You don’t need a huge travel budget to escape Los Angeles for a few days. Southern California is surrounded by beaches, deserts, mountains, forests, and charming towns that make excellent road-trip destinations—and many of the best things to do cost little or nothing.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing coastal drive, a desert adventure, a mountain getaway, or a charming California town, there are plenty of affordable road trips from Los Angeles that can be done without spending a fortune.
The key is to keep your biggest expenses under control. Gas, accommodation, and restaurant meals can quickly turn an inexpensive road trip into an expensive weekend, but traveling during the off-season, bringing your own food, camping when practical, and focusing on free outdoor activities can make a significant difference.
Here are four of the best cheap road trips from Los Angeles, along with practical ways to keep the costs down.
Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway
If you’re looking for an inexpensive road trip from LA that doesn’t require a long drive, Malibu is one of the easiest options.
The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway offers spectacular ocean scenery, beaches, coastal cliffs, and plenty of opportunities to stop and explore. You can turn it into a full-day road trip or simply spend a few hours getting out of the city.
Malibu is particularly well suited to budget travelers because many of the best experiences involve simply being outdoors.
Things to Do in Malibu on a Budget
You don’t need to book an expensive tour or stay at a beachfront hotel to enjoy Malibu.
Pack a picnic and spend some time at the beach, explore one of the area’s hiking trails, or simply drive along the coast and stop at scenic viewpoints.
Solstice Canyon is a particularly good option for combining hiking with a little history. The trail passes through a scenic canyon and leads to the remains of the historic Roberts House.
Malibu Creek State Park is another option for travelers who want to spend time outdoors without spending money on expensive attractions.
And, of course, one of the simplest activities is watching the sunset over the Pacific. A spectacular Southern California sunset doesn’t cost anything.
How to Keep a Malibu Road Trip Cheap
The biggest advantage of Malibu is that you can avoid accommodation altogether by making it a day trip.
Bring food and drinks from home rather than buying meals along the coast, and check parking information before arriving. Parking availability and fees vary by location, so don’t assume every beach has free parking.
If you want to extend the trip, consider staying farther inland rather than paying premium prices for accommodation directly on the coast.
Joshua Tree National Park
For a completely different landscape, head east from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park.
Distance: Approximately 130 miles from Los Angeles
Drive time: About 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on traffic and your starting point
Best for: Desert scenery, hiking, rock formations, stargazing, camping
Joshua Tree National Park is one of the best budget-friendly destinations in Southern California for travelers who enjoy the outdoors.
The park is famous for its unusual Joshua trees, enormous granite formations, desert landscapes, hiking trails, and exceptionally dark night skies.
Once you’ve paid the park entrance fee, many of the activities that make the destination worthwhile are essentially free. You can spend the day hiking, exploring viewpoints, photographing the landscape, and searching for interesting rock formations without paying for additional attractions.
Camping in Joshua Tree
Camping can make a Joshua Tree road trip considerably more affordable than staying in a hotel.
The park has several developed campgrounds, although availability, fees, and reservation requirements vary by campground and season. Check current information with the National Park Service before your trip.
If you’re considering dispersed camping outside the national park, make sure you’re using legal camping areas and understand the applicable land-management rules.
Another easy way to save money is to buy groceries before entering the park. Food and water options become much more limited once you’re deep into the desert.
Budget Activities in Joshua Tree
Some of the best things to do in Joshua Tree cost nothing beyond your park admission.
Go for a hike, explore the park’s scenic drives, photograph the rock formations, watch the sunset, or stay after dark for some of the best stargazing in Southern California.
Just remember that the desert can be unforgiving. Carry plenty of water and don’t underestimate temperatures, even on relatively short hikes.
Santa Barbara via Highway 101
If you’d rather head north toward the coast, Santa Barbara makes an excellent affordable weekend road trip from Los Angeles.
Distance: Approximately 95 miles from LA
Drive time: Around 1.5 to 2 hours without heavy traffic
Best for: Beaches, history, hiking, coastal scenery, food
Santa Barbara combines beautiful beaches with Spanish-style architecture, historic sites, and access to the Santa Ynez Mountains.
The city is often associated with upscale hotels and expensive restaurants, but you don’t have to spend heavily to enjoy it.
Free and Cheap Things to Do in Santa Barbara
One of the easiest ways to save money is to spend your time outdoors.
Walk along the waterfront, relax at the beach, explore downtown, or head into the surrounding mountains for a hike.
The Santa Barbara Mission is another major attraction and an important part of the area’s history. Check current admission information before visiting, as fees and access can change.
For food, look beyond the most expensive restaurants in the tourist-heavy areas. Grocery stores, casual restaurants, food trucks, and picnic lunches can dramatically reduce the cost of a weekend away.
Saving Money on a Santa Barbara Trip
Accommodation is likely to be your biggest expense.
If you’re staying overnight, compare prices across different parts of the Santa Barbara area rather than automatically booking a hotel in the center of town. Traveling during weekdays or outside the busiest periods can also make a substantial difference.
Alternatively, make Santa Barbara a day trip from Los Angeles and eliminate the hotel cost completely.
The drive itself is part of the experience, particularly if you take your time and enjoy the coastal scenery along the way.
Big Bear Lake
For a mountain getaway, head northeast from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake.
Distance: Approximately 100 miles from Los Angeles
Drive time: Roughly 2 to 3 hours, depending heavily on traffic and road conditions
Best for: Hiking, mountains, camping, fishing, lake scenery
Big Bear offers a completely different environment from Los Angeles and the Southern California coast.
At higher elevation in the San Bernardino Mountains, the landscape changes dramatically. Pine forests surround the lake, mountain trails provide plenty of opportunities for hiking, and the area offers outdoor activities throughout the year.
Affordable Things to Do in Big Bear
You don’t need to spend money on expensive attractions to enjoy Big Bear.
Hiking is one of the easiest budget activities. There are numerous trails in and around the mountains, offering everything from relatively easy walks to more demanding hikes.
Walking around the lake, enjoying the scenery, having a picnic, and exploring the town are other inexpensive ways to spend the day.
Camping can also significantly reduce accommodation costs if you’re properly equipped and campsites are available.
If you’re visiting specifically for the lake, remember that activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, and boat rentals will add to your budget. Bringing your own equipment, where practical and permitted, can keep costs lower.
Visit Big Bear During the Off-Season
Big Bear’s prices can vary significantly depending on the season.
Winter brings visitors looking for snow and skiing, while summer attracts people escaping the heat of the city. If you’re primarily interested in hiking and scenery rather than skiing or peak summer activities, consider traveling during a quieter period.
Weekday trips can also be considerably easier on both your wallet and your patience.
How to Save Money on a California Road Trip
Choosing an affordable destination is only part of keeping a road trip cheap. The biggest savings often come from how you plan the trip.
Pack Your Own Food
Restaurant meals can become one of the largest expenses on a road trip, especially in tourist destinations.
Bring a cooler with drinks, snacks, sandwiches, fruit, and other easy-to-pack foods. You can still enjoy a meal at a local restaurant if you want to, but you won’t have to eat out for every meal.
Camp When It Makes Sense
Camping can be substantially cheaper than hotels, particularly for destinations such as Joshua Tree and Big Bear.
Just remember to account for campsite fees, reservations, fire restrictions, and the equipment you’ll need.
Travel During the Week
Friday and Saturday nights are often the most expensive times to stay in popular destinations.
If your schedule allows, consider leaving Los Angeles during the week. You’ll often encounter fewer crowds as well as better accommodation prices.
Travel During Shoulder Season
You don’t always need to visit a destination during its busiest season.
Spring and fall can offer excellent conditions in many parts of Southern California while avoiding some of the highest demand periods.
Before booking, however, check seasonal weather, road conditions, park closures, and operating schedules.
Watch Your Gas Budget
Gas is one expense you can’t avoid on a road trip, but you can avoid paying more than necessary.
Fill up before entering remote areas where fuel prices may be higher, and compare prices using a fuel-price app such as GasBuddy.
Don’t make a special detour just to save a few cents per gallon, though. The extra driving can erase the savings.
Focus on Free Outdoor Activities
This is where Southern California really works in favor of budget travelers.
Beaches, hiking trails, scenic drives, viewpoints, parks, and sunset spots can provide hours of entertainment without requiring an expensive ticket.
The landscape itself is often the attraction.
Which Cheap Road Trip From LA Is Right for You?
The best destination depends on what kind of getaway you’re looking for.
If you want the shortest escape, Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway are hard to beat. You can enjoy beaches, hiking, and spectacular coastal scenery without even needing to book a hotel.
For a classic desert adventure, Joshua Tree National Park offers hiking, rock formations, Joshua trees, and incredible stargazing.
If you want a combination of beaches, history, food, and a charming California town, Santa Barbara is an excellent choice.
And if you’re looking for mountains and cooler temperatures, Big Bear Lake provides an easy escape from the Los Angeles basin.
You Don’t Need a Big Budget to Explore Southern California
One of the best things about road-tripping from Los Angeles is that you don’t have to travel far to experience a completely different landscape.
Within a few hours, you can go from the Pacific Ocean to the desert, from the city to the mountains, or from Southern California’s urban sprawl to a historic coastal town.
The trick is to spend your money where it actually improves the trip. Save on accommodation when possible, bring your own food, choose free outdoor activities, and travel during less expensive periods.
A little planning can turn an expensive weekend getaway into a genuinely affordable road trip from Los Angeles—and sometimes the cheapest trips end up being the most memorable.
