Travel Guide

Johnny Park Indoor Parking Services and Driving In Los Angeles Metro

While driving in a city such as Los Angeles may be intimidating, it can actually be a lot of fun! The streets for the most part are easy to navigate, all you need is a road map or driving directions. So, pick up a car from an LAX rental parking lot and explore the city.

Where to Go

Mulholland Drive: from here you can get a few good views of the San Fernando valley and maybe even the snowy mountains. Sunset Strip: Starting at Highland going westbound, this road offers a great view of the city all the way to Santa Monica Bay, a highly recommended stop. Lorel Canyon: a curvy drive up the mountain with a great view of the city. Pacific Coast Highway: a beautiful drive up the coast with magnificent views of the ocean and plenty of beaches to stop for a swim or some lunch. Hollywood Hills: what trip to L.A. is complete without seeing the Hollywood sign?

Tips

Once you leave the LAX parking lot, the stress of driving in L.A. may set in. It is best to know where you are going before you leave and have another passenger who is good at reading maps in the front seat.

• Stay calm: if you are not comfortable going faster than the speed limit in the LAX parking lot, stay off major highways and interstates. If you do take the freeway, stay in a slower lane. The far left lane tends to proceed at 30-40 miles faster than the posted limit. Onramps may be hard to find because the signs marked "Freeway Entrance" can be difficult to find.
• Listen to a local radio station such as AM 640 or AM 1070 for traffic updates and try to follow their suggested routes if you can find them on the map. If you are renting a car, it would be a good idea to program it as one of your stations before you leave the LAX parking lot.
• Try to avoid traveling between 5 am and 9 am, which is the morning rush hour. Between 11 am and 1 pm there is a small lunchtime rush in the downtown area. And between 3 and 7 pm there is the evening rush hour. If you are not comfortable driving in traffic or in stressful situations, it would be wise to avoid driving or allow someone who is comfortable take the wheel. At night, watch out for impaired drivers, pedestrians, and small animals. During rush hour, surface street may be faster than the freeway to get around the city. Be prepared for gridlock, sometimes the freeway can look like the LAX parking lot. Leave early!

There are a variety of car rental places at LAX if you are visiting. While driving in L.A. can be frustrating at times, just relax and plan your trip before you leave the LAX parking lot. A good road map will be extremely helpful.