Los Angeles Salutes the Military with Veterans Day Events and Discounts

The City of Los Angeles honors our nation's military members all year round, from special events on Veterans Day to discounts at a variety of LA area attractions. In addition, there are a number of military-themed museums that delve into the history of several wars.

This year's Veterans Day observances are especially meaningful - it's the 100th anniversary of "Armistice Day" on Nov. 11, 1919, which marked the first anniversary of the end of World War I.

Members of the military can find additional information on discounts and great rates at the Los Angeles Air Force Base, Force Support Squadron, which has special military discounts to attractions, movie theaters, shows and entertainment venues. Ticket prices may vary depending on event date. Valid ID is required, whether you get your tickets from the base or go directly to the venue or attraction.

Fort MacArthur Inn is the lodging operation for Los Angeles AFB. Located in San Pedro, the inn welcomes all active military members visiting L.A. The inn has 72 non-smoking rooms and four pet-friendly units. For reservations, call 310.653.8296.

In recognition of Veterans Day, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is offering special savings along with ongoing benefits like member level upgrades. Eligible military members and veterans can enjoy 15% or more off the Best Available Rate at participating Wyndham Rewards Hotels across the U.S. and Canada. Plus, Wyndham Rewards members receive 500 bonus points. Book by December 5 and complete your stay by December 6, 2019. 

Participating hotel brands in Los Angeles include Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Ramada, Super 8, and Travelodge. Discount percentage varies by brand of participating hotel. For more info and to book the Veterans Day special rate, visit the Wyndham Rewards website.

INAUGURAL VETERANS DAY LA - LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL COLISEUM (NOV. 11, 2019)
For the first time in almost 100 years, Angelenos are coming together on Veterans Day to celebrate our members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Inaugural Veterans Day LA will be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Monday, November 11 from 9am to 3pm. Originally conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was commissioned in 1921 as a memorial to LA veterans of World War I and opened on May 1, 1923.

Program highlights include formal ceremonies at 10am, USO show troupe, drill team, brass band, and live music by Rock for Vets and Palishades. There will also be exhibits, a resource fair, aerial demonstrations and flyovers, and food trucks. Admission to this public event is free, RSVP at Eventbrite.

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION - BATTLESHIP IOWA (NOV. 11, 2019)
On Veterans Day, the Battleship IOWA Museum in San Pedro will host a free Veterans Day Film Festival from 10am – 4pm. This inaugural film festival will feature Peter Jackson's WWI documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old and two screenings of the WWII documentary, The Last Signal followed by a live Q&A with Emmy Award winning director Kyle Olson.

Throughout the day, enjoy free family-friendly activities on the fantail of the ship, including mural painting and Vicky the Dog story time with author Carole Hershman (Vicky was the ship’s mascot once upon a time). Food and drink will also be available for purchase from Mike Caccavella Catering.

Ship tours will be offered throughout the day at regular admission rates. All active, reserve and retired military will receive free self-guided tour admission. Tours start at 10am and the last tour is at 4pm. For more info, visit the Battleship IOWA website.

VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION - REAGAN LIBRARY (NOV. 11, 2019)
To honor the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is hosting its annual Veterans Day Commemoration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, November 11. The day’s activities include live musical entertainment, a Civil War encampment, a military vehicle display, and a program honoring all branches of our military.

The program, which begins at 11:00 a.m., includes an honor guard, live music, and remarks by keynote speaker Captain Dan Pedersen. Captain Pedersen was the senior officer in the group of nine men who formed the Navy’s legendary “Topgun” graduate program at Naval Air Station Miramar in March 1969. He served in combat during the Vietnam War, with two flying cruises on USS Hancock (CVA-19) and two on USS Enterprise (CVN-65). He commanded the super aircraft carrier USS Ranger. Pedersen has been inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame in the Palm Springs Air Museum and San Diego’s Air and Space Museum. The Reagan Library will be selling signed copies of Captain Pedersen’s new book, Topgun: An American Story throughout the day.

Outdoor events and the program are free to attend - reservations are recommended to attend the program. Museum admission rates apply to visit the Reagan Museum, Air Force One Pavilion, and the special exhibit, Egypt's Lost Cities. Veterans with valid ID will receive free admission to the museum on November 11. Active U.S. military members with valid ID are always free.

FOREST LAWN HOLLYWOOD HILLS (NOV. 11, 2019)
The 60th annual Veterans Day Celebration at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills is taking place from 10am to 1pm, featuring a flyover, patriotic music, a rifle salute, an invocation, a color guard, a wreath laying, souvenir giveaways, and more. The formal Veterans Day ceremony will be held at the Hall of Liberty Courtyard from 11am to noon. The free, family-friendly event will also include historic artifact displays by Marching Thru History Exposition, arts & crafts, balloon art, face painting, fruit bars, and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and donuts.

NATIONAL PARKS (NOV. 11, 2019)
On Veterans Day, entrance fees to more than 100 National Parks will be waived for veterans. Fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees and transportation entrance fees.

On Veterans Day, popular restaurant chains throughout LA are offering free and discounted meals to veterans and active military.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD
Universal Studios Hollywood offers discounted admission options to active and retired U.S. military personnel all year long. Eligible members include DOD personnel, National Guard, Reservists and their dependents. Tickets for these specially priced offers must be purchased in advance and can only be obtained at participating MWR/ITT offices throughout the United States. These special military rates are not available at the Universal Studios Hollywood box office. A military or U.S. Government I.D. is required for purchase. Visit your local base MWR/ITT ticket office to purchase your tickets, or order your tickets by contacting Commander, Navy Region, Southwest at 619.767.6000. Your tickets will arrive via U.S. mail within 7 business days. Overnight service is available for a nominal fee.

If you don't pre-purchase your tickets before arriving to the park, you're still eligible for a discount. Eligible members include active and retired U.S. Military, DOD personnel, National Guard, Reservists and their dependents. Present your valid Military or U.S. Government ID at the ticket booth in order to receive your discount. You will receive a $3 discount off General Admission tickets and $3 off 48” and below tickets. Blackout dates apply. For more information, visit www.universalstudioshollywood.com/military.

AUTRY MUSEUM
The Autry Museum of the American West offers free admission with current ID for active military personnel and veterans, peace officers, and park rangers.

CITADEL OUTLETS
Located 10 minutes south of Downtown LA, Citadel Outlets features 130 brand name stores offering 30-70% off retail prices. Several stores offer discounts on entire purchases to military personnel with proper ID, including Adidas, Banana Republic, Champion, Columbia Sportswear, DKNY, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger and more. For the complete list, visit www.citadeloutlets.com/military-discounts.

GRAMMY MUSEUM
Located at L.A. LIVE in Downtown LA, the GRAMMY Museum is an exciting and interactive celebration of the power of music. Four floors of cutting edge exhibits, interactive experiences and films provide a one-of-a-kind visitor experience.The GRAMMY Museum offers $2 off admission to military members who present a military ID.

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
Celebrating its centennial in 2019-20, The Huntington Library, Art Museum & Botanical Gardens offers weekday/weekend discounts of $4/$5, respectively, for active military with ID.

LA OPERA
As part of its Community Circle program, the LA Opera invites veterans to connect with each other through their shared experience of art and life with Veteran’s Circle. Three performances each season offer free tickets exclusively to veteran organizations. Following the performance, veterans come together at a facilitated talk-back and reception.

LOS ANGELES ZOO
The Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers a discount to active and retired military personnel and their immediate family (spouse and children). Present a valid military ID at the time of ticket purchase, and receive $3 off a regular adult admission and $2 off a regular child admission (ages 2-12). This ticket discount can’t be combined with any other discount offer.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Los Angeles Dodgers offer specially priced tickets throughout the regular season. Tickets are available on the day of game only, and are subject to availability. Limited to 1, 2, 3 and 4-star games. Tickets may be purchased at any ticket booth, two hours prior to game time until 60 minutes after the first pitch, with proper military ID. Valid for up to four (4) tickets per ID.

LOS ANGELES KINGS
To show their appreciation for all the brave military personnel who serve our country, the LA Kings offer discounted tickets to select 2019-20 regular season games on Military Mondays.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) offers free admission to active or retired military personnel with ID all year. Free admission does not apply to specially ticketed exhibits. 

SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN & HURRICANE HARBOR
Six Flags Magic Mountain (aka the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World”) and the adjacent Six Flags Hurricane Harbor offer military appreciation days where military members receive free admission. Days vary by park and season. Tickets are available at discounted prices on military bases and installations through the MWR or ITT recreation offices. Quantities are unlimited with a valid military or DoD ID. NOTE: Discounted tickets are not available at the parks.

Metrolink offers active military a 10% discount off One-Way and Round-Trip tickets. Please present a valid Common Access Card (CAC) with “Active Duty” printed on the front to the fare inspector upon request.

All aboard Amtrak for a 10% active-duty US military personnel discount. This applies to spouses and dependents as well. The discount is valid on the lowest available rail fare on most Amtrak trains, including for travel on the Auto Train. You must present a valid, active-duty military United States Armed Forces identification card. Certain restrictions apply, for more info visit www.amtrak.com/military-discounts.

Permanently docked at Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles, the famed Battleship IOWA is a floating museum that welcomes visitors from around the world to tour the great ship and learn about its legacy as one of the fastest and most powerful ships that ever sailed the world’s oceans.

The Wende Museum’s extensive collection of Cold War-era artworks and artifacts explores the history of East Germany and the Soviet Union from 1945–1991. Free admission.

The Fort MacArthur Museum houses displays and exhibits depicting the role of Los Angeles as a military port for the Army and Navy. Open noon – 5 p.m. Tues., Thurs. and weekends. Free admission but donations are suggested. Every summer, the museum presents Old Fort MacArthur Days, the west's largest continually running re-enactment and living history timeline event.

Docked at Berth 94 in San Pedro, the S.S. Lane Victory serves as a living museum and memorial to the service and services of all Merchant Marine sailors and Navy Armed Guardsmen. Built in 1945, the vessel served during World War II, The Korean War, and the Vietnam War. $5 adults, $2 children.

The Go for Broke National Monument in Little Tokyo honors the Japanese American soldiers who fought in Europe and the Pacific during WWII. Another monument is located at Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights.