Los Angeles Activities
August 6th, 2009 by admin
The Internet abounds with sites and tips dedicated to saving money on flights and hotels. Even people who don’t exhaustively read up on how to get the best deals typically visit multiple sites before booking a flight. Hotel booking used to be a one and done activity, but now typically involves a variety of sites as travelers make sure they are getting the best deal.
Expedia and other online travel agents’ sites dropping their booking fees was a direct reaction to travelers’ habit of researching flights options on their sites, picking the one they wanted, then booking it directly from the airline to save the $5 fee. It was easy to do, so not surprisingly most people did. Some went even further, using multiple sites and trying to find the optimal day and time to save even more on their flights. This behavior spawned a whole host of “meta search sites” like Kayak.com
, looking to make this kind of exhaustive searching easier. The NY Times’ “Frugal Traveler” had a great article on all the best tools and tips for researching travel and getting the best price, referencing sites like Kayak and Hotels.com
as well as a number of research options.
But the NY Times article - and most travelers - had no ideas past getting flights and hotels locked in. Despite the fact that the cost of the time a traveler spends in his or her destination often far exceeds the costs of flights and housing, people seem resigned to paying full price.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Not surprisingly, the Internet offers a variety of options that a growing number of travelers are tapping into to save on their “destination experience.” It is no secret that individual tours and attractions offer deals on their web sites that are available to anyone who buys in advance. And not surprisingly, aggregators of a wide variety of these type of buy before you fly deals are starting to have a growing presence online.
On popular example is Viator.com. This site allows travelers to select from destinations across the world and select from tickets to attractions, tours, events, airport transfers, and so on, often at a significant discount to walk up prices. And travelers might be surprised at the breadth of the offering. Disney, Grand Canyon, Broadway Shows, etc. are all on offer. But so is a Ghost Hunting tour in Edinburgh, skydiving in Australia, kickboxing matches in Bangkok - the list goes on and on.
Obviously committing to specific sites and activities in advance requires a bit of pre-planning. This fact alone has been as much a barrier as anything to more rapid expansion of travelers seizing on destination deals. For those looking to save while preserving flexibility and spontaneity, an attraction pass like those offered by Smart Destinations could be just the ticket.
The company offers a credit card sized ticket in 14 North American destinations that allows the holder to go into most if not all of the main attractions and tours in that destination for one prepaid price. Perhaps best of all, there’s no need to decide in advance what you intend to see. In destinations such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Diego, and Oahu, the savings offered by the card can be as much as 55% compared to individual tickets, and that’s not counting deals on shopping and dining that are included in the card.
So as you plan your next trip, make sure you don’t stop with flights and hotels, but give some thought to the things you plan to do once you get where you are going. You could end up significantly lowering the total cost of your trip with just a bit more effort.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
March 16th, 2009 by admin
If you have never been to Universal Studios Hollywood– or just haven’t been in a while — you should head there and check out the new Simpsons ride. This motion simulator will blow your mind! The seats barely move, and yet you’ll feel like you’re riding on a jaw dropping roller coaster. Kids will yell in their seats, and you’ll get the wind knocked out of you just from the amazing visuals. The Universal experience continues to deliver! Get tickets to Universal on 3, 5, and 7 day Go LA Card passes and enjoy access to 50 other attractions as well, all for one low price.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
May 2nd, 2008 by carrie t
Downtown Los Angeles photo uploaded by
The is gearing up for the Downtown Los Angeles Open House 2008. The weekend extravaganza, set for June 6–8, will give visitors and Angelenos the opportunity to sample living and playing in Downtown’s eclectic neighborhoods. Thousands of visitors are expected to attend Open House weekend events, which include residential open houses, cultural activities, food samplings and entertainment.
The event will offer residential open houses from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Residential property owners and developers, restaurants, retailers, hotels, bars, nightclubs, museums and art galleries will all be featured on the exclusive web page. The is offering a rate of $99 per night exclusive for participants, and other hotels are being encouraged to offer special rates. For more information or to learn how to participate, contact openhouse AT downtownla DOT com.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
April 28th, 2008 by susan j
Hollywood Bowl photo uploaded by
Get tickets now for a show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. With dramatic views and beautiful sunsets, the Hollywood Bowl is one of the best places to see a concert in the U.S. Mozart Under the Stars, Les Miserables in concert, Diana Ross, and Gnarles Barkley are just a few of the performances you can catch at the Hollywood Bowl from June to September. Tickets are available online or by calling 323-850-2000. Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl is Friday, June 20.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
April 24th, 2008 by carrie t
Farmer’s Market photo uploaded by
The Farmer’s Market has been open since 1934 and continues to be the premier market in Los Angeles for fresh groceries and eclectic dining. The Farmer’s Market is attached to a hip and trendy mall called, “The Grove,” which makes for an odd pairing but keeps visitors entertained for hours on end.
There are over 30 restaurants in the Farmer’s Market, including French, Chinese, Korean, and American fare. Parking can be tough in this area, so come early for breakfast and spend the day shopping at The Grove afterward.
The Grove also offers an exclusive discount book with the Go Los Angeles Card.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
April 18th, 2008 by carrie t
Marina Del Rey Pier photo uploaded by
Plenty of local charter boat companies are available from Marina Del Rey, a beautiful coastal town close to LAX airport. If you’re looking to enjoy a relaxing day on the water with a private skipper, then has information about our local charter boat companies and more.
Blue Pacific Sailing, Bluewater Sailing, Marina Sailing and Paradise Bound Yacht Charters are a few of the companies that provide this service. As the weather heats up, tours will book up in advance so be sure to call ahead before you travel.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
April 7th, 2008 by jamie a
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater Photo uploaded by
If you’re in need of some serious laughs during your visit to Los Angeles, to tickle your funnybone!
First off is the Laugh Factory, features greats like Jon Lovitz, Bob Saget, and Dave Chappelle on All-Star Nights. There’s also the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, which was co-founded by SNL’s Amy Poehler and has seats for just $10, or The Groundlings Theater, which served as the comedic starting point for Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, and Lisa Kudrow.
Also be sure to check out The Ice House, the National Comedy Theatre, Largo, and The National Comedy Theatre, among many others. Here’s to a vacation full of great laughs!
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
April 1st, 2008 by carrie t
Silver Bullet at Knott’s Berry Farm Photo uploaded by
Here at Go Los Angeles Card, we’re thrilled to announce the addition of several new attractions and special offers to the Go Los Angeles Card. As of today, you can enjoy included entry to Six Flags Magic Mountain (express entry), Knott’s Berry Farm (pictured above), Paramount Studios Pictures Tours (adults only), Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tours (adults only), and more! View our complete list of new LA attractions and discounts.
To celebrate, we’re offering 15% off 3, 5, and 7-day cards through Thursday, April 10. This sale is available for a limited time and is offered exclusively online, so don’t miss out on your chance to see LA’s best attractions for this special price.
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
March 31st, 2008 by jamie a
Craig Johnson and Mark Coggins at the Festival of Books Photo uploaded by
While you’re in the land of glitz and glamor, be sure and check out the amazing that also exist in the city of Los Angeles!
The downtown area alone boasts of the Caravan Book Store, which is the last of the book shops on what was known as Book Seller’s Row, Dutton’s at REDCAT, complete with 400 titles and a liquor bar, along with Metropolis Books, located in the oh-so-hip Old Bank District, which specializes in fiction, mystery, anime, and film. There’s also Eso Won Books, specializing in African-American works and the Fashion Bookstore at the California Mart.
If you’ve got kids, be sure and head out to the San Fernando Valley to visit Storyopolis, carrying the best in children’s literature and illustrated storybook art. On the Westside, there’s a huge selection of even more specialty bookstores, ranging from Book Soup, known for their awesome book signings, to Hennessey & Ingalls, the largest art and architecture bookstore in the western United States.
If you happen to be in Los Angles during April 26-27, you should definitely check out the Festival of Books! It’s known as the country’s largest celebration of the written word, with over 140,000 attendees and over 450 authors. Check out the information on ticketing so you don’t miss out on this awesome celebration.
Happy reading!
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
March 28th, 2008 by jamie a
Santa Monica Art Tool Photo uploaded by
On March 29 from 1-5 pm is your opportunity to discover the awesome art during the
Sponsored by the airport and the City’s Cultural Affairs Division, more than 60 private art studios and galleries on 23rd Street will be open to the public. Tiny offices and hangars have been converted into creative spaces, allowing the imaginations of artists and the community to take “flight.”
Since this event has been such a hit in the past, we’re thrilled to see it back for its 2nd year!
Planning a trip to
Los Angeles?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Los Angeles Card.
