgings ahead of time. Don't pick some cut rate place just to save a dollar or two. Find a nice hotel and find out if you can make a deal with them. They are more likely to give a good rate, especially if you prepay. There are a lot of good hotels. We want you to be happy, not stuck in some awful place. By Sept., the tourists will be gone and there should be plenty of vacancies.
Image via Wikipedia6) Weather in LA will be about 60-75 degrees; it's beautiful weather. You may need a jacket in the mornings and evenings. It can get very cool due to the ocean breeze.
7) There are great restaurants in LA, and the prices will vary with how nice the restaurant is. We will be adding more information to this list as soon as we get it.
8) Some expressed a wish to go to San Francisco once the WCE concludes. Travel between 10 AM & 3PM so the traffic isn't so bad. A fun thing to do is drive up the PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy 1), which goes through Malibu, Point Magu, Zuma Beach, Ventura (for sport fishing), Santa Barbara (has a Marina and small public beach, you can also take a champagne cruise), Morro Bay (rock formation), Cambria (where the pines meet the sea), San Simeon (famous Hearst Castle), Big Sur, south of Carmel there is a Sea Otter Game Refuge, then Carmel (beautiful bay), Monterrey (larger bay and a famous Aquarium), Santa Cruz, San luis Obispo, then San Francisco. Once you get there, you won't want to leave. You may see dolphins, whales, & seals in different locations along the coast. There are lots of B & B's and hotels along the coast, and quirky hotel called Madonna near Cambria. Keep in mind that is can be cool in San Francisco (same latitute as England & N.. France).
