Most of us have been to/heard of Los Angeles before, and even some of its popular nicknames like LA, City of Angels, or Lalaland. This expansive city houses many of the rich and famous, those hoping to make it big in Hollywood, with the rest of the residents caught somewhere in between.
While shopping on Rodeo Drive (at the store Bijan alone, the average customer pays $100,000), dining at Urasawa (most bills priced around $1,100), or getting a trim at Metodo Rossano Ferretti ($1,000 haircuts) may have you filing for bankruptcy, there are some FREE, if not affordable, places to see/things to do that are also family friendly.
Did you know that Los Angeles has more museums per capita than any other city in the world? Many offer free admission days once per month, but make sure to double check online or by calling, as they change frequently.
A few I managed to locate were:
- George C. Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits (FREE 1st Tuesday of the month)
- Huntington Library (FREE 1st Thursday of the month)
- Skirball Cultural Center (FREE Thursdays 12-9)
- California Science Center (FREE admission to the permanent exhibits/galleries, excluding the Space Shuttle Endeavor).
- Additionally, the Griffith Park Observatory (for astronomy enthusiasts) and the Travel Town Museum (mini trains and large locomotives for kids of all ages) are also FREE.
- Confirm before you go, which also allows you to plan ahead for parking, add-on features or special events, and to learn the best times to avoid peak attendance crowds.
If people-watching is your thing, much can be found right along Hollywood Boulevard. Grauman’s Chinese Theater has celebrity hand/foot prints with signatures in cement, the Hollywood Walk of Fame will give you a pleasant neck cramp if you stare downwards while walking long enough, and characters galore like Elmo, Transformers, and Spiderman are every few feet away, waiting to collect a $1 from you if you desire a picture with one. Window shopping wisely can be done at the Hollywood & Highland Center or Universal City Walk, both with unique stores and food choices.
Finally, discounts abound on sites like Groupon, Living Social, and Goldstar. Simply create an account and change your home city to Los Angeles. Hotel stays, restaurants, and exciting things to experience are at your fingertips in a heartbeat, thanks to iPhones. If you don’t feel like dealing with traffic, take the Metro rail line. Your ticket stub yields even further discounts at many popular attractions!
By Sheila, Free Stuff Finder Contributor
