if you want chinese food, go to the new chinatown in the san gabriel valley, Alhambra/Monterey Park/San Gabriel all have better facilities and more choices than Chinatown.

there is a REI in Arcadia, or one little south of LAX. they are all within driving distance of LA conventional center, but if you can't avoid rush hour, you won't have any time left to browse by the time you get there.