Transportation:  How to Get There

You will want to start planning your trip early, not just because it's exciting, but because this is one of those instances where you may well lose out if you leave things to the last minute.  As mentioned before, do make sure your event tickets are assured before booking travel.

Here are some important things to consider:

2)  Will you fly?  Bus?  Train?  Drive?  All options are open for getting to the Los Angeles area. 

3)  If you are going to fly, start watching for good air fares as soon as you have your tickets to the events.  Anything below $300 round trip is an absolute winner if you are more than two states away from California. You should have purchased your airline ticket more than 2 weeks prior to the events for the best prices.  Most airlines, plus services such as hotwire.com, travelocity.com, expedia.com and priceline.com offer programs were you can be informed if a fare drops below a particular price.

3.1)There are two airports nearby:  LAX (LA International) and BUR (Burbank - Bob Hope).  Burbank is considerably closer to Van Nuys and not quite as mired in traffic, but also has fewer flights in.  It's very "user friendly."

3.2) Once you have landed, you, of course, need to get to the Airtel Plaza where the events will be held 

3.2.a)Taxis are available at the airports.  The cost of a taxi from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank to the Airtel Plaza Hotel is around $35-40 one way. Several car rental options are available at both airports.  The car rental facilities also usually have little slips with directions on them for how to get to major highways.  Use the maps below and a mapping system like yahoo maps to figure out where you need to be. 

3.2.b)There is transportation called "Super Shuttle" that will take you to almost any hotel in the area provided you have a reservation.  You can make a reservation to and from your hotel by going to www.supershuttle.com or calling 800/258-3826.  It costs around $25 per trip.  Don't let the driver convince you that you will have to pay more than the reservationist quotes you.  If the driver gives you a different rate, phone the 800 number before you get on the shuttle and have THEM tell the driver your rate.  Don't take any crap.  When your plane lands and you have your luggage, go to OUT of the concourse to "Ground Transportation" and wait for the shuttle (you'll see a lot of different shuttles going by for rental car stations and such), which is basically a huge, blue van.  There will likely be an attendant there and you can tell them to radio your shuttle. 

SuperShuttle (the blue van) services both Bob Hope and LAX.  The cost to Airtel Plaza using this service is as follows:

Bob Hope - one way - $17 for the first passenger + $9 for each additional in the group for the shared ride; $64 for a private van and $72 for an executive car.

LAX - one way - $36 for the first passenger + $9 for each additional in the group for the shared ride, $91 for a private van and $87 for an executive car. 

3.2.c)There is another shuttle service available called FlyAway.  There is a FlyAway terminal only 2 blocks away from the Airtel Plaza Hotel.   FlyAway bus service costs only $4 one way from LAX.  The FlyAway bus service is a nonstop bus service from LAX to the FlyAway terminal and the Airtel Plaza Hotel van will pick you up at the FlyAway terminal.

3.3)  If you rent a car when you get there, you will still go immediately outside the concourse to Ground Transportation and wait for the shuttle that will take you to the car rental company you have chosen.  SHOP AROUND before you book and be sure to check places like hotwire.com, carrentals.com, travelocity.com, expedia.com and priceline.com for good rates.  Plan on it taking about a half hour to get your car.  BE PREPARED FOR TRAFFIC AS YOU HAVE NEVER IN YOUR LIFE ENCOUNTERED!!  NOTE:   I'm very serious.  Whereas in other towns, you allow for a minute or so per mile, in LA, you double the miles to get the travel time.  If it's between 3-6pm or 7-9am, you triple it at least.  Also, remember that if you use a DEBIT card instead of a CREDIT card to pay for your car, it is typical for car rental dealerships to charge a deposit when you pick up the car.  The standard deposit at an airport rental facility is $500.  This does not release until the night after you return the car.

3.4)  Note from Katrina:  For what it's worth, my own favorite car rental service from Bob Hope Airport is Eqocar
at 2550 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 565-343.  They will pick you up at the airport and drop you off again.  They rent ELECTRIC cars and after driving a new Prius all over Southern California for 5 days (there were four of us ladies and we did a LOT - it fit us and all of our luggage in there), I literally only put $4 worth of gas in it to return it and NO gas the rest of the time, plus the car rental was the same or cheaper than other places I checked.  No, sadly, I don't get kick backs for recommendations.  You'd think I would, huh?

4)  If you are going to take a bus or train into LA, may God have mercy on your soul. Take weaponry.  Check with http://www.amtrak.com/ and http://www.greyhound.com/ for more info. 

5)  My own favorite car service is Mano's Limousine Service.  They run 24 hour a day and are very reasonably priced.  The cost for a drive to Van Nuys from LAX is $80 one way.  The cost from Burbank is $40.  You ride in total comfort with a DVD to watch and a very gracious driver.  The phone number for Mano's is 818-458-6421.

This is the route from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The distance is right around 25 miles.

This is the route from Bob Hope International Airport (Burbank)
The distance is approximately 15 miles.

This is a close up of how to get to the Airtel Plaza once you are local.  Get off of the 405 onto
Sherman Way (West).  Go North (right) on Valjean to 7277 Valjean, which is the hotel.