The provided source material details a variety of free admission opportunities, dining discounts, and promotional offers available in Los Angeles and surrounding California areas during 2019. These offers span categories including cultural institutions, fast food and casual dining chains, and special event concessions. The data highlights specific dates, eligibility requirements, and redemption methods for consumers seeking no-cost entertainment and dining experiences.
Museum Free Days and Cultural Access
Several museums in the Los Angeles area offered free admission on specific dates in August 2019. These "free days" typically waived standard entry fees, though parking and special exhibitions were often excluded.
August 2019 Free Admission Schedule * August 1: Japanese American National Museum (5 to 8 p.m.), MOCA Grand (5 to 8 p.m.), Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.), Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.), USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.). * August 2: Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.). * August 4: Museum of Latin American Art; Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can). * August 6: Kidspace Children’s Museum (Free Family Night, 4 to 8 p.m.). * August 8: Japanese American National Museum (5 to 8 p.m.), MOCA Grand (5 to 8 p.m.), Skirball Cultural Center (noon to 5 p.m.), Long Beach Museum of Art (3 to 8 p.m.), USC Pacific Asian Museum (5 to 8 p.m.). * August 11: Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can); Museum of Latin American Art; USC Pacific Asian Museum (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). * August 13: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (free for L.A. County residents with valid I.D.).
Ongoing Free Admission Policies * L.A. County Residents: Residents with valid identification or utility bills received free admission to the Natural History Museum and La Brea Tar Pits Museum on Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. * La Brea Tar Pits Museum: While skipping free days in July and August, the museum offered free admission on late-night Fridays (5 to 8 p.m.) through the end of the month. Additionally, visitors could receive a $2 discount by sharing an Instagram post of the Second Home Serpentine Pavilion and tagging the Tar Pits accounts. * Permanently Free Museums: The source notes that over two dozen museums in and around Los Angeles offer free admission all the time, including The Getty, Getty Villa, California Science Center, California African American Museum, and The Hammer Museum.
Restaurant and Dining Promotions
Various restaurant chains offered freebies and discounts during specific holidays and promotional periods in 2019.
Veterans Day 2019 Offers On November 11, 2019, several California restaurants provided free meals or discounts to U.S. veterans and active-duty military personnel. Proof of service or military ID was generally required, and dining-in was usually mandatory. * Applebee’s: Vets and active-duty military could select one of seven entrées from an exclusive menu. Participation varied by location. * BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Veterans received a complimentary entrée priced up to $14.95 plus a Dr. Pepper with military ID or proof of service, valid for dine-in only. * Other Participating Chains: The promotion included Denny's (Grand Slams), Black Angus or Sizzler (steak dinners), Wienerschnitzel (chili dogs), CPK (pizzas or pasta), Rubio's, Olive Garden, TCBY, and Menchie's.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2019 Deals Promotions for the transition from 2018 to 2019 included beverage specials, discounted meals, and free items. * Applebee’s: Offered the "$2 Captain and Cola" (Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Pepsi) as the January drink of the month. * Baskin-Robbins: Sold regular and kids-sized scoops of ice cream for $1.50 on December 31. * Bob Evans: Provided two select adult entrees for $9.99 each and free kids' meals starting at 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve and all day on January 1. * Burger King: Offered a free order of Chicken Fries with a $5 purchase on DoorDash from December 31 through January 6 using promo code NEWYEAR. This offer was limited to the first 30,000 orders and valid only for delivery within DoorDash zones. * Cumberland Farms: Provided a free cup of coffee (hot or iced) from 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve through 5 a.m. on New Year's Day. * PT's Tavern (Nevada): Gave away free champagne at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Memorial Day 2019 Offers * Habit Burger & Grill: Offered two Charburgers for the price of one from May 26 to June 1, 2025. The deal required signing up for the app or using the website to access the "My Offers" tab and entering the code 2CHARS.
Special Event and Entertainment Perks
LA County Fair 2019 The 2019 LA County Fair featured various unique food items and concessions. While not strictly free, the fair highlighted specific vendor offerings. * Vegan Options: Govina’s Veggie Bomb offered soft tacos with jackfruit ($12 for three). Hot Dog on a Stick provided a veggie dog. Scoops on Tap served vegan vanilla coconut bourbon ice cream. * Flaming Hot Cheetos Items: Biggy’s offered Flaming Hot Cheetos stuffed in pickles, sprinkled on fries and turkey legs, and on giant corn dogs. Big Bubba’s Bad BBQ served Hot Cheetos Corn on the Cob and corn in a cup. * Entertainment: Comedian George Lopez was scheduled to appear.
Music and Arts (Memorial Day Weekend) * LACMA: Free performance by Munyungo’s Jungle Jazz on May 23. * LA Phil: Performances of Gershwin & Strauss from May 23 to 25. * Little Free Library: On May 25, a special Little Free Library sponsored by TNT's The Librarians offered collectible freebies. Visitors could use the map or app to find participating locations.
Transportation and Safety
- AAA Safe Ride Program: During the New Year's holiday, participating AAA Clubs provided free rides for members and non-members in many parts of the country to prevent impaired driving.
Conclusion
The source material outlines a diverse range of free and discounted opportunities available to Los Angeles consumers in 2019. These included recurring free museum admission days for residents and tourists, holiday-specific restaurant freebies for military personnel and the general public, and unique food offerings at major fairs. Consumers were advised to check specific location participation and bring required identification or utilize specific promo codes to redeem these offers.