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Photo: Jelson25, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood's most recognizable landmark is easy to spot high up on Mount Lee in nearby Griffith Park. You can drive part way up for a closer look, but you can't hike all the way to the sign. The best viewpoints of the sign are from the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, on Mulholland Drive above the Hollywood Bowl, and from the Hollywood and Highland Center. For a rare view of the Hollywood sign with lines of palms trees on the side, go to 650 S Windsor Blvd, or further north.
The Hollywood Sign is an American landmark and cultural icon overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles. Originally the Hollywoodland Sign, it is on Mount Lee, above Beachwood Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was originally erected in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a local real estate development, and spelled out "HOLLYWOODLAND" in 50-foot-tall (15.2 m) white uppercase letters in a word 450 feet (137.2 m) long. Due to increasing recognition, the sign was left up; the last four letters "LAND" were removed in 1949. The sign was entirely replaced in 1978, using 45-foot-tall (13.7 m) letters in a more durable all-steel structure with concrete footings.
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The most impressive of Hollywood's public stairs, connecting streets at different elevations for pedestrians. These hidden gems are worth exploring for an authentic local experience, and there are a few more in the neighborhood that allow you to make a nice walk out of it and get some serious exercise. You'll certainly see locals getting their exercise on the stairs.
An intimate outdoor amphitheater that dates back to the 1930s and underwent an extensive renovation in the mid-2010s. The theater is partnered with the county arts commission and regularly hosts community theater productions.
If you have a car, it is worth driving up to Mulholland Drive. The main attraction is the incredible views from the Hollywood Hills across Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, with plenty of overlooks available to stop and enjoy, but it's also worth visiting to ogle the impressive (and expensive) residences that line the route.
America's most famous outdoor theatre hosts a summer concert series by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks show set to classical music, as well as numerous other concert events. Traffic and parking can be a nightmare, so the $5 round-trip public shuttles are highly recommended.
Housed in the Lasky-DeMille Barn, which was built in 1901 and served as one of Hollywood's first film studios (Cecil B. DeMille had an office in this building) before being moved to its current site, this museum has a collection of photographs and memorabilia from old Hollywood.
The L.A. branch of the popular improv and experimental comedy troupe that have cultivated some of the best comics in the industry today. Regularly shows some well-known acts as well as plenty of up-and-comers.