HOLLYWOOD! WHEN IT COMES TO SEEING TINSELTOWN, YOU’VE GOT TO HIT ALL THE LANDMARKS THAT MAKE IT A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION. by HEIDI DVORAK Awards season is upon us, and that means it’s the perfect time to immerse yourself in everything entertainment with a must-see visit to the movie, television, music, and radio capital of the world. Specialized bus tours of celebrity homes and points of interest are aplenty, but why settle for a drive-by when you can experience the city on your own two feet—up close and personal. A trip to Hollywood would not be complete without seeing these 10 attractions—you’ll find it’s the stuff dreams are made of.
{1} Hollywood Walk of Fame Put on your walking shoes to traverse 18 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard’s sidewalks embedded with 2,765 terrazzo-and-brass stars representing major contributors to stage, screen, and radio since 1960. But don’t spend all your time looking down, because the area is chockfull of worthy sights: the TCL Chinese Theatre with its famous footprints, the historic El Capitan Theatre and Egyptian Theatre, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, Madame Tussauds Hollywood wax museum, the Guinness World Records Museum, the Hollywood Museum, and the record-shaped Capitol Records Tower—to mention a few. Note: Some streets are off-limits from March 5 to 12 for Oscar preparations, so check on closures; Hollywood Blvd. from Gower St. to La Brea Ave. and Vine St. from Sunset Blvd. to Yucca St., walkoffame.com.
{2} HOLLYWOOD BOWL Show season isn’t underway yet, but the world-famous amphitheater is always open for self-guided walking
tours—and seeing the shell (this is actually the fifth incarnation), with its hallmark concentric circles, has set the stage for Jascha Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, John Williams, almost every prestigious conductor since 1922, and the L.A. Philharmonic. The on-site museum showcases collections of historical media and artifacts, rotating exhibitions, and the exhibition Hollywood Bowl: Music for Everyone. The museum and walking tour are free; 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, hollywood bowl.com.
{3} ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES Oscar fever is at its height now at this institution dedicated to the art, technology, and history of moviemaking. Seven floors are packed with artifacts, props, sets, costumes, film equipment, and galleries staged with nostalgic set pieces from movies such as The Wizard of Oz, The Godfather, North by Northwest, and Jaws. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to win an Academy
ALAMY STOCK PHOTO OPPOSITE FROM TOP LEFT: JOSHUA WHITE, JW PICTURES/ © ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION, IWAN BAAN, © IWAN BAAN STUDIOS/ © ACADEMY MUSEUM FOUNDATION, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, COURTESY OF HOLLYWOOD BOWL, HOLLYWOD FOREVER CEMETERY
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