There is no better place than Los Angeles and Hollywood to indulge your love of cinema.
You can plan your Los Angeles Film Lover day trip or weekend getaway using the resources below.
Why should you go? It will like you?
A lot of big movies are released here, everything that is released appears first on the screens in Los Angeles, and many movies that never make it to even smaller cities are sometimes shown in two or three places at the same time. The city center is full of beautiful old movie palaces and there are many really nice theaters throughout the city, enough to keep you in the dark all day.
Do not miss
If you only have one day, the best thing to do is catch a movie in one of the best cinemas in Los Angeles. They’re a long way from your local cineplex, with viewing experiences that encapsulate everything cinema is about. Not only is the Arclight Cinerama Dome a piece of history, it also offers an unparalleled viewing experience with reserved seating, ushers, and gourmet food at the snack bar. In Hollywood, the Chinese Theater boasts a sumptuous interior in an iconic location, but be sure to ask for seats in the original theater when purchasing your tickets.
5 coolest things for movie lovers in Los Angeles
You may notice that the list below does not include the Hollywood Walk of Fame or the footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. You are a serious movie lover who wouldn’t give in to such dazzling tourist activities, right? In case you have a little secret passion to enjoy, check out these sites and tours:
- Hollywood Heritage Museum – It won’t take long to see everything here, but it’s a must-see for any serious movie lover – the building where Jesse Lasky and Cecil B. DeMille made their first movies, the birthplace of Paramount Studios.
- Los Angeles Movie & Movie Sites – Sometimes it seems like every corner of Los Angeles looks like a place you’ve seen on the big screen, but we’ve picked just a few of the most used locations for you.
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour – There’s no fancy theme park here, just a behind-the-scenes tour of an iconic movie studio. You will have to go during the week to see this work study in action.
- Broadway Theater District Tour – Given every Saturday by the Los Angeles Conservancy, this tour will take you to some of the most interesting, beautiful, and historic movie palaces from downtown’s golden age.
- Redline Tours offers daily walking tours of Hollywood and downtown, focusing on the movies and where they were made.
Visit movie locations
Sadly, finding where movies are filmed on the streets of Los Angeles is no longer easy. After 9/11, the daily “record sheets” you may have heard disappeared from public distribution. However, with this little insider tip, you might find a movie in progress. Film crews put up small signs around town to help everyone get to the right place. Usually taped to a telephone pole, the brightly colored pieces of paper contain a letter / number code and an arrow pointing to the location. You may mistake them for garage sale signs, but if you find them, it won’t hurt to see where they lead.
Once you get closer, it’s pretty easy to recognize a taxi in progress – the street will be lined with white trucks and trailers.
Los Angeles Annual Film Events You Should Know About
- Last Seats Remaining: The movie palaces this annual film festival is shown in are at least as interesting as what’s shown on their screens. Tickets go on sale in mid-April and the event takes place in June.
- Classic Film Festival – This festival shows great classic movies in some even more wonderful classic movie theaters. It is celebrated in April.
- Film Festivals: As you can imagine, film festivals abound in the Los Angeles area. Some of the biggest are the Hollywood Film Festival and Film Awards and the AFI Fest.
- Award Ceremonies – You need a special ticket for many of them, but there are Oscar events for everyone, too.
Best brunch
A weekend getaway is a great time to enjoy a leisurely brunch. On Hollywood Boulevard, Musso and Frank’s flannel pancakes are legendary (6667 Hollywood Blvd.). Unfortunately they are closed on Sundays. Other options include a number of options at Farmers Market, where we especially like catfish and eggs at Kokomo Cafe.
Where to stay
Hollywood is probably your best lodging option. From there, you can take the Metro to downtown, and it’s also a short drive to Burbank and Universal City.
Get there
Hollywood is northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The most convenient freeway approach is US 101, exiting at Highland Avenue south. From I-10, take La Brea Avenue north to Hollywood Boulevard.
Hollywood is 376 miles from San Francisco, 334 miles from San Jose, 378 miles from Sacramento, and 127 miles from San Diego.
The closest airport is Burbank (BUR), but you will find more flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
