California
Fun things to do in Southern California that are always free
Living in Southern California can be expensive. No surprise there. But you may be surprised to know how many things you can do for free. Seriously. Always free (except sometimes for parking.)
So why spend a fortune to take the family out for the day? Here’s some cool things you can do without even opening your wallet. And if you know of something I missed, let me know!
ALWAYS FREE
Agua Dulce — Vasquez Rocks: This unique county park is worth the scenic drive toward the Antelope Valley, as it offers rustic walks among some of the most photographed rocks anywhere. This county park has been the scene of many a movie and TV shoot, as the closest “other-worldly” place to replicate for shows such as Star Trek. There are pleasant nature walks, and kids will love climbing on the rocks. Bring lots of water. There’s a small visitor center. Wear sensible shoes and sneakers. Warning: It’s hellishly hot in the summer. 10700 Escondido Canyon Road, Agua Dulce. parks.lacounty.gov/vasquez-rocks-natural-area-and-nature-center/
Costa Mesa — Orange County Museum of Art:. Open Wednesdays-Sundays. This contemporary museum is located on the Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus and was designed by award-winning architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis Studios. The collection includes some 4,500 pieces on rotating exhibit. You will need to print out a free ticket that can be obtained online. 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. Adjacent paid parking. 714-780-2130 or ocma.art
Irvine — Turtle Rock Nature Center:. Open Mondays-Saturdays. This five-acre nature preserve is a great place for kids to run off steam, or just relax. It offers a paved trail, garden, a walking labyrinth and interpretive center. Location: 1 Sunnyhill Drive, Irvine. 949-724-6738 or cityofirvine.org/parks-facilities/turtle-rock-nature-center
Jurupa Valley — Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center: Open Saturdays and Sundays only. Museum of Discoveries is free. Wander the botanical garden, turtle pond and see the dinosaur statues. Parking $10. 7621 Granite Hill Drive, Jurupa Valley. jmdc.org
La Habra Heights — Powder Canyon Family Hike: This two-mile easy hike in the Puente Hills nature preserve, on packed earth at the Black Walnut trailhead starts out a little steep, but afterward is relatively level and easy for most families. There are some nice trees along the way for shade. Nothing too dramatic to look at, but a pleasant time out of the city. There are also more rigorous hikes available here, along with biking and riding terrain. The parking and entrance are on Fullerton Road in the Puente Hills Preserve. Learn more: Habitatauthority.org
Lake Forest — Heritage Hill Historical Park: Free visit and parking. Visit the 1863 Serrano Adobe, the 1890 El Toro Grammar School and the 1891 Episcopal Mission. Building interiors are open only during the free tours, at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No reservations necessary. Meet at the Serrano Adobe. 25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest. 949-923-2230 ocparks.com/heritagehill
Long Beach — Rancho Los Cerritos: Open Wednesdays-Sundays. This remaining 4.74 acres of one of the huge ranchos that once covered California includes an historic adobe and allows visitors to imagine themselves as early Californios. The “Ranch of the Little Hills” once was part of a 300,000-acre Spanish land grant settled by Spanish soldier Juan Nieto. It eventually became a 27,000-acre working ranch that included two adobes and facilities for his descendants’ family and 12 children. Online reservations are requested but not mandatory. 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach. 562-206-2040 or rancholoscerritos.org
Los Angeles — The Broad: Open Tuesdays-Sundays.this modern art museum is always free, but get advance tickets to avoid the long walk-up line. This museum in downtown L.A. features contemporary art from the collection of the late developer Eli Broad. The general collection is always free to view. There’s a parking garage that charges a few bucks, though if you’re lucky you might find free street parking on Sundays. Closed Mondays. Location: 221 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-232-6250 or thebroad.org
Los Angeles — California Science Center: This fascinating museum in L.A.’s Exposition Park is open daily, free to visit and chock full of things to see. Kids love this place but so do adults. All permanent exhibits are free, but there’s an extra charge for the IMAX theater shows and some attractions, including the current show on Leonardo da Vinci that closes Sunday, Jan. 5. (Note that the Space Shuttle Endeavor is temporarily off exhibit.) Parking is $20 (ouch!), or you can ride the Metro. 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. californiasciencecenter.org
Los Angeles — Getty Center: The world’s richest museum offers priceless art treasures, including Van Gogh’s “Irises,” which was the most expensive painting ever sold when the Getty bought it. The billion-dollar white complex, open Tuesdays through Sundays and free with online tickets, sits atop a hill in West Los Angeles. Kids enjoy riding the free tram to the top from the parking garage.so bring your lunch and nonalcoholic drinks. Admission is free, but timed admission tickets must be ordered online. Parking costs $20, or $15 after 3 p.m. Active and veteran U.S. military with ID park free. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. Getty.edu or call 310-440-7300.
Los Angeles — Griffith Observatory: Located in scenic Griffith Park and open Tuesdays through Sundays, this observatory built in 1935 is well worth seeing, including an Egyptian sundial and a Foucault pendulum. The planetarium shows cost $6-$10. Every night it’s open and the sky is clear, there are free telescopes to observe the sky. There’s a memorial monument to actor James Dean, who starred in the movie “Rebel Without a Cause,” which has a climactic scene at the observatory. Look for the Hollywood Sign behind the building. Parking is expensive; park down at the Greek Theatre and walk up, or ride the bus for 50 cents. 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles. 213-473-0800 or griffithobservatory.org
Los Angeles — MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art: Open Tuesdays-Sundays, the Museum of Contemporary Art is free to visit, with advance tickets available online. There are two facilities: A striking sandstone building across from Walt Disney Concert Hall that was designed by a famed architect Arata Isozaki at 250 S. Grand Ave., and the Geffen Contemporary in an old police car warehouse renovated by architect Frank Gehry, in Little Tokyo at 152 North Central Ave. moca.org/visit
Los Angeles — UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden in Westwood: This is one of the few free public gardens around, encompassing 7.5 acres including California natives, desert, ferns, palms, bromeliads, herbariaum and more. Open 7 days a week. You can bring your leashed pooch, too. Main entrance is at La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles. (Campus parking in Structure 2 costs $4-16, or look for street parking.) Learn more: botgard.ucla.edu
Newhall — Placerita Canyon State Park: Take the family to the San Gabriel Mountain foothills, go for a bird walk in the oak woodlands, see the hummingbird gardens, visit the nature center and explore more than 12 miles of trails, including a seasonal stream. One trail is wheelchair friendly. Open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall. placerita.org
Northridge. Museum of the San Fernando Valley. Open Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Founded in 2005, this museum is now located at the historic Rancho Cordillera del Norte in Northridge. Exhibits have included the history of author Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of the Tarzan series, who founded the city of Tarzana and the history of “The Hollywood Shorties,” who were actors and stuntmen little people ranging in height from 3-foot-5 to 4-foot-9 who played baseball and basketball games for charity. 18904 Nordhoff St., Northridge. 818-347-9665 or themuseumsfvnow.org
Oak Glen — Oak Glen Preserve: Drive up to apple country for the day. Look for wildflowers and hummingbirds while strolling this property near Yucaipa owned by the Wildlands Conservancy, which includes the entire Los Rios Rancho Apple Farm. Check out the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center. Bring a picnic and walk on miles of trails. 39611 Oak Glen Road, Oak Glen. wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/oakglen
Orange — Hilbert Museum of California Art: Check out the new expansion of this always-free museum, open Tuesdays-Saturdays in Old Town Orange near Chapman University. It specializes in California scene painting, but also has Disney art and more. 216 E. Chapman Ave. Orange. Street parking. or in the city lot in back. 714-516-5880 or hilbertmuseum.org
Pacific Palisades — Getty Villa Museum: On a spectacular site, this replica of a Roman country house contains the Getty’s collection of old and rare Greek and Roman antiquities. The villa itself is an attraction, with its mosaics, art, gardens and architecture. It’s modeled after the Villa dei Papiri that was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79, which destroyed Pompeii. Picnics are allowed, so bring your lunch and nonalcoholic drinks. Open Wednesdays through Mondays (closed Tuesdays). Admission is free, but timed admission tickets must be ordered online. Parking costs $20, or $15 after 3 p.m. 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. getty.edu/visit/villa/
Rancho Palos Verdes — Point Vicente Interpretive Center: This place is guaranteed to lift your mood. Located on a rocky point with a spectacular ocean view, you might see whales here. The small but interesting museum explores the history of the area. Check the route before you go, because there has been some subsidence lately. 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes. And, while you’re in the area, you can also take one of the hikes in the scenic nature preserve. rpvca.gov/1204/Visit-Point-Vicente-Interpretive-Center
Riverside — California Citrus State Historical Park: Learn about the era when citrus was king in Southern California, visit the 200 acres of groves that produce navel and Valencia oranges, grapefruits, and lemons and stop by the museum visitor center. Bring a picnic! Tables are available. Hiking and biking trails are available. Citrus tastings are sometimes available. The visitor center and museum is open Fridays through Sundays. Parking is $7. 9400 Dufferin Ave., Riverside. 951-780-6222 OR parks.ca.gov/?page_id=649
Riverside — Mount Rubidoux Park: Get outside and take a walk along the wide paved trail in this landmark 161-acre city park, which offers fabulous views and even a historic bridge and tower toward the top. On average, it takes around 60 to 90 minutes to hike the hilly 3.2 mile loop trail. Park at Boniminio Park nearby and use the restroom there. Bring water. 4706 Mount Rubidoux Drive, Riverside, 951-351-6250 or riversideca.gov/park_rec/facilities-parks/mt-rubidoux
San Bernardino — Norton Air Force Base Museum: Located in the former NCO Club, this small museum tells the history of the base, which trained 30,000 pilots and became a jet aircraft maintenance facility, among other uses. The base closed in 1994. Always free, open Thursdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum is still looking for donations of historical items. 1601 E. 3rd St. San Bernardino. nafbmuseum.org
San Pedro — Fort MacArthur Museum: This interesting bit of military history allows visitors to take a look at underground bunkers and weaponry that were built to protect Los Angeles Harbor from enemy attacks. It was part of the Army coastal defense system from 1914 to 1974. Movies such as “Pearl Harbor,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Private Benjamin,” “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and more have been filmed here. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Note that the Angels Gate Park with its Korean Friendship Bell is nearby. 3601 S. Gaffey St. San Pedro. 310-548-2631 or ftmac.org
San Pedro — Point Fermin Park and Lighthouse: People who love lighthouses should not miss this visit to the historic 1874 Victorian lighthouse here, one of the first in the region. The lighthouse is openTuesdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., but you must take a (free) tour at 1, 2 or 3 p.m. (Check for special closures.) The park is open every day and has beautiful coastal views, especially at sunset. Look for whales on their way to or from Baja California in season. There’s also a playground and picnic area. 807 W. Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro. 310-241-0684. discoversanpedro.org/visit/explore#http://www.pointferminlighthouse.org/
Got more suggestions? Email me at mfisher@scng.com
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As the nation prepares for its 250th Independence Day celebration, a decades-long California Fourth of July fireworks tradition that has raised millions for local children’s programs is going dark this year after the California Coastal Commission rejected a final effort to keep it alive, citing environmental concerns to protect the bay.
“We’ve raised over the past 14 years $2 million for kids programs here in Long Beach,” event organizer John Morris told Fox News Digital, adding the July 3 event is fully funded by the local community.
“This community pays for everything — everything. City fees, and the city doesn’t give us a break. We pay $20,000 to the city for police and fire, which I’m fine with, because there’s 100,000 people enjoying the fireworks,” said Morris, a Long Beach resident and business owner.
Morris, who owns the Boathouse on the Bay restaurant, had planned a scaled-up fireworks display this year to mark America’s 250th Independence Day.
CALIFORNIA BEACH TOWN BANS THE USE OF BALLOONS
Long Beach residents have enjoyed the fireworks organized by John Morris for over a decade. (Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images)
In January, Coastal Commission staff rejected the proposal, and last week commissioners unanimously upheld that decision despite an appeal backed by local, state and federal officials.
Regulators warned Morris last year that 2025 would likely be the final year for fireworks at the event, as they continue pushing organizers to switch to drone shows they say are more environmentally friendly.
The decision stands in contrast to other approvals by the commission, including a permit granted to SeaWorld allowing up to 40 nights of fireworks.
“They get 40 nights in Mission Bay. All I’m asking for is 20 minutes — it doesn’t make any sense,” Morris said.
Morris, 78, also pushed back on the environmental concerns cited by the commission, pointing to years of testing around the event.
CLIMATE EXECUTIVE WARNS CALIFORNIA ‘FUNCTIONALLY BANKRUPT,’ $1T SHORTFALL COULD SHAKE NATION
Due to the lack of fireworks, Morris has decided to cancel the July 3rd celebration.
“We’ve had 10 years of environmental studies,” Morris said. “We test the water before and after the fireworks and send a robotic camera into the bay to check for debris — there’s never been any. It’s been spotless.
“We’ve also had eight years of bird reports to make sure we’re not harming wildlife. We’ve never had an issue. We’ve never been written up one time. So what is it really about?”
Joshua Smith, a spokesman for the California Coastal Commission, told Fox News Digital that permits are determined on a case-by-case basis, citing environmental concerns to “protect the bay.”
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Organizer John Morris said environmental studies are regularly conducted to measure the impact of the fireworks show on the bay. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Smith said Morris was approved for a permit to hold a drone show in lieu of fireworks. Morris told Fox News Digital such a show would cost about $200,000 — roughly four times more than traditional fireworks.
Smith confirmed that SeaWorld received a permit allowing 40 nights of fireworks. When pressed on the discrepancy, he reiterated that decisions are made individually and declined to provide further details.
Morris said the loss of the fireworks show will be felt across the community, from local businesses to families who have made the event an annual tradition.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the wide-open race for California governor, billionaire Tom Steyer is on a spending binge.
The hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist is using his personal fortune to saturate TV screens and mobile phones with advertising, while his competitors accuse him of trying to use his vast wealth to buy the state’s most powerful job.
Steyer’s ads — in which he promises to bring down household costs or rails against federal immigration raids — appear inescapable at times in heavily Democratic Los Angeles, the state’s largest media market. Data compiled by advertising tracker AdImpact show Steyer has spent or booked over $115 million in ads for broadcast TV, cable and radio — nearly 30 times the amount of his nearest Democratic rival.
If he makes it through the June 2 primary election, Steyer could easily eclipse the 2010 record set by Republican Meg Whitman, who spent $178.5 million in a losing bid for governor, much of it her own money. At the time, it was the costliest campaign for statewide office in the nation’s history.
Even when ad buys from all his major competitors are combined, along with ad purchases by independent committees supporting candidates, Steyer is outspending the field by tens of millions of dollars.
“Billionaire money is flooding our state in an attempt to buy this election,” former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, one of Steyer’s chief rivals, warned her supporters this month.
Mail-in ballots are set to go out to voters next month. Steyer is among a crowd of candidates hoping to seize a spotlight after former Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s dramatic departure from the race following sexual assault allegations that he denies.
But while Steyer has ticked up in polling amid his spending splurge, he has not broken away from the field, leaving some wondering if he’s getting value for his dollars.
“If your first round of ads doesn’t move you dramatically (in the polls), the third, fourth, fifth, six, seventh and eighth rounds won’t either,” said veteran Democratic strategist Bill Carrick, who for years advised the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. “There is something inherently holding Steyer back.”
In recent prior campaigns for governor, at this stage a leading candidate was taking control of the race. This year, voters appear to be shrugging at a contest that lacks a star candidate among seven leading Democrats and two Republicans.
“Somehow the campaign is frozen,” Carrick added.
History shows that money doesn’t always translate into votes.
Billionaire developer Rick Caruso spent over $100 million in 2022 in his bid to become Los Angeles mayor, much of it his own money, but he was handily defeated by Mayor Karen Bass, who spent a fraction of Caruso’s total. Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent more than $1 billion of his own money on his 2020 presidential bid before dropping out. And Steyer’s money was unable to lift him into contention in the 2020 presidential contest, when he dropped out early in the year after a poor finish in the South Carolina primary.
Steyer has never held elected office.
In a 2019 interview with The Associated Press, Steyer was asked what he would say to people who think he’s trying to buy the presidency.
“I don’t think that’s possible,” Steyer said at the time, before adding, “I’m never going to apologize for succeeding in business. That’s America, right?”
His campaign did not respond directly when asked about similar criticism facing his run for governor.
“Tom now stands as the only Democrat with the grassroots energy, institutional backing and resources to advance to the general election,” spokesperson Kevin Liao said in a statement.
The governor’s race was recently reordered by two developments: Swalwell, a leading Democrat, abruptly withdrew from the race then resigned from Congress, following sexual assault allegations. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump endorsed conservative commentator Steve Hilton.
Still, there is no clear leader.
Polling in late March and early April by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found a cluster of candidates in close competition: Democrats Steyer and Porter, Republicans Hilton and Chad Bianco, and Swalwell. Other candidates were trailing. The polling was conducted before Swalwell withdrew.
Democrats have feared the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. That’s because California has a primary system in which only the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.
Leading Democrats are all claiming to have picked up support since Swalwell’s exit. Steyer nabbed one plum endorsement, when the influential California Teachers Association, which previously backed Swalwell, recommended him.
In his ads, Steyer promises to “abolish” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has been staging raids across California. In another, he laments the state’s punishing cost of housing, “Everybody needs an affordable place to live,” he says.
Rapper was stabbed 16 times by fellow inmate in May 2025 while 10-year sentence in Megan Thee Stallion shooting case
Tory Lanez has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections stemming from a May 2025 incident where the rapper was stabbed in prison.
Lanez — born Daystar Peterson and currently serving a 10-year sentence after being found guilty in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting case — also sued the warden and guards at the California Correctional Institute in Tehachapi, where the rapper was stabbed 16 times in an “unprovoked life-threatening attack” by another inmate, the lawsuit states.
Peterson was hospitalized following the May 2025 incident, suffering a collapsed lung among stab wounds to his back, torso, and head.
According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit criticized the Department of Corrections for housing Peterson with fellow inmate and alleged attacker Santino Casio, who was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. “The choice to house Casio with Peterson was known or should have been a known danger,” the lawsuit said, adding that Tory Lanez’ “high-profile celebrity status” made him a target.
The lawsuit also said that prison guards were slow to respond to the shanking, and didn’t employ flash grenades or other measures to halt Casio’s attack.; Casio was not charged for stabbing Peterson, the Associated Press notes.
Lanez, who following his hospitalization was transferred to San Luis Obispo County’s California Men’s Colony, also alleges in the lawsuit that he never received his possessions from the California Correctional Institute in Tehachapi, including songbooks filled with lyrics to his unreleased music.
Lanez is serving a 10-year prison sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot during a confrontation in the summer of 2020. He was eventually convicted on several firearms charges, including assault with a firearm, in December 2022. In November 2025, his appeal was denied by a three-judge panel, and the 10-year sentence was upheld.
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