Best Friday-After-Thanksgiving Sales in Los Angeles

Black Friday the day after Thanksgiving can be a complete hassle with the crowds, traffic, parking, out of stock items, slow service, and general stress. The Santa Monica Mall, which is connected to the outdoor Prominade shopping area is one of the most popluar mall in miles (there are lots of malls in LA). This mall is the stomping grounds for the beach community of Santa Monica. So be ready to encounter your share of surfer boys and teenagers, for the Prominade gathers all sorts of misfits young and old. So how do you attack this pow wow of popular purchasers? First how to get to the mall, unless you leave really early you gonna deal with lots of traffic. I would recommend taking the Big Blue Bus system.

www.BIGBLUEBUS.com. Find any line and it will take you into downtown Santa Monica, and you can't miss the mall in runs right through the middle of it. If the bus is not for you, because it is LA, then beware of the freeways they can be moving fast, but always the exit on the 10 west, which 4th st, is always backed up. So get off earlier at Lincoln BLVD. or even Cloverfield if it starts to really back up. If you are comming from the northern beach communities take PCH, but get off earlier like East Channel or Entrada and take that up to Ocean or 2nd street and continure south into downtown. Finally if you want to take side streets west the best street is Santa Monica Blvd all the way down if traffic starts there are many side streets the run parallel to Santa Monica and will also take you straight into downtown. Now parking is easy you just have to pay. The best thing is to cruise 2nd and 4th streets and try and find meter parking. If that doesn't work there are over 8 parking structure on both those streets that will let you park for around 3.00, probably the smallest amount you'll pay all day. You can save that cost by taking the bus, which is only 75 cents. The Santa Monica Place is open from 10am- 9pm and the Prominade's stores are around the same. Early bird gets the worm. If your the first people you make sure you don't miss out on the best items for the best prices. This mall has everything from Victoria Secret to Brookstones and the outdoor Prominade has 3 movie theatres along with its outstanding selection of stores.

Most stores anticipate black friday and plan accordingly with large stocks and if your lucky items on sale. Victoria's Secret and Urban Outfitter are two stores on the Prominade that I know are having sales so try and go there first if those stores are on you agenda. The mall has pretty much every major store, but if you want to double check you can always go to Santamonicaplace.com for more store info. The top pick for the man's shopping spree is the cigar shop on Broadway just west of the 3rd st. Prominade. It offers a walk in cigar humidor, and a large lounge to relax and puff away on some tasty cigars. Be friendly and they might even show you the Park Avenue cigars. The woman's pick is the whole Prominade, there is everything a girl needs from Sephora to Urban Outfitters and beyond. For a cheap bite to eat the food court in the Santa Monica place is outstanding and most the restraunts will have specials on Black Friday to intice the many shoppers that will filter through there to get outside. The food court is your best bet, for all the restrauants like Jonny Rockets and Barney's will be packed with long lines. Also for the book savy shoppers Barnes and Noble will be having a huge sale. Most things will be around 10% off with things ranging up to 50% off so get there early to find the best deals. Barnes and Noble is located at the very end of the Prominade where you should be able to find street parking very close to the store to save money and time. And don't forget have fune!