Working World

Even if we don’t have a lot of money to throw around right now, we all deserve — and need — a little recreation, and sometimes it needs to be an activity that does not involve a computer, TV screen or remote control. Working hard is good, but taking a break from your work and worries can contribute greatly to good mental health and quality of life, and doesn’t have to cost a lot. Luckily we live in Southern California, where there is never a shortage of things to do. And if you know where to look, a lot of activities are free or very low-cost.

Summer is an especially good time to get out and experience all the things this great city has to offer.  There are many regular or one-time events such as concerts or plays in the park, art gallery openings, festivals and television show tapings that are not only free, but will get you out and about.  

Curtain Call

For those who love music, each summer the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs hosts a concert series downtown on the California Plaza that features a wide variety of eclectic and global artists. Also check out Andrew’s Free Concert Calendar for links to notices of free music events like symphonies, city park concerts, in-store events and open mic nights.   

Theatre buffs might enjoy attending productions of Shakespeare by the Sea, which puts on the Bard’s plays in 16 outdoor locations each summer, some oceanside, some not. Admission is free and picnics are encouraged. The Getty Villa in Malibu is staging reinterpretations of ancient Greek and Roman plays in their outdoor amphitheater with tickets at a mere $7. Pretty cheap for live theater.  

If Greek tragedy is not your kids’ thing, the California Science Center near Exposition Park was named by Parents magazine as one of the Top 10 Science Centers in the nation (out of a field of 150) for young children and their families. It offers interactive exhibits for hands-on fun and education, and admission to the permanent exhibits is always free. The L.A. Kids Program run by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation has after-school and year round recreational and sports activities at 93 locations for youth age 5-18.

For individuals and families, or for a cheap date, general hanging out or people watching, check out @LA for lists dozens of festivals and street fairs happening year round in Los Angeles and Orange County.  

Love to Learn?

Educational institutions are also good places to find free things to do. UCLA does its part to share exhibits, lectures, music, films and theater, posting 1,000 events per year, and some, but not all, are free. If you are willing to brave the traffic in Westwood, there are free concerts, women’s water polo, ethnic dance performances and a variety of other cultural and entertainment offerings. The UCLA-affiliated Hammer Museum in Westwood has many free programs that include movie screenings, poetry readings and kids’ activities, as well as intellectual pursuits like political discussion forums and lectures on art and current events. Evening parking rates are minimal (generally $3).

USC has an Arts and Events Calendar that lists exhibits and musical, sporting, film, art and theatrical events. Selecting a time frame in the calendar and typing “free” in the search box will bring up activities that don’t charge for admission. The Getty Center in Brentwood has some films and musical performances that are free, although reservations/tickets are required and certain events sell out fast.  

A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That

There are other general purpose websites that list free events and activities of all types, and if you can’t find something in line with your interests among the multitude of offerings here, you aren’t really trying.

One very comprehensive site is www.lafreebee.com. It lists upcoming free concerts, art events and other one-time happenings, as well as pages on regularly scheduled freebies offered by local institutions. There is a whole page devoted to free days at the museums (almost all museums have at least one free day a month), information about Free Fridays at Santa Anita, an offer to experience the Shark Lagoon for free at the Long Beach Aquarium on Friday evenings (limited time), as well as promotional offers such as free admission to Disneyland on your birthday.

A mixture of free and paid events is listed at www.socal.com/events. It’s very extensive and varied, listing 31 major categories and full of free science exhibits, coffee tastings, kite-making workshops and everything in between, but you’ll have to surf around within the site to find the no- or low-cost events.  

Another free/paid mixed site is www.experiencela.com. It gives you a calendar of events and sorts activities by neighborhood. Entering the word “free” in the search box yields dozens of possibilities. The website www.laokay.com has a “Free Stuff” button that brings up a list of neighborhoods to choose from, with ongoing and special events in each. It will give you the free hours to the LAFD African American Firefighter Museum, a link to www.hollywoodtickets.com for tickets to free TV show tapings, information on free archery classes in the Arroyo Seco and much, much more.

Into the Wild

If you’d rather do something outdoors as an activity for yourself or with your family, try hiking around one of the great wilderness areas that surround L.A., or exploring unique city centers such as the Venice canals. There’s an online guide at  that will familiarize you with hundreds of possibilities, mostly north of the 10 Freeway. If you are in the southern part of the County, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy does docent-led walks around the peninsula once a month; the site lists its schedule, locations and level of difficulty. For the price of a picnic and a partial tank of gas, you can make a full day of it.

With all of this going on, being broke is no excuse to sit in front of your TV all summer. Now get out there and have some fun.   

Suzanne Ridgway is a freelance writer and regular columnist/contributor for Working World and Working Nurse magazines. Suzanne also writes grant proposals for nonprofit organizations.