If you're planning a visit to Los Angeles, you've probably already noticed that the trip isn't very cheap..
Tickets are expensive, room rates are exorbitant even for the simplest hotels, and almost all blogs recommend renting a car to travel around the region. Adding up all the values, the result is frightening (and in dollars).
My family and I went through the same situation the first few times we went to California. We tried to spend as little time as possible in the central area, and preferred to explore San Diego, where prices are much friendlier.
Since my sister moved to city of stars, however, we had to abandon this strategy. We accepted that we would have to spend our days in LA, and we researched several ways to spend less, both on accommodation and air tickets, as well as on tours and food.
In this post, I'll share with you all the tricks we learned to save money in Los Angeles. There are tips on how to plan the trip, put together an itinerary and suggestions for everyday life to help stretch your dollars to the maximum!
How to save in Los Angeles
Buy tickets with stops in Panama or Colombia
There are already airlines that fly directly between São Paulo and Los Angeles without stops, but the fares tend to be expensive.
The best options for those who want to spend as little as possible on air tickets are to choose those that stop in Colombia or Panama, operated by Avianca and Copa Airlines, respectively. The travel time is longer, but as a result the price is more friendly.
Remember to take the yellow fever vaccine if you choose to connect in these countries, because in case of emergency or delays, you will be able to go through immigration and stay the night in a hotel instead of in the airport lounge.
» You may also like: 8 websites to find cheap airline tickets
Choose between location or car
Accommodation in tourist areas, such as Hollywood or Santa Monica, is usually even more expensive than in other neighborhoods in the city. Staying in these places, however, it is possible to see several tourist attractions on foot or by public transport.
By choosing more remote regions you can get cheaper accommodation, but you lose a lot of travel time and it is more advantageous to rent a car to make the most of it. It is also necessary to include expenses such as parking and parking meters in the budget.
Personally, I prefer to stay in better neighborhoods and get anywhere by bus or subway. It takes longer, but there's nothing like walking 5 minutes and arriving at the beach or the Walk of Fame! I also usually divide the trip into two parts, and stay in Santa Monica for some days and in Hollywood for the others, so I only travel from one to the other once.
If you choose to rent a car, I recommend getting a quote from Rentcars. It works as a price comparison between the best rental companies in the world, and it is possible to pay in up to 12 installments without the IOF fee.
Group travel? Rent an airbnb!
For those traveling with more than two people, another way to save money in Los Angeles is to rent a complete apartment on Airbnb. The suggestion is valid for both tourist neighborhoods and those further away.
In addition to being cheaper than nightly rates in many hotel rooms, most of them also offer a full kitchen, so you can buy food at the supermarket and cook, instead of eating out.. Save money on both accommodation and food!
For two people I don't think it's worth it as the price is usually higher, but in any case it's worth taking a look at the rates before booking your hotel.
If you haven't registered on the site yet, use my link and get a discount on your first booking.
If you have doubts between the types of hosting, the Estrangeira blog has a super complete post about How to choose between hotel and Airbnb.
For my readers, I always recommend purchasing travel insurance! If you go to the United States this is essential, because there Healthcare services are very expensive, and a single trip to the emergency room to pick up a prescription can cost $300 or more!
With travel insurance you are protected against flight delays or cancellations, and even lost luggage! Also, just contact your insurance company in any medium emergency, and they will direct you to the nearest hospital or emergency room. The main companies in Brazil already resolve everything with the location and cover all expenses, and you don't need to pay a penny.
I like to buy with Seguros Promo, a company that compares plans from the main insurance companies in Brazil, and offers unbeatable prices. You can pay your purchase in up to 12 installments, and you can also count on support from professionals prepared to answer all your questions. International insurance starts at 9 reais per day!
Blog readers can still use the code “ALYSSAPRADO5” and get a special discount!
If you're not sure how travel insurance works, or don't know how to choose the right one for you, there's a blog post talking about the subject and telling you about my experience using some of the most popular insurance companies!
Use public transport
The cheapest option for getting around the city is public transport, which takes a while but works really well! I already wrote a post here on the blog with several tips for enjoying Los Angeles without a car., even showing how to get to tourist attractions from the main neighborhoods.
The best thing to do in this situation is to buy the TAP Card, a card that works for both the subway and the bus in Los Angeles and the Big Blue Bus in Santa Monica. With it, you can buy unlimited passes for a period of time, and you can even travel for two and a half hours in a single direction, without having to pay for multiple tickets.
To find out how to get to your destination, I recommend using the Google Maps app., which tells you the journey time, how many stops, which line, number of buses, where to get off, etc.
» You may also like: How to use Google Maps when traveling
Buy food in supermarkets and eat in cheap places
If you are staying at a hotel with a full kitchen, I suggest making lunch or dinner to save money. Los Angeles markets don't have such absurd prices, and it's still possible to get a loyalty card to take advantage of promotions. We did this at Ralph's and saved a lot of money!
Another possibility is to eat out in inexpensive restaurants or even in food trucks, abundant throughout the city. If you are a fan of fast food, you can't miss trying the famous In-n-out, with the most delicious hamburgers I've ever tried in establishments of this type. The snack options seem few, but there is one secret menu Too big to be explored!
Take free tours
The easiest part of saving money in Los Angeles is on tours, as most tourist attractions have free entry! On my last trip I even made a post with my ten favorites.
The most famous are:
- Hall of Fame
- Santa monica pier
- Third Street Promenade
- Beverly Hills
- Griffith Observatory
- Venice Beach and boardwalk
- Venice Canals
- Getty Center and Villa
Other cool and free programs are the walk between Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach; Grand Central Market and Grand Park in Downtown; Koreatown and Little Tokyo.
If you want to take paid tours, I recommend purchasing tickets in advance and in reais if possible. At WePlann you will find tours and tickets in R$, without IOF, and you can pay in 6 interest-free installments or up to 12 installments!
Use the 1iota website to watch shows
Many television programs are recorded in Los Angeles, as it is where the studios of Warner, FOX and other broadcasters are located. For those who need an audience at the venue, it is possible to get free tickets through 1iota website. Check the calendar and sign up for all the events you are interested in through the platform. The winners are chosen through a draw.
You can also get tickets for shows, festivals and awards! My sister has watched recordings of The Voice, World of Dance and others.
Summary of how to save in Los Angeles:
- Choose flights with a stopover in Panama or Colombia;
- Choose between hotels with good location ou rent a car;
- Use the airbnb to pay cheaper for accommodation;
- Buy food at the supermarket or eat at chain restaurants;
- Take advantage of the free tours, most tourist attractions have free entry!
And these are my tips for saving money in Los Angeles! With careful planning, this trip could be cheaper than expected!
Do you know any other tricks to spend less in the city? Tell me comments!! 🙂
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