Every year, thousands of professionals travel to Los Angeles, California for business. Whether that be company retreats, meetings and conferences, off-sites, conventions, or even just for some appointed leisure time, it’s a popular spot for business travel. In fact, the Entertainment Capital of the World is also one of the top destinations for business trips.
When planning a business trip to Los Angeles, choosing everything from the hotel to the transportation to ways to entertain clients can prove hectic. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick guide to help make the most of Los Angeles business travel.
Have an itinerary
A solid itinerary will facilitate an easy flow of activities, travel, meals, and anything else that might need to get done in your company’s trip to LA. If you’re planning a journey for an entire group, ensure that there’s enough time for everyone to get work done – a ‘heads down’ work session in the hotel or an office venue can be a productivity lifesaver.
If you’re traveling solo, make sure you’re armed with a few simple to-dos that you can cross off your list between activities, which will help you manage your time wisely. Popping open your laptop and answering a few emails while your ride is stuck in traffic on the 210 freeway – as you certainly will be at some point in your Los Angeles business travel – is a great way to pass the time and keep your workload from piling up.
But keep it simple
While an itinerary is ideal for both group and solo travel, don’t try to micromanage every minute of the day. This is true for any business trip destination, but especially Los Angeles. If you’re looking to take in some iconic sights or visit a landmark or two, there’s plenty to do in LA – too much, in fact! Los Angeles is just too large and spread out to contend with and explore in the short time allotted by a business trip. Stick to the task at hand, and maybe choose one iconic sight to visit, like taking a guided tour of Hollywood or visiting an observatory.
Don’t be afraid to spread out
There’s a strong chance that LAX will be further away from where you’d like to conduct business for this trip than you’d like – it’s simply the city’s layout. However, once you’ve managed hotel accommodations, you might try to book office spaces, meeting halls, special events, client dinners, and the rest of your itinerary as close in proximity as you’re able to minimize travel.
Unfortunately, it might not be that simple when it comes to booking the locales for your Los Angeles business travel. There are a few things that come with business travel that you might not have thought about.
For instance, if your business clients want to go out for dinner, where should you take them to impress them? Will there be a place that’s within budget near where you’re staying? If they’re local to the area, where is their office? If anyone in your group has disabilities, will the buildings you’re staying in be accommodating? These are factors that may impact your choices of where to stay, eat, and work.
That’s why it’s best to embrace the fact that you might need to spread out a bit, especially if you’re traveling to LA on business in a group. Fly in through LAX, grab dinner at a trendy local spot in Echo Park, work in Downtown LA, stay in Silverlake, and see the sights in Hollywood. Not only will this mean you can meet all of your needs for the trip, but it’ll give you a chance to explore the area a bit as well.
Know how to get around
Los Angeles and its surrounding cities and suburbs are no small space to navigate, and the twisting highways can pose a challenge in terms of getting from point A to point B. Shelling out for a rideshare for every employee will stack up quickly, and while we love the public transportation provided by the Los Angeles Metro, a public bus might not suit the business-minded traveler.
Don’t count on cabs or the Metro. While the Metro is inexpensive, at $1.75 per person per ride, it can be highly inconvenient, especially in downtown LA. If you’re boarding downtown around 5 PM on a weekday, expect a standing-room-only space.
Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare programs will usually be cheaper than cabs when taken one at a time, but those costs will add up. Peak hours will drive the price up further, and you may have difficulty finding a ride late at night. Additionally, it’s not feasible to move a large group into rideshares.
A shuttle service can be the best option for getting around Los Angeles on a business trip. Arrange a ride from the airport to the hotel or convention center, and to and from all of your trip destinations to ensure that your driver is always ready to pick you up at the requested time, and that you or a large professional group will get around Los Angeles in comfort and style.
No matter how you get around, one of the most critical tips we can offer about getting around in LA for business is to leave yourself more time than you think you need for travel. Los Angeles traffic is notoriously bad; expect delays and plan around them.
Book a shuttle service
One of the biggest obstacles in Los Angeles business travel comes from its size and navigability: getting around will always be the biggest roadblock. Sure, you’ll need rides to and from the airport, but what about to and from the convention center or office? What about luxury rides for taking clients out on the town? What about buses and vans for excursions out into the city?
That’s where an experienced shuttle service comes in. Xpress Shuttles’ fleet has the vehicles ready to accommodate your every need. Call us at 866-805-4234 or contact us online to start planning your business trip to Los Angeles today!