# My Older Daughter Is Going To Los Angeles Next Month - What Should She Know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** vacation-travel\ **Created:** [May 12, 2025, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283 "2025-05-12T09:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/21 "2025-05-12T23:09:21Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > It is simply not designed to have public trans. And given the dispersed nature of the government there, it could not have occurred differently. Cities like that were designed to use rail and light rail transport, like LA and Melbourne, converted seamlessly into cities that use cars, which worked the same way, only better. And now that now that the “better” system has been stretched to it’s limits, the “worse” system would work even less well for the extensive suburbs Cities like LA and Melbourne, where real-estate development was enabled by the easy access to large fringes using public transport, are different to cities where the original development was limited by walking distance. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/22 "2025-05-13T07:25:50Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > It’s odd that she knows she won’t be getting a ride from the airport when she doesn’t even know who her host family is yet. Has she talked to the organizers to find out how they expect her to get from the airport to her destination? Seems like they are kinda dropping the ball on this. I agree. It seems that she was supposed to ask for this specifically when she applied for the exchange but, for some reason, didn’t. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If she’s licensed to drive, I’d strongly endorse any scheme that involves getting her a rental car. **LSL\_Guy** ’s assessment of public transit in the area is not as out of date as he may think. LA is _not_ serious about having a public transportation system. She’s learning how to drive but doesn’t have her licence yet. I also think that an Uber would be a much better idea. I’ll try to drop hints, but I don’t want to appear to be interfering with her plans. It’s the first time she puts such an ambitious and personal project together. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Which airport is she flying in to? I’ll ask her. She had just bought the tickets when I talked to her on the phone. > [@Awb78](#): > > Those costumed characters at Hollywood & Highland want money for taking pics with them. Funny, she mentioned it on Sunday. She’s aware of the phenomenon and knows what to do. > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > IIRC she’s also coming from England, so would be driving on the other side. Ubers are the way to go. She’s coming from mainland Europe, not England. So, no “other side” shenanigans. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There are a lot of beaches if you don’t mind the crowds but I agree that Santa Monica Pier and you can rent a bike and pedal down Venice Beach from there which would make a nice day out. This reminds me that she has indeed talked of going to Venice Beach too. > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > It isn’t clear what support she’ll have from her host family but if you can it would probably be good to get hooked up with someone similar to her age and interests who could make specific recommendations and even facilitate some of the exploration. I think that’s the idea, but again she will only be able to contact them in a few weeks. I will strongly advise her to broach the subject. I know that, in addition to accomodation, she will be having breakfast and supper with them, so they provide at least some basic “services”. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/23 "2025-05-13T07:52:53Z")
Thanks for your answers, by the way! ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/24 "2025-05-13T10:18:40Z")
There have been several mentions of using Uber–but be aware of a possible problem: You need a local American phone number, with the standard format: a 3 digit American area code, followed by a 7 digit number. If you are using a foreign phone whose number uses any other format (such as a prefix of a country code, or a 2-digit area code ), the Uber app’s brain explodes .and won’t let you use it. (By the way, this is true of almost all American websites). ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/25 "2025-05-13T11:13:45Z")
Thanks, I hadn’t thought about it. I’ll tell her to pay attention to this, not just for Uber, actually. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/26 "2025-05-13T11:38:07Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > There have been several mentions of using Uber–but be aware of a possible problem: > You need a local American phone number, with the standard format: a 3 digit American area code, followed by a 7 digit number. No you don’t. I’ve used my Uber account in Mexico and all over Europe. You don’t need a separate Uber US account. > [@Moonrise](#): > > Thanks, I hadn’t thought about it. I’ll tell her to pay attention to this, not just for Uber, actually. She will want a US number anyway. If her phone takes an eSIM she can sign up for something like T-Mobile and have it ready when she lands. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/27 "2025-05-13T14:15:26Z")
How long will OP Daughter be in Greater LA? Big difference between a week’s vacation and going there for an entire semester as an exchange student. Also a big difference in how much help / support / interaction the host family will give / take / expect. And how much free time per week the daughter will have for touristing. Ubering from the airport to wherever she’ll be living will be a one time expense. Trying to use Uber to be a tourist visiting sights all over Greater LA will be prohibitively expensive. Like US$100 each way given the vast distances involved. AFAIK, all international flights into Greater Los Angeles land at LAX = Los Angeles International Airport. If she’s flying from Europe to first e.g. New York City, then changing to a US domestic flight to continue to LA then there about 5 possible airports: LAX, Ontario, John Wayne / Orange County, Burbank, and Long Beach in rough order of amount of airline service. If she is going to be arriving in Greater LA via a domestic flight it’s worthwhile to know where the host family lives _first_, then choose flights to the most local airport. Distance isn’t the only consideration, but it’s one consideration. She might save money on the airfare, and save money on the Uber, and save time by flying into one of the secondary airports closer to the host family home. Once she is settled with the host family, there may or may not be decent local public transport and a nearby assortment of accessible interesting things to see and do. Greater LA has lots of interesting areas and also miles and miles and miles of deadly boring middle class suburbia with nothing nearby but endless grubby stripmalls & franchise restaurants. Which is still far better than most other cities in America which have only the endless grubby and nothing much interesting. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/28 "2025-05-13T14:19:11Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > She should bear in mind that LA can be cooler than one may think. California is like this. As my best bud (who lives there) put it, “the palm trees are a goddamned lie.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/29 "2025-05-13T14:25:45Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > > [@chappachula](#): > > > > There have been several mentions of using Uber–but be aware of a possible problem: > > You need a local American phone number, with the standard format: a 3 digit American area code, followed by a 7 digit number. > > No you don’t. I’ve used my Uber account in Mexico and all over Europe. You don’t need a separate Uber US account. I don’t think I’d say it quite that strongly. The fact my US or your Canadian phone number works fine in e.g. Germany is not proof that an e.g. German phone number will work in the USA. It’s _likely_ Uber has that problem solved. But not a certainty. The clueless North-American centric-ness of US companies is legendary. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/30 "2025-05-13T14:36:03Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It never rains in Southern California (they tell me). But it pours. Man, it pours. (It also pours metaphors.) ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/31 "2025-05-13T14:38:59Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The fact my US or your Canadian phone number works fine in e.g. Germany is not proof that an e.g. German phone number will work in the USA. Let me rephrase it: if you already have an Uber account setup in your home country, the app does not need to use your phone number at all. The Uber app works just fine with either mobile data from an eSIM or WiFi. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/32 "2025-05-13T15:01:10Z")
I haven’t lived there for a few years, but when I was there, there was an issue in which NIMBY locals were trying to get GPS services to mask the access points to the hike to the Hollywood Sign. Not sure if this is currently an issue, but I strongly advise doing a thorough bit of research before embarking. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/33 "2025-05-13T15:32:44Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > It’s _likely_ Uber has that problem solved. B Not so likely.. When I travelled to America about 10 months ago, I was unable to use Uber with my foreign phone. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/34 "2025-05-13T15:43:13Z")
Also, I just wanted to say that it’s shitty that the host family won’t pick your daughter up from the airport. ANY big city can be overwhelming to newcomers on their own and airports are doubly chaotic. I would be going out of my way to be a welcoming ambassador to the city and this lack of hospitality gives me pause. I always LIKED the idea of the light rail a little more than my experience riding it. Every once in a while there would be some aggravated individual who would be loud and disruptive. It can be disconcerting if you’re not used to it or feeling vulnerable. In my personal experience, I found the buses a little more chill. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/35 "2025-05-13T15:54:10Z")
Some helpful (local) pronunciations: Sepulveda: sep UL vi dah Los Feliz: loce FEE liz San Pedro: San PEE dro Much the way white folks mangled the pronunciation of name of Los Angeles itself, some of these Spanish names got a little mangled too ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/36 "2025-05-13T16:03:28Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > I haven’t lived there for a few years, but when I was there, there was an issue in which NIMBY locals were trying to get GPS services to mask the access points to the hike to the Hollywood Sign. At this point you ca. just look at satellite map overlays and see where trailheads up to Mt. Lee start, or you can pay ~$20 for a bus ride ( and curated ‘vigorous walk’ up above the sign (so you can see from the back how hollow and unimpressive it is) which is the smart move because then you won’t have to deal with your car being stickered or towed for violating arcane parking regulations in the Hills. But honestly the Hollywood sign isn’t worth the effort and the hike up is miserable. Also, apparently LAC SAR has to respond on a weekly basis to rescue people who don’t understand how gravity works and elect to try to climb down to the sign and don’t realize how difficult climbing back up 50 feet of scrub is going to be, and then decide to descend before realizing that they are getting into technical climbing territory while wearing flip flops and board shorts. That ride will cost you a few thousand in fines and nuisance fees. For the effort, it’s much better to go to the Griffith and just look at the signs using the coin op telescope or a pair of binoculars. It’s a better view with less effort and there are much nicer trails in Griffith Park. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/37 "2025-05-13T16:05:36Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Also, I just wanted to say that it’s shitty that the host family won’t pick your daughter up from the airport. ANY big city can be overwhelming to newcomers on their own and airports are doubly chaotic. > > I would be going out of my way to be a welcoming ambassador to the city and this lack of hospitality gives me pause. This. And what kind of exchange program doesn’t provide assistance to make sure that the participating students get safely settled with their host families when they first arrive? What kind of enterprise is this “exchange” program anyway? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/38 "2025-05-13T16:37:32Z")
The OP has been frustratingly short on details. Probably for a combo of not wanting to run roughshod interrogating their daughter, not wanting to dox her details here, the time zone difference between where she is and most of us are, and the evident general disorganization on the part of the sponsoring agency. It sounds like the guest family & host family have not yet been introduced. So it seems the exchange organization is generically warning all exchange students regardless of destination to not _count_ on your host family picking you up wherever you may first arrive in the USA. So at least think about how you’d get to wherever you’re going without that ride. There certainly can be host families that live out in smaller cities and towns where the nearest international airport is a 5+ hour drive. So some amount of in-USA ground transportation will be required to get the arriving guest at least near the host home. There’s no reason to conclude that her host family necessarily won’t pick her up, and no reason to derive additional conclusions about their friendliness or lack thereof. At least not yet there isn’t. IMO YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/39 "2025-05-13T21:08:49Z")
The Santa Monica pier and beach can be reached by the LA metro E line. The LA Metro B line can take her to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The other locations mentioned by the OP will require a bus for part of the journey. Downtown has several interesting places to explore that are accessible by transit. Union Station and the Griffith Observatory are a couple of places that have appeared in movies. For an 18 year old girl to be out alone in the daytime might be OK but she should be aware of her surroundings at all times. The buses/trains/streets of Los Angeles area have many homeless people and it’s not unusual to see some high or crazy person passed out or screaming his head off. This is not a place for timid people. And I would not be walking around Hollywood or Downtown LA late at night. The suburbs are pretty safe but there may not be much that would interest her. I hope that you will update us on her trip as I am sure we would enjoy hearing about her experiences. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283/40 "2025-05-13T21:54:04Z")
There have been a few threads by people visiting the U.S. from Europe or England, and they have like 6 days and want to see NYC, Chicago, L.A., the Grand Canyon, and the Pacific Northwest. They may know in an abstract sense the distances between these places, but the true vastness of the U.S. landmass may not sink in. Hopefully before they arrive they get a better understanding of the geographical scale of the U.S. compared to where they’re from. Greater Los Angeles is like this in microcosm. She may know, in theory, how big it is, but not understand it on a gut level, and if she’s only coming for a short time, she may need to temper expectations of how many areas she can visit, or else be overwhelmed and disappointed. If she’s at all a map person, a person who understands maps and likes them, I’d recommend many hours of just staring at Google Maps to try to internalize the lay of the land. Sounds like a tremendous amount of fun, I’m jealous and hope it goes great for her! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-older-daughter-is-going-to-los-angeles-next-month-what-should-she-know/1018283.md?page=3)