Citadel Outlets Los Angeles Review: Shopping, Stores, Food & Shuttle Tips

During our Los Angeles trip, we visited Citadel Outlets

hoping to find good deals on outlet shopping and Dodgers merchandise.

A free shuttle bus to Citadel Outlets was available from a bus stop about a three-minute walk from our hotel,

Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE,

so we thought getting there would be easy.

We had no idea that it would turn into such an eventful day!

Here is our firsthand experience traveling as a group of three,

with travelers in their 60s, 70s, and 30s.

Getting from Courtyard L.A. LIVE to Citadel Outlets by Free Shuttle

A free shuttle bus operates to Citadel Outlets from several major hotels in Downtown Los Angeles.

Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE was one of the hotels on the route during our visit.

Before leaving,

we were excited because we thought,

“It’s free and easy!”

Unfortunately,

we waited at the wrong bus stop for an entire hour.

It was also a holiday schedule,

and buses were running only about once per hour.

Coming from Japan,

we were used to expecting buses to arrive according to the published timetable.

But in this case,

we later realized that we had been waiting in the wrong place.

We also learned that some buses in the United States may leave before the scheduled departure time once passengers have boarded.

So it is safer to arrive at the bus stop early.

An Uncomfortable Experience While Waiting for the Bus

While we were waiting,

someone approached us while shouting loudly,

which made us feel quite uncomfortable.

We could not understand what the person was saying,

so we avoided engaging and quietly moved farther away.

The person eventually left.

In parts of Downtown Los Angeles,

you may occasionally encounter people behaving unpredictably.

Based on our experience,

we felt it was best to avoid confrontation, stay aware of our surroundings, and calmly create some distance.

We also felt more comfortable traveling together rather than alone.

About 20 Minutes by Shuttle — But We Arrived One Hour Late

We finally boarded the bus about one hour later than planned.

The actual ride took only about 20 minutes.

Our driver was friendly and cheerful,

and even told us about some of the brands worth checking out at the outlet.

We finally arrived at Citadel Outlets safely.

Although we had already lost quite a bit of time,

we decided to forget about the transportation trouble

and enjoy our shopping day.

Dodgers Clubhouse: Great Selection, But Not Necessarily Outlet Prices

The first store we visited was Dodgers Clubhouse.

For Dodgers fans,

this is a fun place to browse official merchandise.

There was an impressive selection of hats

in many different colors and designs.

We even found cute floral designs.

There was also a good selection of T-shirts and jerseys.

Seeing rows of shirts featuring players' names and numbers

really made us feel,

“We're finally in Los Angeles!”

We also found shirts with fun illustrated designs.

Some of them looked easy to wear casually even after returning home.

However,

our impression was that prices were similar to other Dodgers merchandise stores we visited, including those in Little Tokyo.

So do not expect everything here to be dramatically cheaper simply because the store is located at an outlet mall.

There were fewer drink bottles and hair accessories,

and we did not see any plush toys during our visit.

Some jerseys were less expensive than similar items at Dodger Stadium,

but we felt that the fabric and construction of the stadium merchandise were better.

So cheaper does not necessarily mean better.

If quality is your priority,

you may prefer purchasing a jersey at Dodger Stadium.

Inventory also varies between stores,

so Dodgers fans may want to visit several different shops during their Los Angeles trip.

Coach: A Large Store with Some Significant Discounts

The Coach store was very large

and offered a wide variety of products.

Because the Japanese yen was weak during our trip,

we initially wondered whether shopping in the United States would really be much cheaper.

But after returning to Japan and comparing prices,

we were surprised.

One bag we saw at Citadel Outlets was priced at $199, approximately ¥30,000 at the time.

A similar bag was selling in Japan for around ¥60,000.

That was a difference of around ¥30,000.

For travelers coming from Japan,

it may be worth checking Japanese retail prices before visiting the outlet

so you can quickly recognize a good deal.

Kate Spade: Some Bags Were Much Cheaper Than in Japan

We also found some very good deals at Kate Spade.

The store was quiet when we first arrived,

but by the time we finished shopping,

there was a line outside and entry was being controlled.

Some products were discounted even further from their outlet prices.

We bought a bag for approximately ¥20,000

that was selling for around ¥38,000 in Japan.

We loved the design,

and even with the unfavorable exchange rate,

the price difference still felt worthwhile.

If you like Kate Spade,

this store is definitely worth checking during your visit.

Skechers: A Huge Selection of Designs

We often wear Skechers while traveling because they are comfortable for walking.

The selection at Citadel Outlets was extremely large.

We saw many designs that we had not seen for sale in Japan.

For Japanese Skechers fans,

this store is definitely worth browsing.

Many pairs were priced around ¥10,000 at the exchange rate during our trip,

making them relatively affordable compared with some of the other brands we visited.

Other Popular Stores at Citadel Outlets

Citadel Outlets is a large shopping center with approximately 110–130 stores,

so there are many other brands to explore beyond the ones featured in this article.

If you have enough time,

you may also want to browse some of these stores.

Lunch at Citadel Outlets: We Tried Three Places

During our shopping break,

we tried pizza, a sandwich, and frozen yogurt.

Pieology Pizzeria: Custom Pizza at a Good Price

Our first stop in the food court was Pieology Pizzeria.

This restaurant lets you choose your own toppings,

and the pizza is baked fresh for you.

The store's slogan,

“DISCOVER THE POSSIBILITIES,”

felt appropriate because there were so many topping combinations to choose from.

Our freshly baked pizza was hot,

cheesy,

and delicious.

We ordered 7 Mini Pies for $14.

The portion felt like enough for about two people,

and sharing it among three of us worked well.

For a quick food-court lunch,

we thought it offered good value.

Charleys: A Filling Cheesesteak Meal

Charleys is an American chain known for Philly cheesesteaks.

Our sandwich,

served with fries and a drink,

cost approximately $16.

It was very filling.

One surprisingly useful item at the food court

was the collapsible silicone cup we had brought from Japan.

It was convenient when the three of us wanted to share a drink.

Because it folds down small,

it is easy to carry in a travel bag.

This is the cup we brought.

It could also be attached to a bag,

which made it convenient for travel.

See the collapsible silicone cup we used

Similar products are also available from other retailers.

Tutti Frutti: Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt

After lunch,

we stopped at Tutti Frutti for frozen yogurt.

The frozen yogurt is sold by weight,

so you can choose your favorite flavors

and customize it with as many toppings as you like.

There were plenty of fruit toppings,

including watermelon, mango, kiwi and strawberries,

as well as popping boba.

There were so many choices that it was difficult to decide!

The refreshing frozen yogurt was perfect after walking around the outlet mall.

A child next to us piled on so many toppings

that the final price became surprisingly high 😂

Mine cost $8.36.

That is one of the dangers of paying by weight!

I enjoyed it so much that I wished we had more places like this in Japan.

More Shuttle Trouble on the Way Back: Two Hours Lost in Total

After finishing our shopping,

we headed to the bus stop to return to our hotel.

Unfortunately,

the shuttle did not arrive when we expected it to.

Even after the estimated arrival time shown on Google Maps had passed, there was still no bus.

We asked a staff member at the outlet,

but we had difficulty understanding the fast English explanation,

so we did not get a clear answer.

We eventually waited for about one hour

at the same stop where we had arrived earlier.

Then,

to our surprise,

the bus stopped at the bus stop where we had originally waited in the morning.

That left us even more confused.

“Was the first stop correct after all?”

“Why didn't the bus stop there this morning?”

We never really found out.

In the end,

we lost another hour on the return trip,

meaning we had lost about two hours in total because of the shuttle.

It was exhausting.

Based on our experience that day, neither the Google Maps arrival times nor the timetable felt completely reliable.

After what happened,

we certainly understood why we had seen reports suggesting that the route could experience frequent delays.

Using Uber or a rental car would probably have saved us from this particular problem.

We chose the free shuttle to save money,

but instead we lost something equally valuable: time.

Tips for Using the Free Shuttle to Citadel Outlets

We do not want other travelers to make the same mistakes,

so here are the lessons we learned.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Citadel Outlets

Despite losing about two hours because of the shuttle,

we had a very enjoyable day once we arrived at Citadel Outlets.

Here is a quick summary of our experience.

If you are visiting with travelers in their 60s or 70s,

we strongly recommend planning your transportation carefully.

The free shuttle can save money,

but dealing with delays and uncertainty can become physically and mentally tiring.

If you want to make the most of your limited sightseeing time,

Uber or a rental car may be a more predictable option.

Even so,

we felt Citadel Outlets was well worth including in a Los Angeles itinerary.

For travelers from Japan,

especially those shopping for brands such as Coach or Kate Spade,

it is worth checking Japanese prices beforehand

so you can compare them while shopping.

You may find a surprisingly good deal.

If you are still deciding where to stay in Los Angeles,

you can also read our review of Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE.