Spot celebrities and tour movie studios in the entertainment capital of the world. Shop, dine and relax in a Los Angeles hotel with an insider view of Hollywood.

    • Budget
    • Couples
    • Families
    • History
    • Photo

    Formerly (and famously) known as Grauman's Chinese Theatre, tourists flock to see the hand and footprints of favorite celebrities in this Hollywood theatre’s courtyard. But not everyone realizes the ornate pagoda is also Tinseltown’s favorite movie theater for movie premieres.

    Read more

    Location: 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA

    Map

    photo by espensorvik (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 2

    Archives at the Paley Center for Media

    Archives at the Paley Center for Media
    • History

    The hardest part is deciding which of the 75,000 TV shows and commercials you’ll choose to watch. Don a pair of headphones in your very own air-conditioned viewing booth to experience a tiny bit of television history.

    Location: 465 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA

    Map

    photo by Tracie Hall (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

    • Group
    • Photo

    Reserve advance tickets online for an intimate behind-the-scenes tour of a working film and TV studio. You and 11 other people will be guided through echoing sound stages and dusty Western sets. You may even get to handle a prop or 2 from the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

    Read more

    Location: 3400 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91522, USA

    Map

    photo by Graeme Churchard (CC BY 2.0) modified

    • Budget
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    Grab a map at the front entrance and go on a hunt for the final resting places of your favorite stars from the silver screen. Come early on select summer nights to watch a film flicker against the mausoleum walls.

    Read more

    Location: 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA

    Map

    photo by Glen Bowman (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 5

    Dining with the stars at the Ivy

    Dining with the stars at the Ivy
    • Food

    Book a table in advance for a late lunch to rub elbows with celebrities meeting their agents at this celebrated Hollywood spot. Ignore the snobby wait staff and paparazzi while savoring the overpriced pastas.

    Location: 113 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA

    Map

    photo by ChildofMidnight (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

  • 6

    Watch the live taping of TV shows at CBS Television City

    Watch the live taping of TV shows at CBS Television City
    • Budget

    Arrive early to get free tickets for a live taping of American Idol or The Price is Right game show. Even if you can’t get tickets, grab lunch and perhaps a celebrity sighting or 2 at the Farmers’ Market next door.

    Location: 7800 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90036, USA

    Map

    photo by vagueonthehow (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 7

    Shop like a Los Angeles insider at Fred Segal

    Shop like a Los Angeles insider at Fred Segal
    • Shoppers

    The nondescript, ivy-covered building belies the trend-setting fashions inside. Though some of the biggest names and their stylists shop here, even unknowns get treated like royalty by the down-to-earth sales staff.

    Location: 8100 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046, USA

    Map
  • 8

    Drinks at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

    Drinks at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
    • Nightlife

    Relax with a cocktail by David Hockney’s underwater mural in this Los Angeles hotel’s swimming pool or opt for a more intimate setting at Teddy’s bar inside. One too many drinks and you too may see the ghost of Errol Flynn.

    Location: 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA

    Map

    photo by Prayitno (CC BY 2.0) modified

    • Couples
    • Families
    • Group
    • Photo

    The best part of Universal Studios theme park is the backstage tram tour. Watch out for the animatronic shark from Jaws, which splashes you with real water from the artificial lake.

    Read more

    Location: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608, USA

    Map