Escape to L.A.: How To Make Your California Dreams Come True On A Budget

Longing for an escape to Lalaland? The city’s carefree attitude and laid-back vibe are the perfect antidote to the daily grind and short, cold days in Canada this season. Plus, one of the things we love most about Los Angeles is that while there’s plenty of luxury and glamour in the City of Angels–from shopping Rodeo Drive to spotting A-list celebs–there’s surprisingly a lot you can do in L.A. on a limited budget. Discover where you can pinch your pennies and where to splurge for a last-minute SoCal getaway. —Karen Kwan

Stay

The design-driven boutique hotel The Hoxton is located in downtown L.A., a neighbourhood that only continues to get cooler through its comeback over the past decade or so. The rooms here are comfortable–done in a soothing neutral palette and with a Beaux Arts-inspired design (we’re still hoping to find that beautiful caning headboard for ourselves). The rooftop pool is petite but makes for a perfect spot to take a quick dip in the morning or to lounge by when you’re dashing off a few work emails. Plus, the complimentary breakfast bag (think juice, overnight oats and an apple) left at your room door is the perfect budget-friendly hit of fuel you need to kick off the day (plus, in your room, you’ll find a Smeg kettle and coffee and tea for your morning caffeine fix).

See

Take advantage of the free general admission to the contemporary art museum The Broad, which boasts more than 2,000 works of art, including ones by Warhol, Koons and Lichtenstein. The Broad’s building itself is a striking architectural beauty, both inside with its cheese grater-esque facade, and inside with the museum’s collection storage creating the curved, cave-like shapes in the lobby. Tip: Make a reservation in advance so you can see Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room–The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away during your visit. For a cultural activity outdoors, explore the DTLA Arts District for street art on your own, or get a deeper understanding behind the street-art scene, the artists and craft by booking a tour with LA Art Tours. What walls can artists respectfully use for their art? What kind of materials do they use? Learn about the graffiti scene on this two-hour tour (and you may even get a chance to tag something yourself).

Sip

Being in L.A. means you can finally try the Hailey Bieber Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie at Erewhon. If you’re being budget-conscious while in L.A., the smoothies aren’t by any means inexpensive, but consider it with some girl math: it’s a filling smoothie, so you could have one as your breakfast or a satisfying snack. For cocktails, head to Cabra Los Angeles right on the top level of your digs at the Hoxton Downtown Los Angeles (saves you from needing an Uber for the evening). Executive chef Stephanie Izard drew inspiration from her travels for the Peruvian-inspired menu at Cabra, which features bursting-with-flavour shareable dishes (standouts include the chili butter bass and wood-fired sprouted cauliflower). Cocktail-wise, there’s, naturally, an excellent pisco sour (aka Peru’s national drink) on the menu, but the Tropical Cure–a mix of scotch, pineapple, ginger, lemon and Japanese whiskey–is sure to lift any lingering stress you’re holding onto.

Savour

Just a 20-minute walk from The Hoxton is Grand Central Market, a busy market filled with delicious and affordable food stalls–with such a wide variety of cuisines that everyone in your crew will be able to find something to eat. Snap up superb carnitas tacos at Villa Moreliana, a fluffy breakfast sandwich at Eggslut, or get your spicy fix of pad kee mao at Sticky Rice. For a casual lunch, while in Venice, grab a table at Aussie cafe Great White. You’ll quickly understand why there’s a lineup here–from the super fresh ingredients to the feel-good vibes. Order the salmon mezze (it’ll arrived piled with smoked salmon, avocado, a jammy egg, chive creme, pickled onions and herbs–you might even be able to share this substantial platter) and do not skip the banana bread (it’s served with whipped honeycomb butter and Maldon sea salt) for a sweet finish. And if you’ve pinched your pennies so you can splurge on a fantastic dinner out, Stella West Hollywood has been buzzing with well-heeled guests since it opened in the spring and it’s already been recommended by the Michelin Guide. The menu from chef Rob Gentile features Italian cuisine that highlights California’s seasonal ingredients; think orecchiette served with pistachios, Brentwood corn and fresh pecorino and a calamarata pasta dish that features Monterey Bay squid.

Sweat

Soak up that California sunshine and add a few hikes to your L.A. itinerary. You can take public transit from downtown to Runyon Canyon–and it’ll take you just a little more time than by Uber given L.A. notoriously bad traffic. You’ll find plenty of locals walking their dogs and working out here, plus you’ll get stunning panoramic views of the city below you.

Shop

Another great (and inexpensive) way to keep active while immersing yourself into life in L.A.? Stroll or bike the boardwalk in Venice Beach and Santa Monica. If you’d like to learn a bit of history about Venice Beach and the story behind some of the murals and famous residents, book a tour with LA Walking Tours or just hoof your way along the canals yourself and then hit the boardwalk, where you’ll find beefy guys at Muscle Beach, skilled skateboarders at the Skatepark and some great street art throughout the neighbourhood (and pick up a pair of sunnies from one of the boardwalk vendors). For more people-watching and retail therapy, continue your stroll over on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, where you can treat yourself to a chic Paper Republic leather-cover notebook or Kolo tote at Topdrawer or a botanical fragrance from Strange Invisible Perfumes.