Hollywood Travel Guide

Yes, there really is a city known as Hollywood. Though technically not a self-supporting city of its own (residents have 'Los Angeles' addresses), it is definitely set apart from the rest of Los Angeles by its unique sights and sounds.  It’s about 3 miles south of Universal City. As you exit the freeway, the Hollywood Bowl is hidden in the hills to your right and a few blocks away is the famous CAPITOL RECORDS round building (that resembles a stack of records) that we know. At that point you are at the famous HOLLYWOOD & VINE. A few blocks to the west is the (Graumann’s) Mann’s Chinese Theater and the Hollywood WALK OF FAME. The new Hollywood and Highland Center is home to a Virgin Megastore and many other shops in addition to the now-famous KODAK THEATER where the Academy Awards are now permanently. "The JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW" also tapes across the street. While they have fixed up the neighborhood a bit and the streets with the theaters are packed day and night – the other streets are still a bit shady at night so the tourist stuff is best done by day. A couple blocks south is HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. Going south to Melrose Avenue, if you turn left, you will soon hit PARAMOUNT. The gates are instantly recognizable but no tours. There are also many other TV studios in the area but from the outside, they pretty much just look like office buildings. If you turn right on Melrose and then turn left on Fairfax, you can see CBS TELEVISION CENTER (more TV show tapings).

Down the street from Paramount Studios, there is the HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY, where the Cinespia film society holds outdoor movie screenings during the summer.  While admission is free, visitors are asked for a $10 donation upon entering.  Here, you can spend an evening on one of the large lawns and watch a cult classic film projected upon a massive wall.  It has grown in popularity in recent years, so show up well before the showtime to secure a seat, and make sure to bring a picnic dinner or a bottle of wine to complement the experience.

If you don't catch a glimpse of a real-life celebrity at an L.A. hangout, stare as long as you want at the still-life stand-ins at the Hollywood Wax Museum. The vintage ads and glamour photos at the Max Factor Museum of Beauty show you the magic and sizzle that make the stars shimmer. Or, feel the excitement of movie-making on a tour of Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

The Hollywood Hills also are home to the world's largest outdoor amphitheater, the Hollywood Bowl, which features outdoor concerts all summer long. Of course, you can always go tourist, buy a map to the stars on a street corner and cruise past the driveways of the rich and famous.

The independent city of West Hollywood is one of the first upscale gay communities, it is not really so defined now. People of all persuasion call it home – but only if you’re wealthy and stylish :- ) The famous Sunset Strip is in the area. It is not surprisingly full of great restaurants and star watching ( The original Wolfgang Puck’s Spago restaurant was located there) .

South of West Hollywood is the segment of Melrose Avenue made famous. It really just runs from about La Brea to Fairfax – full of one-of-a-kind-shopping, it is less unique than it once was but still fun to check out. A few blocks south of Melrose, at the corner of Fairfax and 3rd, there is the Farmer’s Market (Next to CBS TV Center noted above) along with L.A.’s latest upscale mall – the Grove. A few blocks south is the LaBrea Tar Pits and the LA County Museum. Forget the fancy restaurants – stop by Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffle House! (not really on Melrose but in the area). There are also more 3-star/4-star restaurants in the area (not on Melrose itself) so pick up a ZAGAT guide to see what fits your bill. Again, everything from a $3 lunch to $300 lunch is in the area.

If cheaper is better for you, Pink's hot dogs on the corner of La Brea and Melrose will provide you with a tasty piece of Los Angeles history.  Established in 1939 as a family-owned hot dog stand, Pink's has emerged to become one of LA's unique landmarks and its most famous purveyor of specialty hot dogs.  The line is long, but it moves quickly and it's open late, so be sure to try a Martha Stewart Dog or a Today Show Dog.