Under $100: Venice Beach

This beach town on the outskirts of Los Angeles is known for its character and colorful culture. With street art covering almost every wall and storefront, creativity is flourishing. Just walking the entire beachfront boardwalk is enough to keep a tourist entertained entirely free for at least half a day.

Start on Washington Boulevard grabbing coffee or breakfast at Cows End Café. The local shop has wide-open windows and an upstairs tree house feel perfect for a little people watching. Breakfast and coffee usually ranges about $10 total, depending on how hungry you’re feeling.

© Catrina Linhard

Walk down the boardwalk past the sand volleyball courts toward the heart of Venice on Windward Avenue. On any given weekend you can stop and watch the local break-dance crew perform a both comedic and entirely impressive show. They bust their moves every Saturday.

From there, you can walk just steps to the famous Venice Beach skate park and see a mass of talented skaters take on the pipes. Next to that is the constantly changing art wall where new artists come in regularly to literally paint the town with something new and fresh.

© Juan Moyano | Dreamstime

Stop in at the bike shop on the same street and rent a couple of beach cruisers for $10 an hour and take the path down to the Santa Monica Pier. Just before you get to the pier you can stop and watch an array of acrobatic gymnasts play around on the rings and walk the tight ropes.

Sunset is the perfect time to take the $4 Ferris wheel ride to get prime views of the ocean and Los Angeles city lights. In an entertainment driven city, you don’t have to spend much to get amazing experiences.

© Catrina Linhard