This Weekend in Los Angeles, CA
Nov 6–Nov 8· Warm, 72°/53°F
The best stuff here is free. Seriously.
🆓 Free this weekend
Culver City Park Basketball Courts
Culver City
Well-maintained outdoor basketball courts in Veterans Memorial Park, a hub for pickup basketball on the Westside. The courts draw a regular crowd for competitive but friendly runs on weekday evenings and weekend mornings. Free and open to the public. The park also has a skate park, tennis courts, and a playground.
Runyon Canyon Park
Hollywood
Free urban hike with panoramic city views. Main loop is 3.5 miles, 789 feet of elevation gain -- manageable for school-age kids. Multiple entry points, easy to moderate trails. Go early morning or late afternoon to dodge heat and parking. Note: West Trail currently closed due to 2025 Sunset Fire damage.
Getty Center
Brentwood
Free admission. Take the tram up to a hilltop with panoramic city views. European paintings, photography, sculpture, rotating exhibitions. Saturday hours until 9pm make this the best free date in LA. Parking $20.
Hollywood Pool
Hollywood
Year-round free public outdoor pool in Hollywood. Lap swim Tue-Fri, recreational swim sessions. Free for LA residents.
Annenberg Beach House Splash Pad
Santa Monica
Free splash pad and playground on the Santa Monica waterfront. The pool is $10 per session (seasonal). The splash pad, lawn area, beach courts, and gallery are all free year-round. Pack a lunch and bring towels -- you can spend a full day here without buying anything.
Roundhouse Aquarium
Manhattan Beach
A free aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier with touch tanks, local marine life exhibits, and educational programs. Small but well-run by volunteers. Kids can handle sea stars, anemones, and urchins. Combine with a beach day for a full outing. Donations accepted.
🌳 Get outside
Ferndell Nature Trail
Los Feliz
A fern-lined, shaded trail along a small creek inside Griffith Park. Completely flat and paved -- stroller and toddler friendly. About a half-mile walk that ends at the Griffith Park playground. Free parking at the trailhead. One of the best easy family walks in LA for young kids.
Griffith Park Vermont Canyon Tennis Courts
Griffith Park
Eight free public courts on a hillside in Griffith Park. No lighting, so play ends at sunset. First-come first-served, no reservations. Hiking trails nearby.
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Park
Free admission. Interactive space exhibits, free public telescope viewing every evening (7-9:30pm, weather permitting), and the best panoramic views of the city and Hollywood Sign. Planetarium shows $10 adults, $8 kids. Open until 10pm -- one of the few family outings that works after dinner.
Griffith Park Train Rides
Griffith Park
Miniature train rides through a mile of Griffith Park, operating since 1948. $3.50 per ride for adults and kids (under 18 months free). The train passes through a dark tunnel that toddlers either love or hate. Near the merry-go-round and pony rides -- easy to combine all three.
Culver City Park Basketball Courts
Culver City
Well-maintained outdoor basketball courts in Veterans Memorial Park, a hub for pickup basketball on the Westside. The courts draw a regular crowd for competitive but friendly runs on weekday evenings and weekend mornings. Free and open to the public. The park also has a skate park, tennis courts, and a playground.
👨👩👧 With kids
Cayton Children's Museum
Santa Monica
21,000 square feet above Santa Monica Place mall. Ball pit, building zone, art studio, RE:MAKER space -- all for kids up to 8. Two blocks from Santa Monica Pier, so you can do both in one trip. Book online in advance.
Roundhouse Aquarium
Manhattan Beach
A free aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier with touch tanks, local marine life exhibits, and educational programs. Small but well-run by volunteers. Kids can handle sea stars, anemones, and urchins. Combine with a beach day for a full outing. Donations accepted.
Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Griffith Park
133 acres in Griffith Park, 1,400+ animals, 270 species. Rainforest of the Americas and LAIR (reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates) are the standouts. Animals head inside around 4pm, so arrive early. Pair with a Griffith Park hike or Train Ride for a full day. Online reservation required.
Santa Monica Pier & Pacific Park
Santa Monica
Walking the pier is free -- you only pay for rides. 12 rides including the solar-powered Ferris wheel ($10) and West Coaster ($10). Unlimited ride wristbands $40 online ($20 for 7 and under). Sunset Deal after 5pm: $24.95. Street performers, arcades, ocean views.
The Zimmer Children's Museum
Mid-Wilshire
A children's museum focused on global awareness and community engagement for kids 0-8. Interactive exhibits, a play grocery store, art studio, and dramatic play areas. $10 per person, kids under 1 free. Smaller and calmer than the bigger children's museums -- manageable for toddlers who get overwhelmed.
🍷 Date night
LACMA
Mid-Wilshire
Largest art museum in the western US. Home to Urban Light (the lamp post installation everyone photographs) and 6,000 years of art. LA County residents get free admission after 3pm weekdays. Second Tuesday of each month free for everyone. Open until 8pm Fridays.
Grand Park Free Concerts
Downtown LA
12-acre DTLA park with free programming year-round. Grand Performances summer concerts (June-August), Sunday Sessions dance parties, lunchtime Wednesday concerts at 12:30pm, and major holiday events including NYELA. No tickets -- just show up.
Providence
Hollywood
Three Michelin stars. Michael Cimarusti's seafood tasting menus are pristine — the ingredient quality is absurd, presentations are elegant, pacing is perfect. The 16-course tasting menu is the experience. This is LA's highest-end dining. Budget accordingly: $200+ per person before wine. Reservations weeks in advance.
Howlin' Ray's
Chinatown
Nashville hot chicken in Chinatown's Far East Plaza. The heat levels go from Country (no heat) to Howlin' (you'll sign a waiver). The sandwich is the essential order. The wait used to be 2+ hours — it's calmed down to 15-30 minutes on weekday afternoons. Worth timing your visit. Closed Mon-Tue.
Laugh Factory Hollywood
Hollywood
Sunset Strip comedy with nightly lineups -- established names and new talent. Free open mic every Tuesday at 5:30pm (sign up at 5pm, 2-minute sets). Two-drink minimum on ticketed shows. More polished than The Comedy Store.
🎭 Entertainment
LACMA
Mid-Wilshire
Largest art museum in the western US. Home to Urban Light (the lamp post installation everyone photographs) and 6,000 years of art. LA County residents get free admission after 3pm weekdays. Second Tuesday of each month free for everyone. Open until 8pm Fridays.
Grand Park Free Concerts
Downtown LA
12-acre DTLA park with free programming year-round. Grand Performances summer concerts (June-August), Sunday Sessions dance parties, lunchtime Wednesday concerts at 12:30pm, and major holiday events including NYELA. No tickets -- just show up.
Providence
Hollywood
Three Michelin stars. Michael Cimarusti's seafood tasting menus are pristine — the ingredient quality is absurd, presentations are elegant, pacing is perfect. The 16-course tasting menu is the experience. This is LA's highest-end dining. Budget accordingly: $200+ per person before wine. Reservations weeks in advance.
Howlin' Ray's
Chinatown
Nashville hot chicken in Chinatown's Far East Plaza. The heat levels go from Country (no heat) to Howlin' (you'll sign a waiver). The sandwich is the essential order. The wait used to be 2+ hours — it's calmed down to 15-30 minutes on weekday afternoons. Worth timing your visit. Closed Mon-Tue.
Laugh Factory Hollywood
Hollywood
Sunset Strip comedy with nightly lineups -- established names and new talent. Free open mic every Tuesday at 5:30pm (sign up at 5pm, 2-minute sets). Two-drink minimum on ticketed shows. More polished than The Comedy Store.