It was my first time in Los Angeles in more than a decade. Things have changed since, of course, and I was pretty confused about how I can get to Hollywood where my hostel is. I really didn’t research how I could get out of the airport, to be honest. I was feeling a bit adventurous and confident at the same time. I felt like I should know this, this feels like home. It was challenging. I learned things the hard way, but that was fun no regrets at all. So let me share with you the ways I found how to get out of LAX.

Booking Uber isn’t really a convenient straightforward option for LAX. You will have to get to the pickup area where all ride-sharing cars take riders. To get there, take the shuttle bus that circles around all the terminals and brings passengers to the pickup point. I paid about 60 USD from LAX to my Hollywood hostel. Also, carpooling with other passengers is disabled if you are coming from the airport.

Taxis are also found at the pickup point which they fondly call LAX-it, maybe it’s like a play of word from Exit? I don’t really know. Again you can take the shuttle or maybe walk if you don’t have any luggage. It’s just right beside terminal 1. Flag down for taxis as of writing is $2.50, I found something online though that says they can service you for about less than $50.

If you have a number of bags and luggage, and putting them on a bus tugging them to LAXit is just unimaginable, you might want to hire a private car for yourself. They can just simply wait you at the parking and pull out to pick you up at your terminal when you are ready. There’s a good number of private cars that you can hire, but of course it’s gonna cost more comparing it to Uber or Lyft.

The cheapest way though to get out of LAX though is via the LAX Flyaway bus. It shuttles passengers from LAX to Union Station in DTLA (downtown L.A.) for just $9.75. From there it’s around $11 to Hollywood.

Keep in mind though that the bus, like I said, is a shuttle. it does not make any stop. So if you are going to nearby neighborhoods such as Inglewood, where I first stayed, it would be best to just either hire a car or, book an Uber or Lyft.

Got better ideas how to get out of LAX? Share it with everyone in the comments section!

One of the most critical decision making for backpackers is choosing the right accommodation for their trip. It has to be a perfect balance between a good price, sanitation, service and security.

We’ve come up with some pointers to help you on how to decide for your accommodation.

> Set a price range
Determine how much you are willing to spend. Create a good range so that you can still be flexible with the choices that would come up on your search. Allowing you to bargain or maybe compromise on some luxury if any since you have a budget that you are working on, making it a good deciding tool in choosing your accommodation.

Photo by Moyan Brenn

> Determine the best location
Where do you want to stay, find the best location that is proximate to convenience stores, markets and transportation that will enable you to move around quickly and get things such as food easily. It may be a bit off the attractions that you are going to see as prices to these kind of accommodation are off the hook most of the time but a good access to transportation modes such as the bus and train will be most helpful.

Photo by  StreetFly JZ

> Security
this is practically part of determining the area of your accommodation, but I wanted to point this out seperately as this is one big factor in your decision making. One could get a great location, easy access to stuff but is just right off near a neighborhood with a bad reputation. Prioritize safety.

Photo by TimLee90

> Sanitation
As much as you want to save money for your accommodation it is also important to have a good clean room. Most common mistake about selecting accommodation is the notion that you’ll just be sleeping in it since you will be out touring and exploring. We must also keep in mind that after all the tiring activity you’d be needing a good night sleep and rest and musky old room infested with bugs wouldn’t help in getting one for you at all.

Photo by Magalie L’Abbé

Choosing the right accommodation can be a daunting task but with the right tools like hotel search engines and online booking companies like Agoda that helps you get the best prices available will lighten up the burden. Just keep stick with what you want and how much you are willing to bargain for and everything should be alright.

Got more tips? Leave it at the comments below, we’d love to hear it from you!