Free Things to Do in Long Beach This Summer

Free Things to Do in Long Beach Highlights

• The ultimate 2026 guide to free things to do in Long Beach this summer
• Discover free Long Beach events including outdoor concerts, movies on the beach, festivals, and community block parties
• Find free activities in Long Beach for families, couples, kids, students, and friend groups
• Explore hidden gem free things to do in Long Beach that most locals don’t know about
• Free fitness classes, yoga, run clubs, bike rides, pickleball, walking groups, and outdoor wellness events
• Best free outdoor activities in Long Beach including beaches, murals, gardens, wetlands, parks, and scenic walks
• Updated list of free summer events in Long Beach happening throughout June, July, August, and September 2026
• Free date ideas in Long Beach including sunset concerts, canal walks, beach movies, and art walks
• Budget-friendly Long Beach summer activities with local parking tips and insider recommendations
• Your go-to resource for free things to do in Long Beach this weekend and all summer long

Summer is basically here, the sun is showing up, the vibes are immaculate, and Long Beach is absolutely going off — but if you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you already know that this economy is freakin’ dumb. Gas prices, rent, groceries, a single avocado toast — it all adds up fast, and most of us are side-eyeing our bank accounts before we do literally anything fun.

But here’s the thing: Long Beach actually cares about your budget. This community has always shown up for its people, and the sheer volume of free programming, events, and activities on offer is proof of that. Long Beach is built for free fun in a way that most people — even locals — don’t fully appreciate. We’re not talking about “free if you squint and ignore the $20 parking fee” kind of free. We’re talking genuinely, completely, 100% free things to do in Long Beach this summer that will fill your calendar without emptying your wallet.

I’ve done a deep dive to pull together the most comprehensive list of free summer activities in Long Beach ever assembled in one place. Whether you’re looking for free outdoor concerts, free movies on the beach, free fitness classes, free art classes, free community walks, or free bike rides, Long Beach has got you covered. Grab your water bottle, slap on some SPF, and let’s get into it.

Free Outdoor Concerts All Summer Long

Long Beach has one of the most stacked free outdoor concert lineups in all of Southern California, and most people don’t even know about half of it.

Long Beach Municipal Band — The OG Free Concert Series

Here’s a fun fact that will make you feel deeply proud to live here: the Long Beach Municipal Band is the oldest city-funded municipal band in the entire United States, and they’ve been putting on free summer concerts since 1909. That’s over a century of free live music, and the tradition is alive and well in 2026 with their 117th season, themed “Picnics and Pops” — a celebration of Long Beach’s iconic history, culture, and community through popular hits across the decades.

This summer, the band performs four nights a week over six weeks across five different parks. Concerts begin at 6:30 PM. Bring blankets, chairs, and a full picnic spread and make a whole evening of it. Here’s the full confirmed 2026 schedule:

Tuesdays:

• Whaley Park North (5620 E. Atherton St.) — June 23 & June 30
• Bixby Annex Park (E. Ocean Blvd & Junipero Ave) — July 7, 14, 21 & 28

Wednesdays:

• Los Cerritos Park (3750 Del Mar Ave.) — June 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29

Thursdays:

• Larry Curtis Concert Park at Marine Stadium (5255 Paoli Way) — June 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30

Fridays:

• El Dorado Park West (2800 N. Studebaker Rd.) — June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31

Six weekly themes take you through jazz, Dixieland and blues; Latin rhythms; movie scores; patriotic and folk favorites; big band swing; and a finale week celebrating “Legends of Vinyl” — the rock and pop anthems of the ’60s and ’70s. It’s genuinely one of the best free things Long Beach offers all year. Don’t sleep on it.

More info at longbeach.gov.

Bixby Knolls Concerts in the Park(ing Lot)

Every summer, the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association throws a free concert series that is one of the best kept secrets in Long Beach. We’re talking tribute bands, soul, ska, classic rock — all-ages, dog-friendly, and totally free. Music kicks off at 6:30 PM at the Bixby Joe lot, 4245 Atlantic Avenue. Bring beach chairs and snacks, and don’t forget your dancing shoes because before you know it there’s an impromptu dance floor happening.

The 2026 schedule will be posted at bixbyknollsinfo.com.

Naples Bay Monthly Concerts

This one is personal for me. I grew up going to these concerts as a kid — I’d lace up my roller skates, roll down to The Colonnade, and if we were really lucky, my parents would pick up a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and meet my sister and me there. It was such a Long Beach summer treat. Decades later, this concert series is still going strong and still completely free.

The Naples Improvement Association hosts free monthly concerts at The Colonnade — a charming park right on the bay in Naples — from May through September, 6–8 PM. The setting is everything: the water, the boats, the warm summer air, live music. Bring a blanket, bring your family, bring your roller skates if you’re feeling nostalgic.

2026 dates: May 26, June 30, July 28, August 24, capped off with a full-on street dance party on September 13. Visit the NIA website for the performer lineup.

Peninsula Neighborhood Concerts — Long Beach’s Best Kept Secret

Okay, I need you to lean in for this one because most people have absolutely no idea this exists, and it is a hidden gem of the highest order. Free Sunday concerts twice a month, June through August, at Alamitos Park (72nd and Ocean Blvd.) on the Peninsula — and this isn’t just a sit-in-your-chair-and-nod-along kind of concert. This is a full-on dance party. People show up, the music starts, and the whole place just comes alive. It’s one of those only-in-Long-Beach moments that reminds you why you live here.

Shows run 5:30–7:30 PM with the bay right there as your backdrop. Getting there is easy: ride your bike (the beach path drops you right there), or there’s a nice-sized parking lot at the park that’s free after 6 PM. Street parking on the Peninsula is also free. No excuses not to go.

2nd & PCH Beachside Beats

Long Beach’s most scenic shopping center also throws a free summer concert series all season long with tribute bands, Motown, salsa, and yacht rock on the main stage. Bring a low chair, grab dinner from one of the restaurants on-site, and enjoy. Stay tuned for the 2026 schedule at 2ndandpch.com/events.

Free Movies This Summer

Long Beach does free outdoor movies right — and there are actually TWO separate series running this summer. Grab a blanket, bring your own food, and go.

Moonlight Movies on the Beach — Tuesday Nights at Granada Beach

This is Long Beach’s most beloved summer tradition and it is magical. Moonlight Movies on the Beach returns for Tuesday night screenings all summer long at Granada Beach (5100 E. Ocean Blvd., right next to Rosie’s Dog Beach in Belmont Shore). Movies play on a giant inflatable screen under the stars with the ocean as your backdrop. Completely free.

What to know:

• Movies start at sunset, approximately 8–8:30 PM
• Location: Granada Beach, 5100 E. Ocean Blvd., Belmont Shore
• Local food trucks and a kettle corn vendor are on site (not free, but delicious)
• BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) is absolutely welcome
• Alcohol is prohibited on the beach
• Bring a blanket, low beach chairs, and layers — it gets breezy
• Parking pro tip: the lot right there is free after 6 PM, but after the movie ends you will be stuck in a sea of cars with roughly a bajillion other moviegoers and zero patience left. Park on the street instead — it’s free, it’s close, and you’ll be home before everyone else is still waiting to pull out of the lot.

The 2026 film lineup hasn’t been officially announced yet — the schedule typically drops in late spring. Check moonlightmoviesonthebeach.com for the full lineup when it posts. Past years have featured crowd favorites like Grease, The Goonies, Dirty Dancing, The Sandlot, and Lilo & Stitch — they love a classic.

Movies in the Park — Parks All Over the City, July–August

The City of Long Beach Parks, Recreation, and Marine Department runs a massive Movies in the Park series every summer, showing films at parks all over the city from July through August — over 25 locations total. Movies start at 6 PM and each screening has its own fun dress-up theme. It’s a whole vibe.

Confirmed 2026 park locations include: Pan American Park, Bixby Park, Mother’s Beach, Scherer Park, Wardlow Park, Signal Hill Park, Whaley Park, Cherry Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, McBride Park, El Dorado West Park, Veterans Park, Stearns Park, Silverado Park, MacArthur Park, Heartwell Park, College Estates Park, Houghton Park, Orizaba Park, and more.

Full schedule and film lineup at longbeach.gov/park. This is a great one for families — something happening near you almost every night.

Free Run Clubs

Long Beach has one of the most vibrant, community-driven run club scenes in Southern California — and pretty much all of them are free. Whether you’re training for the Long Beach Marathon or just trying to get off the couch, there’s a club for you.

Long Beach Run Club — Tuesdays at 7 PM, meeting at Ocean & Coronado. Free, all paces, good vibes only. @longbeach.runclub on Instagram.

Downtown Runners LB — Wednesdays at 6:15 PM, Downtown Long Beach. Free social 5K followed by happy hour. Routes head past Shoreline Aquatic Park and the lighthouse. @downtownrunnerslb on Instagram and Facebook.

Rose Park Running Club (RPRC) — A community-first, progressive, inclusive run club that cares as much about Long Beach as it does about miles. Free. Check out their IG @roseparkrunningclub or roseparkrunningclub.com.

Shoreline Frontrunners — Long Beach’s LGBTQ+-inclusive running and walking club since 1984. Runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays near the corner of Redondo and Ocean. Open to everyone. Thursday runs are 3–6 miles on the beach path. sfrlb.com.

Women’s Run Club — Saturday mornings at 9 AM with walk, jog, and run pace groups, followed by coffee. Free and empowering. Follow @runclubgirls on Instagram for weekly location updates.

lululemon Long Beach Run Club — Free weekly run club from lululemon at 2nd & PCH (6460 E. Pacific Coast Hwy). Check their Eventbrite or Instagram for current schedule.

Free Walking Clubs & Community Walks

Tour the Shore — Belmont Shore Business Association

This one is a genuine Long Beach treasure. Every Saturday morning at 7:30 AM, the BSBA hosts “Tour the Shore” — a free guided, educational 2–3 mile walk through Belmont Shore, with a different point of interest featured every single week. Routes cover the ocean, the bay, the Naples canals, Marine Stadium, Colorado Lagoon, and beyond. All paces, all abilities — walking, skating, wheeling, all welcome.

They also do “Walk on Wednesdays” — departing at 7:15 AM from Chase Bank (5200 E. 2nd) for a brisk 3-mile loop rotating through 12 different water-adjacent routes.

Both walks meet at 2nd & La Verne at Chapter II Coffee. Check out the details on the BSBA wesbite.

Long Beach Walking Club

A vibrant community of women (18+) dedicated to wellness, connection, and giving back. They organize regular themed walks all over Long Beach’s neighborhoods, with monthly social hours to keep community tight. 21K Instagram followers strong. @longbeachwalkingclub.

Sierra Club Long Beach Area Group

Free and open monthly nature programs, guided hikes, city walks, and environmental outings. Open to members and non-members alike. sierraclub.org/angeles/long-beach.

Annual Ranchos Walk (September — mark it now)

Every September, the city invites everyone to hike the crest trail linking Rancho Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos. Choose from 3-, 6-, or 9-mile options with a free guided audio tour covering local history. Completely free including the post-walk celebration at Rancho Los Cerritos. Watch longbeach.gov/ranchoswalk for the 2026 date.

Free Bike Rides

Long Beach has an incredibly rich grassroots cycling culture and basically every ride listed here is free. The full weekly schedule lives at longbeachbikerides.com.

Monday: Two Wheels One Love — 6:30 PM, Orizaba Park. @twowheels.onelove.

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday Cannonball Run — 7 PM at the Cannon (Junipero & Ocean). Different taco spot every week, announced day-of. No-drop with regroups. Zero dollars, but if you want to buy tacos at the end, it will cost you a bit. @lbcannonballrun.

Tuesday: C U Next Tuesday — 8 AM at Colorado Lagoon. Queer-centered ride. @queercicles.

Wednesday: Long Beach Bicycling Meetup (Streetlight Riders) — 7 PM at the Windsurf Centre by Belmont Pier. Super casual pace, rides to Queen Mary or Seal Beach and back. Perfect for beginners. meetup.com/Long-Beach-Bicycling-Meetup.

Wednesday: VFIXII — 7:30 PM at 4th & Cherry, roll at 8. Different route each week through Long Beach. @vfixll_lbc.

Thursday: Long Beach Riding Club — 5:45 PM SHARP at Liberty Park, Cerritos. @long_beach_riding_club.

Saturday: Jax Store Ride — 8 AM from Jax Bicycle Center (Bellflower and Spring).

Sunday: LB Adventures Ride — 5:30 PM from the Aquarium of the Pacific. Casual beach path cruise. meetup.com/LB-Adventures.

Sunday: Cumbia Cruise — 5 PM at The Cannon (Junipero & Ocean). Cruisy beach path ride with good energy. @meatthatmurders.

Monthly (Full Moon): Moonlight Mash — 8 PM from Pedal Movement (Long Beach Blvd & First). Themed costume ride through Belmont Shore. One of the best nights out in Long Beach, full stop. @moonlightmashlongbeach.

Long Beach Walls & Art Renzei Moonlight Mash Bike Mural Tour — June 11, 2026 at 5 PM from the GoActiveLB Hub/Pedal Movement downtown (223 E. 1st St.). Guided community bike ride through Downtown Long Beach featuring live mural painting, artist meet-and-greets, and stops at new and iconic Long Beach Walls pieces during the 2026 festival. Ends at The Promenade with bike valet and post-ride hangs. @longbeachwalls_artrenzei

Monthly (First Saturday): BikeLB Community Ride — 9 AM from Pedal Movement. @bikelongbeach.

Free Fitness Classes

Yogalution on the Bluff — The most beautiful free yoga spot in Long Beach, period. Daily free outdoor yoga classes on the grassy bluff overlooking the Pacific at the corner of E. Ocean Blvd and Junipero Ave. Daily at 11 AM plus weekday evenings. When you arrive, just look for the crowd gathering on the bluff — you’ll find it.

Parking: free and metered public street parking is available nearby, but give yourself extra time because it can be competitive. The paid Junipero Beach parking lot (1 Junipero Ave) is a close option if the street is full. Better yet, walk or ride your bike if you’re close enough, that way it’s completely free.

Bring a yoga mat, blanket, or towel — or just practice on the grass. Bring water and sun protection since there’s very little shade. Beginners, kids, and leashed dogs are all welcome. These classes are offered without a required donation, but Yogalution encourages the spirit of reciprocity — cash and electronic donations are always welcome to keep the teachers and the mission going. @yogalutionmovement.

City Outdoor Fitness Zones — Free outdoor workout equipment at Lincoln Park (101 Pacific Ave), Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave), Orizaba Park (1435 Orizaba Ave), and Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave). No membership, no fees, no excuses.

Free Tai Chi — SOHMA Tai Chi — Heartwell Park, Sundays 9:30 AM. SOHMA has been running every single Sunday year-round since 2010 without seasonal breaks. This is a weather-dependent outdoor class (cancels in rain) but has no summer closure. SHCollective Tai Chi — Marine Stadium, Sundays 12:30 PM.

City Skate Parks — Free dawn to 10 PM daily at multiple locations including Silverado Park. Helmets and pads required.

Free Art Classes & Workshops

LBPL Studios — Free Art & Illustration Workshops — The Long Beach Public Library’s Mobile Studio rotates free illustration, graphic design, and digital art workshops to all 12 branch locations monthly. Free with a library card. longbeach.gov/library/events.

Free Music Classes

Dave’s Island Instruments — Free Handpan & Ukulele Classes — Just over the Long Beach border in Lakewood (4115 Los Coyotes Diagonal), Dave’s Island Instruments offers free monthly handpan and ukulele classes throughout the year. They provide all the instruments — you just show up. Whether you’ve never touched a handpan in your life or just want to jam with strangers on a Saturday afternoon, this is a genuinely special experience. Check the current schedule at davesislandinstruments.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram — dates vary each month and they fill up fast so reserve your spot.

Long Beach Public Library — The Free Resource Everyone Forgets

The Long Beach Public Library has 12 branches and is wildly underestimated as a free entertainment and education hub. Here’s what’s available right now:

SEED Creativity Lab — Free Saturday arts workshops for middle schoolers at four LBPL branches, rotating through photography, digital arts, mixed media, and architecture.

Free Cultural Programs — The LBPL runs free cultural programs, literary events, storytimes, and community celebrations all summer long. This summer’s AAPI Heritage Month celebration continues through July with programs at branches across the city.

The Studios/Makerspaces — 3D printing, robotics, coding, graphic design, audio recording, video game design — all free with a library card at the Billie Jean King Main Library (200 W. Broadway) and select branches.

Free Genealogy Research — Every LBPL branch gives you free in-library access to Ancestry Library Edition — the full paid version of Ancestry.com — with millions of records from North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia. Seriously.

Free Language Learning — Mango Languages is free for all cardholders. 70+ languages, conversation-based, and actually good.

Kids Programs All Summer — Storytimes, Messy Art, Lego Club, gaming nights, and family theater events at branches throughout the city.

Check the full calendar at longbeach.gov/library/events.

Free Outdoor Spaces & Nature

El Dorado Nature Center — 105 acres of trails, two lakes, woodland areas, and wildlife including birds, turtles, and frogs. The trails and museum are completely free — but if you roll up and park in their lot, you’ll pay $6–$9 depending on the day. Here’s how to do it for free: ride your bike (cyclists never pay a vehicle fee), or park at the El Dorado Neighborhood Library nearby and walk over. There’s also free street parking in the surrounding neighborhood if you don’t mind a short walk. Closed Mondays. 7550 E. Spring St.

Naples Canals Walk — Wander the banks of the Naples canals for free. Charming bridges, gondolas, gorgeous seaside homes. Free, always, anytime.

Colorado Lagoon — A beloved East Long Beach spot for picnics, birding, and nature walks. Free.

Signal Hill — Drive or walk up for one of the most spectacular free panoramic views in all of Southern California. Historical plaques throughout. Totally free.

Rancho Los Alamitos & Rancho Los Cerritos — Free parking and free entry to both historic adobe homes and gardens. 6400 E. Bixby Hill Rd. and 4600 Virginia Rd.

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden (CSULB) — Free with a no-cost online reservation. Feed the koi, admire bonsai trees, breathe. One of the most underrated spots in Long Beach. 1250 Bellflower Blvd.

The Beach — It’s free. It’s right there. Go.

Free Events

MOLAA Free Sundays — The Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.) is completely free every Sunday. Housed in a former silent film studio with a gorgeous outdoor sculpture garden and over 1,300 works from 20 Latin American countries.

First Fridays Bixby Knolls — Every first Friday on Atlantic Ave, Bixby Knolls turns into a full community block party. Galleries open their doors and there’s live music throughout the corridor. The BIA adds activities, installations, and monthly themes that keep it fresh every single time; it’s one of those events where you show up for an hour and end up staying all night.

Fourth Fridays Retro Row — Every fourth Friday, 4th Street throws its own monthly block party with a very different energy — vendors lining the sidewalks, live bands playing on corners, the vintage shops open late, and the whole street just comes alive. If you love the Retro Row vibe on a regular day, Fourth Friday is that times ten.

Juneteenth at MLK Park — June 20. The Juneteenth celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. Park (1950 Lemon Ave) takes place June 20 from 12 to 5 PM — an afternoon of live music, dance, food, and local vendors honoring African American heritage.

Make Music Long Beach — June 21 — Every June 21st, the world celebrates Fête de la Musique — a tradition that started in Paris where the entire city takes a day to play, listen, connect, and experience the pure joy of music in every form, in every corner of the city. I’ve had the privilege of experiencing it in Paris and it is nothing short of spectacular. Long Beach does its own version every year and I hope one day it grows into something just as magical — the seeds are absolutely here. Free pop-up music events happen all over the city. Mark June 21 on your calendar every year.

Long Beach Walls Mural Festival — Annual, July — Every July, Long Beach Walls transforms the city into a free open-air gallery. New murals get created across downtown, schools, and cultural sites with free community programming all week long. The digital guide at longbeachwalls.com lets you self-tour all murals year-round, completely free.

Airwaves: Summer Concerts at Long Beach Airport. In 2025, the Long Beach Airport (4100 Donald Douglas Dr) debuted Airwaves, a free monthly outdoor concert series in the plaza next to the Historic Terminal, featuring three bands per night, kids activities, food trucks, and guided tours of the historic terminal. Parking in Structure B is free for four hours. The 2026 schedule can be viewed on https://www.longbeach.gov/

Free Tours of Long Beach

Tour the Shore — BSBA (already covered above, it’s that good): Free, every Saturday at 7:30 AM starting at 2nd & La Verne in Belmont Shore. The best free guided walking tour in the city.

Long Beach Walls Self-Guided Mural Tour — Use the digital map at longbeachwalls.com to build your own free mural tour anytime. The art is everywhere — downtown, East Village, Bixby Knolls, and beyond.

Arts Council for Long Beach Public Art Map — The Arts Council’s free interactive map at artslb.org covers every piece of public art in the city — murals, sculptures, historic mosaics, utility box art — filterable by neighborhood, artist, and type. Build your own tour, completely free.

DTLB Art + Design Walk — The Downtown Long Beach Alliance’s Art + Design Walk takes you through murals, installations, and works by local and emerging artists in the downtown corridor. Free. Check downtownlongbeach.org for dates.

Free Sound Baths & Sound Healing

Okay, this one is for the people who need to decompress — and given everything going on right now, that’s basically all of us. Long Beach has a surprisingly rich sound healing scene and several options that are completely free or truly pay-what-you-can.

Community Sound Healing for Everyone — Carroll Park — Every second Saturday of the month at 10:30 AM at Carroll Park South (2300 Carroll Park South). Outdoor, free, no registration required. This one starts as a free yoga class and ends with meditation and sound therapy. This is one of Long Beach’s most consistent and genuinely accessible free wellness offerings. Just show up. Find the group on Meetup: “Community Sound Healing for Everyone, Long Beach.“

Free Open Mics & Spoken Word

Long Beach has an awesome creative underground and you absolutely do not have to spend money to be part of it.

No Pulp Poetry Club — One of Long Beach’s most beloved creative communities. Free poetry open mic every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at The Juicebox (237 Long Beach Blvd., Downtown LB). Doors open 7:30 PM, mic starts 8:30 PM. All ages, all backgrounds, every genre of spoken word. They also publish a quarterly zine and run a poetry video series on YouTube and TikTok. Follow @nopulppoetryclub on Instagram.

Art Through Song Open Mic — Every Friday at 6 PM at Gina Woodruff Gallery in Long Beach. Music and poetry welcome. A positive creative space for all artists to share and connect. Free to attend and perform. Check openmikes.org for current details.

Free Birdwatching & Guided Nature Walks

Long Beach is legitimately one of the best urban birdwatching cities in Southern California, and there are free guided walks happening regularly that most people have no idea about.

Rancho Los Cerritos Free Bird Walk — Every second Thursday of the month, 8–9:30 AM at Rancho Los Cerritos (4600 Virginia Rd). A free, guided walk through the historic rancho grounds led by knowledgeable staff who point out resident and migratory bird species and answer questions. The varied habitats — gardens, wetlands, open spaces — attract an impressive range of birds. Free, all levels welcome, no registration required. rancholoscerritos.org.

Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust — Free Monthly Nature Walk — Every first Saturday of the month at 8 AM, the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust offers a free guided nature walk through one of the most ecologically significant coastal wetlands in Southern California. Learn about ongoing restoration efforts, native plants, and wildlife. Free — check lcwlandtrust.org for the current month’s meeting location.

El Dorado Nature Center — Free to enter on foot or bike, the 105-acre nature center is a year-round birding hotspot with two lakes, woodland trails, and a diverse range of wildlife. Best early morning when it’s quiet.

Colorado Lagoon & Dominguez Gap Wetlands — Both are free, publicly accessible urban nature spots perfect for self-guided birdwatching. Colorado Lagoon has a restored wetland boardwalk trail. Dominguez Gap Wetlands along the LA River offers cranes, herons, goldfinches, and more on well-maintained trails.

Free Pickleball

Pickleball is absolutely everywhere in Long Beach right now, and the options for free play are genuinely impressive — both indoors and out.

Sports Basement — The Flight Deck (2100 N. Bellflower Blvd.) — This is the one most people don’t know about and it’s kind of incredible. Sports Basement’s Flight Deck on the third floor is a 16,000-square-foot free community space, and it’s home to 6 free indoor pickleball courts (5 on the Flight Deck, 1 on the 2nd floor). Open daily on a first-come, first-served basis — weekdays 10:30 AM–7:30 PM, weekends 9:30 AM–5:30 PM, unless a private event is booked. No fees, just sign a waiver. The Flight Deck also has a game area with pool tables and other activities. And as a bonus, Sports Basement runs a whole calendar of free community events including free weekly yoga every Tuesday at 6:30 PM, free bike maintenance classes every third Wednesday at 6:30 PM, and a free run club every first Thursday at 6:15 PM (casual 5K in the Los Altos neighborhood). This place is a genuine community hub. sportsbasement.com/blogs/community-spaces for the events calendar.

DeForest Park (6255 DeForest Ave.) — 8 free, dedicated outdoor pickleball courts with lights, permanent nets, and great lines. Open to the public, no fees, no reservations. Courts stay lit until 10 PM. One of the best free outdoor pickleball setups in the city with a welcoming, energetic community.

Veterans Park (101 E. 28th St.) — 8 free dedicated outdoor pickleball courts with lights and water. First-come-first-served, no reservation required. Great vibe.

Marina Vista Park (5355 E. Eliot St.) — 8 dual-lined courts (tennis/pickleball). The Marina Vista Pickleball group runs free open play and free beginner lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help newcomers learn the game. marinavistapickleball.com.

Free Beach Cleanups (Give Back, Get Outside)

These aren’t just altruistic — they’re a genuinely good time, a way to meet community-minded people, and they count as outdoor exercise. Long Beach has some of the most organized and consistent beach and neighborhood cleanup programs around.

Surfrider Foundation Long Beach — Monthly Beach Cleanup — Every first Saturday of the month at Belmont Pier (Ocean and 39th Place), 10 AM–12 PM. All gear provided (bags, gloves, trash pickers). Free parking pass provided at the tent. Great for volunteer hours. RSVP at longbeach.surfrider.org.

California Coastal Cleanup Day — Every September, hundreds of Long Beach volunteers descend on beaches and waterways for the largest volunteer event in the state. Multiple sites across the city including Junipero Beach, Belmont Pier, Mother’s Beach, Alamitos Bay Marina, and the Peninsula. Watch coastal.ca.gov for the 2026 date and sign-up.

Free Historic Sites

Rancho Los Alamitos — One of the most special free spots in Long Beach that most people have never visited. This is a working 7.5-acre historic ranch with a ranch house dating to 1790, four acres of lush gardens, and a barnyard full of animals — horses, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and rabbits. Free guided tours run approximately every half hour. Open Wednesday–Sunday, 1–5 PM. No reservation needed. 6400 E. Bixby Hill Rd. — admission and parking completely free. rancholosalamitos.org.

Rancho Los Cerritos — Long Beach was literally founded on this land, and you can walk it for free. The historic 1844 adobe home and all outdoor spaces are open Wednesday–Sunday (Saturday 10 AM–5 PM, all other days 1–5 PM). Admission is free, walk-ups welcome. The gardens are gorgeous and there’s a rotating calendar of free programming — bird walks, garden tours, crafts, family days. 4600 Virginia Rd. Free parking. rancholoscerritos.org.

Historical Society of Long Beach — Located in Bixby Knolls at 4260 Atlantic Ave, the HSLB museum has exhibitions on Long Beach history with a suggested $5 donation — effectively free. Their standout annual event is the Historical Cemetery Tour every October 25, a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience where local actors in period costume perform monologues as historical figures at Sunnyside Cemetery and Long Beach Municipal Cemetery, 9 AM–3 PM. Free to attend (donations appreciated). hslb.org.

Volunteer with Shelter Animals — Walk Dogs, Cuddle Cats, Help Rabbits

This might be the most feel-good free thing on this entire list. Long Beach has two animal shelters side by side in El Dorado Park, and both desperately need volunteers — especially in summer when intake numbers climb.

Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) — City Shelter The city’s shelter at 7700 E. Spring St. houses over 100 dogs at a time and can’t always get to every animal every day without volunteer help. They need people to walk dogs, socialize cats, clean kennels, do laundry, and spend time with the rabbits too.

How it works: all new volunteers start in a Tier 1 non-animal-handling role (kennel cleaning, laundry, cat cottage assistance), then progress to Tier 2 dog walking and cat socialization after completing a free online Fear Free Shelter course and a minimum number of hours. Background check required (Live Scan — free at many libraries). Shifts are 2 hours, available Wednesday–Sunday from 10 AM–4 PM. Prefer at least 4 hours per month to stay active. Minimum age 18.

Apply at the volunteer portal at longbeach.gov/acs → Programs & Services → Volunteer Team. Email [email protected] with questions.

spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village Right next door on the same street, spcaLA’s Long Beach location sits on 6.5 acres in El Dorado Park. Volunteers socialize cats and kittens (including playing with them and helping recovering cats in isolation), walk dogs, assist with care, and help at community events. Training provided. Shifts run Wednesday–Sunday, 11 AM–3 PM.

Start at spcala.com/volunteer.

Both are free, both are needed, and honestly — getting a tail wag from a dog who needed you that day is worth more than anything money can buy.

The Bottom Line

Look, Long Beach is genuinely one of the greatest cities in America to be broke in — and I mean that as the highest compliment. The beaches are public, the parks are stacked, the community is tight, and this city just gives in a way most places don’t.

This summer, challenge yourself to do as many of these free things as possible. Try a handpan class. Show up to a Municipal Band concert at Marine Stadium with a blanket and some cheese and crackers. Watch a movie on the beach on a Tuesday night. Meet some people on a bike ride. Do yoga on the bluff at sunset. Float into a sound bath at Carroll Park. Go birding at the wetlands. Play pickleball at Sports Basement. Walk a shelter dog who really needed it. Visit the ranch animals at Rancho Los Alamitos. Recite a poem at No Pulp. And remember that you live somewhere genuinely, ridiculously special.

The economy might be giving us nothing right now — but Long Beach? The Long Beach community is giving everything.

Bookmark this page, share it with your people, and follow @lbcvibe on Instagram for ongoing free event updates all summer long. We’ll keep this list updated as new events are announced, so check back often.

Got a free event or activity we missed? Slide into our DMs — we love adding to this list.

LBC Vibe is your independent, hyperlocal guide to the best of Long Beach, CA. Follow us on Instagram @lbcvibe and visit lbcvibe.com for events, local business spotlights, neighborhood guides, and more. Check back often.

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