Living just 10 minutes away from downtown Los Angeles and a few metro stops away from Hollywood, there was really no excuse to not explore. And honestly, someone could easily wind up wandering random streets of DTLA and end up stumbling upon a hidden gem.

Exploring random streets of LA should be on everyone's bucket list. Whether you're visiting LA or if you are an out-of-state college freshman trying to find something to do before the inevitable college finals, midterms and projects, the possibilities are endless.

And before you even start on this list, make sure you're familiar with the public transport in LA. Though you could take an Uber or Lyft, it's still way cheaper to get on the Metro (and possibly even faster in LA traffic...).

1. Explore the DTLA Arts District

The Arts District in DTLA may seem a bit sketchy at first, but it's really a site that you should spend at least a day at to visit and stumble upon murals, artsy clothing and furniture shops, and cute small restaurants. When I visited, I chose to mostly stick with the murals and take pictures. The murals here are really something else, each telling a story of LA.

2. Eat at those small, hipster shops that you will only find in LA

Bottega Louie (that is known for selling french macarons and is a place for a romantic dinner) and Bae (a donut shop located in Little Tokyo) are all food places that you should put on your bucket list, especially if you're planning to walk around all day and explore.

LA is filled with a ton of food places and street carts (usually with tacos or an assortment of fruits and hotdogs, depending on whichever one you stumble upon). Whatever food craving you have, LA will be sure to quench it.

3. Go to the beach or visit amusement parks

Of course, there's nothing wrong with doing both. If you're a student, you can probably get a discount on tickets and season passes (like at Universal Studios, Hollywood, the price for one ticket is about the same for a season pass).

In terms of beaches, honestly any beach is great. But in terms of wanting to take aesthetically pleasing pictures, I would recommend going to Venice Beach, Malibu, Santa Monica, and/or Laguna. Not only are they places to relax and enjoy a day at the beach, but there are also small shops to visit as well as places to go eat.

4. Be part of a Television audience

From Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, Ellen Degeneres, The Late, Late Show with James Corden and other television shows, you could easily book tickets online to be an audience member. Not only do you get to attend, but you usually get a small tour of the studio and get to interact with the host!

5. Visit Museums.

Especially in January, museums usually have a few days reserved for free ticketing. If not, a lot of the museums in LA (The Broad, for example) offer free tickets as long as you reserve in time (usually 2 weeks to a month in advance). Usually, the only thing you have to pay for in these museums are special exhibits. Even if tickets aren't free, there are usually student discounts and passes.

Events are constantly going on in LA, such as marches, tours, concerts, special exhibits, comedy shows, etc. Simply looking around (or wandering the streets of LA), will be worth your time.