Since its opening in 2001, Hollywood & Highland has become the city’s bustling centerpiece. The multi-level outdoor shopping and entertainment complex is inundated with tourists scouring for deals in the wealth of brand-name shops and stopping for meals in the more than 25 sit-down restaurants and fast-food eateries. The complex also includes The Dolby Theatre, home to the Academy Awards, and the TCL Chinese Theatre -- formerly Grauman’s Chinese Theatre -- known for its collection of preserved movie-star footprints and handprints. Amoeba Music is an audiophile and film junkie’s paradise. Spend your day perusing the enormous shop filled with rare, new, used and out-of-print CDs and DVDs. The walls of the massive space are covered in concert posters, while a stage at the back of the room hosts in-store performances of both undiscovered and major musical acts.
Enjoy an old-fashioned movie-watching experience at El Capitan Theatre, an ornate 1926 movie palace with plush velvet seats, gilded ceilings and a large balcony. Now owned by Disney, the theater shows only films made by the family-friendly studio. Each film is preceded by an elaborate stage show, often featuring music, dancing and Disney characters. Just down the street from El Capitan, Pantages Theater began as a majestic movie palace in 1930. Today the theater hosts touring Broadway musicals, special theatrical performances and concerts. Get there early to take in the ornate decor, including grand staircases, massive chandeliers and the art deco double ceiling with detailed carvings.
Want to see the iconic Hollywood sign up close? You can’t get much closer than Lake Hollywood Park. Make your way through the winding, mansion-covered hills of Hollywood to the small piece of green space tucked right into the hills and under the world-famous letters. Keep in mind, although dogs are supposed to be kept on a leash, many owners let their furry friends roam free in the park. Each summer, 18,000 music lovers may cram into the Hollywood Bowl on any given night, eager to hear the sounds of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as the orchestra plays under the band shell. You can picnic at your seat under the evening sky, accompanied with a bottle of wine, of course. The outdoor venue plays hosts to popular rock and pop acts as well.
Come face to face with some of the industry’s biggest stars, or rather their likenesses made of wax, at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. The museum, just steps from the TCL Chinese Theatre, also showcases wax figures of famous world leaders and sports figures. Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of filmmaking at Universal Studios Hollywood. Take a tour of the working studio aboard a tram, seeing such famous props as the shark from “Jaws” and the Bates Motel from “Psycho.” You can also test your nerves on thrill rides, including a water flume with steep drops and a motion simulator ride. Attached CityWalk is a bright and flashy outdoor entertainment complex, complete with shops, restaurants and a movie theater.
