The average price of a 7-day trip to Northern California is $1,498 for a solo traveler, $2,690 for a couple, and $5,044 for a family of 4. Northern California hotels range from $62 to $282 per night with an average of $109, while most vacation rentals will cost $200 to $440 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Sacramento International Airport (SMF) are between $617 and $985 per person for economy flights and $1,936 to $3,091 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $44 to $100 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 Northern California, CA, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SMF and stay in a Northern 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 Northern California is usually early to mid September.
Average Northern California Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Northern California for a week is $1,150-$2,341($164-$334 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $44 to $100 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $374 to $837 for economy
Lodging: $78 to $104 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $110 to $134 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Northern California for a week is $2,318-$4,174($331-$596 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $88 to $200 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $748 to $1,674 for economy
Lodging: $78 to $104 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $110 to $134 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Northern California for a week is $3,664-$7,432($523-$1,062 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $176 to $400 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,496 to $3,348 for economy
Lodging: $156 to $208 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $165 to $214 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Northern California
How cheap can you make a vacation to Northern California? The cheapest trip to Northern California is about $94 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 $49.
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 Northern California for a week is $655-$1,538($94-$220 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $23 to $47 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $374 to $837 for economy
Lodging: $49 to $62 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $40 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Northern California for a week is $1,190-$2,704($170-$386 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $46 to $94 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $748 to $1,674 for economy
Lodging: $49 to $62 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $40 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Northern California for a week is $2,320-$5,408($331-$773 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $92 to $188 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,496 to $3,348 for economy
Lodging: $98 to $124 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $30 to $64 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Northern California cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Northern 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 Northern California.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Northern California for a week is $2,395-$8,025($342-$1,146 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $88 to $220 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $939 to $1,733 for first class
Lodging: $140 to $282 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $440 to $792 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Northern California for a week is $3,950-$11,298($564-$1,614 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $176 to $440 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,878 to $3,466 for first class
Lodging: $140 to $282 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $440 to $792 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Northern California for a week is $7,900-$19,746($1,129-$2,821 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $352 to $880 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,756 to $6,932 for first class
Lodging: $280 to $564 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $704 to $1,109 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Northern California Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Northern California is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Northern 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.
Northern 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 Northern 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 Northern California.
Flight Costs to Northern California
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $985 average in late July to a low of $617 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $624. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Northern California our data includes 700 originating airports, and 128 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Northern California from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $7,026 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like San Diego International (SAN) in San Diego, CA (the United States) at an average of just $130.
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 Northern California, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $368, so you can easily save about 60% 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 Northern California can easily cost $350 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $23 per person. Private tours can cost $703 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.