15 FREE Things to Add to Your Los Angeles Bucket List
What do you picture when you think of Los Angeles? The glitz and glamour of Hollywood? Multi-million dollar homes? Well I have a slightly different take on the city because we lived there for two years while I attended grad school at UCLA. I was a poor student living on student loans, so we definitely didn’t live that Beverly Hills lifestyle that people dream about. But despite that, we made an effort to get out and experience as much of the city as we could. Turns out LA isn’t just for the rich and famous – we learned there are a ton of awesome kid-friendly, affordable, and even free things to do in LA! Here are 15 of our favorites to add to your Los Angeles bucket list.
Disclaimer: even though these attractions are free, parking in LA is rarely free! So whether you’re going to the beach or a museum or anywhere else, make sure to budget (both money & time) for parking.
5 Best Museums for Kids in Los Angeles For Your Los Angeles Bucket List
5. LACMA
The LA County Museum of Art is one of the most popular museums in Los Angeles. It isn’t free for adults but it is free for kids, so it makes the list! Plus there are several outdoor art installations that you can visit without paying the entry fee to go inside. And as a bonus, the LaBrea Tar Pits are right next door. I always think of the Tommy Lee Jones movie Volcano when I see those. A 90s classic! The actual tar pits are free but the Natural History Museum is not.
4. The Getty Center
The Getty Museum is located just north of UCLA on the 405. It’s famous for its beautiful gardens and collection of art from the Middle Ages. Admission is free but parking is not.
3. The Getty Villa
The Getty Villa isn’t as well known as the other Getty, but it is much cooler, in my opinion! It’s located in Pacific Palisades on the way to Malibu. It’s perched up on a hill just off the PCH, so it has great ocean views. It also has breathtaking architecture and a vast collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. Between the art and architecture, you’ll like you’re in Europe! And check out this post for more places in California that look like Europe.
2. California Science Center
The California Science Center is located next to the USC campus, in the same complex as The LA Memorial Coliseum. If you’re a sports fan, that’s a must-see as well. Otherwise, just spend the afternoon with the kids at this fantastic museum. My favorite exhibits were the aquarium and the Space Shuttle Endeavour. It’s only one of four places you can see one of the real space shuttles up close and personal! The others are in New York, Washington DC, and Cape Canaveral.
1. Griffith Observatory
Built in 1935, the Griffith Observatory has now become the most-visited observatory in the world and it’s featured in many movies like Yes Man and The Rocketeer, TV shows, and commercials. It’s truly an icon of LA. You can tour the various exhibits that teach you about science and the cosmos, look through telescopes, admire the art deco architecture, get sweeping views of downtown LA, and even catch a glimpse of the Hollywood sign. This is a must-have on any Los Angeles bucket list!
5 Best Free Things to Do in LA For Your Los Angeles Bucket List
5. Beverly Hills Library
We love to take our kids to public libraries when we travel but the Beverly Hills library is one of our favorites. Brittany would take our two oldest here frequently while I was in classes at UCLA, just 10 minutes away. But it’s not just the nostalgia that makes it our favorite – it’s because it has an enormous children’s section and enchanting murals throughout the library. We took all four of our kids back here on a recent visit to LA and they didn’t want to leave!
4. Venice Canals
Yes, Venice California also has canals, just like Italy. They were built in 1905 by Abbot Kinney, who wanted to create the “Venice of America”. The more you know! 💫 It’s a great place for a relaxing sunset stroll, walking across the bridges, and wondering who on Earth can afford to live in these multi-million dollar homes lining the canals.
3. Palm tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills
I can’t say the name Beverly Hills without singing the song by Weezer – “Beverly Hills! That’s where I want to be!” Nothing screams LA quite like the plam tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills but did you know they aren’t actually native to LA? They were imported and planted in as part of a city beautification project before the 1932 Olympics. And the trees only have a lifespan of 80-250 years. So enjoy them while they last!
The best spot to see the trees and get a pic like the one below (with NO traffic, what?!) is at around Carmelita Ave. and N. Hillcrest Road. Plus it’s fun to just drive around Beverly Hills and look at all the dreamy houses.
2. Lake Hollywood Park
You can’t go to LA and not see the Hollywood sign, right? There are lots of places to see it and several hikes that you can do as well, including one that takes you right behind the sign itself (although you can’t walk up to the front – it’s off limits). But those hikes are pretty long and not super kid-friendly. Our favorite spot to see it as at the Lake Hollywood Park. It’s quite the hidden gem and it won’t be overcrowded with tourists. You can get your photo opp with the Hollywod sign, but you can also see Lake Hollywood (did you know there was a lake up on the Hollywood Hills?), and get some good views of Donwtown LA if it’s not too smoggy. And there’s a fun little playground at the park for the kids, which is always a great way to bribe them for smiling in the picture.
1. Photo opps at the filming locations from your favorite TV shows or movies
If you’re a fan of movies and TV shows like we are, there are lots of ways to experience Hollywood, whether it’s Universal Studios or taking a tour of a movie studio lot. But those are expensive! And you’re reading this because you’re looking for the free stuff. Well some of our favorite outings in LA were to check out the filming locations of some of our favorite shows. Look up your favorites and add them to your own Los Angeles bucket list!.
There is Hermosa Beach Pier or the Angel’s Flight Railway (almost free – $1 to ride the trolley up Bunker Hill in DTLA) from LaLa Land. Or there’s Pasadena City Hall from Parks and Recreation. Sorry to break it to you but Pawnee Indiana is actually Pasadena California! And the office from The Office is in LA, not in Scranton Pennsylvania. Our personal favorite was the Dunphy house from Modern Family. The TV show was huge when we lived in LA and there were even fake realtor bus bench ads everywhere for Phil Dunphy. When we discovered we lived only two miles from the house from the show, we had to go take a picture!
5 Best Beaches For Your Los Angeles Bucket List
When people think of LA beaches they usually think of the Santa Monica Pier or Muscle Beach in Venice. Those are crowded with tourists and they’re actually not that kid-friendly. There are much better alternatives!
5. Mother’s Beach at Marina del Rey
Because of the calm water of the marina, this beach is nicknamed Mother’s Beach because it’s great place to come with the little ones and not worry about them getting pummeled by waves. It’s also a great spot for kayaking and paddleboarding for the same reason.
4. Manhattan Beach
Santa Monica Pier may be picturesque from afar but there are other, more relaxed piers as well. Manhattan Beach is one of them and it’s just 15-20 minutes from LAX. It’s also one of the best spots in LA for surfing. I actually learned to surf when we lived in LA because when in Rome, right? Had to do it! This was where I’d go. Come to found out it’s a also common to spot great white sharks off the shore. Brittany thinks I’m crazy for surfing here. But don’t fear – the beach is still kid-friendly. Maybe just don’t let them paddle out past the breakers.
3. Dockweiler Beach
Dockweiler is cool for two reasons – you can see planes take off from LAX and there are firepits. Bonfires at night on the beach is one of my favorite things to do and there aren’t many beaches in LA that allow it.
2. Rancho Palos Verdes
Rancho Palos Verdes is a total hidden gem. It’s a little off the beaten path so not many tourists venture out this way. But there are some great beaches for tidepools, like Abalone Cove. And for fans of lighthouses, there’s the Point Vicente lighthouse built in the 1920s. Most people don’t even know that something like this exists in LA!
1. Zuma Beach in Malibu
Hands down, my favorite beach in LA is a famous surfing beach in Malibu called Zuma Beach. It’s another must-have on your Los Angeles bucket list. I’m actually going to lump three things into one when I say Zuma Beach because right next to Zuma is another little hidden gem called Point Dume, where you can hike out atop some cliffs and to the south you see Big Dume Beach and to the north you see Zuma Beach. When we lived in LA, this is one spot we took everyone that came to visit us. Big Dume Beach is also great for tidepools – we even saw starfish. And Zuma Beach is just a nice, typical Southern California beach with fine sand and perfect waves.
Kid-Friendly & Affordable Hotels in Los Angeles
If you’re looking for a place to stay on your next trip to LA, here are few places that are on the more affordable side and good for families. These are affiliate links and we may get a small commission if you book your stay using the links below, which we greatly appreciate! But we only link to places that we’ve tried ourselves and would recommend. Here are a few:
- If you want to stay near Universal Studios – The Sheraton Universal
- If you want to stay near The Rose Bowl for a football game – Courtyard Pasadena Old Town
- If you want to stay in a central location to most things on this list – Courtyard Los Angeles Westside or Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles Westside
- If you want to stay by LAX – Los Angeles Airport Marriott. Usually I’m not a fan of hotels by the airport, but this hotel is pretty nice and has a really cool pool. Plus Marriott brand hotels are usually not this cheap.
Hopefully this post convinced you to take the kids to LA because I love this city and think it’s an underrated destination for families. There’s a ton to see and do if you know where to go!
Los Angeles Bucket List
Make sure to check out our California Bucket List for more ideas and to help plan your trip.
Surf’s up🤘🏻
– JJ