Things to Do in Hollywood, Los Angeles

We highly recommend two things in Hollywood. The first is the Walk of Fame with the Chinese Theatre forecourt, which is 184 m from the Hollywood/Highland station and free. The second is the view of the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory, which is also free. Everything else here is optional. Hours and prices below were checked on 8 November 2026, and we cover safety near the end.

What we tested

• Walks from Hollywood/Highland station, 8 Nov 2026. We measured each route on OpenStreetMap data (FOSSGIS foot router). The TCL Chinese Theatre is 184 m, about 2.4 minutes. The Hollywood Museum is 504 m, about 6.7 minutes.
• Which station for what, 8 Nov 2026. Hollywood/Vine station to Hollywood/Highland station is 1,666 m, about 22 minutes on foot, so the Walk of Fame is a long walk if you try to do all of it. Hollywood/Highland to the Hollywood Museum is 504 m, but from Hollywood/Vine it is 1,281 m (17 minutes). Use Highland for the sights.
• Walking to Griffith Observatory, 8 Nov 2026. From Vermont/Sunset station to the Observatory the same router gives 3,346 m, about 47 minutes, uphill. The DASH bus costs 50 cents, or 35 cents with a TAP card (Griffith Observatory, getting here page). We would take the bus.
• Lake Hollywood Park, 8 Nov 2026. From Hollywood/Highland station it is 5,886 m, about 78 minutes on foot. We would skip it unless you have a car or rideshare.
• Fare for our day plan, 8 Nov 2026. Three B Line rides cost 3 x $1.75 = $5.25 in single fares and $5.00 with Metro's daily cap. The DASH bus is billed on top (Metro fares page).

So, base yourself at Highland and use the bus for the hills.

Hollywood at a glance

Getting to Hollywood by Metro

Subway: The B Line stops at Hollywood/Highland, Hollywood/Vine, Hollywood/Western and Vermont/Sunset, in that order from west to east. Vermont/Sunset is where the DASH bus to Griffith Observatory starts (Griffith Observatory, getting here page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Price: $1.75 a ride. Metro caps fares at $5 a day and $18 a week (Metro fares page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Most first-time visitors only need Hollywood/Highland. OpenStreetMap lists the station at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, the same address as the Dolby Theatre, so you come up onto the Walk of Fame. How to pay, the hours of each line and safety tips are in our LA Metro guide.

Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Walk of Fame (we highly recommend)

Address: Hollywood Blvd from Gower to La Brea, and Vine Street from Sunset to Yucca (Hollywood Walk of Fame, general FAQs, read 8 Nov 2026)

Hours: Public sidewalk. The FAQ gives no hours

Price: Free. The FAQ says "Walk of Fame ceremonies are open and free to the public" (same page)

Subway: Hollywood/Highland or Hollywood/Vine (B)

There are more than 2,800 stars (same page). The Walk of Fame says an average of 24 to 30 new stars are chosen each year (Walk of Fame, nomination page, read 8 Nov 2026). We would walk the part of the Boulevard near Highland and not try to do it all. The full stretch from Hollywood/Vine to Hollywood/Highland station alone is 1.7 km.

TCL Chinese Theatre (we highly recommend the forecourt)

Address: 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028

Hours: Tour: 7 days a week, except during special events (TCL Chinese Theatres tours page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Price: Forecourt free to look. For the tour price, call (323) 461-3331 (same page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Subway: Hollywood/Highland (B), 184 m away, about 2.4 minutes on foot (our walk test)

The theatre opened in 1927. The forecourt holds the hand and footprints of movie stars set in cement, and it costs nothing. We would look at the forecourt and skip the paid tour unless you like theatre history. Call (323) 461-3331 for the tour price.

Dolby Theatre

Address: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 (Dolby Theatre, tours page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Hours: The schedule may only be available about one month ahead (Dolby Theatre, schedule and tickets page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Price: Adults $25. Seniors 65 and over $19. Youth 17 and under $19. Under 3 free. A family 4-pack for 2 adults and 2 youths is $80 (same page)

Subway: Hollywood/Highland (B), at the same street address as the station (OpenStreetMap)

The Dolby Theatre tour shows an Oscar statuette, the Dolby Lounge, images from past ceremonies and The Governor's Ball, and Winners Walk (Dolby Theatre tours page). Our pick if you want one paid tour here. Check the schedule for your date before you go.

Hollywood Museum

Address: 1660 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028, in the Historic Max Factor Building (The Hollywood Museum, home page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday (same page)

Price: Not listed. The page says to buy tickets online or at the museum box office

Subway: Hollywood/Highland (B), 504 m away, about 7 minutes on foot (our walk test)

We would skip it on a short trip. The Dolby tour is the better use of an hour here.

How to get to the Hollywood Sign

You can see the Hollywood Sign, but you cannot touch it. The Hollywood Sign Trust says that attempting to get close to or touch the sign is prohibited. Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments and Park Rangers monitor it 24/7. There are no official tours (Hollywood Sign Trust FAQ, read 8 Nov 2026).

See it from Griffith Observatory (we highly recommend)

Address: 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Hours: Building: Tuesday to Friday 12 noon to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Monday. Grounds: usually 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily (Griffith Observatory visit page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Price: Free admission. Parking closest to the Observatory is paid. The DASH bus is 50 cents, or 35 cents with a TAP card. It runs daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., every 20 to 25 minutes (Griffith Observatory, getting here page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Subway: Vermont/Sunset (B), then the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus

This is our pick for the sign: you get the view without a long hike or a permit street. Our full guide on how to get to Griffith Observatory covers the bus, parking and the walk up.

Hike to a closer view

Note: The Hollywood Sign Trust lists three hikes: the Mt. Hollywood Trail (easy, 5.3 miles, about 2 h 28 min), the Brush Canyon Trail (easy, 6 miles, about 2 h 45 min) and the Cahuenga Peak Trail (hard, 3 miles, about 1 h 45 min) (Hollywood Sign Trust, hiking page, read 8 Nov 2026)

Hours: Authorized trails are open the same hours as Griffith Park, sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year (same page)

Price: Free. Certain hikes have free parking lots inside the park. Some nearby residential streets are permit-only and enforced, so read the signs (Hollywood Sign Trust FAQ)

The Trust says the closest permitted spot is behind and above the sign. We would skip the hike unless you want a 3 to 6 mile walk. Bring plenty of water. Open flames, including cigarettes, are banned in the park because it is an extreme fire zone.

Lake Hollywood Park

Address: 3160 Canyon Lake Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (LA Recreation and Parks, read 1 Nov 2026)

Hours: Sunrise to sunset, every day (same page, read 1 Nov 2026)

Price: Free

Subway: No Metro line goes there. It is 5.9 km, about 78 minutes on foot, from Hollywood/Highland station (our walk test), so take a rideshare

Is Hollywood safe?

This is our own advice, not an official source. We did not check any crime data for this page. The busy blocks of Hollywood Boulevard near Highland have crowds all day.

• If someone dressed as a movie character asks for money after a photo, agree on a price first or skip it.

• Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket in the crowds.

• After dark, stay on busy, well-lit blocks. Take a rideshare if your hotel is more than a few blocks from the station.

Free things to do in Hollywood

• Walk the Walk of Fame near Highland.

• Look at the hand and footprints in the Chinese Theatre forecourt.

• See the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory.

• Visit Griffith Observatory, which is free inside too.

A day in Hollywood by Metro

Our plan: take the B Line to Hollywood/Highland in the morning. Walk the Walk of Fame and see the Chinese Theatre forecourt first. Take a Dolby Theatre tour, or the Hollywood Museum on Wednesday to Sunday. In the afternoon, ride the B Line three stops to Vermont/Sunset and take the DASH bus up to Griffith Observatory. Stay for the sunset and the view of the sign, then take the bus back down.

Griffith Observatory is closed on Mondays, but the grounds are open every day.

Sources and what can change

Read on 8 November 2026: Dolby Theatre tours and schedule; The Hollywood Museum; Hollywood Walk of Fame FAQs and nomination page; Hollywood Sign Trust FAQ and hiking page; Griffith Observatory visit and getting here pages; Metro fares; walking times from OpenStreetMap foot routing at routing.openstreetmap.de. Read on 1 November 2026: the TCL Chinese Theatres tours page and LA Recreation and Parks' Lake Hollywood Park page. Check the Chinese Theatre tour price, the Hollywood Museum's ticket prices and the Dolby tour times for your date on each venue's site. Hours change for premieres and events, so check each place's page for your date.