Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [356]
Most national and state parks and recreation areas have paved or boardwalk-style nature trails. For free admission to national parks and federal recreation lands, US citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability should obtain the America the Beautiful Access Pass (www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm).
Various regional access brochures are available for download from the internet.
A Wheelchair Rider’s Guide: Los Angeles and Orange County Coast (www.scc.ca.gov/Wheel/index.html) Free download.
Access-Able Travel Source (www.access-able.com) This excellent website has many useful links.
Access Guide: In San Diego (www.accessangdiego.org) Order booklet for $5.
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH; 212-447-7284; www.sath.org) Lots of useful links and information for disabled travelers.
Theme Park Access Guide (www.mouseplanet.com/tag/dlintro.htm) An insider’s view of Disneyland and other parks ‘on wheels.’
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WOMEN TRAVELERS
Southern California is generally a safe place to travel, even for solo women. Use the same common sense as you would at home.
Going alone to cafés and restaurants is perfectly acceptable, although how comfortable you feel depends entirely on you. In bars and nightclubs, solo women are likely to attract attention from men, but if you don’t want company, most will respect a firm ‘no thank you.’ If you feel threatened, protesting loudly will often make the offender slink away with embarrassment – or will at least spur other people to come to your defense.
The website www.journeywoman.com facilitates women exchanging travel tips and includes links to other sites. Another good source is Her Own Way (www.voyage.gc.ca/main/pubs/PDF/her_own_way-en.pdf), an online booklet published by the Canadian government but filled with lots of good general travel advice useful for any woman.
Although physical attack is unlikely, it does, of course, happen. If you are assaulted, you could call the police ( 911), although you do not need to do so in order to get help. Many women prefer first to contact a women’s or rape crisis center whose staff can help you deal with emotional and physical issues surrounding an assault. They can make referrals to medical, legal and social service providers as well as give information about useful organizations and support groups. To find one near you, call the 24-hour National Sexual Assault Hotline ( 800-656-4673; www.rainn.org).
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Transportation
CONTENTS
* * *
Getting There & Away
Air
Land
Getting Around
Air
Bicycle
Bus
Car & Motorcycle
Hitchhiking
Local Transportation
Train
* * *
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services.
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AIR
Airports & Airlines
If you’re traveling to Southern California, you’ll most likely touch down at Los Angeles International Airport (code LAX; 310-646-5252; www.lawa.org/lax), which is huge, bewildering and super-busy. You’ll likely experience a lot less hassle arriving at one of the regional airports, which may even be more convenient to your final destination. With few exceptions, they handle only domestic departures. Also see the regional chapters for details.
Bob Hope Airport (code BUR; 818-840-8840, 800-835-9287; www.burbankairport.com) Also known as Burbank Airport, in northern LA county close to Universal Studios Hollywood.
John Wayne Airport (code SNA; 949-252-5200; www.ocair.com) In Santa Ana, Orange County, convenient for Disneyland.
Long Beach Airport (code LGB; 562-570-2600; www.longbeach.gov/airport) Cute art deco terminal, free wi-fi in the restaurant and easy access to both LA and Orange County.
Ontario International Airport (code ONT; 909-937-2700, 866-456-3900; www.lawa.org/ont)