There are many activities and locations to visit in Los Angeles County throughout the year. The Roze Team wanted to share several of them with you in parts 1, 2, and 3 of free activities to experience in L.A.
Experience Kite-flying at the Korean Friendship Bell
The Korean Friendship Bell is housed in Angels Gate Park in Los Angeles’ San Pedro area, under a lovely pavilion overlooking the lake. A copy of the Emille Bell, which was cast in South Korea in 771 and is still one of the largest in existence, can be found here.
The Los Angeles replica was given to the US government as a gift by South Korea and has been classified as a Cultural-Historical Monument.
The pavilion and adjacent park are ideal settings for a picnic, kite flying, or simply relaxing on a nice, sunny day. If you’re in the neighborhood on the first Saturday of the month, stop over around noon to hear the bell ring.
Discover the Top Modern Art Museums in Los Angeles
Two of California’s most important modern art museums are right across the street from one other, and they’re both free to visit. The Museum of Contemporary Art, or MOCA, has been a fixture of the Los Angeles art scene since 1979, with a permanent collection focusing on paintings, photography, and sculptures from the 1940s to the present, including works by Rothko, Pollock, and Basquiat.
Nearby, benefactors Eli and Edythe Broad established The Broad, a museum of modern art, to house their enormous collection and traveling exhibits. The Broad, located in Downtown Los Angeles next to the Disney Concert Hall and across from the MOCA, is completely free to visit, but reservations are recommended, especially if you want to see the museum’s most well-known permanent exhibition, The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. This famous exhibit only allows a limited number of visitors every day, so try to arrive early to assure entry.
Go to MOCA and Go to The Broad
Take in the Scenery from Griffith Observatory
The Roze Team greatly enjoyed the experience of visiting the Griffith Observatory, located in Griffith Park. The Observatory houses a free astronomy museum and provides visitors with a view of the universe through its super Zeiss telescope.
If you want to see the night sky, get in line before it gets dark, especially in the summer, because the line closes once it reaches a specific number of people.
Even if you aren’t interested in the museum, Griffith Observatory is regarded as one of the top spectacular viewpoint sites in Los Angeles, offering incredible panoramic views of the entire city below. Arrive around sunset for a fantastic treat.
Visit Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Many of the film industry’s top stars, including those from the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as luminaries like Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, Fay Wray, and George Harrison, are buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. A plaque commemorates the efforts of Oscar-winning “Gone With the Wind” star Hattie McDaniel, who wished to be buried here but was denied owing to California’s segregation laws at the time.
The grounds are also used as a cultural center, with a summer schedule of special activities.
Go to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Go to its Cultural Events
Choose any Beach in Los Angeles County
A beautiful day at the beach is undoubtedly the iconic Southern California activity, and it is very popular to visit a beach in Los Angeles. Los Angeles County has more than 70 miles of beaches, and due to the region’s year-round warm weather, you’ll find people sitting on the sand even in January.
While the beaches are always free, parking is not always. Especially if there is free parking, you should arrive early because many of them fill up before noon, even on weekdays. Will Rogers State Beach and Point Dume State Beach both include free parking lots as well as adjoining pay lots in case the free one is full when you arrive.
If you don’t want to drive, public transportation in Los Angeles takes you directly to Downtown Santa Monica, which is within walking distance of Santa Monica Beach and nearby Venice Beach.
Go to Los Angeles County Beaches
Leisurely Wander Around the Venice Beach Boardwalk
Take a stroll down the Venice Beach Boardwalk and look for street performers, Muscle Beach Gym hard bodies, and a slew of other colorful personalities walking the beach during the summer and on weekends.
Parking in the region runs from $3 to $15 depending on the lot and time of year, with some free street parking available if you have the patience to hunt for it.
Even though the neighborhood is a touch touristic, it is one of the most iconic spots in Los Angeles and a must-see for any first-time visitor.
Visit a TV show being taped
The Roze Team was able to experience a popular sitcom being taped in Los Angeles County. It was a very interesting time. If you’ve ever wanted to see a live taping of your favorite game and talk shows, sitcoms, or reality show, a trip to Los Angeles is your chance. Many of the most popular television series are shot in Los Angeles, and almost all tapings are free—as long as you get a ticket.
The ticketing process varies for every show, with some releasing them up to 30 days in advance online and others releasing them on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the recording. Even if you’ve never heard of the show, experiencing the behind-the-scenes action and getting up close and personal with celebs is a uniquely Angeleno experience.
Go to On Camera Audiences, TV Tix, and 1iota
Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Explore the Hollywood Walk of Fame for star honors for all of your favorite celebrities. The Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame extends east to west from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue and north to south from Yucca Street to Sunset Boulevard. With over 2,600 stars, locating a specific celebrity might be a bit of a scavenger hunt.
While you’re there, moviegoers can visit the TCL Chinese Theater (previously known as Grauman’s Chinese Theater) and the adjacent Dolby Theater to discover everything about the Academy Awards.
View a Prehistoric Fossil Collection
The Roze Team visited The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum in Hancock Park, near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on different occasions. It was an eye-opening experience. The La Brea Tar Pits has the most significant source of prehistoric fossils ever excavated. While these fossils have been displayed in museums all throughout the world, the Page Museum has the greatest collection.
The park is free to explore and see the tar pits and outdoor exhibitions, where paleontologists may be seen actively working to uncover new discoveries, but you must pay to enter the museum.
There are many locations to visit that are free in Los Angeles, the Roze Team wanted you to discover and enjoy these events and places. The final part of these articles will give you more free and affordable Los Angeles locations to visit.