Getting Around in Los Angeles without a Car (Tips and Discounts)
A category-by-category guide to skipping car ownership in LA — peer-to-peer rentals, rideshares, and bike-share, each with a first-time discount.
Turo is our personal favorite way to get around Los Angeles if you don't own a car.
Our reviewerNine Ways to Get Around LA Without Owning a Car
Los Angeles has a real reputation for requiring a car, but this guide rounds up nine legitimate ways around that, split into three categories: renting a car yourself, letting someone else drive, and pedaling around on two wheels.
For self-drive rentals, Turo is called out as the reviewers' personal favorite, letting you book cars from regular people around town for as little as $15 a day — including fun options like a Tesla, a convertible, or a pickup truck. WaiveCar offers free two-hour electric-car rentals, though availability is tight during peak times and the cars must be returned to Santa Monica. GetAround works similarly to Turo but comes with less first-hand testing behind it.
For rideshare and taxi options, Lyft is named the reviewers' favorite for its friendlier drivers, alongside Uber and the app-based Curb Taxi service, both offering first-ride discounts.
On two wheels, Spinlister works like an Airbnb for bikes (and also covers surfboards, paddleboards, and skis), Peerby lets you borrow a bike for free with no guarantee of availability, and Social Bicycles offers city-wide bike rentals for as little as $25 a month.
Nine Ways to Get Around Without a Car
Split into three categories: rent it yourself, let someone drive, or pedal — each with a first-time discount.
Turo
Like Airbnb but for cars — rent from regular people around town for as little as $15 a day, with discounts for weekly or monthly rentals. You can even try fun cars like a Tesla, a convertible mini, or a pickup truck.
WaiveCar
A free service that lets you rent an ad-covered electric car for up to two hours. Availability is tight during peak times, and the car must stay within an allowed zone and return to Santa Monica.
GetAround
A lot like Turo — rent cars from regular people around the city — though we haven't used it as much so can't be as glowing about it.
Lyft
Our favorite rideshare service — we've found they have the friendliest drivers in LA. They used to have longer wait times than Uber, but not any longer.
Uber
The classic rideshare service, getting you picked up within minutes wherever and whenever you are in the city.
Curb Taxi
For the good old-fashioned taxi service, the Curb App lets you book a future ride, starting 15 minutes out, through any of LA's taxi companies.
Spinlister
Think of it as the Airbnb of bike rentals — easily find a bike to rent from a neighboring house by the hour, day or week. You can also rent surfboards, paddle boards, snowboards and skis through the same site.
Peerby
Not just for bicycles — Peerby lets you borrow nearly anything nearby, completely free, though there's no guarantee the item you want will be available.
See the Current PriceSocial Bicycles
An app that shows bicycle locations around the city — rent by the hour, day or month and return the bike somewhere entirely different from where you picked it up.
What Each Option Costs
Prices range from completely free to a modest monthly membership, depending on the category.
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Turo (car rental)Popular | From $15/day |
| WaiveCar (car rental) | Free (2-hr limit) |
| GetAround (car rental) | $20 credit toward first rental |
| Social Bicycles | $25/month or $99/year |
Good to Know
The Bottom Line
Los Angeles has more car-free options than its reputation suggests — from by-the-day car rentals to rideshares and bike-share apps — and nearly every one comes with a first-time discount worth trying.
