Help with layover in Los Angeles. What to do in 12 hours?

[joelkfla]

If headed to Flagstaff, Arizona or the Grand Canyon via Sunset Limited westbound, you might also want to consider:

Detrain Sunset Limited at Maricopa, Arizona at 8:52pm
- then -
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Departs Maricopa at 9:15pm
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Arrives Phoenix Airport at 10:15pm
- then -
* Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Departs Phoenix Airport at 10:30pm
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Arrives Flagstaff, Arizona at 1:40am

* There is a high probability that the westbound train will arrive into Maricopa late, causing its connecting thruway to depart Maricopa late and make your arrival into Phoenix Airport late enough to miss the 10:30pm connection to Flagstaff.

In that case, you could either take the next thruway from Phoenix Airport to Flagstaff/Grand Canyon at 7:30am (or every 90 minutes thereafter all day long) after spending the night in Phoenix, or just choose to rent a car at Phoenix Airport (available 24 hrs/day) and drive the 3 hours north from the airport to the Flagstaff/Grand Canyon Area. In any event, this itinerary would give you an extra day and night to explore Arizona rather than a 12 hour layover in Los Angeles.

They're not actual motor coaches, they're shuttle vans. Just something to consider in terms of comfort.

 

[allanorn]

With 12 hours? You can try to get to the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena if it's a nice day. Santa Monica is a cakewalk from Union Station if you want to see the seashore. I wouldn't want to drive anywhere in LA the day after Thanksgiving, especially near shopping outlets. The Surfliner will require reserved seating that week, so that's probably out as well.

When I had four hours I went to Grand Central Market (across from Angels Flight), and then walk to The Last Bookstore if you're looking for inexpensive books.