Customer Reviews

Free L.A. The Ultimate Free Fun Guide to the City of Angels (Los Angeles)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

No matter what time of year you decide to go to L.A., there is something fun happening and it might just be free. Most of the events listed in this book are free to the public because they are funded through government grants, corporate sponsorships, non-profit groups and individual donations. If you want, you can make a donation at various locations.

The items in this book are listed from January to December. The dates may be subject to change, so it is advisable to check the website for current information.

Some of the Fun Free Adventures Include:

A LA Harbor Tour that leaves every 20-60 minutes. Take a tour in an open-air tour boat.

Central Avenue Jazz Festival - dine on ethnic cuisine while you listen to music

Summer Concerts in the Park - evenings of music in July and August

There is also information for every interest. If you love gardening, there are many beautiful gardens to visit. You might even enjoy volunteering to help decorate a float for the Tournament of Roses Parade. I saw one of the floats up close and they are pretty amazing. I wondered who had all that time on their hands, and now we know. You can sign up to volunteer through a special website.

Other Interesting Places to Visit:

Frederick's of Hollywood Lingerie Museum

Fall Festival Farmer's Market

Holiday Movie Shorts at Santa Monica Place

This book is filled with free festivals, museums, historic landmarks, botanical gardens, tours, summer fun, concerts, art events, films and holiday events. Each entry features Thomas Guide map coordinates to make finding your free fun much easier.

~The Rebecca Review

Free L.A. is an event guide rather than a travel guide per se, so tourists seeking a broader wealth of information concerning hotels, restaurants, etc. will want to supplement it with a more well-rounded guidebook. Free L.A. is a travel, entertainment and tourist guide especially for the budget-conscious - since all the events, activities, and things to do it lists in the City of Angels are free! Free festivals, museums, historic landmarks, botanical gardens, tours, concerts, art events, films, holiday celebrations and more pack this suprisingly thick little book. Arranged by month and season, each listed event includes an applicable phone number or website, a brief description, parking notes, information on whether the event is kid-friendly or has wheelchair/stroller access, and more. A superb introduction to Los Angeles travel and fun, and also an excellent resource for L.A. natives looking to enjoy themselves.

Thank God someone has finally put together a comprehensive guide of affordable things to do in LA! As a parent I am always struggling to come up with entertaining (and inexpensive) activities to do with my kids. This pocket guide is loaded with tons of FREE things to do in LA. They even have info about parking, directions, stroller accessibility... It's great! This has become an essential item in my household.

This a great guide for anyone who wants to know what's happening in L.A. - for free! I ordered one for myself and several for gifts. It's a must have for anyone interested in what's going on around the L.A. area.

"Free L.A., The Ultimate Free Fun Guide to the City of Angels" contains more free things to do in L.A. than one can count! Over 250 pages of events and attractions are presented with details and contact information (many with websites).

The book begins with monthly Annual Events so you can plan what to do whenever you visit. You'll learn how to attend the January 1 Tournament of Roses Parade for free, complete with parking instructions. On the first two Saturdays in February, your family can enjoy the Pan African Film and Arts Festival Children's Festival at Magic Johnson Theatres. And, in July, there's the Courtyard Kid's Festival at the Japanese American National Museum.

There's another section with Holiday Events, which kicks off with the Chinese New Year's Festival in Chinatown as the first of several New Year's Celebrations. Other holidays which have dedicated sections include Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, Fourth of July, Halloween and Winter Holidays.

There is also an "Extra Events" section, which features free Concerts, Films, Gardening and more.

The last part of "Free L.A." is entitled "Venues" and includes sections of Free Museums, Museums with Free Days, Botanical Gardens, Historic Places and Nature Centers & Preserves.

Finally, you'll find an index listing all the free goodies, both alphabetically and by location. The book is approximately 3 ½ by 8 inches and would easily fit into a tote bag or a purse so you can take it with you as you tour the "City of Angels".

This book has some decent ideas for free things to do, but I wouldn't call it a treasure trove of ideas. The Weekend and Calendar sections of the LA Times has more interesting and current events without being overwhelming like the free weekly newspapers. I would recommend the book to long term visitors or people who have just moved to Los Angeles. For people who have been in the city longer, the LA Times is a better bet.

I find this book to be too far out of date to really be helpful, it has a 2004 copyright date. A lot happens in 7 years around a big city like LA. I tried looking up information on several of the given websites and couldn't find anything. I would save my money and look for something more current.

I don't think most people realize how much fun can be had in LA without spending much money. This guide book, Free L.A. offers endless ideas that could fill a ton of time. I think it's especially helpful for families with kids, looking for new ways to spend time while providing a fun and educational experience. Whether you're interested in film, art, music, aquariums, nature. . . this book lists tons of possibilities. I really like the way the book is organized, making it super easy to find what you are interested in, and when in the year it's available. Great find!

This brand-new edition (July 2009) has lots of new free things to do. I particularly like the new chapters focused on specific communities, including Pasadena, downtown and Santa Monica-- it helps people explore a neighborhood better.

I had no idea how many worthy free things to do there are, from performances at the acclaimed Upright Citizen's Brigade to film festivals, concerts and classes.

A great resource.

Very disappointed in this book. I think one could get more from a google of LA. Oh well, I guess I expected unusual stuff, given the title.