Southern California is full of beautiful beaches, amazing museums, and picturesque views.

And best of all, they’re almost all free!

Here are some of our favorite things to do in San Diego and Los Angeles.

San Diego

San Diego is a very diverse city with lots of attractions and great neighborhoods with various events year round to keep you busy during your visit.

Image courtesy of Port of San Diego

Free Harbor Tours around San Diego Bay: The Port of San Diego offers 2 hours tours to help you learn every thing about San Diego for free. You get to learn about the organization of the port itself but also history facts about the city while enjoying a beautiful view of San Diego Bay from the Ocean. After you enjoy the tour, you can walk around Seaport Village and check out all its boutiques.

Image courtesy of Bill Gracey

Taylor Guitar Factory Tour: Have you ever heard of one the finest Guitar makers in the US? Taylor Guitar. If you like music and if you are passionate about guitars you will find this free activity quite interesting. At 1 pm, between Monday and Thursday the factory offers free tours where you learn every step  of the guitar making process.

Of course, you can also enjoy the San Diego beaches for free, or go fly a kite at the bay, and go watch the seals in La Jolla. Don’t forget to go walk around Balboa Park, go to the top of Mount Soledad for a great panoramic view of San Diego and drive to Anza Borrego or Julian to discover the behind the scene of San Diego County! Of course there are so many more fun free things to do, just maybe start with this!

Los Angeles

Image courtesy of jntolva

If you want a nature break, Griffith Park is also a very popular stop to make while visiting LA. At the Greek Theater they often have concerts going on. It is easy to attend the concert without buying a ticket, just park your car and walk up toward The Observatory - which by the way is another very interesting free attraction in Los Angeles. As long as you are respectful security will leave you alone. So you might not be able to see the show, but you can still take advantage of the music for free!

Another popular attraction in Los Angeles is the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, which offer free entrance every first Tuesday of the month. It is a very interesting fossil museum, where you get to learn a lot about the last Ice Age and observe a large collection of fossils.

Image courtesy of @andrewghayes

While talking museums, let’s not forget to mention the Getty Museum, which is free and always presenting incredible exhibits. The Academy of the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is another fun free things to do in Los Angeles. Its galleries will let you have a closer look at incredible art pieces, and also movie and celebrities’ outfits, and other diverse exhibits.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Please congratulate the winners!

LA Weekend Getaway

Do you want a free weekend in Los Angeles, courtesy of us and our friends at the Four Points LAX?

Free Las Vegas Shows that Will Make you Laugh, Gasp and Cry
The City of Sin.

And tacky lights. And nonstop partying. And spending all your money.

And really incredible show and attractions. Things won’t see anywhere else.

And they’re all free.

Las Vegas has some of the best free shows and attractions that you’ll ever see.

Read the rest of Free Las Vegas shows here

Read the rest of LA’s attractions here

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Los Angeles is weird.

And fun, and interesting, and memorable.

It’s also expensive.

Fortunately there’s a lot of really unique, free attractions that are easy to find and fun to explore.

I mean, it’s not everyday you get the chance for a free LA Weekend Getaway!

For you curious adventurers, Los Angeles provides a wealth of free, unique adventures that will keep you busy from sun up to sun down.

1. Explore Venice Beach

Venice Beach is probably best known for it’s interesting street performers that line the long boardwalk. Here you’ll find the usual palm readers, mimes, and faux statues. There’s a free spirited approach through-out Venice that will have you feeling laid back and amused in no time.

Venice Beach is also a really active where you can surf, play beach volleyball, pick up basketball or rollerblade down the boardwalk. It’s also well known for bodybuilding because of the infamous Ex-Governor and his days at Gold’s Gym.

2. Cruise PCH

Pacific Coast Highway (PCH or Highway 1) runs along the California Coast from the bottom of San Diego beyond the top of San Francisco. It’s miles and miles of beach views and ocean breezes make for an incredible drive of endless enjoyment.

If you like road trips of any kind, then driving along the California Coast is one of the most memorable trips you’ll experience.

3. Stroll Sunset Strip

The Sunset Strip in Hollywood is home to glamorous hotels, famous sights, and legendary music venues.

The House of Blues, Viper Room The Roxy, Whiskey A Go Go, Cat Club and the Key Club all call the Sunset Strip home.

4. Window Shopping

Los Angeles has some of the best shopping you’ll ever find. Everyone knows about Rodeo Drive, posh Beverly Hills, or the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. But the LA Fashion District is another unique destination you can’t miss. And if you’re anywhere close, you literally can’t miss it.

Spanning 90 blocks, 4,500 stores and more than 1,000 stores, the Fashion District is a small, bustling community of merchants and up-and-coming designers.

If you want to explore this area, be sure to check out this awesome video for more information.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Do you want a free weekend in Los Angeles, courtesy of us and our friends at the Four Points LAX?

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Traveling is tough when you’re young.

You don’t have that much money, and it’s hard to get a hotel or transportation.

But it just got a little bit easier.

Fox Rent A Car is pleased to announce that we now rent to 20 year olds. College kids now have the chance to save big with Fox on their next big trip.

Fox has an attractive selection for young drivers, including economy through SUVs, convertibles, Jeeps® and luxury vehicles.

With Fox’s Choice Program, renters can select their preferred make, model and color upon pick up.

“We are a discount rental agency,” stated Jakub Kopiczak, Marketing Manager. “Our low prices are attractive to everyone, including budget minded students and youth. By allowing this age group more options, we feel we’ll attract a larger clientele base. Our goal is to be a low cost value leader across the board.”

Fox Rent A Car serves 13 airport locations, including:

• Phoenix (PHX),
• Salt Lake City (SLC),
• Los Angeles (LAX),
• Ontario (ONT),
• Burbank (BUR),
• Oakland (OAK),
• San Jose (SJC),
• Orange County (SNA),
• Las Vegas (LAS),
• San Diego (SAN),
• Seattle (SEA),
• San Francisco (SFO) and
• Denver (DEN)

Many other airports are serviced by Fox affiliates. The complete list of all airports could be found in Fox website.

About Fox Rent A Car

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

This week saw videos of mechanical bulls and desert hot air balloon rides, some tips on how to save on summer travel, some awesome Vegas activities, and a few 4th of July events in San Diego. Catch what you missed below!

Breathtaking Road Trip Videos from Fox Rent A Car

How to Save on Travel this Summer

The Best Kid Friendly Las Vegas Attraction

Your Guide to 4th of July in Vegas

Don’t Miss the 4th of July in San Diego

Relive the first half of the Fox Road Trip with these funny and breathtaking road trip videos.

Los Angeles, San Diego and Matt vs. the Mechanical Bull

A Day With Rick and Shamu

The Clarendon Hotel in Phoenix

Amazing Hot Air Balloon Ride with Hot Air Expeditions

If you’re traveling to Southern California the weekend of July 15th and July 18th, please be aware that the 405 will be closed in the West LA area.

This will have a massive impact on any and all traffic in the surrounding areas. The 405 is a major freeway running north & south from Orange County and Long Beach, up through LAX Airport and West LA to the San Fernando Valley.

The 405 is one of the most congested highways in Southern California, so this closure will have a significant impact in and around the Los Angeles area.

According to the LA Times:

The 405 will be closed for 53 hours beginning the evening of July 15 and ending early the morning of July 18 — mostly for demolition work on the Mulholland Drive Bridge.

The northbound 405 will be closed for 10 miles between the 10 and 101 freeways, and the southbound 405 will be closed for four miles between the 101 Freeway and the Getty Center Drive exit. The work is part of a larger $1-billion freeway improvement project that includes constructing a 10-mile northbound carpool lane to complete what officials say is a network between Orange County and the San Fernando Valley.

The closure in July will allow crews to demolish the south side of Mulholland Bridge and then spend about 11 months doing bridge reconstruction on the south side. After that, crews will demolish the north side of the bridge, which will require another extended freeway closure.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Our Fox Road Trip started with a bang. Here’s what our bloggers have done so far!

Day One – Four Points LAX, Car Magnets and Mechanical Bulls
Watch the video now and see how long Matt could last!

6 Californian Breweries you Shouldn’t Miss
California has some GREAT beers, and Phil Baxter, the real-beer-loving General Manager of the Four Points LAX laid on beer tasting and fish tacos at the Pool Bar for the bloggers on the Fox Road Trip. Read about the 6 CA breweries

A WESTCOAST PIZZA REVIEW FROM A NORTHEAST PIZZA GIRL: The 35 Point Scale
As a  born and raised east coast girl from up north I pride myself in having genious knowledge in the chemical makeup of what makes good pizza. Read about this authentic San Diego Italian pizza!

A San Diego Must-See: Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial
If you follow the winding La Jolla roads up very high to the Soledad Cross, once you arrive your breath will be instantly taken. Read more about Mt. Soledad and see some amazing views!

A Sea World Photo Adventure
Our friends at SeaWorld San Diego were kind enough to invite us to meet the world famous Shamu during the Fox Road Trip. Little did we know how many fun and interesting exhibits we would see on our way! Check out these amazing pictures from Sea World!

Day 3 #FoxRoadTrip; A day with Rick Calvert and Shamu!
Day 3 of the Fox Road Trip was lunch with Rick Calvert and dinner with Shamu! Watch these amazing clips from SeaWorld!

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.