From an endless list of incredible restaurants, to gorgeous beaches and world-class museums, the City of Angels has no shortage of affordable destinations for entertainment, recreation and sightseeing. Here is just a small sampling of the best inexpensive (and/or free!) L.A. hotspots:
Venice Beach
Famous for
its artists, street performers and other assorted forms of exotic human
wildlife, Venice Beach is an absolute must for the people watcher in your
family. In just one stroll down the mile and a half-long boardwalk you might
encounter everything from mimes and break-dancers to chainsaw jugglers, snake
charmers and a guy who walks on broken
glass. Stop in any one of the many shops along the boardwalk to pick up a
t-shirt, or visit one of the fine beachside tattoo/piercing establishments for
a more permanent souvenir.
Griffith
Observatory
Boasting
incredible views of Hollywood, Downtown L.A., the Pacific Ocean, and of course,
the infinite reaches of outer space, the Griffith Observatory is not to be
missed. Visitors are invited to look through telescopes, explore exhibits,
enjoy stimulating special programs and lectures, and see live shows in the
Samuel Oschin Planetarium. And the best part: Admission is always free!
(Although some special exhibits and events might require a small charge).
Walk of
Fame
No L.A. trip
is complete without a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard’s star-studded
(literally) walk of fame. Try to spot your favorite stars of film, television,
theatre, music and radio broadcasting as you pass by iconic Tinsel Town
landmarks like the Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Four Ladies of Hollywood.
Just make sure you look up every once in a while, or your liable to run
face-first into Spiderman, Edward Scissorhands, or any number of costumed
street performers that frequent the strip.
Museums
The City of
Angels isn’t all celebrity gossip and crazy fad diets; we’ve got our fair share
of high culture too. Honestly, with the amount of first-rate museums in L.A.,
you could spend your entire vacation browsing the galleries, so here are the
ones that you absolutely shouldn’t skip:
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
General Admission: $12
Students/Seniors (with I.D.): $6
Children (under 12): Free
Free Admission every Thursday from 5pm to 9pm!
The Getty Center
Free Admission
$15 for parking (reduced to $10 after 4pm)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
General Admission: $15
Students/Seniors (with I.D.): $10
Children (17 and under): Free
Free Admission on second Tuesday of every month!
Hike up to
the Hollywood Sign
Get up close
and personal with one of L.A.’s most recognizable landmarks! Ok, you can’t get
that personal with the sign itself (it is surrounded by a fence and monitored
by a security guard), but the views from behind its lofty perch on the peak of
Mt. Lee are not to be missed. Choose from three separate trails with varying
degrees of difficulty for a scenic hike up to this world renowned icon and be
rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.
Explore
the Food Scene
Over the last
few years L.A. has become one of America’s most exciting food cities. And in a
massive and extremely diverse city like Los Angeles, you don’t have to break
the bank to find an amazing meal. So if the $325 tasting menu at Providence is
out of the question, head on over to Thai Town in East Hollywood for an endless
parade of inexpensive deliciousness. You can walk into pretty much any hole in
the wall spot in this little six-block neighborhood and find amazing Thai Food,
but Ruen Pair is a local favorite for a reason, and
definitely worth a visit. Not in the mood for Thai? L.A. is also home to about
a billion amazing Mexican restaurants and taco shops. One of my personal
favorites is Tire Shop
Taqueria. Actually located in a used tire shop, this non-descript little
taco stand might not look like much, but they serve some of the best carne
asada, al pastor and chorizo tacos you’ll ever taste. And for just $1.50 a pop,
you can’t beat the price.
Los Angeles truly has it all and we’ve only just begun to
scratched the surface with this list. So do some exploring and add to this list
as you see fit. But with everything this magical city has to offer—not to
mention the amazing weather—you really can’t go wrong.
