Whether the immigration angels were looking down on us or not, my family and I (two adults and two children under 5) breezed through LAX both on arrival and departure. Family lines were opened for us, and the passport queue on entry was just four passengers deep; we sailed through in around 20 minutes.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: Download the MPC app. New since April 2026, this helps speed up the Customs process. While on your flight, use the app to take a selfie and answer a few questions, which can be done up to four hours before landing in the United States.<\/p>\n
Hiring a car from LAX<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t Wellington \u2013 you\u2019re not rolling off your flight and into a rental car stationed outside the terminal. The LAX Rental Car Centre is 4km from the airport and requires a shuttle. There are various pickup points outside terminals, but you\u2019ll have to signal the coach displaying the name of your rental company. The driver will help load and offload your luggage, so have a few dollars on hand to tip.<\/p>\n
A 10-minute ride later, you\u2019ll be deposited in a neighbourhood-sized car rental mecca. Desks for each company are upstairs, and once the paperwork\u2019s finalised, you\u2019ll collect your vehicle from the undercover garage.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: Hiring a child seat, too? Don\u2019t hang around waiting for help \u2013 plastic-wrapped capsules are self-service, and you simply pick the right size for your kid(s) and affix.<\/p>\n
Navigating multi-lane motorways<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve all seen footage of OJ Simpson hurtling down a multi-lane highway in his white Ford Bronco. Even in 1993, the vastness of those wide motorways startled me more than the ludicrous chase.<\/p>\n
Anna Sarjeant shares tips for a budget-friendly US road trip with her family in California. Photo \/ Unsplash<\/p>\n
Full disclosure. I refused to drive. With the right-hand-side predicament \u2013 and two children on board \u2013 I don\u2019t do six-lane LA driving with 70mph (112km\/h) speed limits.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, my husband is a competent and confident driver \u2013 and you need to be both. Los Angeles is fast and furious, and the slow lane is actually the fast lane, and the fast lane (which is the slow lane) is often an exit-only lane, with seemingly no warning.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: Carpool lanes are known as HOV lanes \u2013 simply meet passenger requirements as per NZ. However, be mindful of Express Lanes. Albeit tempting, drivers need to acquire a FasTrak Transponder before using them \u2013 or expect a fine.<\/p>\n
Are road laws different, difficult, or both?<\/p>\n
Road into LA. Photo\/ Unsplash<\/p>\n
Only twice did we set off on the left-hand side of the road, and mercifully, both times we were cruising quiet streets with no vehicles.<\/p>\n
It did take a full day of driving to find ease with the rules of the road, but at no point did we experience any hostility from other drivers. To the contrary, most Californians drove with signature Californian chill.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: In California, drivers can turn right on a red light. There are stipulations, so I\u2019d read up on these before hiring a car. I found it disconcerting; my husband revelled in the rebellion.<\/p>\n
Finding downtime among the drive time<\/p>\n
Signature palm trees. Photo\/ Unsplash<\/p>\n
Spoiler. The US is big. California alone is 1.5 times bigger than New Zealand. If you want to get from A to B, you\u2019ll have to put in the drive time. And that\u2019s okay, because absorbing the state\u2019s celebrated landscape as it zips past at 60mph is a road trip highlight. From cloud-poking palm trees to coastal vistas, the Californian version of I-spy is a non-stop delight.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: Breaking up the trip is a no-brainer, but look beyond the fuel stops. The Cabazon Dinosaurs, which include Large Marge and her dino mates, are along Interstate 10. An icon of any Californian roadie, there\u2019s a dinosaur trail, foraging opportunities for dino eggs (prizes included) and a gift shop in the body of a diplodocus.<\/p>\n
Large Marge. Photo \/ Anna Sarjeant<\/p>\n
Family safety<\/p>\n
No such thing as stranger danger for us, more like nice as pie. Less than two minutes after we left LAX, a gentleman saw me looking confused and asked if I needed help (\u201cMa\u2019am\u201d), and on our last night, a lovely young chap offered to take a photograph of my son and me on the steps of our restaurant (\u201ccuuuuute girlfriend\u201d).<\/p>\n
Only once, while filling up the gas in LA, did we find ourselves on a sketchy forecourt, akin to a scene from Grand Theft Auto. My oldest son, brought up in NZ and as innocent as they come, jumped out of the car and shouted, \u201cOooh, mummy \u2013 dandelions!\u201d and proceeded to pick (in all likelihood a urine-drenched) flowerbud and blow its seedlings … \u201cfairies!!\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone stopped and looked over, including the hazy-eyed man who may have had a substance-use disorder, but if anything, I think they found my son\u2019s behaviour quite novel.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: Be smart, not skittish. Pick the dandelions.<\/p>\n
On-the-ground costs<\/p>\n
I spent US$18 (pre-tax) on a Piglet pen, which was extreme but not as extreme as my reaction when my bank statement converted it to NZ$40. At the time, I felt bad that the 1-year-old wasn\u2019t getting any Disney gifts. That same 1-year-old tossed it and lost it within the first five minutes.<\/p>\n
Screenshot Disneyland. Photo \/ Anna Sarjeant<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no getting around this \u2013 the USA is not cheap right now. The current exchange rate is rough on Kiwi travellers, and it\u2019s easy to forget add-ons such as tax and tips. However, it can be cheaper.<\/p>\n
Load up on cereal and lunch items from supermarkets and Trader Joe\u2019s stores \u2013 for in-room breakfast and picnic lunches. Certain on-ground activities are cheaper if you book in advance. Research \u201cfree days\u201d which are common at places such as museums and botanic gardens. We also spent an entire morning at playgrounds and arcade bars, where US$40 paid for myriad games \u2013 and culminated in points towards \u201cfree\u201d toys.<\/p>\n
TOP TIP: LA\u2019s famed Griffith Observatory is a cultural landmark and entry to the building, its grounds and public telescopes is free. You can also take the obligatory photo of the Hollywood sign here. Our children happily ran around the lawn area and stretched their car legs. Their smiles and laughter? Free of charge.<\/p>\n
CHECKLIST<\/p>\n
California<\/p>\n
Getting there<\/p>\n
Fly direct from Auckland to LAX in around 12 hours with Air New Zealand.<\/p>\n
DETAILS<\/p>\n
Visit California | visitcalifornia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Visit Ventura | visitventuraca.com<\/a><\/p>\n Visit Anaheim | visitanaheim.org<\/a><\/p>\n