Free Things To Do In Los Angeles

These free things to do in Los Angeles allow guests to travel over the LA region and enjoy some events and see some sights, all without spending a dime, except money for gas or payment for a bus pass. Greater Los Angeles covers the area from central downtown out to Santa Monica and the ocean, it and runs north of the downtown to Hollywood. The southern-most parts of Greater LA take visitors to parks boarding the Orange County boundaries. The eastern portion of the county includes more free parks and a few public art galleries associated with university and college campuses. 

1. Tour the murals in the downtown LA library. The Central Library covers a large city block and has gardens and books, but the library also has art, including sculptures, statues and wall murals. The art was made from the 1920s, when the original building was constructed, through modern works, done when the building was remodeled in the 1980s after a major fire. Central Library, 630 W. 5th Street, LA, 90071
2. Admire the fresh fruits and vegetables the Farmer's Market near Television City. Fresh and yummy fruits and veggies are always on display. The market also offers wide walkways for some exercise. Admission to the market is always free and, occasionally, so are food samples. Farmer's Market, 6333 W. 3rd St., LA 90036
3. Stretch out on the beach. The white sandy beaches are always free things to do in Los Angeles. Parking, however, is pricey, unless you park far away and walk in to the beach. Be sure to check the parking signs. Santa Monica Public Beach on Pacific Coast Highway.
4. Watch the La Brea Tar Pits bubble. The Tar Pits, located in the Los Angeles Museum Complex that includes the art museum and the Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries. Sit on the benches and watch the ancient pits bubble up. LACMA, Wilshire at S. Fairfax, 90036
5. Admire the flowers in the LA Rose Gardens on Exposition Avenue. The Exposition Park Rose Garden, located adjacent to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and the State Museum, is free for guests. The garden has hundreds of rose garden varieties, all labeled with tags in case you love a bush so much you want to buy one for your house. Exposition Gardens, Exposition and State Dr., LA 90037
6. Enjoy art. While you're at the rose gardens, run across the street to the University of Southern California campus, take in some art at the Fischer Gallery, located directly on Exposition Boulevard, just inside the gates of the USC campus. Admission is free, but parking on campus is expensive. Park for free in the neighborhoods east of the campus and take the big hike in for cost-free parking. USC, Exposition at Jefferson, LA 90037
7. Take in a music concert at the Triforium. The Triforium is a 60-ton multi-level structure at the downtown Civic Center Mall complex that plays music at noon each day while lighting different parts of the sculpture.  LA City Mall Complex, LA 90012
8. Listen to an evening of music at LACMA. The Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art on Wilshire Boulevard hosts local music acts in the main courtyard at least one time a week during the summer evenings. Winter performances are less common, but still happen. Match a free day at the museum with a concert by watching the museum calendar for the year. LACMA, Wilshire at S. Fairfax, CA 90036
9. Take a walkabout in Elysian Park. The park, one of the largest urban parks in the U.S., has walking paths, benches and a zillion trees. Play a round of Frisbee golf or head over toward the planetarium. Re-enact parts of the film "Rebel Without a Cause" on the planetarium balcony, the site is identified with an official sign. Elysian Park, 835 Academy Rd., LA, 90012