Free things in Los Angeles

The Olvera Street was created in 1930s' for children to buy the Mexican jumping beans and traditional Mexican clothing and was also one of the first sites of the city of Los Angeles, as is proved by the presence of the historical monument named El Pueblo de Los Angeles. Today this cobblestone street is home to numerous shops which offer a myriad of Mexican items along with restaurants offering Mexican food and a Visitors center featuring documentaries about the early life in the city.

The California Science Center is based on scientific theories and attempts to explain them to children through the medium of various interactive exhibits and demonstrations. It is also home to the city's only IMAX theatre and offers an interesting educational experience for children and parents alike.

The Exposition Park Rose Garden is a sunken garden which consists of 20,000 rose bushes and over 190 varieties of roses which bloom between November and March and spread their scent all around. This garden serves as a good venue for picnics and weddings although the authorities insist on reservations for the latter.

The Ukrainian Art Center is located in a small complex and features an art gallery and performance facilities highlighting the cultural traditions of Ukraine. The paintings, prints and crafts are both traditional and contemporary and on the days of Ukrainian festivals the center organizes special events.

The UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Garden, as the name suggests, is a typical Japanese Garden consisting of a teahouse, wooden bridges, a pagoda, a pond full of lilies and ancient Japanese structures and carvings, some of which may be as old as having been made a 1000 years back. This garden is reminiscent of rock gardens found in the Japanese city of Kyoto and now it even features modern structures which are imported from Japan.

The Dia de Los Muertos, which means 'The Day of the Dead' is celebrated on the 1st of November every year by taking out processions featuring costumes, dancing and music which are a blend of the Mexican and Angeleno traditions. On this day, the dead are honored with full vigor and vibrancy and it can prove to be a memorable experience for anyone who witnesses this extraordinary festival for the first time.

The Higashi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple was built in 1976 and is related to the sect of the same name which has its headquarters in the city of Kyoto in Japan. This beautiful temple consists of blue tiles in its roof with two dragons embedded among them who are supposed to be protecting the temple and welcomes anyone who is interested in learning about Buddhism and its teachings.

The St. Elmo Village was created in 1970s' by Roderick Sykes and his friends out of a run down locality consisting of dilapidated houses. The artists meant to create a sequel to Watts Tower and thus used all types of discarded objects to build a colorful and vibrant landscape which is now an important venue for holding various competitions for the youth.

The Old Plaza Firehouse was built in 1884 as a castellated brick building to provide fire protection to the city of Los Angeles. After it had served its purpose it was converted into a museum and it now features firefighting equipment as well as photographs of different fire stations in America as they looked like in the nineteenth century.

The Zanja Madre is the original irrigation ditch of the city and was built in 1781. Literally translated, it means 'Mother Ditch' and it was used to carry water from the Los Angeles River up to the Elysian Park in the city.