I don't know where you live in New Jersey but staying in Arcadia to visit Venice is like staying in Stamford, CT to visit Manhattan. It's far away and a LOOOOOOONG drive during "rush hours" which last 3 to 5 hours in both the morning and late afternoon/evening.

Why are you looking in Glendale/Arcadia?

Regarding San Diego, I don't recommend going there for just a day. WITHOUT TRAFFIC, it will take about 4-1/2 hours of commuting to get there and back. WITH TRAFFIC, it would take 6 hours! Do you really want to spend as many hours on the road as you'll spend at your destination?

L.A. is EXTREMELY spread out. If you spend a day in San Diego, again, not recommended, that leaves only 2 days to spend in our giant metro area; further, if you stay in Glendale/Arcadia, that's putting an additional burden on you to make longer drives to see our massive city over just 2 days.

What are you looking to visit in San Diego? What is your budget per night for a hotel? What are your travel dates? How many beds/rooms do you need? What airport are you flying into in L.A.? (Have you considered transferring to San Diego for your last day/night and flying home from there (just an idea that popped into my head).

What airport are you departing from in NJ? If you answer all of these questions. we'll be in a much better position to help you.

Our plane reservations are set. We are flying into LA but then heading up to Sequoia and Yosemite. We will be returning to LA on 8/26/09 and leaving on 8/29. Our plans are loose for LA - we want to cruise around Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and that general area. We are also trying to get tickets to a TV Show. We were in LA 30 years ago and just were looking for general sightseeing - but not in downtown. I like Embassy Suites because I like suites. Don't want to spend a fortune. I thought Arcadia was a nice suburb but didn't count on the intense traffic. Glendale has a new Embassy Suites and seemed closer but more urban. We would like a communtiy that we can go out to dinner by walking or short drive. Any other suggestions?

You haven't indicated your budget. I looked up room rates for the Glendale Embassy Suites for your dates and the rate starts at $169 (advanced purchase) plus 10% room tax = $186 per night.

Suite hotels are relatively rare in the giant city of L.A. but fairly common in cities that are adjacent to L.A. The suites that are in L.A. are, in general, a little more expensive than typical hotel rooms.

So, it's up to you whether you want to sacrifice the suite (or pay more for one) to have a more convenient location or whether you'd like to do a little more driving.

There are several neighborhoods in L.A. that are 'pedestrian-friendly' so that you can walk to dining. Some of these (that are close to the attractions you've mentioned) are:

Hollywood, West Hollywood (Sunset Strip), and Beverly Grove (between the Farmers Market and the Beverly Center).

If you'd rather stay outside of L.A., consider the city of Burbank.

In West Hollywood, consider Hotel Le Petit, a few blocks from the Sunset Strip. This is a boutique, all-suite hotel with a roof-top pool. Travelocity.com is offering the hotel for $179 per night. (Getaroom.com is offering the garden suite for $155/night). Note: the garden suite is a small suite -- not like the embassy suites! It does not have a corporate Hilton feel; it's a small, boutique-style hotel, steps to lots of dining options as well as nightlife.

Or, even closer to the Strip is Le Montrose Suite, another all-suite hotel. Most online reservation services are offering the hotel for $179.

Hotels.com has the very highly-rated BW Sunset Plaza hotel (not a suite hotel) for $177 per night. Right on the Sunset Strip!

Hollywood's Orchid Suites Hotels (an all-suite property with modest decor) is being offered by a number of online reservation services for $128 per night. This property is one block from the Walk of Fame and the Chinese Theater on a quiet 'side street'.

Just a couple of blocks away and up a small hill is the hilltop "Hollywood Hills Hotel". Their 1-bedroom suite with city views is being offered for $169 via Orbitz.com, Hotels.com and Expedia.com

Happy hunting!

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