If you are coming to Los Angeles for vacation, I'm sure you are aware that Los Angeles is huge! The County of Los Angeles has 88 cities with the City of Los Angeles being the largest of the 88 cities. In this post, I'm going to focus on Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. And just in case you're wondering, Hollywood is not a city, it is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles. So, if you see Hollywood, CA written as an address, that is not correct.
Prior to arriving, you can download the TAP app onto your phone. The TAP app allows you to pay for your rides from your phone. (Note: You can pay with cash on buses, but must have exact change).
The first photo below shows how a person boarding a bus can pay for transit after downloading the TAP app.
You can also buy the TAP card from any Metro station. The card cost $1 and it is reloadable from the vending machines at the station. The TAP vending machines aren't the most user friendly, so bring some patience when you are trying to figure out the machine, or ask for help.
Lots of Places Within Transit
The famous Hollywood and Highland, now known as Ovation Hollywood is directly above the B Line subway station.
You can also get a great view of the Hollywood Sign here. Lots of people go to the second floor and pose in front of the sign.
I don't typically recommend driving around this area. Plus, Hollywood Blvd is often closed because of movie premieres or award shows. If you happen to visit during a premiere or an award show without knowing it, you will be re-routed and stuck in traffic with other frustrated drivers for a very long time. Or, you can take Metro's B line subway. Walk out of the station and enjoy! By taking the subway, you won't have to worry about the expensive parking rates, some jerk denting your rental car when they open their door or being stuck traffic. Walk along Hollywood Boulevard for as long or as short as you like. Eat, drink or take photos with the superheros in front of Ovation. Just make sure you tip them well.
The only thing you have to consider if you take Metro, is on the day of the Oscars or certain movie premieres, the Hollywood and Highland Metro Station might be closed for what they consider "security" reasons. The next closes station is Hollywood and Vine.
It just so happened that when I was there, the street was closed in preparation for the Oscars. Hollywood Boulevard is usually closed for a week to set up for the Oscars. But since I did not drive, I was not affected by the closure.
Next to Ovation is the landmark TCL Chinese Theater (formerly known as Mann's Chinese Theater), where past actors have their footprint and handprint in cement.
If you want to do more walking, you can walk up the hill to Yamshiro. Another landmark in Los Angeles. You will also walk past another landmark called the Magic Castle. The Magic Castle is a member's only club and you have to be invited by a member to enter.
However, if you prefer to stay closer to the boulevard, one of the oldest restaurant in the area, since 1919, Musso & Frank Grill is another Hollywood landmark among many in the area.
Walk a few blocks east, and you will be at another famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. As I mentioned above, this is the next Metro Station closes to Hollywood and Highland. The historic Pantages Theater is located at this intersection. Pantages has been home to some of Broadway's biggest productions from The Producers, Wicked, Chicago, The Lion King, Hamilton, to name a few.
With so many options packed in and around Hollywood Boulevard, there are multiple combinations on how you could spend your time here. You can just walk around and take in the sights and grab something simple to eat at Joe's Pizza or the many pizza by the slice shops along the boulevard. If you want something more creative and elevated but still affordable, I would head over to Running Goose, on Cahuenga, just south of Hollywood Boulevard.
Want to catch a daytime show at the Pantages? You can exit Metro's B line Hollywood/Vine station and the theater is across the street. Grab a pre-show or after-show drink at the Frolic Room, another institution that has been on the boulevard since 1979. Hungry after the show? Walk across the street to Wood and Vine. If the weather is nice, which it usually is in Los Angeles, grab a seat out on the patio and enjoy some amazing food and drink. Plus, since you're not driving, so have another drink!
Wanna spend two days in the area without a car? That's just as easy with the Metro B line and the plethora of hotels in the area from The Roosevelt Hotel to the W to Mama Shelter. The hotels are endless just like the bars. If you are staying the night at one of the hotels in the area, you can catch some amazing musical performances at a small venue called Hotel Cafe.
You can check out the Star War's themed bar called Scum and Villainy Cantina. Walk down La Brea (which is West of Ovation), and go a couple blocks south of Hollywood Boulevard for some ice cream at Mashti Malone's. If you're visiting during the summer months, you can catch an old movie on the rooftop of The Montalban.
If you want to do some sightseeing for free, the famous Capitol Records building is also near Hollywood and Vine. Also, the Ovation Hollywood has an observation area where you can get a good view of the Hollywood sign. And of course, let's not forget the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All free things to see.
As you are exploring the area, you'll notice the street is filled with souvenir shops and people standing on street corners soliciting you to take a Hollywood tour bus. I've never done one of those tour buses, but maybe I will one of these days. Back in the day, Hollywood Blvd was a lot grittier. You can still see a lot of the grittiness, but it is constantly changing.
You will also notice a drastic change in the area once you go East past Gower on Hollywood. Nothing wrong with it, but you'll notice the tourists are gone. The sidewalk looks like every other sidewalk in the city. The only tourists East of Gower are probably the ones that are lost, or trying to find something local to do. It becomes more of an area where people live and go to work.
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