For many travelers from elsewhere, Los Angeles is the “la la land” where all their dreams can come true. For many LA locals, it’s nice to get out and see the rest of the world every so often.
When you’re ready to escape the (admittedly awesome) LA version of reality and enjoy a weekend in a different kind of backdrop, you have plenty of fun and cheap options up and down the West Coast, including a few south of the border. From verdant wine country regions to colorful desert playgrounds and lush tropical beaches, you’re never more than a three-hour flight away from the ultimate weekend getaway, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the perfect weekend trip.
To prove our point, we’ve put together a handy list of cheap weekend getaways from Los Angeles that can also be as affordable as you need them to be. We’ve hand-selected a few places within a reasonably timed drive from Downtown LA, and we have a few places within a three-hour flight from LA area airports for when you want somewhere more exotic (but not too far away).
Weekend Road Trip Ideas from Los Angeles
Santa Barbara
Though it can sometimes be a pain in the you-know-where to take the 101 through the San Fernando Valley, the drive to Santa Barbara is always worth it. Not only is Santa Barbara County Southern California’s premier wine country, but the city itself abounds in picture-perfect beaches, charmingly walkable neighborhoods, and wonderful wineries within easy reach.
If you only have time for one beach, head to Arroyo Burro Beach (also known as Hendry’s Beach) for some of the best surfing, swimming, tidepooling, and all-around coastal scenery this close to downtown. (It’s only about five miles away.) While here, you can always walk over to the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach for an amazing yet affordable brunch (or dinner!) with a view.
For one neighborhood that manages to pack much of the best that Santa Barbara has to offer within a few city blocks, it’s hard to beat the Funk Zone by Stearns Wharf. For wine, you can check out Municipal Winemakers for fascinating local wines like Sparkling Shiraz and Rosie P’s Pale Pink, and you can head to the Conway Family’s Deep Sea Tasting Room on Stearns Wharf for spectacular Santa Barbara wines with incredible ocean views. While you’re here, you can also peruse dozens of cool art galleries and boutiques, and you can stay at cool hotels like the luxe Hotel Californian near State Street, and the more budget-friendly Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort by East Beach.
Palm Springs
During the summer season, Palm Springs gets hot—so hot, in fact, that you might wonder why this is worth a weekend trip from Los Angeles. But during the rest of the year, the weather can be quite pleasant. Whenever you need something cooler, you can always cool down by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway up to the alpine wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park for leisurely mountain hikes and spectacular views of the desert floor below.
If you’re here during the cooler months, another great outdoorsy escape can be found at Joshua Tree National Park. Even as this park has exploded in popularity in recent years, it’s still a great place to escape the maddening crowds and enjoy some quiet time amidst the uniquely shapely trees that gave this park its name. While you’re here, you can try hiking some of the 100+ miles of trails, spot local wildlife like bighorn sheep and desert tortoises, and try some of the park’s world-class rock climbing spots.
Of course, there’s also plenty to do in town. If you can score a reservation at the now world-famous Trixie Motel, you will be blown away by the technicolor paradise that A-List drag superstar Trixie Mattel has developed that somehow looks better in real life than what you’ve seen on TV. Even if Trixie Motel is all booked up for the weekend, the cheap-yet-chic Drift Palm Springs and the somewhat pricier Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs place you close to the center of the action, near the robust collection of chic boutiques and tasty restaurants of Palm Canyon Drive.
San Diego
San Diego may only be roughly 120 miles south of Los Angeles, yet it often feels like a whole new world, which makes this city perfect for cheap weekend getaways from Los Angeles. If you’re wondering where to start your trip, just go downtown. Not only can you eat your heart out in the foodie paradise of Little Italy, but you can also start burning off those calories with a stroll down the Embarcadero to the USS Midway Museum and Seaport Village. You’ll find plenty more museums and the world-famous San Diego Zoo at the nearby Balboa Park, and the fun and funky neighborhoods of Hillcrest and North Park are just on the other side of the park.
When you need some quality beach time, San Diego is the place to go! For soft sand, mellow waves, and all around pleasant vibes, Coronado is a great option near downtown. For a classic, laid-back California hippie-dippie attitude, head to Ocean Beach (or OB) for great surfing at the beach, and an eclectic mix of boutiques, bars, and restaurants along Newport Avenue and Voltaire Street. And for some of San Diego’s most spectacularly beautiful beaches and poshest neighborhoods, go to La Jolla to live your best life.
For a cheap and decent hotel in a convenient location, the Legacy Resort & Spa in Mission Valley (which is directly north of Hillcrest) is hard to beat. When you want something a little nicer in the heart of Downtown San Diego, The Guild Hotel is a wonderful boutique property where you can often score some surprisingly good deals. When you’re ready to splurge (without draining the entire bank account), the Estancia La Jolla gets you close to the wondrous beaches and trails of Torrey Pines.
Ensenada and Valle de Guadalupe
While there’s plenty to see and do in and around San Diego, we can’t ignore the fact that you can enjoy even more cheap trips from Los Angeles when you go south of the border. More specifically, the Valle de Guadalupe has burst onto the global wine scene in recent years and become Mexico’s top wine region.
If you’re up for an adventurous wine tour, head to Vena Cava to try some fantastic eco-friendly wines in a winery that was largely built with recycled materials. (You can also stay longer by booking a room at the on-site La Villa de Valle inn.) Also make sure to visit Bruma for an amazing farm-to-table experience featuring their eco-chic wines and hand-crafted cuisine at the in-house Fauna restaurant, and make an appointment at Tres Mujeres for renaissance woman Ivette Vaillard’s show-stopping wines and gorgeous ceramic art.
Meanwhile in town, Ensenada has plenty more for you to experience. When you need a break from wine, you have to go to Hussong’s, where Don Carlos Orozco allegedly mixed the first margarita in 1941. For the other place that claims to have served the first margarita, head to the Centro Social Cívico Cultural Riviera de Ensenada, which was once the grandest casino in Baja California. Not only is this cultural center and historical monument worth visiting for its magnificent Spanish neoclassical architecture, but the on-site Bar Andaluz continues to make mean (yet cheap!) margaritas.
Take Flight and Enjoy these Cheap Weekend Getaways from Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Yes, you can drive up the 15 Freeway to Las Vegas for the classic cheap weekend getaway experience. But if the thought of navigating through San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire traffic frightens you, multiple airlines regularly offer cheap flights to Las Vegas from multiple SoCal airports. Once you reach Vegas, you will discover that this stretch of the Mojave Desert is the ultimate weekend playground offering all kinds of thrills and delights.
Before we talk about the Strip, let’s get this out of the way: You can have plenty of fun in Vegas without gambling. If your idea of a great escape involves climbing rocks and hiking through wilderness, then you will likely have the time of your life exploring parks like Red Rock Canyon (west of the Strip) and Sloan Canyon (southeast of the Strip). If you’re more of an urban explorer, Downtown Las Vegas abounds in cutting-edge art and culture in the 18b Arts District, as well as a collection of hipper-than-thou craft cocktail bars and speakeasies in Fremont East.
Of course, since this is Vegas, you have plentiful options for accommodations. For a great Strip resort experience, Mandalay Bay may have Vegas’ best pool complex, The Cosmopolitan has many of Vegas’ best restaurants and clubs, and Planet Hollywood is an underrated budget-friendly casino resort. If you prefer something off-Strip, The English Hotel in the Arts District is your best bet for a non-gaming hotel, and the Palms Casino Resort west of the Strip offers a great resort experience without the huge markups you usually find on the Strip.
Portland and the Willamette Valley
When you can use somewhere cooler for your cheap weekend getaway from Los Angeles, Portland certainly fits the bill. Well, Portland occasionally can heat up during the summer months, but you can easily cool off with an astounding selection of local wines and craft beverages in town, as well as an amazing collection of parks and public lands just outside of town. Yes, really, you will find world-class green spaces like Washington Park, Mt. Tabor, and Powell Butte in Portland, and you’re a short-ish drive away from the Columbia River Gorge (to the east) and the beaches of Seaside (to the west).
If you’re a dedicated wineau, you might also want to head south into the Willamette Valley for some of the nation’s most creative and innovative wineries. Some of our favorites include Knudsen Vineyards, Chehalem Wines, Brittan Vineyards, and Alexana Winery (where reservations are required). Meanwhile in the city, Portland Wine Company and Helioterra have plenty of tasty varietals to keep you on your toes.
When you’re ready to turn in for the night, The Atticus in McMinnville is perfectly suited if you want to stay near the wineries in the Willamette Valley. If you prefer staying in the heart of the city, The Hotel Zags is a fashionable yet affordable boutique option downtown, while the Kimpton RiverPlace feels like a posh country lodge that somehow landed in the middle of Portland.
Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit
This may be the longest journey you’ll have to take for a cheap weekend getaway from Los Angeles. But trust and believe, it’s very worthwhile! Puerto Vallarta (or PV, for short) may be a popular Mexican beach town for tourists, expats, and digital nomads, yet it somehow retains its authenticity as a uniquely Mexican town that overflows in historic charm, locally-focused neighborhoods, eye-popping art, and lively cuisine. And for more pristine beaches, high-end resorts, and overall room to roam, the nearby Riviera Nayarit is the way to go.
In PV, make sure to spend some quality time exploring the expansive Malecón (or seaside promenade) that stretches for about a mile along the city’s coastal urban core. If you’re an art lover, you’ll enjoy perusing the many galleries and boutiques of Zona Romantica south of Centro (or downtown). For a nice slice of nature in the city, Isla Cuale offers lovely green spaces and trails alongside boutiques and markets selling local artisan products. For great beaches, Los Muertos at Zona Romantica is decent if you want something in the city, but you may want to drive to Punta de Mita or the Sayulita-San Pancho area for better surfing and scenery.
For a budget-conscious and all-around great boutique hotel in the heart of PV, Hotel Posada de Roger places you in the center of the action in Zona Romantica. When you feel like spending the weekend at a nicer hotel that still goes (relatively) easy on your wallet, Casa Velas and the Westin Puerto Vallarta resorts in Marina Vallarta (north of Centro) are great options. And whenever you want to go into baller mode, the W Punta de Mita has spectacular rooms and suites, a few of which have their own private plunge pools and patios by the beach.
Angelinos Really Do Have Many Great Travel Options
The fact that we have so many cheap and fantastic weekend getaway options is just another perk of living in LA. All you have to do is hit the road to discover marvelous desert wilderness, bucolic and beautiful beaches, and verdant mountain forests. If you’re willing to head to the airport and hop on a plane, you can make your way to Oregon’s finest wine country, Puerto Vallarta’s tropical coastlines, and the dazzlingly bright lights of Las Vegas in record speed. And best of all, you can do it all in ways that work for your schedule and your wallet.
Los Angeles may be the beautifully scenic “Entertainment Capital of the World,” but we understand that you may occasionally feel the urge to get out and explore more of the world beyond the LA basin. Stay tuned here at LA Digs for more exciting travel content, from additional tips for cool trips, to new and fun ideas for relaxing staycations closer to home.
