10 Most Famous Hollywood Landmarks

December 8, 2023
10 Most Famous Hollywood Landmarks - Hollywood Sign

People who live outside of Los Angeles dream their whole lives about one day seeing famous Hollywood landmarks! You don't want to skip a magical spot when the opportunity arises. This list of 10 famous Hollywood attractions lets you walk in the footsteps of legendary stars on stage and screen. Here's your map of the spots that put Hollywood on the map!

1. Hollywood Sign

Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign is the entertainment industry's most recognizable symbol. Many people who have never been to Los Angeles don't realize that you don't have to settle for just seeing the iconic Hollywood Sign from afar. While this large sign is visible from various points throughout the city, you can also hike to the Hollywood Sign to see the way it proudly watches over the city from its spot nestled in the high hills!

2. Walk of Fame

Encompassing portions of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the "most famous sidewalk in the world." Currently, the Walk of Fame has more than 2,700 terrazzo-and-brass stars spanning 15 blocks. The more than 10 million tourists who visit this attraction annually make it one of Hollywood's most popular landmarks!

3. TCL Chinese Theatre

Formerly known as Grauman's Chinese Theatre, this movie palace located on Hollywood Boulevard has been the setting for countless blockbuster premiers since it opened its doors with a showing of Cecil B. DeMille's "The King of Kings" in 1927. While the theatre has been renovated into an IMXAX venue that seats nearly 1,000 people, the iconic forecourt with handprints, footprints, and signatures of Hollywood's biggest names of past and present remains fully intact for your photo-taking pleasure!

4. Dolby Theatre

Dolby Theater on Hollywood Boulevard is best known for hosting the annual Academy Awards ceremony. This iconic venue with a five-story lobby has also hosted the American Idol finals, AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, ESPY Awards, and BET Awards. The box office is open all year long for musicals, ballets, live podcasts, concerts, and other awards shows.

5. Hollywood Bowl

The famous Hollywood Bowl on North Highland Avenue in Los Angeles is an outdoor amphitheater with an unmistakable bandshell made of arches. It was notably designed by Lloyd Wright. Named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by Rolling Stone, the Hollywood Bowl has hosted performances by The Beatles, The Who, The Doors, The Supremes, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Linkin Park, and many more acts. The Hollywood Bowl Museum is a great spot to check out memorabilia and artifacts from the venue's rich history.

6. Paramount Pictures Studios

Have you ever wanted to see where the movie magic happens? As one of Hollywood's major studies, Paramount offers very personal tours of its iconic studio lot. Visitors who book tours will tour a lot full of "familiar" city streets, buildings, and sound stages that have been used in countless films and television shows over the years. They'll also be in the mix with production crews and talent while live filming takes place all around them!

7. Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is considered by many to be the coolest street in Hollywood. Known for its amazing music venues and glittery nightlife scene, Sunset is actually where stars and socialites are often photographed emerging from clubs and bars late at night. This is a great spot to enjoy a drink while catching a live performance from an up-and-coming band.

8. Hollywood Forever Cemetery

A resting place for many of Hollywood's most iconic celebrities, Hollywood Forever Cemetery offers a serene setting for meditation and contemplation. People from around the globe venture to this cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard to pay respects to Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Dee Ramone, Chris Cornell, and many more. The grounds are used for outdoor film screenings and various cultural events throughout the year.

9. The Hollywood Museum

The Hollywood Museum is the ultimate attraction for music lovers and film buffs! Housed in the historic Max Factor Building on North Highland Avenue, the museum has an incredible collection of Hollywood memorabilia spanning many eras. Visitors can tour rooms filled with costumes, props, original movie posters, and many one-of-a-kind items taken straight from movie sets!

10. Capitol Records Building

This unmistakable building on Vine resembles a tower made of stacked records. While this 13-story building isn't open to the public, it offers an amazing opportunity to snap a photo in front of a landmark where so many legends were made. If only the recording studios in this building could talk! The Beach Boys, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Paul McCartney have all had sessions here.

Making the Most of Your Hollywood Experience

While you don't want to miss an opportunity to see all the famous Hollywood landmarks you can fit into your itinerary, you should also leave a little room in your schedule to let loose. For most people who visit Los Angeles, that means fitting in some play time at Universal Studios. Staying in a hotel near Universal Studios Hollywood ensures that you can get to the park early to enjoy all of the movie-inspired rides and attractions.