TRAVEL-202609-uswest/days/2026-09-26.md

# Sep 26 (Sat) — Miramonte → Los Angeles

**Stay:** [Airbnb — DTLA](../bookings/stays/airbnb-la-dtla.md) · ✅ extra night confirmed Sep 15 — booking now runs Sep 26–30 · check-in from 4:00 PM PDT · 1100 W Temple St

*All times are PDT.*

## Logistics

- Checkout day at Miramonte — out by **11:00 AM** (booking shortened to Sep 26 on Sep 16)
- **8:00 AM PDT** target departure · approximately 4.5–5 hours to Los Angeles before stops and traffic
- LK is already in Los Angeles; reunion time depends on the group's arrival
- Avoid another driving excursion after the Miramonte transfer

## Plan

> Menu: [`la_sights.md`](../la_sights.md)

- **1:00–2:00 PM** Group reaches Los Angeles; lunch and luggage. Airbnb check-in
  begins at 4:00 PM PDT. Use the host's temporary curb-parking and front-door
  instructions, then retrieve the parking fob and move the car to the assigned
  gated spot on level 2; do not use level 1. Detailed access credentials are in
  the [booking record](../bookings/stays/airbnb-la-dtla.md).
- **Afternoon** Rest
- **Late afternoon** Easy walk near the accommodation; save Santa Monica for the Sep 27 group itinerary
- **Evening** Dinner together

## LK solo options before returning the car

These options do not repeat the group's Malibu, El Matador, Point Dume, Santa Monica or Venice day. Schedules use the [Brand Plaza Hotel](../bookings/stays/brand-plaza-hotel-glendale.md) as the starting-point baseline and target an early LAX return at **4:30–5:00 PM**, although Budget is booked through 18:45 PDT. Drive times below are routing baselines—allow additional time for Saturday traffic.

### Option A — [Crystal Cove](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=644) and Laguna Beach · recommended

Best balance of ocean, hiking and manageable driving. Approximately 112 miles total from Brand Plaza via Crystal Cove to LAX; about 2 hours 55 minutes of baseline driving.

**Crystal Cove hiking choices:**

- **Recommended if hiking is the priority:** Moro Canyon → East Cut Across → Moro Ridge → BFI loop · 4.9 miles / 7.9 km · about 2 hours · 1,053 ft / 321 m cumulative gain and loss. The steep climb reaches a ridge with Pacific views before descending to the canyon
- **Easy alternative:** Moro Canyon out-and-back · 3 miles / 4.8 km · about 1 hour · broad coastal-sage canyon with oak and sycamore near seasonal Moro Creek
- This is a dry, open canyon—not a narrow slot canyon like Annie's Canyon. Carry water and stay on marked trails

**Laguna Beach afterward:**

- Start at Crescent Bay Point Park for the headland view
- Walk the coastal path through Heisler Park toward Main Beach
- Have lunch downtown; if time remains, continue to Treasure Island Park for another bluff walk
- Tide pools are worthwhile only when the tide is low and the rocks are safe. The predicted low on 2026-09-26 is **3:39 PM PDT**, later than the conservative airport schedule

**Working timing:**

- **6:30 AM** Leave Los Angeles
- **8:00–10:30 AM** Crystal Cove hike
- **11:00 AM–1:30 PM** Crescent Bay, Heisler Park, Main Beach and lunch
- **1:30 PM** Leave for LAX
- **3:45–4:45 PM** Return the car; meet the group afterward

### Option B — Palos Verdes coast · least driving

Best low-stress choice. Approximately 58 miles total from Brand Plaza via Point Vicente to LAX; about 1 hour 30 minutes of baseline driving.

- **8:00 AM** Leave Los Angeles
- **9:00–11:30 AM** Point Vicente Interpretive Center and the open coastal paths
- **11:30 AM–1:00 PM** Scenic Palos Verdes Drive and lunch near Redondo Beach
- **2:00–3:00 PM** Return the car; meet the group early

Avoid Abalone Cove Beach, Sacred Cove Beach and their access trails; the city lists them as closed because of land movement. Recheck trail alerts before departure.

### Option C — Vasquez Rocks · geology and desert scenery

Best non-ocean option. Approximately 93 miles total from Brand Plaza via Vasquez Rocks to LAX; about 2 hours of baseline driving.

- **7:00 AM** Leave Los Angeles
- **8:15–11:30 AM** [Vasquez Rocks Natural Area](https://parks.lacounty.gov/vasquez-rocks-natural-area-and-nature-center/): rock formations, viewpoints and a short section of the Pacific Crest Trail
- **12:00 PM** Lunch in Agua Dulce
- **1:00 PM** Leave for LAX
- **2:30–3:30 PM** Return the car

This route is exposed and can be hot; carry water and start early.

### Selected route — Vasquez Rocks + Point Vicente

This avoids the group's planned Malibu sights and keeps LK's luggage secure at the hotel during the first stop.

- **7:00 AM** Leave Brand Plaza; eat breakfast beforehand and leave luggage in the room
- **8:00–9:30 AM** Vasquez Rocks: formations, viewpoints and a short hike before the heat
- **9:30–10:30 AM** Return to Brand Plaza
- **By 11:00 AM** Check out and collect luggage
- **11:00 AM–12:00 PM** Drive to Rancho Palos Verdes
- **12:00–1:30 PM** Point Vicente and open coastal paths
- **1:30–2:30 PM** Lunch nearby
- **2:30 PM** Leave for LAX
- **3:30–4:30 PM** Return the Budget car, well before the 6:45 PM deadline

Forecast checked 2026-09-25: around **87°F / 31°C** at Vasquez Rocks on Saturday. Carry water; the interpretive-center fountain is available only during business hours. Avoid the closed Abalone Cove and Sacred Cove access trails.

### Option D — Annie's Canyon and Torrey Pines · ambitious

Best scenery, but by far the most driving: approximately 225 miles and 4 hours 35 minutes of baseline driving before traffic.

- **5:30 AM** Leave Los Angeles
- **8:00–9:15 AM** [Annie's Canyon Trail](https://naturecollective.org/location/annies-canyon-trail/) — 1.4–2 miles, 40–60 minutes, narrow slot canyon with stairs and short scrambles
- **9:45 AM–12:00 PM** [Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=657) — coastal overlooks and a short trail; gates open at 7:15 AM and all trails were open when checked
- **12:00–1:00 PM** Lunch in Del Mar
- **1:00 PM** Leave for LAX
- **4:00–5:00 PM** Return the car, allowing a substantial traffic buffer

Choose this only if the drive itself is acceptable and both places matter to LK.

## Addresses

| Place | Address | Map |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb — DTLA | 1100 W Temple St, **Unit 703**, Los Angeles, CA 90012 · temporary curb access, then gated parking for 2 cars | [34.06325, -118.25149](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=34.06325,-118.25149) |
| Gilmore Cabin — Miramonte | 48753 Todd Eymann Road, Miramonte, CA 93641 · **door code 0110 + unlock** · Booking PIN 2531 · host +1 559-790-6432 · no cell service | [search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=48753+Todd+Eymann+Road+Miramonte+CA+93641) |
| Brand Plaza Hotel — LK | 339 1/2 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203 | [search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=339+N+Brand+Blvd+Glendale+CA+91203) |
| Budget rental — LK | 5251 W 98th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045 · LAX · 18:45 PDT return | [search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Budget+5251+W+98th+St+Los+Angeles) |