California 3 week holiday on a budget? Is $1600 dollars a week enough for spending money for two people ?

Question

Hi all,

My son is moving to California for university but in the 3 weeks before he starts his course the two of us are going on a holiday, 1 week in LA, 1 week in Santa Barbara (My sons university is here) and 1 week in San Fransisco.

I've booked all the hotels and flights just need to budget my spending money. We plan to spend very little on food, by eating out only very occasionally but instead making our own food we have booked apartments, or instead eating street and fast food.

We're most interested in doing trips like Yosemite, universal studios, Catalina island etc etc, maybe 3 trips in each location.

We have $1600 for each week of the trip is this realistically enough for the two of us??

Answer 1

$1600/week gives you just over $100/per person/per day. If you figure about $20-$40/per person/per day for food. So that would normally be just fine.



However, one thing you did not mention is transportation in and around these places. Do you already have a Rental Car paid for? If not then your budget is going to take a pretty good sized hit as you would be looking at about $50/day on average for a small car.



Round-Trip transportation to Catalina by one of the boats out of San Pedro, Long Beach, or Newport Beach will run you about $75 each.



Yosemite is really out of the way of all of those cities, the closest being perhaps San Francisco. But without a car you are going to have to find a tour going there. There are actually several tours leaving from San Francisco but again these will run you about $150+ per person. Also, be aware that inside of Yosemite Valley lodging is limited and can book up several months in advance. So if you find a place to stay it may be in one of the surrounding areas.



But even with these extra expenses you should still be able to manage comfortably with the $1600/week.

Answer 2

You need a car and a hotel.

Catalina, Universal, and Disney will exceed $100/day.



You may want to pick one.

I'll suggest Disney.



Pick Catalina if you prefer a nature trip.



Otherwise, sight see LA without paying for attactions.



Hate to say, that is what I do.



A low cost trip would be Santa Monica.

There is the Third Street Promendade and the Pier

There, you pay for the rides that you use.

There is no entrance fee.



You can drive up the coast for free. If you look hard enough, you can swim and park for free

You can also walk Downtown, Venice Beach, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Glenpark, Burbank, Pasadena for free.

The Griffith Observatory is free.

There are museums.



Fill up your car. It costs $15 to park at the Getty Musuem or Villa.

Answer 3

Be treated to an wonderful San Francisco experience and find why you must visit this city with hotelbye . In San Francisco you can look at the famous Golden Gate Bridge how was once named "the connection that could not be developed" and how is today one the seven wonders of the present day world. This wonderful bridge is San Francisco's most popular landmark. In San Francisco you may also visit the Lombard Street. Often called the “crookedest” street in the world, this picturesque path on Russian Hill characteristics tight converts, fresh gardens and beautiful opinions of the bay and Alcatraz. San Francisco is surely a town which will impress you and where you will have an ideal holyday.

Answer 4

Normally you can expect to spend $30-$50 per person per day. That's $60-$100 per day, or $420-$700. That gives you a nice cushion.

Answer 5

i guess