Hey John,

I wanted to let you know that Blair's suggestions of seeing Hollywood and China Town are great. I would definitely skip Disney - it's just too expensive and crowded. My favorites are the beach towns. You can just hang out and walk around without really doing anything expensive at all. There are street performers and stuff around little beach markets. They are fun to hang out if you've got free time and you just want to chill out away from touristy stuff. I haven't been to Universal, but December is a good time to go because it is not tourist season. Be prepared for the weather though. During the winter, it can turn really rainy and cloudy one minute and be hot the next, so just do layers and you will be fine. Skip the winter coat though because they are just too heavy. I hope you have fun on your trip! Where exactly are you staying?

Meredith