Hollywood is THE centre of the US film industry. Get a taste of the ubiquitous glitz and glamour, visit the Walk of Fame, tour Universal Studios and walk the red carpet at the Oscars in awe.
Hollywood ("holly forest") is a neighbourhood of the American city of Los Angeles, California. THE centre of the US film and television industry par excellence. Anyone who comes to Los Angeles must also pay a visit to Hollywood, because the neighbourhood is definitely one of the top 10 sights of Los Angeles! Hollywood also has a fixed place on our list of the top 10 sights in the USA.
For the forgetful: You can't miss the world-famous 15-metre-high Hollywood sign in the Hollywood Hills! And if you take Route 66 towards the West Coast, you'll end up there anyway, right on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Sights: the best Hollywood highlights
The rise of the glitz and glamour district began in the early 19th century with the founding of the first film studio by the Nestor Company. More were added at a rapid pace, as the economic and climatic conditions were tailor-made for film producers. Everything they needed was within easy reach: the beautiful and the rich, the sea, the mountains, the desert and plenty of cheap labour for extras and set builders.
The annual highlight is certainly the Oscar ceremony at the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
Walk of Fame
In addition to the city's generally beguiling flair, there are a multitude of attractions to seek out. The Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard immortalises over 2,000 film stars from the silent era to the present day.
If you lift your head from the numerous stars, you are sure to look straight into a souvenir shop selling every conceivable piece of film-related kitsch. Even original autographs and script manuscripts can be purchased.
Mann's Chinese Theatre
Similar to the Walk of Fame, almost 200 Hollywood celebrities have immortalised themselves on the forecourt of Mann's Chinese Theatre - there their hand and footprints are embedded in the cement, which was only granted to a select few.
Not only because of this, but also because of the richly decorated building, Mann's Chinese Theatre was designated a historical monument in 1968. Almost historic film premieres are held there with the corresponding star line-up.
Museums in Hollywood
In the Hollywood Entertainment Museum you can step onto the command bridge of "Star Trek" or take a seat in the bar of "Cheers". There are also lots of props and costumes from films of all generations on display and you can learn a lot about the making of a real Hollywood film.
Similar costumes, props and make-up, but much more nostalgic, can be experienced at the Hollywood History Museum, which specialises in the good old days of glamorous Hollywood, when Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin made film history.
The Hollywood Heritage Museum is devoted entirely to the making of the first feature film, which was directed by Cecile B. DeMille and shows pictures of the then still small farming village.
Live music on the Sunset Strip and in Hollywood's amphitheatre
If you love musical nightlife, the legendary Sunset Strip is the place to be. Musicians of all types and backgrounds perform in bars and clubs where Bob Marley and Bruce Springsteen once picked up the sides. Every Sunday at 11 am, the House of Blues hosts an entertaining brunch to gospel and blues music.
Music lovers should also definitely visit the Hollywood Bowl, an amphitheatre whose acoustics border on miraculous. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Pavarotti, Simon & Garfunkel, Sir Elton John or Frank Sinatra have already stood on the stage boards, today philharmonic concerts are held for the most part.
Welcome to Wisteria Lane
To get back to the film industry: Theme park fans should definitely visit Universal Studios. On a tour there, the film sets of Desperate Housewives, King Kong, CSI, The Mummy, War of the Worlds, Spiderman, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and many more are roamed.
3 and 4D shows from Shrek to Terminator to Back to the Future give you the feeling of being right in the middle of the action. Stunt and animal shows on water and land as well as special effects and studio tours provide background knowledge and show the next Hollywood film in a new light.
Paramount Studios also offers tours, but their focus is more on film sets and the making of Paramount films. So they are certainly just as informative, but nowhere near as interactive as the tours at Universal Studios.
Related links:
Official website of Hollywood
Official website of the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Info on visiting Universal Studios
Info about tours at the Paramount Studio
