Top Tourist Attractions in Los Angeles

A visitor to Los Angeles can be easily overwhelmed by the vast choice of experiences the vibrant city has to offer. These days, travelers are looking to maximize enjoyment while minimizing expenses. Want to have a blast without breaking the budget? Here is an insider's list of ten great attractions in Los Angeles that can be enjoyed without paying an admission fee.

Disney Concert Hall. Frank Gehry's architectural fantasy of gossamer titanium is one of Los Angeles' signature structures. People love to just touch this building. You don't have to attend a performance of the LA Philharmonic to experience it. You can visit the garden in back and traverse the exterior catwalks to get a physical appreciation of this iconoclastic symbol. Catch it at 111 S. Grand Avenue downtown.

Venice Boardwalk. This is the real cirque du soleil, with every conceivable vendor, athlete, performer and exhibitionist out enjoying the SoCal sun and surf. Keep going west on Rose Avenue until you hit the sand.

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. One of the best kept secrets in Los Angeles, FIDM offers a terrific museum with innovative exhibits, such as the Art of Motion Picture and Television Costume Design. Where else can you find a perfume museum? Located at 919 South Grand Avenue downtown.

Santa Monica Pier. The quaint amusement park on this pier charges on a per-ride basis. So if you only want to ride the solar powered Ferris wheel, that is all you pay for. On Thursday evenings during the summer, there are free twilight concerts. Expect a crowd. The pier is at the end of Colorado where it crosses Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica.

Getty Center. If the exhibits of the Getty Museum don't stun you, then the spectacular views of Los Angeles from this hill top location certainly will. No admission tickets or reservations are needed, but parking is $8. Closed Mondays. From 1200 Getty Center Drive in Brentwood, take the scenic tram ride up to the museum entrance.

Americana at Brand. This is an eye-popping urban development of mixed use residential, commercial and entertainment venues creating a city within the city. The Americana is in Glendale between the borders of Brand, Central, Colorado and Broadway.

Guitar Center. A flagship store for this mega-chain is located on Hollywood's famous Rockwalk. It is like visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without the admission fee. 7425 Sunset Blvd. between Fairfax and La Brea.

Bergamot Station. The largest collection of art galleries in Southern California can be found tucked away in this 8-acre enclave. The best and brightest of today's artists are on view. Each gallery operates independently, so openings are varied. Seek it out at 2525 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica.

Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The success of the Promenade's collection of stores, restaurants and theaters provided a roadmap for other outdoor oriented developments to emulate. The juxtaposition of the street performers and the homeless give this a surreal quality. It happens between 2^nd and 4^th Streets from Wilshire to Broadway.

Millennium Biltmore Hotel. For a dose of swanky old world opulence, there is nothing like a stroll through the lobby and Rendezvous Court of the Biltmore Hotel. Turn back the clock at 506 South Grand Avenue downtown.