The 10 Best Free Tours in Los Angeles

The first time I visited California was with my friends, and we had just finished our work exchange at Disney. It was our fourth month in the United States, and after spending everything on discounted plushies, we had almost no money left. Luckily this wasn't a problem as there are several free tours in Los Angeles!

For this post, I selected my 10 favorites, which I visit almost every time I'm in the region. Even though it is an expensive city in general – accommodation prices are almost absurd – it is not difficult to create an itinerary while spending little and still getting to know the main tourist attractions.

If you have space in your budget, I recommend renting a car to be able to do several tours in the same day.. I like to quote with Rentcars, where you can pay in reais, without IOF charges and in up to 12 installments on your credit card. If you want to save even more, you can also enjoy the city using public transport – I already showed you how in post from Los Angeles without a car.

Where to stay in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a city that grew a lot horizontally, so the tourist attractions and best tours are far from each other. To make the most of your time and save on transport, the ideal is to stay in the area where the attractions that interest you most are located.

I recommend staying in Hollywood, where the Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and Griffith Observatory are located. Some of the best hotels in the neighborhood are:

• Hollywood Roosevelt: Incredible four-star option next to the Walk of Fame. It has a swimming pool, on-site restaurant and two super popular bars, very popular with residents. The rooms are elegant and have a minibar, air conditioning and television! Booking score: 8,3.
•  Best Western Hollywood Plaza Inn: Unbeatable hotel in terms of value for money, perfect for those looking for a place to relax after enjoying the city. The rooms have a coffee shop and microwave, and the property has a pool and a restaurant! Booking rating: 7,9.
• Walk of Fame Hostel: One of the best hostels in the city, located right next to the Walk of Fame! The price includes breakfast, and the place even offers a kitchen for guests to cook and save even more in the city. There are shared rooms and rooms for couples! Booking score: 8,4.

If you prefer to stay in other areas (closer to the beach, for example), take a look at the hotel's recommendations. post about where to stay in Los Angeles. In it I talked a little about neighborhoods, which is ideal for each type of traveler and I also gave suggestions for the best hotels and hostels.

10 free tours in Los Angeles

1. Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Impossible to talk about city ​​of stars without mentioning the Hall of Fame. What many travelers don't realize when planning their itinerary is that it is actually a common street with a decorated sidewalk, rs. Although access is possible at any time of the day, morning is the best time to avoid the flow of tourists and get some photos without people in the background.

In the best region (near the metro station Hollywood/Highland ) there are still attractions such as the Chinese Theater, numerous little shops remembrances, restaurants, shopping and Madame Tussaud's wax museum. The latter is paid, but there are employees handing out discount coupons near the entrance, remember to get one before buying your ticket!

For those who want to save money, the best option is to look for your favorite stars. On the official website you can see in advance where each of them is.

2. The Grove & Farmers Market

I know it doesn't make much sense to put a shopping mall on the list of free programs, but the The grove It's so beautiful and pleasant on sunny days that I couldn't resist. If you know how to control yourself, you can do a little window shopping or sit on the grass and enjoy the sun.

Next door is the best Farmers Market in Los Angeles, in my opinion.. It's full of little restaurants and stalls to buy fruit, vegetables, meat, spices and everything else you can imagine – great place to shop if you're cooking to save money. Those who miss Brazilian food can also enjoy eating at Pampas Grill, which operates on a per-kilo buffet system and even has cheese bread!

3. Griffith Park & ​​Observatory

Griffith Park is a huge green area with one of the best views in the city, easily one of the best free things to do in Los Angeles. In addition to being a great attraction for those who like walking or enjoying nature, there is also a free observatory at the top of the park, with exhibits about the solar system and free entry.

Anyone visiting the Griffith Observatory You should pay attention to how you get there: the climb is steep and can take more than an hour walking. I suggest going by car, uber or take the space shuttle specific path that leads to the observatory.

Get your travel insurance and stay protected in case of any emergency in Los Angeles! Even simple visits, such as those where the doctor only prescribes antibiotics, can cost hundreds of dollars in the United States. Can you imagine how annoying it would be to blow your budget like that?

With Seguros Promo you will find the best price among the main insurance companies in Brazil, in addition to being able to pay in up to 12 installments by credit card!

Use the code “ALYSSAPRADO5” for a discount on your purchase!

4. Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills

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Who has never watched the films A beautiful woman e Beverly Hills Patties and imagined yourself shopping on Rodeo Dr.? Ok, for those who are saving money, the spending part is difficult, but it's still worth including the iconic street in your itinerary.

With some of the most expensive stores in the world, This is one of those tourist attractions where you have fun seeing what not you can buy it hahaha. But seriously, the street has countless interesting works of architecture, including a somewhat hidden part where the floor is made of stones and there are no cars. Speaking of cars, get ready to find some of the most exclusive models in the world there.

Across the street there is a park with a Beverly Hills sign, take the opportunity to take a photo there!

5. Santa Monica Pier

Technically Santa Monica isn't part of Los Angeles – it's a city next door, but it's so close that I'm including it in the post. For those who don't know, the pier in the region was the inspiration for the Nickelodeon series Rocket Power #oldschool. 

Entrance is free, and there you can find wonderful restaurants, remembrances overpriced, and even an amusement park with a roller coaster and Ferris wheel. O Santa monica pier It's a delightful walk to do in the sun, even in winter, but it can get quite chilly when the wind blows, so take a coat.

6.Third Street Promenade

Next to the Santa Monica Pier, two blocks away, is the Third Street Promenade, known as downtown Santa Monica. It's a mix of an open-air mall and an enclosed mall at one end, and even without money it's nice to walk around there. Some of the stores present are Apple, Nasty Gal, Forever XXI, Sephora and Uniqlo.

If it's a nice day to stay outside, sit on one of the benches and listen to some of the musicians who usually perform there.

7. Venice Beach Boardwalk

One of the few boardwalks in the United States, the Venice Boardwalk is also not in Los Angeles proper, but in a city next door. During the weekends you can see several stalls selling souvenirs, decorative items and pieces of art. 

The region also has several restaurants, a bicycle track and a large space for skateboarding – it is common to see a crowd gathered watching people doing tricks. There are also several street performances there, if you have time, watch one as they are super fun!

8. Venice Canals

No, I didn't confuse LA with Italy, rs. One of the most beautiful free tours in Los Angeles, the Venice canals are located close to the Venice Beach Boardwalk, and are small canals with side paths and little bridges cute. It's no surprise that the region has the same name as the famous Italian city, right?

Next door is Abbot Kinney Blvd., a street full of little shops hipster and great restaurants. Anyone who likes stationery items needs to visit Urbanic Paper Boutique!

9.Downtown LA

An attraction very different from those mentioned is Downtown LA, the center of Los Angeles itself. In addition to the typical commercial buildings of this region, there are also cultural neighborhoods such as Little Tokyo and Chinatown.

My favorite stops are the Walt Disney Concert Hall, where the local philharmonic performs, the Staples Center and S Los Angeles St. between 5th and 6am, where there are several cheap makeup stores. They say that the Grand central market It's also really cool, but I never managed to find the building, rs.

The Ideias na Mala blog has a super cool post with tips for what to do in Downtown Los Angeles for a day.

10. Universal Citywalk

Okay, it's definitely cooler to go to the theme park than to the Universal City Walk, but the advantage is that the little center from Universal it's free, hahaha. The complex is home to shops, restaurants, cinemas and even a space for shows and clubs. It's a great trip to do in the late afternoon or early evening!

You'll probably have fun even without spending anything, especially in the store that sells official Simpsons, Minions and Harry Potter merchandise. 

As you can see, there is no shortage of free tours in Los Angeles! Although the cost of living in the city is expensive, there is no shortage of options for those who want to see the main tourist attractions without spending a lot. If you want to know some of the paid attractions, I suggest reading this Mapa na Mão post about the Go Los Angeles Card to find out how to save!

If you don't know how to put all these places on a schedule, check out the post Itinerary in Los Angeles – what to do in up to 7 days.

Have you ever been to any of these places? Do you think there was something unmissable on the list of free tours? 🙂 Leave your recommendations in the comments!

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