Hollywood

Photo: view from below during the hike to the Hollywood Sign

The most famous and popular place of LA is Hollywood Boulevard, the street where the Chinese theater and El Capitan Theater are located. Here the stars lie on the sidewalk, literally and figuratively. I’m talking of course about the Walk of Fame where you come across 2,600 terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks. But this is also the place where a lot of (often bad) street artists gather and homeless people are found on every corner of the street. It is very busy, dirty and there is not much to do.

If you really can't stay away, just park in a side street off Hollywood Boulevard east of the theaters (free, but don't leave anything of value in the car) or in the Hollywood / Highland parking garage, and walk back and forth for a while. Another option is to drive through this part, so you still get a glimpse of it but don’t have to spend too much time here.
Here are some other, in my opinion better, ways to experience famous Hollywood:

The Hollywood Sign is of course the best known symbol of LA and the film industry. From Hollywood itself you can't see it very well. The best way to see it, is during a hike in Griffith Park and / or you can go to the Hollywood sign itself.

• Griffith Park: park your car left of the Greek Theatre on Vista del Valle Drive and walk up, behind the theatre, to the Griffith Observatory on the Boy Scout Trail. Definitely take a look inside the observatory; it’s free, and you can enjoy the beautiful views of both the city and the sign. If you have enough time, buy tickets at the vending machines to see a show in the planetarium. A scene from Lalaland was shot here. The observatory is also the starting point of a lot of nice hikes, for instance the Observatory Loop Trail and the Mt Hollywood Trail. Halfway on the Observatory Loop Trail is a little café with nice cold lemonades and beautiful tables to sit and eat at in the sun; The Trails.

Photo: view on the Sign from the Griffith Observatory 

• Hollywood Hills: park your car at Lake Hollywood Drive, next to the Hollywood Reservoir. Walk up Lake Hollywood Drive, go straight onto Wonder View Drive and take the trail on your right, up to Wisdom Tree View. From there you go back down and straight on to the Hollywood Sign. After that, take Mt. Lee Drive down. At the end of this path, you can turn right, behind/past a house, and have a beautiful view of the sign. Walk on past a couple of houses on Mulholland Hwy. Then you can take a path to the right, back on a trail (Innsdale Trail) that ends in a residential area. Take Canyon Lake Dr. down, go right on Tahoe Dr and continue on Lake Hollywood Drive to get back to your car. If you have Strava, see Strava

      Photo: the view of the Sign on top of Mt. Lee Drive.

If you can’t or won’t walk that far, try to park as close as you can at the end of Mt. Lee Drive or Mulholland Hwy and walk a little bit up, as far as you can, to get a great view of the Hollywood sign.

Another nice way to get a feel of Hollywood, away from the tourists, the poorly dressed would-be movie stars and homeless people, is to take a look at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (entrance is free). A few stars are buried here, including Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, Judy Garland and George Harrison (cremated). If you want to know who is where exactly, buy a map at the main entrance. They also organize open air concerts and films here, plus the biggest celebration of Dia de los Muertos in the Unites States takes place here (check out their calendar)

Other things worth a visit when you're here are Amoeba Music (a very big record store) and the Hollywood Farmers’ Market on Sunday mornings. Or see a movie that is shot on that same street at the Arclight.

Restaurants

For a taste of the real American breakfast, you have to go to The Griddle Cafe. Be prepared to get a portion that’s way too big! In the States, it’s normal to share one plate or to ask for a ‘doggie bag’, so you can take your leftover pancakes along on your hike up to the Hollywood Sign.

In-N-Out is the ‘responsible’ version of McDonalds; relatively good meat, fresh tomatoes and lettuce and hand cut fries. Try the double-double (I prefer it without onions) and a milkshake! They have a lot of other locations and drive-throughs in and around LA too.

Relatively close by, in Fairfax, you'll find more very good restaurants. Check out my post about Fairfax & La Brea soon to find out more! 

I also have a pdf version of my LA guide available :) And don't forget to subscribe on this blog by clicking the 'subscribe' button on the top of my homepage.

Thanks!

Sarah
@sarahinlalala
sarainlalala@gmail.com