10 Free Things to do in Southern California

I recently moved to the Long Beach area and was surprised by the amount of free attractions throughout the Southern California region. As my rent is quite expensive, I make sure to take full advantage of many of these freebies. The beautiful natural surroundings and many cultural attractions mean you do not have to spend a dime if you do not want to.

Even if you are strapped for cash, you are bound to have enough free activities to entertain yourself on your trip. No need to concentrate on pricey theme parks, restaurants, and tours when there are so many beautiful places to explore. I enjoy biking along the coast and consider this to be the primary advantage of living in this area.

SoCal offers an attractive combination of gorgeous year-round weather, a diverse beach scene, endless outdoor recreation, and many free tourist attractions. I have come up with a list of my favorite freebies to add to your itinerary. As hotels and flights are so pricey, it’s nice to cut down on some of your activity expenses.

1. Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve

Torrey Pines is an amazing place to hike in San Diego. I really love the scenic setting here. This preserve is located just a short drive from the city in La Jolla, so it’s a great place to escape the hustle and bustle for a bit. The trails are moderate at most in intensity and all feature wonderful views of the ocean. You’ll get in a nice little workout for the day, take in breathtaking views of the coast, & escape the city clutter, all at the same time.

It doesn’t really get much better than this – and the best part of all is that it will cost you nothing! (park on the side street near the beach for free parking and be sure to arrive early to beat the crowds!). This was hands down my favorite thing I did on my vacation to San Diego.

Location: 12600 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037.

Read more about my experience hiking here

2. Manhattan Beach

If you are looking for a more low-key beach experience, I recommend relaxing and enjoying the views at this beautiful South Bay beach. A walk along the historic pier (built in 1920) is a must. The sand is so soft and clean here with no litter and cigarette butts lying around like some other beaches; I could spend the whole day at this beach enjoying the mild weather. I would say overall this is probably my favorite of the L.A. area beaches. Also, you have direct access to the gorgeous waterfront Strand bicycle path from here – a gorgeous lengthy bike trail which travels through all the diverse beach scenes. More info on this is in a bit.

Location: 2 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

3. Crystal Cove State Park

This scenic state park in Laguna Beach provides miles of hiking opportunities in a serene, desert setting. The views are fantastic; you can even see the ocean on a clear day. The trails here are very steep with several challenging hills; you will definitely get an excellent lower body workout! We usually hike the El Morro trail, but you can check out the full trail lineup on the park website to choose the best for you. I got in some great workouts here training for my half marathon. You will see a number of hard core athletes (both runners and mountain bikers) training on these hills. We see a lot of cross country teams training here. I imagine you would be in tip top shape hiking or running here every weekend.

Great views, peace and quiet, and a fabulous workout: what more could you ask for? I recommend a quality hiking stick for this one, both for better traction going up and downhill and to scare off a mountain lion in the case of a rare encounter. Yes, sadly I’ve heard of several attacks in recent years, so take extra precaution. Also, be sure to bring with plenty of water – this is hard hiking in the dry desert.

Location: 8471 N. Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651

4. South Bay Bike Path

22 miles of people watching, beaches, sun, and ocean views: how could you not fall in love with this beachside path? I sure did after my first ride; it easily became my number 1 weekend activity. This gorgeous paved trail travels through several unique L.A. beach towns including Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica.

You will find endless opportunities for entertainment, food, and attractions in each of these areas. I love the vibe – watching volleyball games in action, seeing the surfers, watching the street performers in Venice – there is always something interesting going on.

Make to plan a stop at the historic Santa Monica Pier (you can ride the historic West Coaster), the Venice Boardwalk (so many crazy performers), and beautiful Will Rogers State Beach (the famous Baywatch beach).

Tip: If you plan on completing the entire path, I recommend using a hydration backpack to ensure you have enough water without resorting to multiple pricey water bottle stops. I use mine for any type of longer outdoor recreation – biking, hiking, and sometimes even long distance running.

Location: Starts at Torrance Beach (387 Paseo de la Playa Torrance, CA 90510) & ends at Will Rogers State Beach (17000 E. PCH Los Angeles, CA 90272).

Check out my guide to biking this gorgeous path

5. Laguna Beach

Laguna is an artist and photographer’s dream beach: beautiful coves, cliffs, and mansions along the coast provide a beautiful setting for art and landscape photography. I love strolling around just taking in the gorgeous landscapes. It’s not as “fun” as Huntington Beach, but it’s definitely the most beautiful place in the OC. Famous for its’ art scene, Laguna hosts a free art walk through the town galleries on the first Thursday of each month.

Location: Coast Highway & Broadway Laguna Beach, CA 92652