*Updated Summer 2022
Without a doubt, the most iconic LA landmark is the Hollywood sign. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, there is nothing that you’re gonna want to get near that screams “Los Angeles” quite like these 9 letters that tower over the city.
Located just East of Universal Studios and across the the Hollywood Bowl in the Hollywood Hills it’s viewable from all over Hollywood and even can be see as far away as the I-10 (on a reasonably clear day).
Here’s some of its history and the best places to catch a glimpse:
History
Trust me, knowing just a bit more about the Hollywood sign will give you a totally new perspective on the letters and help to explain why they are so hard to actually get near.
The Hollywood Sign was originally part of a larger “Hollywood Land” sign built in 1923 to advertise a new real estate venture of low cost housing built in the Hollywood Hills. Originally it was only supposed to stay up for about a year and a half, but its international recognition kept it standing much longer.
The housing development failed and the sign slowly fell into disrepair until it was taken under the wing of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 1949. Permanently changing the sign to “Hollywood” in place of “Hollywood Land”, the chamber worked to restore the sign and eventually the refurbishment became a celebrity affair, headed by Hugh Hefner. Nowadays the sign is a permanent fixture in the hillside, with each letter privately owned.
Best Viewpoints
Depending on how much you want to see the Hollywood sign, here are the best vantage points:
Hollywood & Highland
This is the easiest to access from Hollywood and Best for a quick view and distant picture. This one stop shop for the major Hollywood attractions also offers a viewing bridge of the Hollywood Sign. While not the most glamorous or closest viewpoint, it is super easy to access (especially if you are on foot) and provides a great view if you don’t particularly care about getting up close.
To Get Here : Enter the center courtyard of the Hollywood and Highland Shopping Center. You will be able to see two very tall Egyptian themed pillars facing towards the hills and on the opposite side of the plaza from Hollywood Boulevard. The viewing bridges are on the 3rd and 4th floors and cross between the pillars, simply take the escalators to your preferred view.
Viewing Deck Above the Hollywood Bowl
Officially the “Jerome C. Daniel Overlook“ this one of our favorite spots to take people that really want to see the Hollywood Sign. It gives visitors great views of the hillside sign, a peek down into the Hollywood Bowl and a pretty descent view of the city stretching to Downtown LA (though Ryunion Canyon is a better view of the city as a whole). The only draw back to this viewpoint is parking – it’s limited and there are often tour busses pulling up to let tourists out. Still – waiting a few minutes for a spot isn’t too bad, and it’s a great view.
To Get Here : This lookout is just North of Hollywood on Mulholland Drive. The easiest access is off Cahuenga Blvd (if you’re coming up from Hollywood, you’ll need to turn around a Barham Blvd as Cahuenga is split along the 101).
Beechwood Canyon
Walkable from Hollywood and provides an amazing picture opportunity with palm tree lined streets filing back to the nearby sign, this my number one spot to take pictures with the sign. This residential road lies just northeast of the main Hollywood attractions and adds a great backdrop to the typical Hollywood Sign photo. Beachwood Canyon is also the easiest place to see the sign a bit more close up if you are traveling without a car.
To Get Here : Directions are as simple as ‘walk up Beachwood Canyon’. Beachwood Canyon is located northeast of central Hollywood. Travel East on Sunset Boulevard to Gower Street. Go North (turn left) up the slight hill on Gower to where it dead ends into Franklin Ave. Go East (turn right) on Franklin and walk about a block to Beachwood Canyon, which extends towards the hills on the Left or North of Franklin. Once you are on Beachwood, the walk is about a mile and the sign will line up to the center of the street. From Hollywood and Highland, this is roughly a 45 min walk.
Griffith Park – Near the Observatory
This particular spot is hotly debated in our house. Sure, you can see the sign from here – but it’s not the best view. Still, if you don’t really care about the sign (which puts you either in a very small minority or you’re lying to yourself) this is a fine place to say you’ve ‘seen the sign’.
To Get Here : The absolutely easiest way is to stop in at the free Griffith Observatory and look East from the viewing decks. My suggestion though would be to enter Griffith Park from Los Feliz Blvd (by the Bear Statue) and hike the Firebreak Trail (a really well traveled hike in the Park).
*Tip* If Firebreak Trail doesn’t come up in your nav app, look for Trails Cafe in Griffith Park – it’s a small outdoor Coffee Stop across the street from the main trailhead.
Hiking to the Hollywood Sign
This is as close as you can get to the sign. You’ll need to drive, hire a car or really commit to a long hike from Hollywood. The hike heads out from Beechwood Canyon and winds around on dirt and later paved roads leading up the the sign.
Really this is a great, fun hike – especially in the Spring, but – it’s far from perfect.
- The hike take you right to the sign, but closest legally you can get to the sign is directly behind the sign. You can get literally within a few yards of the letters, but you’re behind them. Sure, you can consider blazing your own trail but there are dozens of security cameras perched along and overlooking the letters.
- While it is legal to hike to the sign, the neighbors really don’t like people going here. While plenty of tour companies travel here daily, be respectful of their property and you go.
- Especially in the evening, it’s not totally uncommon to find coyotes near the trail.
Trailhead
- Sunset Ranch (at the top of Beechwood Canyon) – this is the spot we’ve used several times. It’s become harder to access over the past few years with the Ranch not wanting people walking across their property to access the trailhead. If you can get to the path from here, the hike is much, much shorter.
- Brush Canyon Trailhead (at the Top of Bronson Canyon) – this is next door to the Beechwood access point. To be honest, I’ve never used this trailhead, but – since it’s all within the park – it’s probably the most public way to get to the sign. All Trails has a full map of the hike, and if you’re in Bronson Canyon anyway – check out the Bronson Caves (it just so happens to be where Adam West’s Batman’s Bat – Car left the cave & where my first appearance in a music video was filmed)
