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Choosing the
best hostel for you

Los Angeles hostel locations, including Santa Monica and Venice Beach:
1. Hollywood hostels: pros and cons
2. Beach hostels: pros and cons
3. Beach hostels: directions

Vancouver hostels: best locations

These public transit directions to hostels along LA's beaches in Hermosa Beach, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach from LAX Airport, Amtrak, and Greyhound deliberately avoid unsafe transfer locations, but use caution as you would in any large city.

Directions from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

• To Santa Monica HI Hostel: from the front of the arrival (baggage claim) level of any main LAX terminal, take the free “Lot C Shuttle” transfer bus to the LAX Transit Terminal.
  
  From there, board the number 3 or Rapid 3 Santa Monica Big Blue Bus to 4th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. Cross 4th, and walk toward the ocean on Santa Monica Boulevard. Turn left on 2nd Street to 1436 on right for the
  HI-Los Angeles - Santa Monica.
  
  
• To Venice Beach hostels and Cadillac Hotel: from the front of the arrival (baggage claim) level of any main LAX terminal, take the free “Lot C Shuttle” transfer bus to the LAX Transit Terminal.
  
  From there, board the number 3 or Rapid 3 Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. When boarding, ask for a Metro bus transfer. Ride to intersection of Venice and Lincoln boulevards. For safety reasons, do not wander from this busy crossroads at night.
  
  Then, from the northwest corner, take the Metro bus number 33 along Venice Boulevard to Grand Avenue (Windward Avenue) and Main Street for the
  Venice Beach Cotel or
  Venice Beach Hostel (the one on Pacific Avenue).
  
  Walk to the opposite side of the roundabout (traffic circle) and then head down Windward Avenue toward the beach. For the Venice Beach Hostel, turn right off Windward onto Pacific Avenue.
  
  For the Cadillac Hotel in Venice, take the Metro 33 bus as above, but get off at Main Street and Sunset Avenue in Venice. Cross Main Street and follow Main in the same direction that bus was travelling. Where Main splits, keep to the left. Turn left onto Dudley Court, then right onto Speedway, and then left on Dudley Avenue toward beach to hotel.
  
  
• To Hermosa Beach Surf City Hostel: from the front of the arrival (baggage claim) level of any LAX terminal building, take the free “Lot C Shuttle” transfer bus to the LAX Transit Terminal.
  
  Then take Metro bus 109 southbound to 11th Street and Hermosa Avenue. Walk north on Hermosa and then left on Pier Avenue toward beach to Los Angeles Surf City Hostel.

Directions from Amtrak Union Station, downtown Los Angeles

• To Santa Monica HI Hostel: exit the main entrance—the front entrance—of Union Station (the one seen in so many Hollywood films) and cross wide Alameda Street in front of the station.
  
  (Los Angeles was founded in the historic park adjacent to this spot.)
  
  Then, from the northwestern corner of Alameda and Los Angeles streets directly across from the station main entrance, take Santa Monica Big Blue Bus number 10 and get off at 2nd Street and Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica. Walk to 1436 2nd Street for the HI Santa Monica Hostel.
  
  If arriving in late evening or at night, when there is no Big Blue Bus service, take Metro bus 33 from the Patsaouras bus plaza in back of Union Station to the corner of 2nd Street and Santa Monica Boulevard.
  
  
• To Venice Beach hostels and Cadillac Hotel: take Metro Bus 33 from the Patsaouras bus plaza in back of Union Station to Grand Avenue (Windward Avenue) and Main Street for the Venice Beach Cotel or Venice Beach Hostel (the one on Pacific).
  
  Walk to the opposite side of the roundabout (traffic circle) and then head down Windward Avenue toward the beach. For the Venice Beach Hostel, turn right on Pacific Avenue off of Windward.
  
  For the Cadillac Hotel, take the Metro 33 bus as above, but get off at Main Street and Sunset Avenue in Venice. Cross Main Street and follow Main in the same direction bus was travelling. Where Main splits, keep to the left. Turn left onto Dudley Court, then right onto Speedway, and then left on Dudley Avenue toward beach to hotel.
  
  
• To Hermosa Beach Surf City Hostel: take Metro “LAX FlyAway” bus ($4) from Patsaouras bus plaza in back of Union Station nonstop to Los Angeles International Airport. Get off at any LAX terminal (for example, Southwest Airline's). Walk down one floor to the arrival (baggage claim) level and exit to street.
  
  From there, take the free "Lot C Shuttle" to the LAX Transit Terminal. Then board Metro bus 109 southbound to 11th Street and Hermosa Avenue. Walk north on Hermosa and then left on Pier Avenue toward beach.
  
  This route may seem a bit complicated, but saves you time and keeps you in safer areas.

Directions from Greyhound, downtown Los Angeles

• Take taxi to Amtrak Union Station (2.9 km) and then follow above directions to Hermosa Beach, Santa Monica, or Venice Beach. You won't find the horrific area around the Greyhound terminal suitable for walking or taking public transit day or night.

Using the Big Blue and Metro bus links above, please reconfirm directions, such as bus numbers, prior to travelling.

Los Angeles Beach Hostel Tips: Venice, Santa Monica, and Hermosa Beach: Pros and cons

Los Angeles Hostel Tips: Hollywood: Pros and cons