Hollywood Blvd. Half-Day Itinerary
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The first motion picture was filmed in Hollywood in 1910. Since then people from around the world have made Hollywood a top travel destination. Here is your perfect half-day itinerary for enjoying the best of Hollywood.
Hollywood Blvd. Walking Tour: (Jump To)
Hollywood Self-Guided Walking Tour
Stop One: The Four Ladies of Hollywood
Start your day at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and N La Brea Ave under the "The Four Ladies of Hollywood” gazebo sculpture.
Cross Hollywood Boulevard and begin walking toward N Sycamore Ave. The stars below your feet continue for nearly 15 blocks on both sides of Hollywood Boulevard.
Stop Two: The Chinese Theatre
After two blocks you’ll come upon the World famous Chinese Theatre. Stars of today and yesterday have literally left their marks in the cement. Pick a handprint or footprint and see how you measure up against your favorite star.
Tours of the theatre are offered on a daily basis. The 30-minute tour is well worth the time and cost if you’re interested in learning more about the legendary movie house. You can buy tickets in advance online or at the theatre box office.
Stop Three: Hollywood and Highland
Continue to the adjacent multi-level Hollywood and Highland Center. The star attraction is the Dolby Theatre, home to the annual Academy Awards. Tours of the Dolby are also available.
From the Dolby climb up to the second level bridge of The Hollywood and Highland Center to take in the stunning and iconic view of the Hollywood Sign. This is your Hollywood selfie. Go for it.
Stop Four: Lunch, fast and modern, or slow and classic
If you’re ready for lunch the center offers many interesting dining choices. On the third floor “The Deck” offers some interesting fast-casual restaurants with comfortable outdoor seating, reasonable prices, and a nice view of the boulevard below. If you’re just hungry for a snack, try Wafflejack for a delicious dessert waffle treat. If you’re looking to dine like a 1940s studio star, save your appetite for now.
Exit the Hollywood and Highland Center back to Hollywood Boulevard and continue down Hollywood Boulevard, crossing Highland Ave. Just after Las Palmas Ave., you’ll find the historic Musso & Frank Grill. Walking inside is like stepping back in time. The food is more expensive, but the experience is worth the splurge. If you want to keep it cheap you can always enjoy a dessert at the counter. My mom loves their key lime pie.
Stop Five: Hollywood Toys & Costumes
Walk to the corner and cross Hollywood at Cherokee, go left one block to find Hollywood Toys & Costumes. For over fifty years they have been providing tourists, trick-or-treaters, and movie studios with costumes and props. It’s loads of fun to cruise the aisles for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.
Exit and go left back down Hollywood Boulevard toward Cherokee Avenue. Across from Cherokee, you’ll find another Hollywood shopping icon, Larry Edmunds Bookshop. Inside you can find an impressive array of books on acting, movie-making, and theatre arts. This is also the place to find a glossy autographed headshot of a dashing dame.
Stop Six: The Egyptian Theatre
Continue another block to find The Egyptian Theatre. Opened by Sid Grauman nearly a decade before the world-famous Chinese Theatre. The theatre courtyard is nearly always open to the public. The inside is best seen with a movie ticket or by joining the once-monthly Saturday morning tour. The Theatre was recently bought by Netflix who is sponsoring a renovation and restoration project.
Continue down Hollywood Blvd toward McCadden Place, continue to Highland holding your nose while passing the dreadful Guinness World Records Museum and Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium. (If you must, please choose Madame Tussauds Hollywood). Cross Highland, and continue toward Orange Drive.
Stop Seven: The Hollywood Roosevelt
Here you’ll find the Roosevelt Hotel. If you were a class act, you’d be staying here. Walk into the lobby like you own the place and take in the stunning beauty of Hollywood’s golden age. The first Academy Awards ceremony was held here. Stars like Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable were once hotel regulars. Legend has it Marilyn’s ghost is still there. If you play it cool no one will stop you from enjoying the Spanish Revival decor and a peek at the Tropicana pool out back.
Stop Seven: The Hollywood Roosevelt
Continue another two blocks to your starting point at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. Turn left. Walk one block, then cross La Brea at Hawthorn Ave. Continue another half block on La Brea to Mashti Malone's Ice Cream. It’s hidden at the far end of the strip mall. Mashti Malone's serves up some of the best ice cream in town. They’re famous for their Iranian ice cream and sorbet flavors including rosewater, saffron, and orange blossom. The building is set for demolition in the coming months, hopefully, Mashti Malone’s finds a new home nearby, but check Google Maps for the latest information.
Tips for Visiting Hollywood
Hollywood is accessible via the Redline Hollywood/Highland station or via car.
Hollywood parking garages are very expensive. Free all-day parking is just a five-minute walk away. The easiest place to find parking is in the neighborhood west of La Brea Avenue between Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard. Always check the parking signs to be safe.
An average of two new stars are added to the Walk of Fame every month. The ceremonies are free to attend on a first-come basis. Visit http://www.walkoffame.com to see a list of upcoming star ceremonies. They also have an app that you can use to help find the location of your favorite celebrity’s star.
Nearby is one of the best hikes in Los Angeles: Runyon Canyon.
