21 Best Things to do in Hollywood (in 2024)

There’s so much to consider when you’re looking for the best things to do in Hollywood. It’s one of California’s top tourist destinations, and the area is chock full of activities and tours. It can be hard to know what’s what.

Not to fear! As a Los Angeles local, I lived within a mile of almost everything on this list for years. I’m pretty adept at navigating crowds & avoiding scammers, and more than happy to help you make the most of your next trip to Hollywood.

Oh, and while you’re here, bookmark my guide to the top things to see in Los Angeles. Now let’s dive into what to do in Hollywood!

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21 Best Things to Do in Hollywood

Hollywood Sign

Get a firsthand look at the world’s most famous sign.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 443-1923 | Website

One of the most renowned tourist attractions in the world, the iconic Hollywood Sign is a must-see when visiting Hollywood, California. And that won’t be difficult! You can spot the sign from as far away as downtown Los Angeles. 

Getting close enough to get a great pic is a little trickier. The best option is a Hollywood Sign hiking tour to the top of the hill behind the sign, or there are good vantage points from Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory. 

👉 Pro Tip: Like any big tourist area, Hollywood has a few drawbacks. Not to knock the hustle, but if someone is trying to sell you something on the street, be cautious. Always keep an eye on your belongings. If you’ve got kids with you, it may be best not to go too far east of Highland after dark.

TCL Chinese Theatre

Revel in an immersive cinematic experience at a legendary Hollywood theater.  

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 461-3331 | Website | Tickets: $16, adults, $14 children 

Another Hollywood icon, this 95-year-old cinema palace is best known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It’s here you can see how your hand and footprints compare to those of movie stars, cemented as securely in the Forecourt of the Stars as they are in stardom.  

It’s not just a tourist attraction! Few theaters offer a better viewing experience than the one you’ll find at TCL Chinese Theater. Fans can go all-in on the action onscreen with a complete sensory experience in D-BOX and M4D seating.  

🚶 Pro Tip: The Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard in front of Grauman’s gets very crowded. You can sidestep the throng through a breezeway that connects the forecourt to the bottom of steps leading to the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards.   

Hollywood Bowl

Get lost in the music at a historic amphitheater.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 850-2000 | Website 

Music lovers will be thrilled by the unparalleled experience at the Hollywood Bowl. Pack a picnic or pick up a gourmet basket curated by Suzanne Goin. Pairing tasty sips & nibbles with top-notch entertainment makes for dinner and a show like none other.

It’s not just the audience who loves the Hollywood Bowl – every artist I’ve seen here mentions how honored they are to play at the acclaimed amphitheater. You can really feel that inspiration in the stellar performances.

Upcoming events can be found on this Hollywood Bowl calendar. 

👉 Pro Tip:  You don’t have to buy a ticket to enjoy this historic Los Angeles venue. Fourteen picnic areas on the Hollywood Bowl grounds are free for all to enjoy, and on most days the amphitheater is open to the public until 3 pm.      

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Get weird in an emporium of the bizarre featuring eccentric galleries and hands-on interactives.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 466-6335 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 10 pm, Sunday through Thursday, 10 am – 12 am, Friday & Saturday | Entrance: $31.90 adults, $23.90 ages 4 & up 

Ripley’s Believe It or Not may well be the most peculiar of all Hollywood attractions. If so, it’s a title this kooky assortment of oddities would hold proudly.

Inspired by the boundless curiosity of founder Robert Ripley, this longtime mainstay on the southeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard & Highland Ave displays any and every zany artifact they could find. Up to and including an actual shrunken head!

Save this quirky tourist attraction for a bit of late-night fun with the fam. Ripley’s is open later than many nearby attractions (particularly those suitable for a wider age range).

Hollywood Walk of Fame

Peruse the stone stars of entertainment industry greats.

📍 Google Maps | Website 

You can hardly visit Hollywood, California without treading charcoal & pink stone squares along the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. For one thing, you’ll literally walk on it to reach about half of the Hollywood attractions in this guide! 

Discovering familiar names at random as you stroll Hollywood Boulevard is good fun, but it’s not the most efficient way to locate a particular favorite. While a few notable mentions such as Michael Jackson are on Google Maps, the best resource is this Walk of Fame directory.   

🚶 How to Get There: These special tiles line Hollywood Blvd from Gower St to La Brea Ave and Vine Street from Sunset Boulevard to Yucca St. 

Universal Studios Hollywood

Adventure behind the scenes of blockbusters in a fun-filled theme park. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (800) 864-8377 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 7 pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday, 9 am – 10 pm Saturday, 9 am – 10 pm Sunday | Entrance: $109, general admission

Universal Studios Hollywood is one of the top tourist attractions in Los Angeles that renders fantasy into reality. Adventure anywhere from the jungles of Jurassic Park to The Simpsons‘ hometown of Springfield, USA. Not to mention the cobblestone lanes of Hogsmeade in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

This action-packed theme park transports you to the domain of beloved characters and then shows you how those worlds are created. Universal is still a working studio, so keep an eye out on the Backlot Tour – you never know who might pop in to say hello. It’s very high on my list of the best things to do in Los Angeles.

Universal Studios Hollywood is more near Hollywood than in Hollywood, but it is very easy to access from there. Simply hop on the Metro Red Line at Hollywood & Highland station, Universal City is just one stop north. Across Lankershim Blvd, a free shuttle runs up to the park every 15 minutes.

Madame Tussauds Hollywood

Pose with your favorite superstars in a premiere wax museum. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 798-1670 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 6 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am – 8 pm Friday & Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm Saturday | Entrance: $29.99 – $34.99 for main attractions, additional charges for special exhibits

Next to TCL Chinese Theater on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you’ll find Madame Tussauds, a premiere Hollywood wax museum. It’s hard to resist the urge to snap a few silly pics in fun tableaus like King Kong’s giant fist or an A-List party. 

Wax movie stars aren’t the only mega-celebs on display here. Music greats Ariana Grande, Tupac, and Elton John feature in the Pop Icons zone. Looking to spoof a little clout? Post a pic with Kim K or Kylie Jenner.

El Capitan Theatre

See a Disney flick in style at this gilded theater.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: 1 (818) 845-3110 | Website | Tickets: $17, adults, $12 children, Sunday through Thursday, $20, adults, $15, children, Friday & Saturday

It’s hard to imagine a more spectacular setting to see a family film than the lavish El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. A whimsical mood is set before each show as moviegoers are treated to music from the “Mighty Wurlitzer” theatre organ.

A cheery marquee and old-fashioned soda fountain complete the enchanting ambiance.

🏰 Love Disney? Take a day trip to Disneyland – it’s one of the best day trips from Los Angeles. 

Griffith Observatory

Enjoy sweeping views of the city and look up at the stars through a world-class public telescope.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (213) 473-0800 | Website | Hours: 12 pm – 10 pm Tuesday-Friday, 10 am – 10 pm Saturday & Sunday, Closed Mondays | Entrance: Free

This top California destination looks down at Los Angeles from atop a hill. The clean white walls and black domes of Griffith Observatory are a striking sight to behold. The panoramic perspective from downtown Los Angeles to Beverly Hills and beyond is one of the best in LA. Griffith Observatory also offers a great view of the Hollywood Sign.

A world-class public telescope offers stargazers a closer look at the heavens above, which you can learn all about through engaging exhibits in the adjacent museum and planetarium.

Griffith Observatory is located in the southernmost area of Griffth Park. In addition to 53 miles of hiking trails, this large urban wilderness is where you’ll find the illustrious Greek Theatre and the Los Angeles Zoo. 

For a fun, unique way to scout Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills around Griffith Observatory, check out horseback tours at Sunset Ranch Hollywood. 

🚗 How to Get There: Griffith Observatory is located northeast of central Hollywood, in the Hollywood Hills. It’s ideal to have transportation, especially for anyone interested in exploring Griffith Park.

Haunted Hollywood

Get your ghoul on with tours geared towards true crime and historic haunts.  

📍 Multiple Locations

As any PR pro worth their salt will tell you, glitz and glamour are grand, but scandal sells. For folks fascinated by what lives in the shadows, Haunted Hollywood tours are like seeing a true crime doc in real life.

On this 2.5-hour Hollywood Chills Tour – Celebrity Scandals and Cemeteries, guides well-versed in local lore weave portraits of tragedies that occurred in local hotels and homes, and even out in the open on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. You’ll visit the sites of movie star haunts and the famous Hollywood Forever cemetery.    

For an in-depth look at the events that went on to become the “trial of the century,” check out the OJ Simpson Tour. Led by a local expert on the case, the tour takes you to the most infamous locations… in a white Ford Bronco, no less! 

👻 Grab a bite in a classic Hollywood haunt! The Musso and Frank Grill has been an A-list hangout since the days of silent film. Legend has it the ghost of Charlie Chaplin is among those who still drop in from time to time. 

Guinness World Records Museum & Hollywood Wax Museum

Snap selfies with A-listers and attempt to set a world record with this two-for-one deal on charmingly niche museums.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 463-6433 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 12 am daily | Entrance: $29.9934.99, adults, $19.99 under 12 

Want to marvel at feats of human achievement outside the world of entertainment? Check out the Guinness World Records Museum.

Get involved by comparing your stats to current record holders, then challenge yourself to set one. Speed-drumming and a humongous Pac-Man machine are among the most fun options to give a go.

Hollywood Wax Museum lays claim to being the most-visited attraction on Hollywood Boulevard since 1965. Focused solely on Hollywood celebrities and famed entertainers, Hollywood Wax Museum is a great pick for super fans.

Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland)

Shop, dine, and play in the complex anchored by the Dolby Theatre, which hosts the Academy Awards.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 817-0200 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 10 pm daily

Ovation Hollywood is most famous as the host of the glamorous Academy Awards ceremony (a.k.a. the Oscars). It’s home to the Dolby Theatre, showcasing comedy, music, and live theater all year round. Elevated walkways near the Dolby Theatre feature views of the famous Hollywood sign.

Ovation is at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave and it’s perfect for taking breaks between busy attractions along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For a quick, inexpensive, and delicious meal try Jinya Ramen. It’s a controversial opinion, but their Spicy Creamy Vegan soup is my favorite ramen anywhere in LA (and I’m not even a vegan!)  

Less than a block east of the Dolby Theatre staircase you’ll find escalators to the Hollywood/Highland Metro station, with direct service to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal City.

🛎️ Need a Hotel? Directly behind Ovation, Loews Hollywood Hotel makes an excellent base for visiting Hollywood and other great LA attractions like the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood or the La Brea Tar Pits. See my guide to staying in LA for more tips.

Amoeba Music

Leaf through stacks of vintage vinyl at this iconic old-school music store. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 245-6400 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 8 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am – 9 pm Friday-Sunday

Stepping into Amoeba Records feels like crossing the threshold of a splendid sort of time warp. This is paradise for anyone with fond recollections of lyric booklets and album art. 

Amoeba recently uprooted from its original location on Sunset Boulevard, and its look and vibe have been painstakingly recreated in the new space on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sift through stacks or click through crystal cases in search of new treasures. For the ultimate throwback, hit the buy/sell counter, where you can still trade used records, CDs, and DVDs for store credit or cash.    

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Eat, drink, and dance in style at this legendary Hollywood hotel. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 856-1970 | Website 

Another Hollywood Boulevard legend, the Hollywood Roosevelt welcomes guests to the same spaces once home to many golden-age greats, including the incomparable Marilyn Monroe.

You’ll feel like an industry insider while sipping indulgent craft cocktails at the Spare Room, a “secret” prohibition-style speakeasy with a vintage two-lane bowling alley. Parties around the Tropicana Pool are bougie, boozy, and glamorous affairs. 

The Hollywood Roosevelt is also an awesome place to stay in LA, with lots of exclusive benefits available only to guests.

Barnsdall Art Park

Gaze at far-reaching views over Los Angeles from the grounds of the Hollyhock House, a UNESCO World Heritage site right on Hollywood Blvd. 

📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: 6 am – 10 pm daily

Barnsdall Art Park is a blufftop park in east Hollywood with lush lawns and an attractive complex of stylish cultural attractions.  Most notable is the Hollyhock House, built by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Barnsdall Gallery Theatre and Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery mimic the Hollyhock House aesthetic, with the latter displaying works created by emerging and underrepresented artists.

Runyon Canyon Park

Hike to views over Hollywood on one of LA’s most popular trails. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (818) 243-1145 | Website | Hours: Sunrise to sunset

A few blocks west of La Brea and north of Hollywood Boulevard, the hiking trails of Runyon Canyon Park are among Los Angeles’ most popular treks. Come here if you’re in search of one of the best hikes in LA.

The best view in Runyon Canyon Park is easily reached from the upper entrance on Mulholland Drive. Fitness buffs prefer the more challenging route from North Fuller Avenue.

It’s not uncommon to spot a celeb climbing the loop but be respectful. Folks may not be looking to take a selfie whilst mid-workout or out walking their dogs.

⛰️ Love Hiking? Griffith Park, Fryman Canyon, and Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains all specialize in natural wonders less than an hour away from Hollywood.

The Frolic Room

Grab a drink in a historic speakeasy.  

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 462-5890 | Hours: 11 am – 2 am, daily

When the Frolic Room opened in 1930, there was no front door. Only patrons in the know could get to the forbidden haven, through a secret entrance from the Pantages Theatre.

Pantages has become a lauded venue to catch smash Broadway hits, yet the Frolic Room clings to its shadowy origins. It’s so overtly divey it borders on kitsch, and the appeal of seedy underbelly has proven a success.   

Sipping a whiskey at the same bar that counted such notable drinkers as Charles Bukowski, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland as regulars, you can’t help but wish the walls could talk.

🚕 How to Get There: Frolic Room is less than a mile from the heart of Hollywood, so you can easily walk, rideshare, or catch a train from the Hollywood/Vine metro station. Just be safe and don’t plan on driving.  

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

Go behind the scenes at one of Hollywood’s most beloved studios.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 956-1777 | Website | Hours: 8:30 am – 4 pm daily, until 4:30 pm on Wednesdays | Entrance: $65, all entries | 👉 Browse Hollywood Sign Tours

Paramount Pictures Studios are the stuff of legends, etched into cinematic history with mega-hits such as The Godfather and Scream. The only golden-age studio still located in Hollywood is still hard at work on new productions, so you may just catch sight of a hot set.

Strolling New York Street makes you feel as glamorous as Holly Golightly of Breakfast At Tiffany’s, another Paramount classic. VIP tours include a gourmet lunch and meet & greet with Backlot Tradesmen.

💰 Pro Tip: SoCal residents get a 20% discount! 

Hollywood Heritage Museum

Venture way back to the origins of Hollywood motion picture history in a free museum.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 874-4005 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 3 pm Saturday & Sunday | Entrance: Free 

The Hollywood Heritage Museum is housed in the oldest existing motion picture production building in Hollywood. It lovingly preserves artifacts from the early days of Hollywood motion picture history. 

The museum shares space on the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl. Visits to the Hollywood Heritage Museum are well complemented by a tour of the historic amphitheater, currently celebrating its centennial.

🛎️ Need a Hotel? There are several great hotels in Hollywood, California. Even more, like the luxurious Pendry West Hollywood, lie just a few miles west along the Sunset Strip.  

The Hollywood Museum

Survey a trove of showbiz treasures including exhibits dedicated to Back to the Future and Marilyn Monroe. 

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (323) 464-7776 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday, Closed Mondays & Tuesdays | Entrance: $15, adults, $12 students & seniors, $5, kids 5 & under 

Picking up where the Hollywood Heritage Museum left off, the Hollywood Museum celebrates more than a century of Hollywood history through exhibits composed of the world’s most extensive collection of movie memorabilia. 

Just steps from the Walk of Fame, the four-story structure showcases modern classics like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters alongside classic Batman retrospectives.   

It’s fitting that the most popular room is dedicated to blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. The icon’s onscreen look was originally designed by the building’s first owner, hair and makeup innovator Max Factor.

🍽️ Pro Tip:  After visiting the Hollywood Museum, head next door and eat at Mel’s. An icon in its own right, this down-to-earth diner has been a favorite for homestyle American favorites for more than 50 years. 

Museum of Illusions

Amp your social media feed with amazing visuals in a mind-bending interactive museum.  

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (800) 593-2902 | Website | Tickets: $30 & up, adults, $20 & up, ages 6-12, Free for ages 5 & under

The Museum of Illusions has dozens of bright tableaus designed to play for the camera, making it one of those LA museums you do for the ‘gram.

Defy gravity and your followers’ expectations in the Upside Down House. Hide amongst behemoth knickknacks in the Giant’s House, where you can step into the world’s biggest shoes.

This vibrant Hollywood museum may be just the trick for those seeking a fun activity for kids in a broad age range.

👪 Looking for more fun family activities in Los Angeles? Check out Santa Monica Pier and Redondo Beach, two of the best LA seaside destinations for groups with a wide variety of interests. You can also read my guide to the top LA beaches.

FAQs About Things to Do in Hollywood

👉 Read Next: 51 Best Things to Do in California

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I appreciate you reading all this way and hope this guide helps you make the most out of future trips to Tinseltown. Want to check out some areas outside Hollywood? Check out my guide to the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles. 

I hope I’ve helped you find some fun things to do in Hollywood!