2016
Jerry's Motel
City Views in Downtown: City Hall Free ...

City Hall Observation Deck

For one of the best and FREE views of the city, venture up to the City Hall Observation Deck located on the 27th floor, which offers an awesome 360 degree view of the city. It is free to the public and open Monday - Friday from 10:00am-5:00pm.

City Views in Downtown: City Hall Free Observation Deck and More
2016
Jerry's Motel
Free Museums in Los Angeles

Los Angeles offers a great variety of free museums throughout the city. Here is a list of some of the most popular options:

Annenberg Space for Photography - Contemporary photography exhibits.

Free Museums in Los Angeles
2014
Jerry's Motel
Getting a SIM Card in the US

Getting a US SIM card for your smartphone while in the US will make your travels much easier by accessing the internet on the go and using Google Maps.  Car rental companies offer navigation systems, but they can get costly - especially for longer trips since they charge you per day.  A better option is to purchase a SIM card for your unlocked GSM smartphone.  Be sure to check if your phone is unlocked with your provider back home first.  If you do not own a GSM phone, you can always purchase an inexpensive phone here along with your SIM card.

Getting a SIM Card in the US
2014
Jerry's Motel
Closest Metro Stations to Jerry's Motel

Jerry's Motel is conveniently located within 1 mile of 2 Metro light rail stations.  We provide maps of the Downtown LA area at check in, so all of these locations will be easy to locate on a map.

7th Street/Metro Center Station is located just 1 mile away from us, and can be reached by either a 15-20 minute walk, or you can catch bus #16/316 (toward Downtown LA) across the street on 3rd Street and get off at the 6th St/Hope Street stop.

2014
Jerry's Motel
Modern Art in Downtown LA

If you are a modern art buff, you will have two great museum choices in Downtown Los Angeles thanks to The Broad Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

Mulholland Drive Scenic Route

If you want to get a taste of glamorous Hollywood Hills homes and great views of the city, the Mulholland Drive scenic drive can be a great experience.  Be aware that some stretches of road are very windy/curvy, so drive safely.

One of the best highlights of the tour is the Hollywood Bowl Overlook, which is best accessed when traveling from West to East.  It will be easy to stop at that point since it will be on the same side of the road you are driving on.

Click here to visit LA Tourist for additional tips on where to access Mulholland, and a full Mulholland Drive scenic route map.

Bargain Shopping on the West Side of LA

Shopping in Los Angeles is great.  Best of all, there is a place to shop for any budget.  So whether you are looking for high-end or bargain shopping, there is a place for everyone.

Another great option for bargain shopping in particular is the Beverly Connection shopping complex in Beverly Hills.  Located across the street from the upscale Beverly Center mall, Beverly Connection has stores like Nordstrom Rack, TJMaxx, Marshalls and Ross for bargain shoppers.  

Hop On, Hop Off Tour of Los Angeles

Hop On, Hop Off Tours (or HOHO) are a great way to visit LA's most popular tourist destinations. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of figuring out what to see and makes trip planning a little easier.  These tours are especially great for visitors who will not be renting a car.  You can purchase a 1 day ($44), 2 day ($59) or 3 day ($74) pass.*

Tasty Cupcakes in LA

The cupcake revolution started in Los Angeles a few years ago, and transformed a traditional cupcake into an amazing gourmet treat.  

Sprinkles Cupcakes started it all with their first cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills.  Since then, they have opened locations across the country, and one conveniently located near us at FIGat7th in downtown Los Angeles. 

Retro Arcade Bar in LA's Trendy Arts District: EightyTwo

"Barcades" are popping up everywhere across hotspots in major US cities.  Among them is the nostalgic 

EightyTwo in the Arts District in Downtown LA.

EightyTwo combines a bar with you guessed it, classic arcade games.  Their collection includes classic games like Street Fighter II, Galaga, Frogger, Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat II, Tron and many more.  Full bar includes 10 draft beers, bottled beer and a specialty cocktail menu.

We are located just 1.5 miles from us at 707 East 4th Place in Downtown LA.  A taxi ride will cost approximately $10, or you can opt for Lyft or Uber.

Metro Bus/Train Fares and Passes

If you will not be renting a car, you will probably end up riding a bus or train.  Each ride will cost you $1.75 or you can buy either a Day Pass ($7) or a 7 Day Pass ($25) to get around by Metro bus and train.  You must purchase a TAP card for $1 then add a pass to it.  Passes are valid on Metro buses and trains only, and not valid on other municipal buses (i.e. Culver City, Santa Monica, etc.).  Cards are non-transferable and cannot be shared.

Where to buy a DAY PASS: 

  1. On a bus - just ask the bus driver for a day pass and insert money.  Cost is $1 for TAP card plus $7 for the pass ($8 total).  If reloading your card for a new day pass, you only need to insert $7.   
  2. At any Metro train station customer center or ticket vending machine.
  3. Retail pass outlets.  The closest location is less than one block away from us at Phil's Discount Store located at 1451 1/2 West 3rd Street. 

Where to buy a 7 DAY PASS:

  1. At a Metro station customer center or vending machine.  
  2. Retail pass outlet like Phil's Discount Store one block away from us.
  3. IMPORTANT: 7 day passes are NOT available for purchase on buses.

Once purchased, all you have to do is TAP your card to the card readers, wait to hear a "beep," and you're all set!  

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