Review: Los Angeles on a budget is still a blast

When you think of holidaying in Los Angeles (LA), you probably think it’s one of those places that is out of reach.

Surely a trip taking in the likes of Hollywood and Malibu would cost the earth right?

Wrong. We did LA on a budget, and had one of the best travel experiences of our lives. Here’s how to do it without breaking the bank…

Flights

A quick look online and we were able to find return flights for less than £400 each. Right now, a return flight in February with British Airways could set you back only £381 return. And don’t be thinking that it will be cold out there, because the place is stunning in February with temperatures reaching mid twenties!

Accommodation

We stayed at the HI hostel in Santa Monica. Only recently built in the last few years, the place is immaculate and offers shared rooms or private rooms. It has great facilities and best of all, it is located literally around the corner from Santa Monica beach. In just ten minutes you can be on that pier! A couple of minutes in the other direction will see you on a very cool shopping precinct, with plenty of places to shop and eat. There’s also a multiplex cinema, so if you’re trying not to spend too much, this is a great area to spend time.

If you don’t mind sharing, you’re looking at around only £30 a night. If you do, a private room is around £85 a night – still a bargain!

Things to do in LA on a budget

Where to start, there is so much! You may find your biggest spend is Uber rides, but even these we found to be highly reasonable. Otherwise, it’s the metro and lots of walking.

We found so much to do that didn’t cost though, so here’s our top 5…

Malibu Beach

Malibu is the most beautiful area. We took a taxi ride (about 25 minutes) and got off at the outdoor shopping mall. There are some decent shops, coffee shops and bars (including a Starbucks), a healthy supermarket… plenty to look at, and we spent less than $10 dollars whilst there. Across the road is a lovely nature reserve or walk a bit further and you’ll find yourself on a stunning stretch of beach. You can even see some spectacular homes (including Courtney Cox’s!), which will take your breath away.

Hollywood hills

Use Google to find the ideal spot to start a hike up in the Hollywood Hills. We walked for a good couple of hours, and found the walk a little bit of a challenge, but totally managable. Keep going, and you’ll reach the iconic Hollywood sign which has amazing views all over the city.

Beverley Hills

Another must-visit area is Beverley Hills. Again, we walked for a good few hours around the streets, taking in the breathtaking views and equally magnificent properties. We eventually found ourselves on Rodeo Drive which is just fascinating!

Take in a TV Show

A number of major TV shows film in LA, such as The Late Late Show with James Corden and Jimmy Kimmell Live! We easily managed to get free tickets via 1iota.com and found ourselves sitting just a few metres away from some actual A List super-stars! It’s great fun and is a brilliant way to utilise a few hours.

Venice Beach

Another must-visit area is Venice Beach. This is a fascinating and bustling area, with a huge stretch of beach including the infamous Muscle Beach. You’ll find tonnes of cafes, bars and eateries and we managed to pick up some excellent mexican food for just a few dollars.

Food

We found food and drink to be surprisingly reasonable, with loads of choice on offer. The most we paid was something like £15 which was in The Cheesecake Factory, and was for a burger and soft drink. The portions are COLLOSAL, which we found to be the case everywhere we went, so if you plan your meals well, you will find it to be extremely reasonable.

Warner Bros Studio Tour

For a little over £40 you can take a visit to the Warner Bros Studio tour. This is one of the best places for instagram pics on earth! You’ll get to see genuine bat mobiles, props from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, you can visit the genuine sets of Friends at The I.T. Crowd, take a ride through the streets where so many iconic films and tv shows have been filmed… and so much more. It really is phenomonel and you’ll never forget it.

We cannot recommend Los Angeles enough as a holiday destination. For more details visit https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/