10 Years ago when I lived in LA I went to the Parade. Many people camp out on the sidewalks to secure a good seat. There are bleachers for those that have paid seats. Regarding transportation, traffic will be bad, parking worse. If you're going to park yourself expect to pay $20+ for a spot or walk a long long way. $300 is a bit steep for transportation... If the hotel isn't too far away I would just arrange a cab.