Ok, I love to fly! When I start researching my trip, I’m actually also preparing for the following trip too, so that’s why I like the long layovers. It allows me a glimpse of the country/city I am in without dedicating my holidays to that destination. And if that glimpse makes the cut, it will be added to the never ending bucket list!
Long layovers, anything over 6 hours allows me enough time go visit the city I am currently in, as long as the airport is not hours away from civilization or they have good public transport.
I have already been to Los Angeles and seen a little bit of the United States but it’s been over 5 years.
Do you know LAX (Los Angeles Airport) doesn’t have storage facilities or showers. Come on!
Things to do in Los Angeles with a 8 hour layover:
- Hire a bike and ride along Venice beach boardwalk
- Watch a live performer on the walk
- Go to Muscle Beach Gym and go for a workout
- Go visit Pacific Park at Santa Monica Pier
- Try some food
- Do some light shopping
I caught an Uber from LAX (departures level) to Santa Monica and the 23 minute trip cost $17.43 USD / approx $25 AUD. The US don’t seem to like Uber drivers. The Uber drivers have an Uber logo on the back window of the car and at the lights my driver received a few comments like ‘Uber drivers are the worst!’.
Once there I hired a bike (comes with a bike lock) and it was super easy and many places to hire from. I hired it from 7:30am till 12:30pm and only $20 USD. I just had to leave my ID for bike security (I left my Australian licence and not passport). Then I just rode the whole bike strip from one end to the other. It was an easy flat ride but that area has plenty of homeless which is a shame. A fair few live music performers and other locals on rollablades and bikes pumping music through there portable speakers hehe.
I locked the bike up and checked out Pacific Park on foot. I did some shopping mall and purchased a cool top and had for breakfast a traditional American burger. Damm it was nice! Americans can make a burger! By chance I ended up at Santa Monica Markets and tried a delicious vegan Mexican inspired dish from Cava. Highly recommended.
I was getting tired as by this stage it was 5am in Sydney Australia so dropped the bike of but before I ordered another Uber back to LAX I went and got myself… A muscle beach gym singlet hehe!
Once back at LAX 2 pints of Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider and 2 Tacos was the perfect ending before a long flight were sleeping was scheduled in!
