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5 Amazing Things to Do in Hollywood

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5 Amazing Things to Do in Hollywood
From the Walk of Fame to behind-the-scene tours, Hollywood is a true bucket-list destination

As the capital of the global entertainment industry, Hollywood is both a state of mind and a very real place. Spend some time here to see reminders of movie legends both past and present, while also discovering a vibrant, contemporary urban district that has undergone a dramatic revival in recent years.

Stay at the hotel that hosted the first Academy Awards ceremony

Back in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, the silent film epic Wings was named Best Picture during the inaugural Academy Awards ceremonies. Stay the night at this beautifully restored boutique hotel, where such icons as Marilyn Monroe once slept. Let the masterful mixologists at The Spare Room (where you can channel your inner Lebowski on two bowling lanes) prepare the perfect craft cocktail.

Find your favourites on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

As you walk through Hollywood, you might just find yourself spending a surprising amount of time looking down. That’s because the Hollywood Walk of Fame immortalizes the entertainment industry’s biggest celebs with distinctive five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. Recent honourees include Jennifer Lawrence and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Go behind the scenes at Universal Studios Hollywood

Learn the secrets of moviemaking magic and look King Kong straight in the eye as you visit a working back lot during the world-famous studio tour at Universal Studios Hollywood. For an even closer look, the VIP Experience will take you inside soundstages and the prop room. Then grab your broom and take to the skies over Hogwarts on the thrilling Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride.

Stroll Hollywood Boulevard

In addition to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the famous Hollywood Boulevard is also where you'll find iconic museums, theatres, and attractions. Visit Hollywood & Highland, home to the Dolby Theatre (where the Academy Awards ceremony is held) and the TCL Chinese Theatres as well as super-premium retailers like Louis Vuitton and the trendy OHM Nightclub.

Also, don’t miss…

Whether you’re into classical or rock or something in between, nothing beats a concert beneath the stars at the Hollywood Bowl. Everyone from the Beatles to Lady Gaga have performed here, and you can feel the history all around. Get out early for a picnic dinner, and look into the free museum, which celebrates the Hollywood Bowl’s unique place in musical history.

 

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Photo by Neil Kremer/Flickr

Southern California

Spotlight: Hollywood

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Tinseltown, where starlets are discovered on every street corner (or at least we like to think they are), and the tinted windows of that stretch limo might be hiding a Cruise, Hanks or Anniston. And in the hills, a big sign stretches across with letters as big as your dreams—Hollywood. Visit iconic sites filled with celebrity footprints or wax likenesses—maybe even catch a real one in the flesh at a film premiere or awards show. Anything is possible in Hollywood.

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aepg/Flickr

The Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign
The bright white aura of this iconic sign beams down onto the city from high in the Hollywood Hills

When it comes to icons, this towering sign stands tall—literally. Originally erected in 1923 to promote a housing development called Hollywoodland, the enormous sign—which lost its last four letters in 1949 and got a massive makeover in 1978 (spearheaded by Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame)—now acts like a towering beacon for anyone who dreams of being in the movies. 

Get good views of the sign along Mulholland Highway as it snakes through the Hollywood Hills, as well as from the Griffith Observatory and Lake Hollywood Park. From town, look up at the sign from the Hollywood and Highland Center. Or, for a more novel way to see the sign, hike the West Trail in Griffith Park or join a guided trail ride from Sunset Ranch, at the end of Beachwood Drive. 

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Sarah Ackerman/Flickr

Sunset Boulevard

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Sunset Boulevard
Follow silver-screen legends along a route rich in film lore

Stretching from the bustle of Downtown to glamorous Malibu, Sunset Boulevard stands out as the ultimate road to fame or fortune. Or at least that’s the dream. From scruffy clubs and neon to historic film studios and beaches, this iconic street captures the very essence of L.A.—a clash of extremes all spread out beneath the California sun.

From the oldest part of Los Angeles near Olvera Street, the broad boulevard starts its path to the sea. Sunset Strip, the section between Havenhurst Drive and Doheny Drive, has a chequered history—it was the setting for counterculture protests in the 1960s, rock and roll decadence in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and has more recently undergone a chic renaissance, with luxury hotel towers and fine restaurants hidden behind ivy-covered walls. The boulevard then winds past the mansions of Beverly Hills and Bel Air, then heads west toward some of SoCal’s most famous beaches. Must-see stops along the way include the Guitar Center’s Hollywood RockWalk (a rock-star twist on the better-known Hollywood Walk of Fame) and the legendary Chateau Marmont, a castle-like luxury hotel that has housed its share of Hollywood indiscretions. Slip into the bar to have a drink, and see which celebrities might be hiding in dark corners. 

In Hollywood, for me, it's all about the movie stars and the singers. Baseball players don't draw too much attention…
Matt Kemp, San Diego Padres outfielder
February/March

Every February (or early March), film buffs, entertainment industry VIPS, celebrity-spotters, the press, and of course the paparazzi descend upon the...

Oscar statuettes
Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr
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Tim Wang/ Flickr

TCL Chinese Theatre

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TCL Chinese Theatre
Put your hands and feet where Marilyn did at this historic cinema

Since 1927, this ornate Asian-themed cinema has been hosting films, and it’s still a top place for premières in Hollywood, with arc lights, paparazzi and the hubbub that goes with the film business. But it’s the courtyard out front that gets even more attention: it’s where more than 200 famous celebrities have left their hand- and footprints in cement, then signed them personally—sometimes with a flourish. Marilyn made prints with her signature high-heels; John Wayne stepped into wet cement with his cowboy boots on; Star Wars’ R2D2 left wheel prints.  

Take a 20-minute guided walking tour to peek behind the theatre’s impressive golden doors and learn more about master showman Sid Grauman, the theatre’s original owner. Or, catch a film—the Chinese Theatre still functions as a regular cinema for first-run films.

January

Often seen as a precursor to who’ll receive an Oscar, this annual event hands out awards to actors, directors, and other artists in all kinds of entertainment—film, television, domestic, and...

A red carpet scene at the Golden Globes
Jenn Deering Davis/Flickr
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Bonnie Craven Francis/Flickr

Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Hollywood Walk of Fame
The world’s most famous sidewalk boasts 2,400 stars and counting

When you’re in Tinseltown, posing with a sidewalk star along theHollywood Walk of Fame is practically a rite of passage—and it’s also oneof the city’s most beloved free attractions.

Honouring luminaries in motion pictures, television, radio, live theatre and recording since 1960, the famous sidewalk includes both sides of Hollywood Boulevard from Gower to La Brea, plus both sides of Vine Street from Yucca to Sunset. The handsome terrazzo-and-brass stars (each costs about $30,000 to install and maintain) are unveiled at free public ceremonies, which are often attended by honourees and their celebrity entourages—a great way to see stars if that’s one of your Hollywood goals (and isn’t it everyone’s?).

And don’t think this is about honouring has-beens or where-are-they-nows: getting a star is still considered an honour, with an impressive roster of recent honorees (Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, James Franco, Kevin Spacey, to name a few). Want to find a particular star? Use the Walk of Fame’s online Star Search tool to send you to the location for your dream photo opp. While you’re there, you’re a short walk from such big HollywoodBoulevard attractions as TCL Chinese Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, and MadameTussauds Hollywood

September

Television’s biggest stars descend upon this glitz and glam filled event wearing their best game-face smiles to see who will win one of the annual ...

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NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr
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Prayitno/ Flickr

Madame Tussauds Hollywood

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Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Wax gets real at this celebrity-filled interactive museum

No velvet ropes or barriers here—at this interactive wax museum, getting close to some of the most recognisable people in the world is not seen as a violation; in fact it’s encouraged. More than 125 life-like figures from the worlds of film, TV, music, sports, and even super heroes are on display, and the likenesses can be downright eerie. You might have to pinch Anne Hathaway to make sure she’s not real—credit that to the meticulous work of the museum’s highly trained sculptors, who have collectively created wax figures of real people for more than 200 years. Don’t leave until you’ve had the chance to shoot hoops with Kobe Bryant, sidle up to Johnny Depp and perform onstage with Rihanna. 

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Laura Flippen

Celebrity Spotting

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Celebrity Spotting
Where to see stars in Hollywood

Stargazing takes on a different meaning in Tinseltown. While there’s no guarantee you’ll spy a familiar face when you’re here, there are some locations where you can up the odds—particularly at hotels. Start at Hollywood’s luxurious, castle-like Chateau Marmont. Always a celebrity magnet, this elegant hotel is a revolving door for the hippest celebs. Check the palm-tree ringed patio during lunchtime for A-listers like Scarlett Johansson and Robert Pattinson. Teddy’s, the unmarked celebrity haunt at the Hollywood Roosevelt on Hollywood Boulevard, is a favourite for the VIP set, and while you probably can’t get through the door, you can hang out in the lavish lobby to see who comes and goes. The basement-level recording studio at the Sunset Marquis draws mega-watt musicians including Madonna and Elton John. 

Local sightseeing companies like Starline Tours also tempt visitors with tales of major star-sightings. Your trip may yield nothing more than Sandra Bullock’s gated driveway, but, well, it’s a very nice driveway.

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Griffith Observatory

Spotlight: Los Angeles

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Bright lights, A-list celebrities & diverse culture

Welcome to the bright lights and big-city allure of California’s largest city. Here, A-list celebrities really do walk the pavements, triple-shot...

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Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

The California Questionnaire: Margaret Cho

5 Amazing Things to Do in Hollywood vca_maps_losangeles
The California Questionnaire: Margaret Cho
The Emmy- and Grammy-nominated stand-up comic, actress, and singer clues us into her love of Los Angeles and California culture

Margaret Cho has been doing stand-up since high school, and her ability to make audiences LOL has afforded her opportunities in all genres—from her own sitcom on ABC, to roles in blockbuster films like Face/Off, to her Emmy-nominated turn as Kim Jong-Il on 30 Rock, to musical collaborations on her two Grammy-nominated albums. Cho’s 2017 comedy tour, Fresh Off The Bloat, took her back to theatres across America before she returned to work on her new TNT series, Highland. She will also appear alongside Will Smith in Bright, Netflix’s police thriller. Although Cho is at home on the stage, she’s in love with her home in Los Angeles, and the diverse, artistic community she’s built for herself. She shares her favourite parts of California below.

Where do you live? Hollywood

Why there? I have always wanted to live in Hollywood—it's been a dream since I was a kid! I loved the movie Valley Girl. It seemed like the perfect place and it is!

Who or what is your greatest California love? Where I live now, how my life is, my house, my people—it’s the best!

What is the biggest misperception about Californians? I think that people think we are shallow, or that L.A. has no culture. But it's incredibly rich in diversity, art, class, community.

What is the stereotype that most holds true? That we are self-involved. This is incredibly true.

What is your favourite Golden State splurge? I love taking [U.S. Highway] 101 instead of [Interstate] 5. That is the ultimate indulgence—splurging on taking my time. I just love to be spontaneous and take in different places [on] each trip.

Time for a road trip. Where are you going? To San Francisco from Los Angeles. It's my ancestral home; the ultimate journey. I love Haight Street. Just walking down the street is fun for me. Also, I love eating at random places along the streets—I'm very adventurous with my appetite.

If you could decree an official state culinary experience, what would it be? I love a Hollywood classic like Musso & Frank Grill. I used to go in the ’90s with Quentin Tarantino, and it's just as glamorous now as it was in the ’50s!

How do you define California style? California style is casual but elegant. It’s all about sunshine, linen, dark denim, and light wood. That Summer of Love vibe.

Best California song? “Shores of California” by The Dresden Dolls.

How would your California dream day unfold? Late-morning wake-up to do yoga or go to the Rose Bowl for a power walk, then eat a leisurely meal in Chinatown, and see a great late night show with Jon Brion at Largo—the perfect day!