Hollywood Landmarks, Art and Walks: An Independent Guide

This is an independent guide to the landmarks, art, views and walks of Hollywood, the Los Angeles neighborhood whose name became shorthand for the film industry. It is written for visitors and for locals who want to see the place with fresh eyes: where to stand for the best view of the Sign, how to find a particular star on the Walk of Fame, which old theaters you can still sit inside, where the murals are and how to reach the hills without fighting for parking. The pages explain things; they do not sell anything.

The site is not a tour company, a ticket seller, a hotel or a venue. It cannot book, reserve or sell anything, and it does not recommend particular businesses. Where something costs money, the guide says so and suggests checking current prices with the official source.

The famous sights, explained

Most first visits to Hollywood revolve around a few icons. These guides give the short answer first and the practical detail after it.

• Where to see the Hollywood Sign compares the free viewpoints, explains why you cannot reach the letters and covers the hillside etiquette that keeps neighbors and visitors on good terms.
• The Hollywood Walk of Fame guide shows how the 1.7-mile Walk is laid out, how to find a star and how honorees are chosen.
• Hollywood's historic movie palaces covers the Egyptian, El Capitan, Chinese and Pantages theaters and the Dolby, home of the Academy Awards.
• The Griffith Observatory visitor guide explains free admission, hours, paid parking and the bus that avoids it.

Walks, views and the hills

Hollywood is more than a boulevard. The Santa Monica Mountains rise directly behind it, and some of the best moments here happen on a dusty trail at sunrise.

• The Hollywood hiking trails guide describes Runyon Canyon, Mount Hollywood, the Bronson Caves, Brush Canyon and the reservoir loop, with distances and safety notes.
• A self-guided Hollywood Boulevard walk strings ten stops into a 1.5-mile route you can do without a paid tour.
• Getting around Hollywood without a car explains the Metro B Line, fares and fare capping, the DASH Observatory bus and what to know if you do drive.

Art, architecture and history

The neighborhood's character shows in its walls and buildings as much as in its stars.

• Hollywood murals and street art lists notable walls, explains the city's mural ordinance and suggests a walking loop.
• The Hollywood architecture guide covers the Capitol Records Building, Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, Crossroads of the World and more.
• How Hollywood began traces the story from an 1887 property map to the movie boom, the long decline and the revival.
• The Hollywood Forever Cemetery guide covers visiting hours, notable graves, etiquette and the summer film screenings.

Evenings and spending less

Two more guides round out the planning. Hollywood Bowl first-visit tips cover shuttles, picnic rules and what not to bring to a concert under the stars. The list of free things to do in Hollywood shows how much of the neighborhood costs nothing beyond a transit fare.

A quick orientation

Hollywood sits northwest of downtown Los Angeles, at the foot of the Hollywood Hills. Its spine is Hollywood Boulevard, with Sunset Boulevard running parallel to the south. The most visited block lies around Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, where the Chinese Theatre and the Dolby Theatre stand above a Metro station. Less than a mile east is Hollywood and Vine. To the north, Griffith Park covers more than 4,000 acres of hills, including Mount Lee, where the Sign stands, and Mount Hollywood, below which the Observatory looks out over the city.

The climate is mild most of the year, but summer afternoons can be hot and the hills are dry and fire-prone. Mornings are the best time for hiking and for photos on the busy boulevard. After winter rains, the air clears and the hills turn green, which is when the views are at their best.

How the guides are written

Each page starts with a direct answer and then gives the reasoning and the detail, so you can stop as soon as you have what you need. Facts such as dates, distances, fares and opening hours come from official sources and well-documented references, including the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Metro, Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign Trust. When a detail could not be confirmed, it was left out. Hours, prices and rules change, so the guides point you to the official source to check before you go.

If you spot an error or have a suggestion, please use the contact page. To learn what this site is and what it is not, read about this guide.