Orange County California is located 30 miles south of Los Angeles. With luxury homes, cars, and snooty rich people, you may think visiting Orange County California is not within your budget. I am here to tell you that that is simply not the case. Here is your cheap Orange County weekend guide. Let the dirty California hippie in you free!
In this post
- Getting to Orange County, CA
- Cheap Orange County accommodations
- Budget savvy OC transportation tips
- Fun + Free or Cheap Orange County Activities
- Overview + Price Breakdown of my Weekend in Orange County
Getting to Orange County, CA
Airports in and around Orange County
John Wayne Airport– Santa Ana, OC
Los Angeles International Airport
Greyhound Bus
Train:
Cheap Orange County Accommodations + Stays
- When choosing accommodations: make sure the main attractions you want to see are within biking or walking distance. Otherwise, you may end up spending more money on transportation, defeating the purpose of your cheap stay.
- Avoid renting a car. Unless you really want to go far and wide, don’t do it. It will add an additional daily fee to your trip, plus gas prices in Cali are no joke!
- Orange County is spread out, but definitely walkable. There are even sidewalks out of John Wayne Airport, so you can walk a bit before hiring a ride.
- VW Van on the Beach– For $59-$80 a night, what’s not to love? The VW vans sit just steps away from Newport Beach. It’s super cozy and is close to PCH, with easy access to public transportation. My partner and I loved our stay in this van, it was pretty spacious, comfy, and in an extremely safe neighborhood. Better yet, the van is not for driving, so no need to worry about insurance, extra fees, and the like. Only $250 for a three-night stay.
2. Private Room w/ Private Entrance– Near the beautiful Balboa Pier for about $52 per night.
3. List of Cheap Orange County Stays + Activities on Airbnb.
Alternative Cheap Orange County Accommodations
Check out Campervan or RV Rentals, Couchsurf, or hostels in LA.
Final Option: Hotel, but you better make damn sure they are feeding you for breakfast! And maybe offer an airport shuttle:).
Cheap Orange County Transportation Options + Travel Hacks
As mentioned above, the budget traveler in my urges you NOT to rent a car. There are plenty of cheap transportation options in and around Orange County.
Orange County Bus
Only $4.50 for a day pass per person. Use Google Maps to plan out your routes. We were able to take the bus from Newport Pier to Huntington Beach! As long as you plan about 30 minutes in advance, this is a great budget transportation option.
Bike Rental
There are numerous locations to rent bikes in Orange County. We saw bikers all around, on the roads, in neighborhoods, and on paved paths along the beaches!
Path Along Balboa Beach
Lyft/Uber
In most instances, Lyft was the cheaper option around Orange County, HOWEVER, always check both! Uber may surprise you.
Pro Money-Saving Tip: give yourself some wiggle room. If the Lyft/Uber price is high, wait 5-10 minutes and check again.
Or, walk around a bit more to a less busy area that’s not a “hotspot.” I have saved so much money doing this! It’s crazy how much the ride prices can change in just a few minutes.
Metrolink Train
Metrolink offers $10 Day passes on the weekends. The train can take you to LA, or different cities in Orange County!
Utilize Doordash, Instacart, or other delivery services!
This makes traveling way less stressful, and can also save you money. Instead of paying for a ride both ways, pay the delivery fee which is generally cheaper!
Eight Cheap or Free Activities in Orange County
#1 Walk the Piers
Balboa Pier: A beautiful beach surrounded by tall palm trees, a sidewalk along the beach, and beautiful homes! This was my favorite place we went to in Orange County, and we even saw dolphins!
Newport Pier: Surrounded by restaurants, surf shops, paths along the beach, yoga classes on the beach, and a fish market. Newport Pier is a very popular surf spot!
Huntington Pier: By far the busiest pier we visited, there is so much activity going on at Huntington Pier ranging from street performers, markets on certain days, and bustling streets nearby.
#2 Have a Fire at the Beach
It is recommended that you arrive early to reserve a fire ring, especially on the weekends! There are fire pits at a few beaches in Orange County, including near the Balboa Pier. I even saw a store selling firewood there.
#3 Crystal Cove State Park
Enjoy tidepools, various hikes, or even primitive camping. The cost is $15 per vehicle, otherwise, I believe it’s free if you walk in! There is a shuttle running through the different park areas for $1.50 per person. A beautiful, cheap Orange County experience.
#4 Visit The Pirate’s Tower
Best enjoyed at sunrise, take a short walk down to this unique seaside landmark!
#5 Surf in Orange County
While this may not be the cheapest thing to do in Orange County, it is definitely worthwhile! Rentals can cost $20 on up, and make sure you get a wetsuit! (Be prepared for the surf to be quite crowded).
Surfing is such a huge part of the culture here, and surfing in this iconic place will help you understand why people love California so much!
If surfing isn’t for you, you can still enjoy watching all the surfers do their thing! Life is always throwing waves your way, dude, you just gotta ride ’em.
#6 Go to an Estate Sale
Hello, cheap Orange County souvenirs! We were lucky enough to stumble upon an estate sale in Newport Beach. We got to walk around a fancy seaside home and buy cute souvenirs, for only $3. Who needs to stay at a fancy hotel when you can have a taste of the real deal?
Use the link above to check out estate sales going on in Orange County!
#7 Be Active!
Run, bike, rollerblade, skate or walk along the beach. A great, cheap Orange County thing to do.
I know what you’re thinking, “But I’m on vacation.” Well, you say that now, until you step onto an Orange County beach walk and catch the vibe. It seems like everyone was either on a run, riding their bike, or playing beach volleyball.
It had us asking ourselves if a marathon or 5k was going on!
Bonus: there were public bathrooms and water fountains about everywhere we went, so no pant-peeing or dehydration for you!
#8 Paddleboard around Newport Beach Harbor or Balboa Island
Catch a tan, check out some yachts, and maybe stop for a bite along the way!
#9 Spend early afternoons, sunsets, and sunrises at the beach
(is this too obvious?). A beach day is probably the cheapest form of entertainment you will find in Orange County. We found that going from about 10:00 am to 2:00 pm was the least crowded.
The sunsets were beautiful, and nighttime in Orange County calls for a long walk on the beach!
My Trip Overview + Cost Breakdown
| Day 1- Friday | Day 2- Saturday | Day 3- Sunday | Day 4- Monday |
| 1:00 pm Arrive at John Wayne Airport Groceries: Doordash from TargetItems Included: PB & J ingredients, spinach, carrots, vegan mayo, chips, granola bars, apples, applesauce, and two gallons of water. Dinner at Tidepooles 10/10 Sunset at Newport Beach | Morning: Coffee + Walk to Newport Pier, admired surfers Lunch: Baja Sharkeez 10/10 Afternoon: OC Bus to Huntington Beach Layed in the sun, walked around Huntington Pier. Yoga at a park near our Airbnb + nap time. Dinner: Groceries Sunset at Newport Beach | Morning: Doordash breakfast from Peet’s Coffee (11/10 on the plant-based breakfast sandwich) Lyft to Newport Pier Surfboard + Wetsuit rental: The Board Club Fruit, vegetables, etc at Newport Beach Pier Market Afternoon: Rest Dinner at Tidepooles Night: Walk + Sunset + Dolphin sitings at Balboa Pier. | Morning: Say goodbye to Ocean, Uber to John Wayne Airport |
Cost of a Weekend in Orange County for Two People
Flight: $250
Airbnb: $250
Groceries: $45
Surfboard + 2 Wetsuits: $60
Food + Coffee: $80
Transportation: $60
Total Price Per Person: $373
Cheap Orange County Trip Conclusion
It is more than possible to visit Orange County on a budget! “Roughing it” in less than 5-star accommodations is totally worth the experience. California offers everything and more: surfing, great food, punk kids, sunshine, beautiful beaches, I could go on and on!
I hope this post helps you plan your cheap Orange County trip or gives you inspiration on how to save money traveling elsewhere!
What is the most desperate, silly, or embarrassing thing you have done to save money traveling? I have slept in a cheap campervan in 0-degree weather, spent countless hours on layovers, not showered for 4-days, walked miles to not pay for an uber, and that’s just the start. Regrets? Absolutely none!
More Cheap Travel Guides + Travel Hacks
USA Camper Van Rental Guide: How to Rent a Camper Van the Right Way
Are You Too Busy and Broke to Explore the World? 5 Ways to Travel Often in College
How to Avoid Crowds at Zion National Park: 5 Pro Tips to Get all the Views and No Bullshit
Keep living your California Hippie Fantasy,
Shley
6 responses to “How to Visit Orange County For Cheap: Two-Person California Weekend Getaway for Under $500”
This is an awesome guide on how to enjoy Orange County on a budget! Love all your tips and recommendations!
I LOVE the idea of staying in a van on the beach! That’s such a cool idea to save money.
It looks a beautiful place and I love the idea of hiring a camper! Plus we absolutely love being by the ocean!
[…] An honest and direct quote to get you traveling RIGHT NOW! The image from this travel wallpaper was taken in Newport Beach California. I have an article on how to visit here for MAD cheap, which includes staying in a cute VW Camper Van on the beach! Read: How to Visit Orange County For Cheap: Two-Person California Weekend Getaway for Under $500 […]
Gas prices are so painful right now! :[ These are all great ideas on keeping things affordable + budget-friendly! I like the idea of staying in a van on the beach — it’d be awesome to be right by the ocean!
[…] Two-Person California Weekend Getaway for Under $500 […]