When you think of the "California lifestyle," southern California is what most people picture. That's why it's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Large tourist crowds usually means top tourist dollars, but you can still have a fabulous southern California vacation without breaking the bank.

Here are some great tips on having that dream vacation for a lot less money.

Visit Theme Parks

California's home to a long list of great theme parks, like Disneyland, Sea World, Legoland, and Knotts Berry Farms. Save a lot of money by staying in a hotel outside of the park. You won't have a theme-park decorated room, but the savings will almost pay for another day playing in the parks.

Party Like a Local

California is filled with local festivals, and they all have tons of free activities and entertainment. There's a California festival somewhere on just about every day of the year, like the Apricot Festival in Patterson, or the over two dozen Renaissance festivals all over the state.

Skip the Hotels

Southern California is home to a long list of fantastic hotels, but they can cost you a big chunk of your vacation budget. Why not stay in a vacation home, instead? Check out one of the vacation rental sites like VRBO or AirBnB. Bonus points: if you rent an entire home, you'll have a kitchen and won't have to rely on expensive restaurant food for every single meal.

Enjoy the Local Harvest

Whether you've got a rental home with a kitchen or a hotel room with a mini fridge, you can still take advantage of some of California's numerous farmer's markets. No matter what city you visit, chances are you'll find a farmer's market in the area just filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, along with some delicious local treats.

Visit San Diego

San Diego is known as beautiful, but very expensive to visit. That doesn't mean you have to skip this vacation mecca, it just means you have to be choosy in your destinations. It's a great start to any Southern California road trip, as well.

Check out La Jolla and Coronado Beach, both of which are rated among the best beaches in the country. Visit Belmont Park and ride the oldest roller coaster in California, and play glow-in-the-dark mini golf while watching surfers at Wave House.

You can also go san diego whale watching if you're interested in going on a cruise and seeing whales, dolphins, and other marine creatures.

The Desert in March and April

The weather in the desert areas of southern California start to heat up after February, but it's still beautiful and comfortable, while being much more affordable. Palm Springs is the perfect spot for affordable touring this time of year. Tour the 50's modern retro homes, along with celebrity houses like Frank Sinatra's and Bob Hope's. For a unique day in nature, take a tour of Joshua Tree National Park.

Skip the Touristy Beaches

California is edged with hundreds of miles of coastline, and only a small part of it makes up the more popular tourist beaches. Enjoy that same natural beauty while skipping the expensive add-ons by visiting lesser known beaches.

Pismo Beach, halfway between L.A. and San Francisco, offers perfect scenery, soft sand, and no high prices. While you're there, check out their fantastic restaurants and fun family activities.

If you have been to Southern California or hail from there & have had diverse travel experiences that you wish to share, simply shoot them in comments below to inspire our audiences worldwide to have a terrific experience in Cali, the next time they are around there.