Discover the best tips on how to plan a trip to California on a budget and enjoy the best of this US state.
1. Avoid the high season months in California
July and August, as well as December and January, are the most expensive months to travel because of the high demand. Therefore, a good way to save money on your trip is to avoid these months in order to get cheaper airline tickets and hotels.
Also pay attention to the American Spring Break weeks (it usually falls in March, but varies every year) and the Easter holiday in April, which can attract more tourists.
2. Have a safe trip with International Travel Insurance in California
To ensure the safety of you and your family in California, you need to take out travel insurance. It protects you and offers assistance in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, taking out quality insurance at the best price is essential for your family’s well-being.
Using this insurance comparison tool, you’ll be able to see the best options on the market. A tip: if you feel lost between insurances, our top recommendations are SulAmerica, Travel Ace, Assist Card, GTA, Green Card, Affinity and My Travel Assist, as they are extremely reliable.
3. Save a lot on shopping in California
If you like to take advantage of your trip to renew your closet, California is the place for you. There, you can find good, cheap clothes very easily. For this, a great tip is to visit the magnificent outlets scattered throughout the state. They have cheaper clothes than the malls and high street stores in the city.
A good tip is that most of the outlets in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco have discount coupons for the main stores on their website, which can be up to 40% off. Just print them out or take them with you on your cell phone and present them at the checkout.
Secondly, if you want to save even more, there are the famous department stores, such as Marshalls, Ross and T.J. Maxx. These are large stores that sell famous brands for a small price. However, they sell out of stock and only offer items that have already been discontinued.
4. Save money by using your cell phone with Internet during your trip to California
A great way on how to plan a trip to California on a budget is to buy an American prepaid SIM card. Many hotels in California charge a daily fee to use the Wi-Fi, which is expensive and limits you to using the Internet only within the hotel. Roaming Internet services don’t usually provide a good connection abroad, and they are also expensive.
For this reason, and many others, what most people do to travel cheaply to California, and which is very worthwhile, is to buy an American prepaid SIM card. We always use this Mobile Chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s internet anywhere in the world.
5. Save on car rental in California
Another tip on how to plan a trip to California on a budget is to rent a car. Many tourists already do this to make the most of California’s sights and stores without having to take the bus and risk getting lost.
Plus, renting a car makes it possible to travel between all the neighboring cities, exploring Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, etc. And to find the best car rental, we know a great car rental comparison service that will provide you with the best options. So take a look at the tips below and make the most of it.
Book your car in advance
Make your reservation online as soon as possible, because another tip on how to plan a trip to California on a budget, and get a cheap car, is to book as far in advance as possible and online. The earlier you book, the cheaper you’ll pay. It’s well worth it and you’ll save a lot with promotions, paying much less than renting a car on the spot.
Don’t rent a GPS in California
Another good tip is not to rent a car with a GPS, as it costs a lot per day. Instead, you can buy a good American chip, like the one we listed above, unblocked for international calls and with unlimited Internet. That way, you’ll be able to use the map and location apps with your own cell phone.
Use this incredible price comparator
There are some car rental price comparators in California (and throughout the United States) that are sensational and search all the main car rental companies there, finding the best prices and excellent deals.
We recommend one that you can use by going to the website and entering the date of your trip. It then searches for all the best car rental companies in California.
If you want to do the search, click here on Car Rental Comparator. In just a few seconds, you’ll have all the options for renting a car in California from the best companies on your screen, and you can choose the cheapest one. You really will save a lot.
More tips: prefer larger and reliable rental companies, such as Alamo, Hertz, Dollar, Budget and Avis. Take out basic insurance when booking, which is super important and is usually included in the price. But don’t fall for the companies who, when you pick up the car, try to push extra insurance that isn’t worth it.
6. Save money on California’s beaches
On California’s beaches, you can spend an incredible day for next to nothing. The stalls that sell water, food and drinks on the beach are usually expensive, so our tip is to go to Target or Walmart before your trip and buy snacks, cookies, juice and soda to take with you.
In addition, to rent an umbrella and a beach chair, they charge around 50 dollars. It’s also worth buying an umbrella and a large beach towel at Target to use every day. This will cost you less than 40 dollars, which is cheaper than renting for a single day. And you can use it for the whole trip.
7. Save on tickets to paid attractions in California
There are many free tours in California that are excellent, but there are also some paid tours – such as museums, amusement parks etc. The good news is that you can buy tickets for all of California’s attractions much more cheaply.
The best way is to buy your tickets online, always BEFORE you travel. Tickets are always cheaper than at the box office and you can travel with them safely without running the risk of them being sold out. The cheapest place we’ve found so far is this website.
It’s the world’s biggest website for tickets and tours. It has all the amusement park tickets, tours, excursions and even transfers. It’s the cheapest and most reliable place we’ve found so far.
8. Save on NBA and NFL games in California
You may already know that Americans love to watch NFL or NBA games. And there’s a reason for that: the games have a unique atmosphere and energy. If you can, it’s worth seeing a game between the Los Angeles teams (Lakers and Clippers) or the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
The best way to buy your tickets for sports matches is online, always BEFORE you travel. The price of tickets varies a lot depending on where you’re going to sit, but even so, if you buy in advance, the price ends up being a lot less.
9. Find the cheapest hotels in California
In order to travel cheaply to California, good accommodation costs are a must. So:
- Look for alternative areas. There are many cheap hotels that are further away from the tourist area, but which are located in very beautiful regions. Since you’ll need a car in California, it’s no problem to stay a few minutes away from the tourist attractions.
- San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, for example, also have great hostels, which are cheaper, for those who are willing to stay in a place with less comfort and are more suitable for young people.
Use the hotel search engine: to find good hotels at incredible prices in the area you want and save a lot on accommodation, use this hotel search engine in California. We always use it, as it’s the largest hotel booking site in the world, so it has unbeatable prices due to its strong negotiation. And there you can check out the opinions of tourists who have already stayed in the hotels, which helps a lot when evaluating each one.
Free cancellation: this search engine has a very strong partnership with the establishments and they offer free cancellation with almost all the hotels. This is wonderful, because the factor that will save you the most on accommodation is advance notice.
The earlier you book, the cheaper you’ll pay. So, you can book your hotel now to guarantee the lowest price, and if you later find a better one or don’t want to stay there, just cancel.
10. Save money by using transfers in California
Using a transfer service is an option for those who want to get from the airport to their hotel without the risk of being scammed – and another tip on how to travel cheaply to California. Unfortunately, it’s very common for drivers at the airport exit to charge more to tourists who aren’t used to the local prices.
That’s why it’s best to buy a transfer in advance. You get security as well as great savings. You can find the best transfer deals on this transfer comparator. When you hire the service, the driver will meet you at the airport with a sign with your name on it and take you to your hotel.
