If you want to explore every corner of Hollywood, it would take you several days, but if you only have one day, you can still enjoy the best it has to offer. Here’s how to navigate the most interesting and enjoyable parts of Tinseltown, avoiding the flashy, mundane, and just plain cheesy parts.
Charge your camera, put on your walking shoes, and speed up the car. You have a lot of ground to cover and little time to do it.
How to spend the day in Hollywood, California
If you get up quite early and don’t linger, you can see all these places in one day.
- Take a Real Studio Tour – If you are looking for a theme park with thrilling rides, go to Universal Studios, but if you want an authentic behind-the-scenes tour that shows you how movies are made, take a tour of one of the other studios in its place. Tours last approximately two hours and some studios are closed on weekends.
- Farmers Market – It’s not exactly in Hollywood, but the Farmers Market is nearby and a great place to get a cheap meal. Early risers can start the day with breakfast here. If you’re off to a slow start, go early in the evening and enjoy a meal at one of their award-winning food stalls.
- See the Hollywood Sign – You can see the Hollywood Sign from many places around Los Angeles, but a quick drive down Mulholland Drive or above the Hollywood Reservoir will reward you with the idea of living in the Hollywood Hills and some great views from the city. Allow about an hour for the round trip.
- Hollywood Bowl: If your day can be extended into the evening, this summer concert series is one of the best outdoor music experiences anywhere.
- Hollywood Boulevard – This is where you’ll find the Hollywood Walk of Fame (sidewalk stars) and Grauman’s Chinese Theater (stars’ hand and footprints), as well as the Hollywood and Highland complex, the Dolby Theater and a Lots of kitschy Hollywood fun. Wait two to four hours to see it all, and while it’s the must-see attraction in Hollywood, go late in the afternoon and stay until dark if you can.
What You Won’t See in Hollywood, California, and Why
Even though Hollywood is a small portion of the larger Los Angeles area, you still can’t see everything in one day. Here are some of the popular activities that are not included in your one-day experience:
- Sunset Strip – This section of Sunset Boulevard has a great reputation, but there’s not much to see unless you want to hit the clubs at night.
- Stars’ Home Tour: We say skip it. Few of today’s stars live in Hollywood, and much of what the guides say is made up or just plain wrong. There are better ways to spend your time.
- Forest Lawn or Hollywood Forever Cemetery – Unless you’re a fan of old Hollywood and want to pay tribute to the stars of yesteryear, these places won’t interest you much.
- Universal Studios – It would take you a whole day just for Universal, and while it’s a fun theme park, its tour of the studio is sketchy and scripted.
Get to Hollywood, California
Hollywood is not a city, it is a neighborhood of Los Angeles. The easiest way to get to Hollywood is to take US 101 (north of downtown) and exit at Highland Avenue. If you are coming from the south or west, enter 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles CA into your GPS system, which will take you to the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, or locate that same location on your Los Angeles map and navigate yourself there.
