15 Free Things to Do in Hollywood

Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Christine Kaaloa

Hollywood … Hollyweird. Whether you’re a hipster, artist and entertainment hopeful, a wannabe rockstar or tourist, Hollywood has always been the IT place to be in Los Angeles.

From my college years to my twenties, my priority was to feel glitzy, artsy funky and glam. So a normal day’s “budget” of toodling around this town as a tourist might’ve looked like:

A morning yoga class =  $12
Lunch at a trendy cafe = $15
A museum visit  = $10
Post museum coffee at a cafe= $5
Dinner and appetizers at a moderately trendy restaurant = $30
Nightclubbing and barhopping + parking = $40

Total = $112 /day

This didn’t include a rental car, gas, clothes shopping, accommodations and basically, any of  the essentials of a trip!

So I did what any travel survivalist might do– I looked for ways to have fun cheaply and freely.  This is what I found…

15 things you can do for free or cheap in Hollywood:

#1.  Free Museum days

Visiting museums isn’t expensive. But at roughly $10 a pop, expenses quickly add up.  Luckily,some museums participate in Free Museum Days.

From Free Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to Monthly free museum days, you can see your fill of art, science and history …free.  Note: With free days, expect a crowd, if not swarm. Check out that list for a list of free museums as well.

#2.  Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park

Mounted high up in Los Feliz is the Griffith Observatory, a prime lookout spot and another great location for hiking (and biking). I enjoyed jogging up the base of Griffith Park for my daily workouts when I lived in Los Feliz, but there’s two hiking spots (Bronson Canyon and West Loop Trail) that provide a good workout and escape. The observatory has daily light shows, there’s a bust statue of James Dean to commemorate it as the film location, Rebel Without a Cause and the view of downtown Los Angeles is worth the 5-6 minute drive. You can enter Griffith Park through two entrances. Website: www.griffithobs.org

Tip: Great lookout spot to see Los Angeles at night

#3.  Hike to the Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood sign is the one reason you’ll want a window seat on the plane.  It’s the first major icon that waves to you from the brown haze over the city. But did you know you can hike to it?  Well, there’s some conflicting thoughts on this one. Some say its on private property and is illegal, while many other tourists and locals will tell you Nah, just do it. I’ll let you be the judge. Here’s directions to the sign.

#4.  Runyon Canyon

Runyon Canyon is probably the most popular hiking spot for industry folk. When you’re there, you feel like you’re worlds away from the craziness that is Hollywood. Conveniently perched on the Hollywood Hills, it is reachable two blocks north of Sunset Boulevard. There’s free morning and afternoon yoga at the lower gate. Tip: It’s got one of the best views of the city during the day, provided there’s no smog.

Location: 3000 Fuller Ave. Parking: Runyon Canyon Road entrance. See website for hiking routes: www.unyoncanyon-losangeles.com

#5.  Free tickets to live show tapings

Tinsel Town doesn’t close all of its television-making doors to its fans.  In fact, some shows make use of fans as audience members during live tapings for sitcoms, talk shows and reality shows. Thus, you can easily score free tickets to a show’s taping.   Audience scouts occasionally hang around Mann’s Chinese Theater and even Venice Beach boardwalk (sometimes, they pass out passes to movie premieres too). Also check Audiences Unlimited and On Camera Audiences for schedule and show listings. Duration can last anywhere from 3-5 hours, so bring a butt cushion.

#6. See dead stars at Hollywood’s infamous haunting grounds

Did you know that Hollywood Forever Cemetery (6000 Santa Monica Boulevard) is a famous haunt for dead stars? Okay, so maybe you won’t get any autographs, but this is the next best thing. Located near Paramount Studio lot, you find the grounds are the final resting homes for famous legends like Tyrone Power, Rudolph Valentino, Mel Brooks, Estelle Getty, Toto the Dog (from the Wizard of Oz) and more.  Note: It’s a working cemetery and 62 acres to be exact, so be prepared to spend some time with your search. Other famous cemeteries to visit:  Mount Sinai Memorial, Holy Cross Cemetery, Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park. 

Tip: Buy a $5 map from the flower shop.  If you think they were elusive in real life, then you’ll find they’re that way in death too.

#7.  Hollywood Walk of Fame

If the cemeteries aren’t your thing, head on out to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  It’s on practically every tourist’s map for good reason.  From recording artists to famous television and film artists, it’s fun to find your favorite star’s star while being reminded of many more.   For a map of the walk, click here.

Location: On Hollywood Boulevard, the stars begin at La Brea Avenue and stretches to Vine.

Read Things to Do in Hong Kong for the Walk of Fame in Asia

#8.  Venice Beach boardwalk

This next spot isn’t actually in Hollywood, but in Santa Monica. The reason I mention it, is cause you’d think it belonged in Hollywood.

Welcome to local art meets muscle men meets hippie homeless. You’ll find cool art, fun shopping and fun boardwalk eating along a pleasant and fun beachside stroll.  It’s one of my celebrated and favorite haunts from my art days. Check out Muscle Beach near the main entrance, for an outdoor gym frequented by eccentric body-builders, who like to flex for passing pedestrians. Why not hunt for murals and see how many you’ll find decorating the sides of buildings. Or catch a bite at Sidewalk Cafe, where you have front row seats to life on the boardwalk. The question is not who you won’t see, but who you will! Anything goes here. From a roller-blading turban-wearing guitarist to a woman with a birdcage on her head… The street performers will entertain you as local artists sell their crafts.

Tip: Avoid the $10 parking lots and find free parking on the streets.

#9.   Hollywood Boulevard

While doing your star tour, stop by Mann’s Chinese Theater, where you can match your hand and footprints with Hollywood icons, like Shirley Temple, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable.  You can even see a stone for Roy Rogers, who also imprinted his revolver and his horse Trigger’s hoof prints.

Across the street, you’ll find Walt Disney’s El Captain Theater. Another famous Hollywood landmark as the “Home of the First Spoken Drama”. Restored, it’s interior is like a 1920’s theater and is currently restored to offer a really powerful 3D experience. At $15/general admission ticket, the tickets aren’t cheap though but might be worth the splurge if you’re into the experience.

Check out the Kodak Building. It’s really just a complex of stores, but it has a great view of the Hollywood sign!

Tip: There are personality impersonators, along Hollywood Boulevard, who will gladly pose with you for a photo. They will ask you for a tip afterwards. Be warned. If you want a free “bestie” with a fake star, the waxed ones are the best. They don’t speak.

#10.  Hollywood Rock of Fame

We all know there’s a Hollywood Walk of Fame for stars, but I didn’t know there was a Hollywood Rock of Fame?  Located in the heart of  Hollywood’s rocker district on Sunset Boulevard, the fame walk is housed under the well-known Guitar Center (it’s large shop with a logo of a guitar on it). It’s a small patch of fame which runs from the sidewalk to the entrance of the store and is a homage to famous Rock n Roll legends. 

#11. Do your own metro tour of downtown L.A.

Ditch your rental car, grab an unlimited subway pass and hit the streets of downtown to explore what each district holds.  See: Los Angeles Tourist Attractions Downtown L.A for what each station stop gains you access to.

#12 .  Free walking tour of downtown L.A.

Learn downtowns’s history and it’s historical gems with Free LA Tour. The two-hour tour is free and tours start at Union Square and end at Pershing Square, visiting points such as El Pueblo de Los Angeles, City Hall, The Bradbury, The Million Dollar Movie Theater, Central Market, The Old Bank District. Hours: 9:30am & 3:30pm.   Meeting location: Front entrance to Union Station.

#13.  Groupon it

I don’t know what’s with Los Angelenos and Groupon, but I heard this money-saving tip from at least three Los Angeleno natives. While it doesn’t make things free, the Groupon discounts can shave chunks off of the regular cost of excursions, restaurants and salon services. I wanted to take a graveyard tour of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and later found out there was a walking tour offering Groupon discounts. If I weren’t on the lean budget I am, I’d be grouponing salon services like crazy.

Getting Around

Obviously getting around L.A. won’t be free. But I thought I’d kick in this section to show you how I got around part of my trip, before throwing in the towel and renting a car. Although a budget rental car might set you back around $20- $30/day– not bad for the price of personal freedom — there’s cheaper options if you had to go that route. And it’s not so bad.  Just plan more time into getting somewhere and take the attitude of being a leisurely explorer.

#14.  L.A. Public Transit bus and metro

By now, you know I love taking the bus and metro everywhere I go. Compared to the public transit systems in New York City, Seoul or San Francisco City,the L.A. Public Transit system falls a little short in that it’s not intuitive. Yeah, my opinion hasn’t changed on that. Decoding it is a bitch if you want your answers quick and customer service  help is not readily /physically available to take your questions.

The good news is that the more you use the L.A. public transit system, the more you’ll get the hang of it and maybe even like it. The human connection you’ll find on public transit is nice and seeing the city from the vantage point of the streets gives you an alternate perspective of the city. Tip: Get the weekly unlimited pass or a day unlimited and you can use both, the bus and metro.

#15. Walk

Los Angeles isn’t known as a pedestrian-friendly city, so I never thought of “walking” Hollywood. But seeing as I’ve done it for almost every other city, I thought I’d test it out.  While things are spread out, Hollywood is walkable. Well, not the entireity of it, but you can get through a lot of it on foot and being on foot always allows you a different perspective than whizzing through it in a car. You get time to take things in.  I’ve walked from La Brea straight through the Sunset Boulevard strip.

Good paths: Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard from La Brea past La Cienega. Down La Cienega for The Grove.  Melrose Street. Vine has a small bar scene.

 What would you add to this list of cheap and free things to do in Los Angeles? Drop us a line!