Starline Tours has seen so much success with its Hollywood “Hop On, Hop Off” sightseeing bus that it will be expanding services to include two additional routes. The popular double-decker bus will take passengers through Downtown LA and the Beach Cities beginning summer 2008. The additional routes will connect with the original Hollywood “Hop On, Hop Off” loop, allowing visitors a unique option of getting from Downtown to the coast and hopping on and off at any of the selected stops along the way. Major stops for the Beach Cities will include Venice Beach and Santa Monica, while stops for Downtown LA will include the L.A. LIVE entertainment district, Broadway Boulevard’s historic theatres and the famed Bradbury Building.
www.starlinetours.com

Here are the top Memorial Day weekend destinations, according to hotel booking data from Hotwire.com:

1. Chicago, Illinois
2. Las Vegas, Nevada
3. San Francisco, California
4. New York City, New York
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Los Angeles, California
7. Washington D.C.
8. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
9. Boston, Massachusetts
10. Orlando, Florida

Below are examples of hotel rates recently available on Hotwire.com for Memorial Day weekend (May 23 - 27, 2008):

Chicago: $89/night, 3.5-star hotel, North Michigan Avenue/Water Tower/Gold Coast
Las Vegas: $114/night, 4-star hotel, Strip East
San Francisco: $109/night, 4-star hotel, Union Square East
New York City: $226/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown/SoHo
Seattle: $112/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown /Pike Place
Los Angeles: $96/night, 3.5-star hotel, Downtown
Washington DC: $99/night, 4-star hotel, Dupont Circle/Embassy Row
Toronto: $89/night, 4-star hotel, Downtown
Boston: $139/night, 4-star hotel, Waterfront Area/South Boston
Orlando: $45/night, 3-star hotel, Universal Orlando/I-drive North Area

The discount travel experts at Hotwire recommend booking travel now, to land the best travel deals for Memorial Day weekend. For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com/.

When: May 18, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Where: Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, Southwest Museum of the American Indian, Los Angeles Police Historical Society, Pasadena Museum of History, Lummis Home and Garden
What: Six museums in Pasadena and Highland Park open their doors to visitors free of charge and celebrate the early art and history of Los Angeles. Shuttles take visitors from one museum to the next. Visit www.museumsofthearroyo.com for more information.
Scoop: Visitors will find plenty of live music and fun activities, making MOTA Day an ideal outing with the kids. One of the most popular sites is the Gamble House, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2008. Grammy Award-winning musician Ian Whitcomb will be on hand to celebrate.

Additional links: www.discoverLosAngeles.com

Here’s a good opportunity to steer the future and provide feedback to LA’s public transit authority:

http://imagine-metro.blogspot.com/

Does anyone else find the Basque fire to be of conspiracy interest? After all, it’s the hottest corner in town (Pantages Theatre, a new Katsuya Hollywood, not to mention the W Hotel/Residences being built on the southeast corner). Just curious…