College tour + Disneyland - Help me plan?

[bcla]

Plus, I wanted some suggestions about how to incorporate a vacation into the visit. For instance, one could look at the tourism site for Long Island and be intrigued by the "railroad museum" in Greenport, whereas a local will tell you it's one room with some old pictures of trains and a few large iron "artifacts."

There are world class museums around Los Angeles. If you really want that sort of thing, then it's going to take some driving and/or a train trip.

You'll be fine.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

There are world class museums around Los Angeles. If you really want that sort of thing, then it's going to take some driving and/or a train trip.

You'll be fine.

I will say though that's it's still a good 45 minute drive to downtown LA without traffic. Although fortunately many of the more popular hang outs like Los Feliz, Griffith Park, etc. are north of downtown LA so a bit closer.

I'm not sure how much your daughter will actually end up being able to go down there during school (which is maybe a good think, LOL). I went to school in a suburb of Chicago, about a 30-40 minute train ride into the city, and I didn't go there nearly as much as I thought I would. We mostly hung out on campus and ate Papa John's pizza.

But, ultimately CalArts is a relatively specialized school, so I suspect that location is not necessarily the most important factor for her? Like when people are going to MIT or Caltech, I don't think people are going there because of the bar scene.

 

[bcla]

I will say though that's it's still a good 45 minute drive to downtown LA without traffic. Although fortunately many of the more popular hang outs like Los Feliz, Griffith Park, etc. are north of downtown LA so a bit closer.

I'm not sure how much your daughter will actually end up being able to go down there during school (which is maybe a good think, LOL). I went to school in a suburb of Chicago, about a 30-40 minute train ride into the city, and I didn't go there nearly as much as I thought I would. We mostly hung out on campus and ate Papa John's pizza.

But, ultimately CalArts is a relatively specialized school, so I suspect that location is not necessarily the most important factor for her? Like when people are going to MIT or Caltech, I don't think people are going there because of the bar scene.

MIT has a big bar scene.

https://colleges.niche.com/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/party-scene/

There certainly are lots of bars in Pasadena. It's not a planned community like Valencia.

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

MIT has a big bar scene.

https://colleges.niche.com/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/party-scene/

There certainly are lots of bars in Pasadena. It's not a planned community like Valencia.

Right, I understand that. My in-laws live near Pasadena, which is why we're driving down there all the time. But it wasn't really my point. I'm saying that even if MIT or CalTech were in Valencia, I think people would still want to go there. Location is not the primary draw of those schools, and I suspect the same for CalArts.

 

[bcla]

Right, I understand that. My in-laws live near Pasadena, which is why we're driving down there all the time. But it wasn't really my point. I'm saying that even if MIT or CalTech were in Valencia, I think people would still want to go there. Location is not the primary draw of those schools, and I suspect the same for CalArts.

The development in those areas was more organic. Valencia is a planned community, and one designed to be a sleepy suburb.

CalArts is frankly rather rare. I guess UC Irvine was built in the middle of nowhere, but it's a large campus and there businesses that built around it.

And I think location can be a draw to MIT. Cambridge is a vibrant city and not a boring suburb.

 

[SMD]

Thanks - while I'm sure they do that - I do appreciate the candor of the responses from folks who live nearby.

For instance: I went to Hofstra because it was well-respected in my major and I lived in the area, so I was able to commute. The campus has basically taken over what was once a small residential stamp in an otherwise commercial area. Hofstra touts itself as "using NYC as a backdrop". Ummm, while one can certainly drive in (about 40mins) or take the train there, without a car, a student who lives on campus would have to take the bus to the train station in Hempstead, which is NOT a "nice" area, then hope the schedules work out in their favor. -- These are things that the locals can tell you that the college admissions reps. would gloss over.

Plus, I wanted some suggestions about how to incorporate a vacation into the visit. For instance, one could look at the tourism site for Long Island and be intrigued by the "railroad museum" in Greenport, whereas a local will tell you it's one room with some old pictures of trains and a few large iron "artifacts."

Again, thanks for your help.

The people responding to you don't live nearby. The people at the college do. You got a response that Magic Mountain uses a Valencia address and isn't technically in Valencia and a link to bars at MIT. You should separate your trip. Do a college tour. Then pick another destination and go there and have a vacation. Los Angeles/Hollywood, Universal Studios, Disney, San Diego, anything else. Give the college tour the time it needs for your daughter to get a feeling of what it will be like to go to school there, then use the fact that you're in So Cal to add on a vacation. Trying to combine them shortchanges your daughter if this is a school that she's seriously considering.

 

[bcla]

I'll just point out the place has a well known reputation for being located in the middle of a sleepy suburb. Most students live off campus. I've been in the area many times and find it about as interesting as being in any similar suburb. Ultimately it's up to you to determine how you want to spend your time and money. I know if I were traveling cross country for my kid, I'd want to do something else, but it's your decision.

Have fun and hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[rantnnravin]

I know if I were traveling cross country for my kid, I'd want to do something else...

Exactly.

 

[sasywtch]

I think other than Magic Mountain, there's not any touristy type things in the Valencia/Santa Clarita area. If I was planning the trip for me, I'd try to fly into Burbank (if it's 3 stops, I'd suck it up and fly into LAX or Ontario), start at the north with visiting/touring the school and going to Magic Mountain if you want. Spend the night. The next day I'd check out and go south to Universal, spend a few nights. If I was from the east coast and this was my first time out here, I'd tour the LA area, Grauman's (or whatever it's called now) just to see the footprints, Rodeo Drive, Pacific Ocean, Warner Brothers studio tour or whatever you are interested in. Then I would check out and drive south and check in for Disneyland. 3-4 days minimum now for DL. Then I'd try to fly out of John Wayne or LAX. (or if you have more time, continue on to San Diego for a few more days and fly out of there).

Honestly from Santa Clarita to Disneyland, it's straight all by I-5. I was going to say that I'd rent a car but in all honesty, it's a necessity. It will also allow you all to drive around the immediate area to show your daughter the way to Target and such.

 

[rantnnravin]

I think other than Magic Mountain, there's not any touristy type things in the Valencia/Santa Clarita area. If I was planning the trip for me, I'd try to fly into Burbank (if it's 3 stops, I'd suck it up and fly into LAX or Ontario), start at the north with visiting/touring the school and going to Magic Mountain if you want. Spend the night. The next day I'd check out and go south to Universal, spend a few nights. If I was from the east coast and this was my first time out here, I'd tour the LA area, Grauman's (or whatever it's called now) just to see the footprints, Rodeo Drive, Pacific Ocean, Warner Brothers studio tour or whatever you are interested in. Then I would check out and drive south and check in for Disneyland. 3-4 days minimum now for DL. Then I'd try to fly out of John Wayne or LAX. (or if you have more time, continue on to San Diego for a few more days and fly out of there).

Honestly from Santa Clarita to Disneyland, it's straight all by I-5. I was going to say that I'd rent a car but in all honesty, it's a necessity. It will also allow you all to drive around the immediate area to show your daughter the way to Target and such.

Thank you so much - love the itinerary

Yeah it's hard to resist trying to do the entire West Coast in one trip.
The only saving grace is, if she goes to school here, we have an excuse to visit/see more!

 

[xlsm]

I don't have a lot of info for you, but my sister in law graduated from CalArts, and I want to wish your daughter good luck with her future plans! SIL lives (and lived while in school) in Los Feliz near Griffith Park. Her office is on Hollywood Blvd.

We visited her in June on our Disneyland trip. We stayed in Anaheim (HoJo) and drove into LA from there. We did not find LA hard to get around in at all. In fact, we were shocked at how easy it was. Everyone (including SIL) warned us that traffic was awful, but we did not find it any more challenging than any other city. I think she was actually insulted when we told her it wasn't a big deal, lol! The only issue we had was getting back to her apartment from Beverly Hills at 5pm. The nine mile trip took an hour in traffic. To compare, it didn't take us much over an hour to get from Anaheim to LA, which is closer to 30 miles. If you have GPS, you're golden.

SIL said that it would take 30 - 45 minutes most days to get to school from her apartment.

Southern California is spectacular, and we loved it so much! You should definitely rent a car and explore the surrounding areas. Laguna Beach and Newport Beach are on our list of vacation home/retirement locations. Both are easily accessible from Anaheim while on the Disney portion of your trip. From a tourist point of view, based on our own trip, I would split your trip into two parts. Part one focusing on CalArts, and part two for Disneyland. This includes a hotel in each place, because you are not going to want to make the drive from Anaheim to CalArts more than one day in a row, and you're probably going to want to spend more than one day around town/campus to familiarize yourself with the area.

I just wanted to throw in my two cents from a fellow first timer to California. It's very beautiful, and I'm telling my kids they really need to think about Pepperdine, LOL!!

Have fun planning and enjoy your trip!!

 

[rantnnravin]

I don't have a lot of info for you, but my sister in law graduated from CalArts, and I want to wish your daughter good luck with her future plans! SIL lives (and lived while in school) in Los Feliz near Griffith Park. Her office is on Hollywood Blvd.

We visited her in June on our Disneyland trip. We stayed in Anaheim (HoJo) and drove into LA from there. We did not find LA hard to get around in at all. In fact, we were shocked at how easy it was. Everyone (including SIL) warned us that traffic was awful, but we did not find it any more challenging than any other city. I think she was actually insulted when we told her it wasn't a big deal, lol! The only issue we had was getting back to her apartment from Beverly Hills at 5pm. The nine mile trip took an hour in traffic. To compare, it didn't take us much over an hour to get from Anaheim to LA, which is closer to 30 miles. If you have GPS, you're golden.

SIL said that it would take 30 - 45 minutes most days to get to school from her apartment.

Southern California is spectacular, and we loved it so much! You should definitely rent a car and explore the surrounding areas. Laguna Beach and Newport Beach are on our list of vacation home/retirement locations. Both are easily accessible from Anaheim while on the Disney portion of your trip. From a tourist point of view, based on our own trip, I would split your trip into two parts. Part one focusing on CalArts, and part two for Disneyland. This includes a hotel in each place, because you are not going to want to make the drive from Anaheim to CalArts more than one day in a row, and you're probably going to want to spend more than one day around town/campus to familiarize yourself with the area.

I just wanted to throw in my two cents from a fellow first timer to California. It's very beautiful, and I'm telling my kids they really need to think about Pepperdine, LOL!!

Have fun planning and enjoy your trip!!

Thank you so much for the insight! I hear such horror stories about "the freeway" and judging by the traffic getting to/from/around NYC, I shudder to think how bad LA must be if so many say it's an issue. Glad to hear it's not so daunting.
I really want to explore - without breaking the budget of course (I will be having to pay for CalArts, after all - lol).
What's nice is that I have summers off, so we can take our time