Almost Free . . . and Easy : The Price of Amusing Yourself in the L. A. Area Can Be as Low as a Parking Fee

The notion that it takes a king’s ransom to have fun, especially in Southern California, is understandable. It’s also incorrect.

For singles and families counting pennies in these recessionary times, the Los Angeles area is rich in interesting places to go and enjoyable things to do. And believe it or not, they are absolutely free, although in some cases there is a parking fee.

What follows is a sampling of places and events in and around the Southland.

“Jazz at the Wadsworth,” the Wadsworth Theatre (on the grounds of the Veterans Administration, off Wilshire Boulevard, west of the San Diego Freeway), (213) 825-9261.

Celebrating its eighth year, this year-round series features all styles of jazz by national and international artists on the first Sunday of every month. The two-hour show is hosted by KLON (88.1 FM) jazz radio’s Chuck Niles and sponsored by the UCLA Student Committee for the Arts and KLON.

Past performers have included saxophonists Branford Marsalis and Maceo Parker. Guitarists Strunz & Farah will be guest artists April 7.

Doors to the 1,450-seat theater open at 6:30 p.m.; show time is 7 p.m. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. For concert information, call (213) 825-3253. Parking is $4.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, (818) 405-2141.

This cultural and educational center in a park-like setting has three main parts.

The Huntington Library houses priceless books and rare literary and historical manuscripts, including Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a Gutenberg Bible and a collection of Shakespeare’s early works.

The center’s massive art collection features changing exhibitions, 18th-Century British and French sculptures and paintings, including Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy” and Lawrence’s “Pinkie.”

The botanical gardens are actually 12 gardens, each planted with shrubs and trees from around the world. Most noteworthy is the Japanese Garden, landscaped with native plants, stone ornaments, an 18th-Century temple bell and a furnished Japanese house with a Zen Garden. Docent tours of the Botanical Gardens are available, and introductory slide shows are given at frequent intervals.

Open 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays and major holidays. Free parking.

Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, 2141 West Adams Blvd., (213) 730-9696.

Many of the world’s most memorable moments in sports are immortalized in the foundation’s extensive library of books, magazines, black-and-white photographs, vintage films and videotapes. It also houses one of the largest collections of documents and memorabilia on the history of the modern Olympics.

Available for viewing are videotapes of 40 fights involving boxing greats Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali. There also are extensive photo files on all the major sports.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays except Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on alternate Saturdays. Closed Sundays. Reservations required.

J. Paul Getty Museum, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 458-2003.

Housed in a re-created country villa modeled after Rome’s Villa dei Papiri is a permanent collection of Greek and Roman antiquities, European paintings, drawings from the 15th to 19th centuries, sculpture from the Middle Ages and illuminated manuscripts.

The museum’s gardens, pool and statues provide a tranquil backdrop. Many educational services are provided for visitors, including orientation discussions about the museum, its collections and gardens, background, gallery talks and a browsing room.

In addition, there are an information center, bookstore and a monthly calendar announcing exhibitions, classes, lectures, concerts and more. Because of limited space, parking reservations are required.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Closed Mondays. For parking reservations and information, call the reservations office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (213) 458-2003. Reservations should be made one week to 10 days in advance.

“Sundays at Four,” Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 485-2437.

This chamber music concert series, which will celebrate its first anniversary in April, showcases soloists and/or chamber groups at 4 p.m. every Sunday. April 7 features the Dame Myra Hess Recital Series: Mozart Sonata in F Major K 13. The one-hour concerts are broadcast live on KUSC (91.5 FM) radio. Doors to the 603-seat Bing Theater open at 3:45 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Independence Hall, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, (714) 220-5200.

This two-story red brick building is a replica of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The interior also is similar, with chandeliers like the ones found in Philadelphia, reproductions of the Constitution and a replica of the Assembly Chamber.

Inside the Declaration Chamber, visitors can hear a re-enactment of the debates that preceded the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In the lobby area, there’s a 2,075-pound replica of the Liberty Bell, which is five pounds lighter than the original. The grounds include a park with chickens and a duck pond.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Parking is $3.

Cabrillo Marine Museum, 3720 Stephen White Drive, San Pedro, (213) 548-7562.

This ocean-side complex, created to study and promote the wonders of the sea in an aquarium setting, features marine life exhibits, tide pool exploration, grunion spawning programs, tours, workshops, field trips and classes. Live sea animals and plants are exhibited in 38 saltwater tanks. Whale skeletons, harpoons and exhibit information on whales’ feeding and migration habits are housed in the museum’s Whale Room.

The popular Tidepool Touch Tank lets visitors view and touch sea urchins, starfish and other marine creatures. Exhibits include:

* “Gyotaku: Mirror Images” by watercolor artist Cherry Sweig through May 27.

* Grunion Program, April 17, 30 (bring flashlight, warm clothes and a folding chair). Museum opens at 8 p.m., program begins 9 p.m.

* April 20 Earth Day Celebration 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Includes an information booth, games about the ecology, ways to protect the environment and other activities.

Open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Closed Mondays. Parking is $5.50.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, National Park Service, 30401 Agoura Road, Suite 100, Agoura Hills, (818) 597-9192.

Nature hikes, docent tours, wildlife exhibits and plant lectures are among the activities offered at this national park in the Santa Monica Mountains and nearby seashore.

Several organizations and their volunteers contribute to a wide range of programs, including “Tykes On Hikes,” a nature hike specifically designed for children ages 4 to 6. “Satwiwa Sundays” feature exhibits and informal talks on American Indian life and culture hosted by an American Indian at Rancho Sierra Vista.

Other regularly scheduled activities include tours of the Paramount Ranch, a former Western town movie set. For a complete list of scheduled activities, call the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Visitor Information Center in National Park Service headquarters is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Exposition Park & Rose Garden, Exposition Boulevard and Figueroa Street. Three of Los Angeles’ best-known museums are in the park:

* The California Afro-American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, (213) 744-7432.

The California Afro-American Museum houses the contributions of blacks in the United States, and in particular California, in the areas of art, history and culture. The museum also offers film screenings by and about African Americans, lectures, special performances, workshops and a research library.

One exhibit, running through June 2, “Stamp of Approval: African-American Heritage on Worldwide Philatelic Material” depicts images of black Americans on stamps, postcards and commemorative envelopes. “Ethiopian Sacred Artifacts,” through May 10, features manuscripts, scrolls, crosses, sacred writings and other religious artifacts from Ethiopia.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

* The California Museum of Science and Industry, 700 State Drive, Exposition Park, (213) 744-7400.

Devoted to the study and enhancement of the sciences, this museum features several hands-on exhibits that explore a wide range of subjects. In the Kinsey Hall of Health is “Lifestyle Choices,” a new permanent exhibit about the effects of drug abuse. Visitors also can learn about nutrition, discover the role of energy in daily living and test their investment skills.

Space technology and communications are explored through aircraft, satellites and other aerospace vehicles at Aerospace Hall and in the Corwin D. Denney Air and Space Garden.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

* Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park, (213) 744-DINO.

Open free to the public on the first Tuesday of every month, the museum charges admission on other days. The museum features African, North American and exotic mammals in their natural environs, a gem and mineral hall with more than 2,000 specimens, a marine mammal collection and a hands-on discovery center for children.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Closed on Mondays, except Monday holidays. Regular admission is adults, $5; senior citizens and students, $2.50; children 5-12, $1, and under 5 free.

Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Site, 6400 Bixby Hill Road, Long Beach, (213) 431-3541.

Rancho Los Alamitos (“Ranch of the Little Cottonwoods”) is one of the oldest adobe residences in Southern California.

Dating to the 1800s, the ranch house is surrounded by barns, a blacksmith’s shop and acres of exotic plants from around the world. Guided tours depict the turn-of-the-century lifestyle of John W. Bixby’s family.

The grounds also feature tennis courts, a gazebo, several gardens and a Spanish fountain filled with Japanese koi . Public programs are held every month.

The public program for April: “Little Water--Lush Landscape: Coming to Terms with the Drought in Your Own Backyard,” on April 28 from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Guided tours are available every half-hour. Parking is free.