Hollywood
Stars in the sidewalk, handprints in cement and the most famous sign in the world on the hill above.
Photo: Jschoolc at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Hollywood guide: the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, the best views of the Hollywood Sign, studio tours, parking and tips.
What to expect
The neighborhood that gave its name to the American film industry is a part of Los Angeles, not a separate city. Along Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame has honored entertainers with more than 2,700 brass stars set into the sidewalk since 1960.
At the TCL Chinese Theatre, stars have pressed their hands and feet into wet cement in the forecourt since 1927, and next door the Dolby Theatre hosts the Academy Awards. The boulevard itself is busy, touristy and a little gritty, so most visitors spend an hour or two here.
The Hollywood Sign went up in 1923 as an advertisement for a housing development called Hollywoodland. You cannot walk up to the letters, which are fenced off, but the best viewpoints are Griffith Observatory, Lake Hollywood Park and the trails of Griffith Park.
For a look behind the scenes, Warner Bros. and Paramount run studio tours on working lots, and Universal Studios Hollywood combines a studio tour with a theme park.
Don’t miss
- 1Stars on the Walk of Fame
- 2Handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre
- 3The Hollywood Sign from Lake Hollywood Park
- 4A tour of a working film studio
Best time to visit
All year; mornings are calmest on the boulevard.
Insider tips
- Use the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland instead of parking.
- Ignore street sellers of CDs and tour tickets; book tours directly.
- For photos of the sign, go to Lake Hollywood Park in the late afternoon.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Free |
- Federal park passes such as America the Beautiful are not valid here.
- Downtown parking is expensive and hard to find; book a garage in advance with a parking app or leave the car at the hotel.
- Car break-ins are common at viewpoints and downtown: never leave anything visible in the car.
Gas and fast charging nearby
640 gas stations within 20 km
- 0.2 km VP open 24 hours
- 0.7 km Mobil
- 0.8 km Arco
- 0.9 km Chevron
- 0.9 km Shell
- 1.2 km Mobil
- 1.2 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
- 2.7 km EVgo Fast chargers (EVgo)
- 2.9 km 5420 Sunset Supercharger Fast chargers (Tesla)
- 3.0 km Loop Fast chargers (Loop)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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