Note: Hollywood is more than an intersection: An alternative guide to the world’s most famous city was originally part of the travel guide section for SNAPS official’s now defunct blog.
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Hollywood
When people ask me for advice for planning a trip to Los Angeles, I tell them to treat each neighborhood like it deserves its own day trip. Los Angeles neighborhoods are more than their tourist attractions. If you peel down another layer, you will find so many things to do hiding in plain sight. Case in point is the world’s most famous neighborhood, Hollywood. It is more than just the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard & Highland Avenue. Hollywood is the most touristy and the most misunderstood place in Los Angeles.
This neighborhood is not the “Hollywood” of the national news, gossip shows, and fashion magazines. It is not just the Walk of Fame, handprints in cement, and photos with characters. Hollywood, the location, is surprisingly residential. It has rows of historic apartment buildings and bungalows, movie history, and museums. Here are my recommended places to visit after you hit those tourist traps for your Hollywood day trip.
Natural Hollywood
You might not automatically think of nature when you think of Los Angeles, but you should. You may be surprised by the fact that this city is a doorway to great hiking, whether it be a car trip away, like Ojai, or right in the heart of Hollywood. Yup, you read that correctly, Hollywood.
Situated in the Hollywood Hills just off of one of the busiest highways in Los Angeles is Lake Hollywood. This lake was formed from the Mulholland Dam as a water reservoir for area residents. It was named in homage to William Mulholland, the man responsible for bringing water to Los Angeles. You may recognize the name Mulholland from the infamous Mulholland Drive that connects Hollywood to the San Fernando Valley or perhaps David Lynch’s movie by the same name. Without Mulholland, Los Angeles as we know it would not exist.
Although Lake Hollywood is technically part of Griffith Park, it falls a bit closer to Hollywood than neighboring Los Feliz. The lake formed from this dam is a quiet oasis in the middle of the busiest neighborhoods in this city. The four-mile walking path winds its way through both shady trees and sun, and the area is home to birds and other creatures. At the halfway point, you can walk over the dam that still has its 1920s details intact. Lake Hollywood offers one of the closest views of the famed Hollywood Sign without having to climb up Mount Lee.
Hollywood time travel
Now I invite you to walk directly behind The Ovation to go back in time.
Perched high in the Hollywood Hills overlooking the hubbub of Hollywood and Highland sits Yamashiro, a place that seems like it belongs more in the Edo period of Japan than super touristy Hollywood. That is the magic of Hollywood. You only need ten minutes to walk to feudal Japan from the ancient Nile-themed Egyptian Theater.
Yamashiro is the former home of two antique dealers who amassed a significant collection of Japanese decorative arts. The collection was curated to look like the inside of a palace, complete with gardens for quiet contemplation. No expense was spared on the details of the home and grounds. Yamashiro has a curated collection designed to transport you to the past.
Now a restaurant, you will need to make a reservation for dinner to get inside. However, you can roam the grounds outside of the house anytime. The views of the city at night are pretty spectacular. If you aren’t in the area, you can rent Memoirs of a Geisha or Kill Bill to see it on screen.
Hollywood, Neighborhood supermarket
A lot of what you see in supermarkets across the United States originally came from California. Because of this, there is so much access to fresh fruit and vegetables in Los Angeles. This is one of the major perks of being in this city. I grew up in a land that is frozen for most of the year. Since moving to L.A., I have tried many fruits and vegetables completely unknown to me, like lychee, dragon fruit, bitter melon, romanesco, and figs in their non-Newton form.
If you find yourself in this neighborhood on a Sunday, go to the Hollywood Farmers’ Market (HFM.) With a wide range of local farmers, crafters & makers, and food stands, there is a lot to sample and buy. I would also like to mention this market because of its great people watching. You can learn a lot about Los Angeles at the HFM in particular. Like the current fashion trends, what people are eating/juicing now, all while listening to people talk about the parts in television and films they are auditioning for. Its food court/truck area is pretty substantial if you are looking for a quick lunch option, or you can even learn how to cook your own lunch of the recently purchased produce with a cooking demo.
Hollywood Blvd is full of national chain restaurants, and you may want to stick with something familiar. I think it would be a shame to travel all this way and eat at Hooters. To step back in time, I recommend Hollywood’s oldest restaurant, Musso & Frank Grill. You will definitely recognize this place from a few movies, and they have a great dirty martini. If you are feeling something more casual, this guide offers a lot of ideas.
I hope that I was able to show you a different side to Hollywood. Instead of being a tourist trap, I hope you consider it a doorway to nature, a place of history, and a great way to experience Los Angeles as a local.
Kristen is a midwesterner in L.A. She is the creator of the blog This Ugly Beautiful City. An itinerary-focused travel website that features travel tips and guides for anyone exploring Los Angeles, from a local Angeleno to a first-time tourist who is passionate about food, art, and culture.
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