Los Angeles Sightseeing, Without the Rush
Bunker Hill’s museum cluster and the Pacific Coast are both worth a full day of sightseeing on their own; trying to combine them costs 60 to 90 minutes of driving each way, so plan one region per day rather than a single sweeping loop.
Griffith Observatory
The 1935 Art Deco observatory on Mount Hollywood is free to enter, with Tesla coil demonstrations and public lawn telescopes at no charge. Samuel Oschin Planetarium shows run $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $8 for children 5 to 12, sold only same-day at on-site kiosks. The building is open Tuesday to Friday noon to 10pm and weekends 10am to 10pm, closed Mondays. Hilltop parking is paid, a flat $10/hr, credit card only; free alternatives are the Greek Theatre lot on non-concert days or the 50-cent DASH Observatory shuttle. Check current hours and planetarium showtimes at griffithobservatory.lacity.gov .
The Getty Center
Richard Meier’s hilltop Brentwood campus holds Van Gogh’s Irises, decorative arts, and Robert Irwin’s Central Garden. Museum admission is free but requires a timed reservation; parking runs $25/car standard, $15 after 3pm, $10 after 6pm, free Saturdays after 6pm. The same-day “Pay Once, Visit Both” coupon, requested at the Museum Information Desk, gets you free parking at the Getty Villa too. Reserve timed entry at getty.edu . Book a guided Getty Center tour on GetYourGuide if you want a docent along for the collection.
The Broad and MOCA
The Broad, at 221 S Grand Ave, is free with timed tickets released monthly on the last Wednesday at 10am via thebroad.org; Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room needs a separate free same-day add-on. Across the street, MOCA has been 100% free for general admission since a 2020 policy funded by a major donor gift, across both its Grand Avenue and Geffen Contemporary locations.
LACMA’s David Geffen Galleries
The original Wilshire buildings are gone. Peter Zumthor’s 347,000-square-foot David Geffen Galleries opened to members April 19, 2026 and to the public May 4, 2026, replacing the demolished 1960s campus. Chris Burden’s Urban Light, 202 restored cast-iron lampposts on Wilshire Blvd, remains free and open 24/7 outside the ticketed galleries. Adult admission runs $28, with free entry for LA County residents weekdays after 3pm and for everyone on the second Tuesday of each month.
The verdict
Bunker Hill’s four free-or-cheap museums, The Broad, MOCA, Angels Flight and the Music Center, cover a full day without a car. For a base near that cluster, compare Downtown LA hotels on Booking.com . See the attraction tours guide for studio lot visits on a separate day.
Before you go
Book Getty Center timed entry and Broad tickets before you land; both routinely sell out days ahead during peak season.