Free things to do in Los Angeles?

As a Westsider, I have to say that some of the best things to do from Venice Beach all the way up to Malibu Beach are free! You likely decided to come visit California to get a taste of the one-of-a-kind culture and the stellar views, and luckily you can get both for next to nothing. 

Ocean View Hotel First off, you'll have to get around--and instead of renting a car, I would recommend using Uber Pool which just came to Los Angeles (if you're not familiar you can download the app on your phone). It's a $5 flat fee within a certain radius, and as long as you're a little flexible with picking up other people you'll save on rental car fees and gas while getting around! 

To get a feel of the different West Side neighborhoods, taking a stroll of the Venice Beach Boardwalk is a must (get ready to see everything from roller blading dancers in onesies to Jamaican drummers to eccentric artists of all varieties). Stop in at the Hotel Erwin, one of the trendiest hotels in Venice and take the elevator up to High Rooftop Lounge for some beautiful views!

From there, you can pop over by foot to Abbot Kinney which is a much more upscale view of the Venice scene and the complete opposite side of the spectrum. Expect a mix of models and fashion savvy hipsters amongst the galleries and boutiques. Grab a coffee at TOMS Flagship, shop to your heart's desire (splurge alert!) or for the book nerds and spiritually-inclined, check out Mystic Journey Bookstore and spend an hour perusing their selection of books, crystals, tarot cards, etc. Insider tip: there's a thing called First Fridays every 1st Friday of the month and people flock to the food trucks and late shop hours (depending on how you feel about crowds you may want to check this out or avoid it). 

Heading North, definitely take a stroll on the Third Street Promenade to catch a few live street shows (I can't promise they'll always be good, but if they're not they'll definitely give you a laugh), and the Santa Monica Pier--although super touristy, it's a SM staple and you can get some great photos of the coastline from the end of the pier--do it for the 'gram! If you're looking for a budget friendly hotel nearby, check out the Seaview Hotel. The rooms are really clean and the location is hard to beat!

Want to get your workout on? Some of the most stellar views in LA are best seen from hiking trails in Malibu--a great workout and totally free! Some of my favorites are Solstice Canyon and Temescal Canyon Park. Also "Beach Yoga with Brad" is an awesome donation based yoga class right on the beach in Santa Monica that will give you a workout and great ocean views simultaneously. Not into yoga? Ask to jump into one of the many volleyball games underway along the coast (you'll find the highest concentration of games in Northern Santa Monica). 

Art buff? Many museums in LA do free museum days on Thursdays, so definitely see who's offering free admission while you'll be in town. Another great spot is the Getty Villa, which is the original location of the Getty Museum and has gorgeous permanent collections and gardens to stroll through (heads up: parking is not free on site). If you have an appreciation for mid 20th century modern architecture, definitely schedule a visit ahead of time to the Eames Foundation to get a peek at this spot that many LA residents don't even know about! 

I travel to LA often and one of the best things to do there for free is to catch a taping of a TV show.  One of my favorites is Jimmy Kimmel Live, which is taped at the historic El Capitan Theatre.   I have been to all the talk shows in LA and NYC and Jimmy's is by far the best!   Best way to get free tickets is going to www.1iota.com and registering for tickets there.  Try to do this at least 2 weeks in advance to get the best shot at tickets.  There are some other shows you can request tickets for that are listed there also.   

Make sure to visit Pink's for one of their historic hotdogs while you are in LA too!

Public transit is a bit complicated but doable if not on a strict time schedule. Also, renting a car will significantly raise the cost and force you to deal with LA traffic and parking. Gas is expensive, traffic is really bad, free parking is limited and often requires driving around for a long time. In my opinion, it's not worth it.

I would recommend reading up on the transit system before going and bring a smartphone, if possible. Apps can make it easier to figure out. However, if you go out of LA to the suburbs transit isn't very good. You can do it, but it gets really challenging and time consuming.

Downtown LA and Hollywood are well connected to trains and buses, plus you can reach quite a bit on foot.

Santa Monica is more expensive, but they have their own bus system that works well for visiting west LA.

Lots of good recommendations already. Los Angeles Arts District, Little Tokyoand Venice Canals Walkway are also very nice.

For cheap transit definitely use UBER and LYFT. Download the app and you will get your first ride free.  

I live in Los Angeles and there are many great free things to see! As far as activities to do you can visit the Griffith Observatory for free. It has amazing views and a free science museum. Parking is tough on the weekends. But you can usually find a place that isn't too long of a walk. 

There is a free Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust which is really great that is in the Fairfax district close to shopping. 

For cheap shopping you can go downtown and check out the jewlery district, clothing district etc.

LA's public transportation is actually not so bad and getting better. If you base yourself somewhere along Venice Blvd, you can pretty much take the Metro bus everywhere from the beach (always free!) to downtown up and down the boulevard. (Line 33 is a good one). Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus takes you to the The Getty Center and admission is free. 

I suggest basing yourself in Culver City as you'll be close to the Metro Expo Line Culver City station, which takes you to downtown and Hollywood, and it's also halfway between downtown and the beach. 

LACMA is free every second Tuesday of the month (and after 3pm M-F if you're a local resident!) while Museum of Comtemparary Art in downtown is free on Thursdays 5 - 8pm. 

Food wise, LA's Thai Town in Hollywood has cheap, authentic Thai dishes. My favorite is Sanamluang Cafe. Little Tokyo has great variety of inexpensive Japanese food. Check out Shin-Sen-Gumi for its ramen and gyoza. And of course, In-N-Out Burger is a must! 

Think of LA as a collection of smaller cities. Each day you can explore one section. The downtown area, including Biltmore Hotel, the historic Train depot, Olvera St, Little Tokyo, the Bradbury Building is walkable and interesting. 

The next day you could explore the beach cities, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Malibu Beach. Day 3 Hollywood. Day 4 Wilshire Blvdand museums. Day 5 San Pedro, CA, the Harbor, Cabrillo Marine Aquariumor beautiful Pasadena with awesome architecture and the The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens and Norton Simon Museum

You can do LA without a car but it is a hassle and time consuming. Do your homework and don't expect anybody to know the routes or to help you make connections. In LA people are clueless about their neighborhood and how to get around. 

LA is a car city but driving LA freeways can be confusing and stressful. 

So base out of a central location and be prepared for some long bus rides. When you have had enough of LA public transit, call Uber to take you home quickly. 

Don't forget the great nightlife, comedy and club scene.

In addition to Griffith Observatory mentioned by others, you can also check out Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Outside of Mann's Chinese Theater, there are usually reps handing out free tickets for live taping of different shows, which is always a good and cheap way to spend an afternoon/evening and see a few stars. Universal Studios Universal CityWalk is also nice. You do need a car though.

The public transportation in LA is menial and not very stream-lined. I would recommend renting a car to get the most out of your trip. While there are great things in Los Angeles, there are some great "escapes" for day trips such as Santa Barbara and San Diego. These are easily accessible by train, such as Union Station. 

As far as things in LA, the other answers are pretty accurate and helpful!

On Wednesday nights at Golden Road Brewing, there is an awesome comedy show that is completely free + $15 dollar pitchers of beer and they have some seriously good bar food here. 

Every Thursday night, there is a comedy show + funky soul night (dancing) at The Virgil in Silver Lake. Super fun and free before 9pm! 

If you're here on the first Thursday of the month, the DTLA art walk is fun and free! A great, low cost place to stay in the area would be Hotel Figueroa. The decor here is seriously cool, it's a mix of Spain and Morroco. They also have the prettiest chandeliers hanging all over (my favorite).  

In Santa Monica, you obviously have the beach. One of the prettiest and free things you can do is to simply talk a walk down it around sunset (around 7:30 is the perfect time to go). I know they also do free yoga on the beach here at sunset which is awesome. I've never gone but a few friends have and loved it! If you want a nearby hotel that is pretty affordable, look into Bayside Hotel (and they don't charge for parking). 

Hiking is always free! Go up to Temescal Canyon Park it's one of my favorite hikes in Los Angeles. 

Drive a little further north and tour the Getty Villa. Stunning place and it's free! Except for parking ($15 per car but $10 after 5:00 p.m).

Hi Clement,

One of my favourite things about LA is that the best sights don't cost a dime to enjoy! Here's my list of the best free things to do in Los Angeles. For more information and photos, check out my blog post: Top 10 free things to do and see in LA.

1. BEACHES (My favourite is the eclectic Venice Beach Boardwalk

2. Mann's Chinese Theater

3. Hollywood Walk of fame

4. Griffith Observatory

5. Hollywood Sign (There's so many vantage points but I'd recommend taking the hiking trail from N Vermont Canyon Rd) 

6. TV Taping

7. La Brea Tar Pits

8. Getty Museum

9. Getty Villa

10. Walt Disney Concert Hall

Hope that helps =0)

Hollywood Bowl. You can see some of the best artists in the world for under $20. Just make sure you bring a pillow as the seats are rock hard. It can be notoriously hard to get to (the parking is awful) so if this is on your list you might want to consider staying at the Loews Hollywood Hotel which is very, very close. 

The Getty Villa is free (although parking is not) and they have great exhibitions. I would make a stop at Tower 8 at the Oceana Santa Monica either before or after. Actually, the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel is nice, for that, too. 

Watts Towers Arts Center is a true "only in L.A." experience. It's a sculpture/complex/giant piece of folk art that was built by an Italian immigrant in the early 20th century. Really worth seeing and only about $7 to see. I'd head north after that and check out Downtown Los Angeles where there are tons of free walking tours. Here's a good link to one of the tour companies:

http://www.freelatour.com/

As long as you're downtown, be sure to check out the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel. I stayed here once for a conference and it was incredible. The rooms are relatively simple but I loved the lobby and the bar downstairs (it's called the Gallery Bar and Cognac Room--do NOT miss it!). 

Museum of Comtemparary Art is free on Thursday nights if you like modern art. Then go have a drink at the The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites or the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza.

Speaking of free Thursdays, the The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens are free the first Thursdays of every month. You might even want to consider spending a night or two in Pasadena as it's an incredible little city. The dusitD2 constance pasadena is a really, really cool hotel right in the middle of the city if you're looking for a place to stay. 

Check out the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.  Also you have to visit Santa Monica Pier.  Best mode of transportation is a car, my wife and I visit here and rented a Mustang Convertible Budget Rent-A-Car - Los Angeles International Airport for $450 for a week, totally worth the splurge.

A great area to stay in is the Fairfax District. You'll be central to everything that isn't walking distance. In walking (or very short drive/Uber or bus) distance you'll have The Grove and Farmers Market, Melrose Avenue (check out Vinoteque's happy hour and secret outdoor patio, the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High on Sunday's only, Improv Comedy Club which tickets run about $10 plus there is a two item minimum per person, so not super cheap but a reasonable night on the town option), LACMA and plenty of restaurants and grocery stores. If you're looking for a nice budget-friendly hotel option, take a look at the Palihotel Melrose, which I think is the trendiest option for your money in a great location.

The bus system isn't exactly easy, and a metro line doesn't exist on this side of town, so look into bike rentals or Uber and Lyft.

As far as cheap and free things to do:

The Grove for people watching. In the day in the grass courtyard they supply free blankets to lounge on.

If you find yourself on the east side, paddle boating on Echo Park Lake is $10/hour per adult (cash only). It's a great place to picnic too.

Runyon Canyon Park and Beachwood Canyon to the Hollywood Sign make for beautiful hikes. And visit the Griffith Observatory, it's gorgeous at sunset!

Amoeba Music in Hollywood is a massive record store and always fun to check out, and while you're that way you can walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame and see the Mann's Chinese Theater.

An LA locals tip: check out Goldstar.com for a list of events around town and discounted tickets.

I hope you enjoy LA! Happy travels!

Check out Getty Museum, Getty Villa, Venice Beach Boardwalk, Griffith Observatory, Universal City Walk, Runyon Canyon Park, Hollywood Walk of fame, Mann's Chinese Theater, etc...

Hey Clement! 

I highly suggest you do a self guided walking tour in Downtown Los Angeles - you will so much in a short amount of time. I also suggest checking out places like the Getty Villa in Malibu and just walking around Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills - their stores are EXTREMELY expensive but it never hurts to look and take awesome photos! With regards to places to stay ditch the hotels and book with hovelstay.com - everything is $99 and under! Hope this helps! 

Hike around Lake Hollywood Park. Check the view from Griffith Observatory. Go out to Venice Beach and stroll Abbot Kinney Blvd area and walk up the beach and explore Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Silver Lake and Echo Park. Shop Rodeo Drive and Barney's. Check out N Robertson Blvd and the The Grove.

Check out Groupon's page too for some good discounts:

https://www.groupon.com/local/los-angeles/things-to-do

There are lots of interesting place in or near LA to just walk around  

Go to see the stars on the Hollywood Walk of fame

Venice Beach and Santa Monicabeaches are fun to people watch. Walk down North Rodeo Drive and fantasize about what you would buy if you were rich.  

Go to The Grove great shopping area people watch , spot stars. The market there had great food reasonable very trendy lol 

If u have some many do a studio tour , lots of fun 

You must have a car in LA  

We stayed in a small clean not too fancy hotel near the labrea tar pits. It was reasonable. Can't remember the name but you can probably find it on tripadvisor or goggle. No parking fee either gave you resident pass for street parking big saving!!

1. The Annenberg Space for Photography for photography in century city- free and great

2. The Getty Center, Getty Villa- both free (need to pay for parking) and beautiful architecture and artwork. do one of the tours

3. Point Dume State Beach is a nice beach and you can walk on the bluffs over the ocean

4. Abalone Cove Shoreline Park- tidepools and nice to walk around there on various trails

5. Go to Hollywood Bowl during the day for free rehearsal

6. Go The Original Los Angeles Flower Market

Places to eat if you have a car, in South Central L.A. go to Woody's Bar-B-Q on Slauson and Crenshaw Blvd. or Phillips Bar-B-Que on 43rd and Crenshaw for backyard bbq, Not commercial bbq, you can get that at Lucillle's.  For great tasting soul food Dulan's Banquet Hall on 52nd and Crenshaw. For great garlic tasting food go to The Stinking Rose - A Garlic Restaurant on Wilshire and Lacienga. If you desire Italian food Buca di Beppo - Universal CityWalk they have one in Universal Studio. For a good steak Lawry's the Prime Rib or Morton's The Steakhouse on Lacienga and Wilshire. For great burgers go to Fred's Downhome Burgers on Slauson and 4th Ave. (Tourist Safe Relax) Things look different but your actually surrounded by great people. Also Dino's Burgers on Pico and Normandie the best in the world char-broiled tandoorian chicken. Did I spell that right? The food is awesome! Tell them to give you a pastrami with the chicken juice dripped on it that's my favorite. They will know that you're my friend. For a great hot dog burger pastrami, go to Oki's Dog on Pico and Labrea. Also up the street you will see Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles. Everything is good in there. on the corner of Labrea and Venice they have a taco truck stop and try them. Grea tacos off gthe hoooooookkkkkk! If you around the 110 Slauson and hungry late night, not on Mondays  the Taco truck at Slauson and Figueroa off gthe freeway don't trip. Order your food, look like you don't give a phuck  get your condiments and your food will be ready in a jiffy. Everything is good. I never got sick and this is the 1st truck I've eaten from. The other downtown by my job, and the in San Francisco. Good food!

Remember this is Restaurant's Week all the food is cheap, and good. Go to groupon for coupons,

The beaches just south of Newport Beach, like Balboa, are great. Free curbside parking and free parking everywhere after 6pm. Also, you could try California Science Center.

I will second and third nominate the Getty Museum.  

Hi Clement, if you are in the LA area, I highly recommend you visiting Venice Beach and walk along Abbot Kinney Blvd.

This blog post has all the info you need- it is such a cool city, and quite close to LA. 

Abbot Kinney is one of the main boulevards that leads to Venice Beach in Venice, California. The street has a perfect mixed vibe of beachy and artsy. The wide boulevard is lined with vintage style bungalow houses that have been flipped into boutique shops or healthy California style eateries.

http://www.sunshineandskylines.com/#!The-Coolest-Block-in-America-/c1slb/5701A097-6D45-4A74-A181-DB0B835260E1

I also a have a few suggestions for how to spend your day in Los Angeles:

http://www.sunshineandskylines.com/#!Your-Guide-to-the-Perfect-Day-in-Los-Angeles/c1slb/75B1C6CC-B29B-449F-A434-30BADA0E4BB5