The average price of a 7-day trip to California is $1,389 for a solo traveler, $2,080 for a couple, and $4,562 for a family of 4. California hotels range from $75 to $334 per night with an average of $116, while most vacation rentals will cost $200 to $680 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to California (from all airports) are between $703 and $1,145 per person for economy flights and $2,207 to $3,595 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $56 to $114 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit California
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to California and stay in a California hotel:
- January 8th to March 11th
- April 16th to April 29th
- August 13th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in California is usually early to mid September.
Average California Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit California for a week is $1,411-$2,889($202-$413 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $56 to $114 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $431 to $1,011 for economy
Lodging: $98 to $134 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $147 to $180 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit California for a week is $2,227-$4,699($318-$671 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $111 to $228 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $862 to $2,023 for economy
Lodging: $98 to $134 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $147 to $180 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit California for a week is $4,461-$8,857($637-$1,265 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $223 to $456 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,724 to $4,045 for economy
Lodging: $196 to $267 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $221 to $270 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to California
How cheap can you make a vacation to California? The cheapest trip to California is about $144 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $64.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit California for a week is $1,011-$2,201($144-$314 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $28 to $56 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $431 to $1,011 for economy
Lodging: $64 to $75 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $104 to $133 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit California for a week is $1,638-$3,598($234-$514 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $56 to $111 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $862 to $2,023 for economy
Lodging: $64 to $75 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $104 to $133 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit California for a week is $3,263-$6,806($466-$972 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $111 to $223 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,724 to $4,045 for economy
Lodging: $127 to $150 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $155 to $200 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to California cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury California Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in California.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit California for a week is $2,898-$12,159($414-$1,737 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $111 to $228 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,071 to $2,517 for first class
Lodging: $175 to $334 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $671 to $1,341 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit California for a week is $4,753-$16,265($679-$2,324 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $223 to $455 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,142 to $5,034 for first class
Lodging: $175 to $334 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $671 to $1,341 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit California for a week is $9,505-$28,515($1,358-$4,074 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $445 to $910 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,284 to $10,067 for first class
Lodging: $351 to $669 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,004 to $2,013 per night for a preferred vacation rental
California Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in California is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in California due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
California Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on California hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in California.
Flight Costs to California
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,145 average in late July to a low of $703 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $692. These prices are based on millions of flights. For California our data includes hundreds of originating airports, and dozens of airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In California, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $442, so you can easily save about 63% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around California can easily cost $418 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $28 per person. Private tours can cost $835 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.