This site is so useful when you have guests who have been here multiple times.  First trip is great – the beaches, Olvera Street, LACMA, Beverly Hills. The second trip is good – Malibu, MOCA, Chinatown, Hollywood and Vine. The third trip and they start getting fussy.  Those entrance fees start adding up.  With this site, you can enjoy finding new areas to explore or maybe just buy them an all day metro pass for $5.

Who knew there were so many beautiful Arts and Crafts houses in Pasadena or that  California Science Center with over 100 exhibits is free everyday?  Pretend you are seeing LA for the first time and rediscover your city.

And this resource is free. How much better could this be? You can also park at the Century City shopping mall for three hours for free or validated self-parking is $3.50 for three hours in the garage directly beneath the building, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. Weekdays after 4:30PM and on Saturday and Sunday, parking is a flat rate of $1.00 with validation.

And even better, they have a free lecture series on Thursdays (reservations are required).

The current exhibit (now until Nov. 27, 2011)  BEAUTY CULTURE provides a seminal examination of photography’s role in capturing and defining notions of modern female beauty and how these images profoundly influence our lives in both celebratory and disturbing ways.

You had them now you have to feed them.  Here are some places that give you free meals (please check with local stores as there are sometimes exceptions).

Quiznos give you one free Kidz meal with any adult entree. Children under 12 only so don’t bring your adult off spring and expect to get them a freebie.

Chevys kids eat free on Tuesdays.

Islands kids eat free on Wednesdays.

Not free but great prices and fresh fare at Souplantations and Sweet Tomatoes - kids 6 through 12 eat for $4.99, 3 through 5  eat for $3.49.

Lucille’s BarBQue kids eat free on Wednesdays.

Kids need culture. LACMA has a youth program for free. NexGen offers free general admission to anyone 17 and under as well as one accompanying adult. In New York check out the American Museum of Natural History where kids under 12 get in for $9.  At the Art Institute of Chicago, kids under 14 are free.

Amtrak loves kids and gives up to two children ages 2-15 are eligible to receive a 50% discount on the lowest available adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains with each fare-paying adult. Infants who do not get a seat travel for free.

Kids enjoy free classes at the LA Parks Recreational Centers.

And be sure to check out Jennifer Moss on free and low cost fun for kids.

Most museums have a free day. It may be once a week, once a month, a late night but they believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy great works of art. And you can either pack a lunch or get a snack at one of the reasonably priced cafes. Check the local sites for venues in your area.  The free day can usually be found under visitor’s information.

Since many of you will be traveling this summer here is a great site for finding free museums in your city, to take house guests, and at  your destination.  Museum Free Days provides a great list for many cities and links to the repsective website.  If you are Los Angeles bound find 100 things to do for free in LA.  Cheap fun in San Francisco  has free events around town and they even let you know that 7-11 is giving away free Slurpees on Sunday June 11th. 

Tickets for the Smithsonian Free Day  on Sept. 25, 2010 to participating museums are available for download.

The world of culture is yours – just learn that timing is everything.

The second Thursday of every month  there is a self guided tour of the galleries and you can even get there by public transportation. Enjoy sipping cheap wine and strolling through the venues with many open until nine at night.

You can museum hop to the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East First Street, Los Angeles, California 90012 (213) 625.0414. They are free on Thursday evenings from five to eight PM. Afterwards enjoy one of the many great casual places in the Little Tokyo Historic District. Not only is the food great, there are fun shops for gift buying and home furnishings.

On another Thursday you might like to try MOCA. Not only are they free that evening, during the summer they encourage visitors on Thursdays with festivities and music. Meet other art lovers and enjoy the exhibits.

No one can go downtown without going to Phillipes. This is a Los Angeles institution that serves fantastic beef, lamb, pork, and ham double dip sandwiches for less then $6. Do not be afraid of the line, the servers are so adept that you will be paying and digging in before you know it. And they have free parking across the street.

While there you can tour the renovated railroad station, feel transported back to the days when train travel was the way to go. Particularly while traveling through out California, this is a great option. Think about it – no security, no endless lines, no limit on shampoo, read a book, listen to music while the beautiful scenery goes by.

You may start out in Downtown and end up in Monterrey.