The best cheap things to do in Los Angeles

Driving to the hilltop astronomical landmark often means parking nearly back at the bottom of the hill or paying $10 per hour. And due to the spotty reception, good luck grabbing an Uber. Thankfully, a DASH bus route travels up the hill every day—even when the observatory’s interior is closed—from the Vermont-Sunset Metro station. One-way fares cost only 50 cents with cash/change, or 35 cents with a Metro TAP card. 

Time Out tip: Once you make it to the top, entry to the observatory itself—and the stunning views—are free, and you can watch a show in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium (like James Dean did in Rebel Without a Cause) for only $10.

The Getty name is attached to two excellent L.A. museums: The Getty Center, a hilltop complex of pavilions that houses ornate French furniture and recognizable Impressionist pieces; and the Getty Villa, a coastal mansion filled with Greek and Roman antiquities. Both are free to visit (with an online reservation) except for the $25 parking fee. But if you don’t mind driving the 20–45 minutes between both of them in the same day (except for Monday and Tuesday, when one of them is closed), you can pay once and park twice. Just ask for a coupon at the information desk of the first museum you visit.

Time Out tip: Both museums offer a calendar full of workshops and talks that are free with your reservation. 

While admission to the Academy Museum’s exhibitions costs $25, screenings in its two theaters—including the 1,000-seat David Geffen Theater in that giant glassy sphere—are only $5 or $10, an amazing deal for seeing both classics and recent favorites in a shrine to filmmaking. (You can even score free tickets with your Los Angeles Public Library card.) The lineup of films often complements the museum’s exhibitions, and cast members and filmmakers are known to stop by to talk about their work. 

Time Out tip: Come Oscars season, the museum fittingly screens awards contenders and nominee spotlights leading up to the ceremony. 

Angels Flight is literally the little funicular that could: The block-long railway has weathered mechanical problems, extended closures and relocation to keep pulling passengers up Bunker Hill over a century after its initial opening. You can board its tiered cars for only $1.50, but you’ll pay half that with a valid TAP card.

Time Out tip: While you can board Angels Flight from either Hill Street or Olive Street, we suggest the former, lest you end up hoofing it back up Fourth Street.

The summer home of the LA Phil (and boozy picnics) fetches upward of $100 for box seats. But the most coveted spots at the Bowl only cost a buck: A limited number of bench seats are available for select LA Phil performances for only $1 each season. This past summer, there were seats on offer for select classical and non-classical concerts in Sections L–U with the promo code HBDOLLARPARKS.

Time Out tip: If you can’t score one of those tickets before they sell out, you might be able to catch the orchestra for free during a summertime morning rehearsal (call 323-850-2000 for the latest info).

Lovers of things that go choo-choo should be sure to head toward Travel Town on Sundays, when the neighboring Los Angeles Live Steamers Museum is open for railheads. The whimsy extends to the museum’s “buildings,” which are actually restored full-size train cars like the bright red 1929 Santa Fe Steel Caboose and the 1956 Union Pacific Sleeper Car. The family-friendly train rides run from 11am to 3pm every Sunday (except for the Sunday before Memorial Day and the first Sunday in October). There’s a $4 suggested donation for rides.

Time Out tip: Every third Sunday of the month, you can visit the on-site Walt’s Barn—as in Disney—for free to find a collection of train models and memorabilia.

This 1921, Mayan-inflected Frank Lloyd Wright house was originally built as a “progressive theatrical community” space by activist and oil heiress Aline Barnsdall—today it’s the city’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open for self-guided tours (Thu–Sat, 11am–4pm; $12). Also on-site and worth checking out is the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, which offers free admission.

Time Out tip: Bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it in Barnsdall Park, which offers a great vantage point of the city.

Owned and programmed by director Quentin Tarantino, this single-screen Central L.A. revival house is one of our favorites for so many reasons. Toward the very top: weekly Friday night screenings of a Tarantino movie, projected on 35mm and often pulled from his personal archive, for only $11.

Time Out tip: Over in Los Feliz, the century-old, also-Tarantino-owned Vista Theater offers lots of leg room, an adjacent coffee shop and similarly eclectic programming, including family-friendly weekend morning screenings for just $11.

After a massive makeover a few years back, the Eastside’s historic Echo Park Lake finally became a family-friendly destination worthy of its bold backdrop: the Downtown skyline amid the lotus flower blooms and fountains. The lake has been around since 1860—it was once used as a drinking water reservoir, and later as a recreational park with canoes and fishing. Today, you can pedal your way through the lake in a swan boat ($13 per person)—a both family-friendly and date-friendly activity. 

Time Out tip: For an even more picturesque experience, wait till the sun sets and embark on your journey on a lit-up swan boat, with a view of the twinkling city lights. 

One of L.A.’s most wonderfully odd destinations, the Velaslavasay Panorama, located inside a historic West Adams theater, is affectionately known for its outside-the-box programming and old-timey 360-degree panorama paintings. Behind it, you’ll find an absolutely enchanting garden, with an ornate gazebo, carnivorous plants and Eastern-inspired pavilions. Altogether, it’s well worth the $7 suggested donation.

Time Out tip: The Panorama is only open Fridays and Saturdays (11am–4pm), and you’ll need to book an appointment to visit.

All of the fun that the 101 and 405 suck out of your commute must end up here at this kitsch mini-golf course and arcade next to the freeway. Putt-putt is surprisingly scarce in L.A., but this ivy-covered castle landmark makes up for it with three 18-hole minigolf courses. Prices aren’t as much of a steal as they used to be, but they’re stll reasonable: $12 will get you on the tee, and it’s only another $5 to play again.

Time Out tip: Another fun, adult-friendly option is Holey Moley on Third Street Promenade, which offers playful cocktails and hours of campy fun. Rates start at just $14 for nine holes.

As the prices tick up at second-run theaters and single-screen movie palaces, we have to admit that one of the best deals going can be found at the multiplex. All day on Tuesdays, you can watch a movie for half-off at any AMC theater, as long as you’ve signed up for the free tier of their AMC Stubs rewards program. The comfy LOOK Dine-in Cinema in Glendale offers a similar discount deal on Tuesdays for $9 (sans the loyalty program requirement).

Time Out tip: Pasadena’s second-run Regency Academy Cinemas offers matinees any day—including weekends—for just $7.

You can navigate large parts of Los Angeles without ever stepping foot in a car or having to foot the bill for parking, thanks to Metro. Consider it a smart option for destinations in Downtown L.A., Hollywood, Koreatown, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Long Beach and even LAX, thanks to the new LAX/Metro Transit Center. A single ride, regardless of the destination, costs $1.75 and includes free transfers for up to two hours. 

Time Out tip: Don’t pass up the transit system’s Metro Micro app either; the Uber-like on-demand van service offers rides within eight zones across L.A. for only $2.50, with discounted dollar fares available for some.