Help me make a sensible college visit itinerary

Question

My daughter and I are making a trip to visit some colleges this spring. We will fly into Ontario airport Sunday night and have about a week. We will rent a car. We can fly home Saturday or Sunday and have direct flights to Nashville from LAX, Ontario, Burbank, or LGB. We want to visit 3 Claremont colleges, University of Redlands, Chapman, USC, and Occidental. We prefer to stay in smaller boutique hotels with easy parking (valet or easy parking lot not a big garage) but would consider a bigger hotel if location or character made it worth it. Budget is not a huge factor. I feel good about the first few days and Claremont colleges part of the itinerary but I’m not sure if the rest of the itinerary makes sense. I am used to driving in downtown Nashville and interstates on a daily basis but I know traffic in LA will be more challenging. I’d love any thoughts on our itinerary and if the hotels and order etc make sense. Had also considered staying in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills for the last few days of our trip because we enjoy staying places with access to good food, interesting small boutiques/bookstores/art galleries but I think those areas might not be central enough.

Here’s our tentative itinerary:

Sun: Fly into Ontario airport, spend night Casa 425

Mon: visit Pomona am, University of Redlands pm Casa 425

Tues: visit Pitzer am, Scripps pm. Casa425

Wed: Chapman am, USC pm. Langham Pasadena?

Thurs: Occidental am visit, afternoon visit Museum of Motion Pictures. Hotel Tangerine

Friday: Warner Bro Studio tour. Hotel Tangerine

Sat: Fly home from Burbank.

Answer

Your tentative itinerary for visiting the Southern California colleges is well thought out, but a few adjustments can make the trip smoother and reduce unnecessary driving in heavy traffic. LA traffic can be unpredictable, especially around USC, downtown, and the west side, so timing your visits and hotel locations carefully is key.

Here’s a detailed review and suggestions for each day:

Sunday: Flying into Ontario and staying at Casa 425 in Claremont is perfect. Easy access to the Claremont Colleges and parking is convenient. No changes needed.
Monday: Pomona in the morning and University of Redlands in the afternoon is reasonable. Redlands is about 25–30 minutes from Claremont. Casa 425 is still a good base. Ensure you leave Pomona early to avoid rush hour traffic east of LA.
Tuesday: Pitzer in the morning and Scripps in the afternoon is ideal. Both are within walking distance of Casa 425. This day will be light on driving and easy to manage.
Wednesday: Chapman University in the morning (Orange) and USC in the afternoon (Los Angeles) is doable, but be prepared for a longer drive (~50–60 minutes without traffic, potentially much longer). Consider leaving early and possibly scheduling USC for later in the day to avoid peak morning traffic into downtown LA. Staying at a hotel closer to USC or mid-city rather than Pasadena might save driving time.
Thursday: Occidental in the morning (Eagle Rock area) and the Museum of Motion Pictures (Hollywood) in the afternoon works well geographically. Staying near Hollywood or mid-city (Hotel Tangerine is in Mid-City, convenient for Hollywood) is sensible for easier access.
Friday: Warner Bros Studio tour is best booked early. Hotel Tangerine is again a good location since it’s close to Burbank (20–25 min drive), making your Saturday flight departure manageable.
Saturday: Fly home from Burbank. Staying in Mid-City/near Burbank on Friday night minimizes morning stress and traffic issues.

Hotel suggestions for convenience and boutique style:

Claremont: Casa 425 is excellent.
Chapman/USC day: You could consider a boutique hotel in Pasadena (The Langham is high-end but further from USC) or mid-city LA (Hotel Normandie, Hotel Angeleno) for a better balance of location and style.
Occidental/Warner Bros day: Hotel Tangerine or similar mid-city boutique hotels are ideal for proximity to Hollywood and Burbank.

Additional tips:

Always check traffic on Google Maps or Waze before heading out; allow 30–60 extra minutes for LA traffic during peak hours.
If possible, book campus tours for early morning to avoid midday traffic and heat.
Consider keeping lunch and short coffee breaks flexible, as LA traffic can make rigid schedules difficult.
Santa Monica or Beverly Hills are lovely areas, but they add extra driving time. Mid-City or Hollywood hotels reduce driving stress while still offering good food, shopping, and culture.

Overall, your plan is doable, but the key is minimizing back-and-forth traffic. Using Claremont as a base for the first three days and Mid-City LA for the last three days balances convenience, boutique hotel preferences, and access to your targeted colleges.

Help me make a sensible college visit itinerary

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