Hollywood, California: Studios, Stars & Iconic Landmarks

Perhaps the most iconic landmark of Los Angeles is the Hollywood Sign, spelled out in huge white letters that are almost 45 feet tall.

The sign can be seen from all over LA, and it’s one of Southern California’s most strictly protected landmarks.

It was first built in the 1920s, when it read “HOLLYWOODLAND” and was actually just an advertisement for real estate developments, but over the years it has become a treasured and iconic cultural point of interest, recognizable around the world.

Located in Griffith Park, visitors can get close to the Hollywood Sign via a short hike, although access to the sign is very strictly off limits and punishable by a large fine.

The Warner Brother's Studio Tour, located in Burbank, is a must-see for any film buffs visiting Hollywood. The tour will lead visitors through some of the film lots and studios where classics like Casablanca and Batman were filmed, along with more modern hits like The Big Bang Theory and Gilmore Girls. Guests will have the opportunity to see the Central Perk set from Friends and try on the sorting hat in the Great Hall from Harry Potter. A standard tour with Warner Brother’s Studios lasts approximately 3 hours, but a deluxe tour can also be booked, which lasts 6 hours and offers an even closer look into more studios and soundstages.

3400 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91522, Phone: 818-977-8687

The Hollywood Walk of Fame was first established in 1958, when the first brass stars were laid into the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard. Today, there are over 2,600 stars whose names are on the Walk of Fame, and the site attracts about ten million visitors every year. It’s a truly iconic piece of American cultural history, and features the names of some of the greatest artists in the history of visual media. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a public space that is open to visitors 24/7, and there are usually many celebrity and character impersonators in the area, so that visitors can have their picture taken with Elvis, the Hulk, or Captain Jack Sparrow to memorialize their visit. Video

N Highland Ave & Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, Phone: 323-469-8311

Universal Studios Hollywood is both a filming studio and a theme park in Los Angeles, where guests can take a tour of the studio with virtual host Jimmy Fallon to get a behind the scenes look at movie sets as well as props and costumes from classic films like Jaws and Psycho. At the theme park, guests can watch entertaining shows about special effects or featuring the famous animals who are often used in movies, and have a thrilling and fun time on all the rides in the park. There’s The Walking Dead experience and you can meet those lovable yellow minions. And, of course, there’s the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where visitors can select a wand, fly with a hippogriff, and try butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks tavern.

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608, Phone: 800-864-8377, website

Check out this fun family video about Universal Studios Hollywood.

Recommended Activities for Families

Up on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood sits Griffith Observatory , a popular Los Angeles attraction that offers a spectacular view of Los Angeles, including the famous Hollywood Sign. But the views don’t end there, because Griffith is also home to a planetarium, where guests can sit back and take a look into the infinite reaches of the Universe. Guests can also look through the observatory’s telescopes for a peek at the night sky or any other points of interest, and explore some of the educational exhibits within the observatory. Griffith Observatory hosts many special events throughout the year, and a full calendar can be found on their website.

2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, Phone: 213-473-0800, Griffith Observatory Video

Barnsdall Art Park is a haven for appreciators of art, both experienced and amateur. Located in a beautiful park in East Hollywood, on a property that also includes Hollyhock House, the LA Municipal Art Gallery, and the Barnsdall Gallery Theater, among other things, Barnsdall Art Park offers art classes for both children and adults as well as events like wine tastings, art shows, and outdoor movie nights under the stars. This beautiful and unique place aims to foster a love of art in its visitors, and it does so not only by showing art, but also by offering some great opportunities to create it.

4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Attractions for Couples

Most people know the Dolby Theatre as the home of the Academy Awards, the biggest red carpet night in Hollywood. This ornate theater, with its grand staircase and massive stage crowned by a “tiara,” is a wonder in its own right, and visitors to Hollywood can tour the Dolby Theatre, with guides. Besides being the venue for star-studded awards shows, the Dolby is also a world-class events venue, with a calendar of performers that is just as A-List as the people who walk the red carpet there each year.

6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, Phone: 323-308-6300

Hollyhock House is located within Barnsdall Art Park, which has been previously mentioned on this list. Designed by the famous Frank Lloyd Wright, Hollyhock House was built between 1919 and 1921. It was the first house built by Wright in Los Angeles, and represents his first attempt at a style of architecture that would suit Southern California. Visitors to Hollyhock House can explore the house and gardens to see the seamless combinations of indoor and outdoor space, the lovely rooftop terraces, and the incorporated hollyhock flowers from which the house gleaned its name. Hollyhock House is open for visitation Tuesday through Sunday, and docent-led tours are offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by reservation.

4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, Phone: 323-913-4030

This hour-long walking tour will lead visitors to all the major sights of Tinseltown, from famous landmarks down to hole-in-the-wall theaters. Knowledgeable guides will point out architectural points of interest as well as cultural landmarks, all while offering fascinating stories of the famous people who had a hand in making Hollywood the place it is today. Some of the stops on the tour include the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the original location of the Academy Awards, and a 1920s speakeasy bar from the Prohibition era.

Ovation Hollywood is a major tourist destination, well known as the home of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and it is also a major cultural center. There is a massive shopping mall at Ovation Hollywood, with shops, restaurants, hotels, and more. Also in the vicinity is the Dolby Theater, where the Academy Awards are held each year, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and much more. There are always plenty of character impersonators at Ovation Hollywood, from Spiderman to Marilyn Monroe, who are available for photo opportunities.

6801 Hollywood Blvd #170, Los Angeles, CA 90028