LA is worth a couple day tour. There is a lot to see and do. The LA area is huge . . . huge on a scale that many are not used to. The best thing to do is develop a plan of what you want to see and stay somewhere near the beach.
San Diego is nice too, but don't look at is as an alternative to LA to getting the same experience. If you want to see LA, do some reading. You can't just drive into LA and know what the big things are to see. Just make sure to account for traffic in your traveling around LA which means it is a good idea time the places you want to see so they are close together.
LA is not the kind of place you go to for a relaxing vacation. It is the kind of place you visit to see things. If you want to relax after visiting LA, then I recommend staying in a less crowded city or town along US Highway 1 somewhere between LA and San Francisco (there are a few of them).
I give this thread a 9.7.
Thank god for the disable signatures option.
