Top Places to See in Hollywood Boulevard

               For movie and music fans, Hollywood is a must-see. Hollywood is the entertainment capital of the USA. But if you have very limited time, you can still feel the entertainment industry penetrating your fan-instincts by visiting Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles’ main road. It is lined with countless attractions and buildings all related to cinema. Hollywood Boulevard will make you feel the ambiance of all things Hollywood and not feel short-changed. 

Hollywood Sign (Background).

     Photo above tries not to show my close-up shot, but the Hollywood sign on the background. This Hollywood landmark is considered a cultural icon in LA. It is found in Mt. Lee, Hollywood Hills, Santa Monica Mountains. This sign overlooks the Hollywood district where we were, when this picture was taken. Specifically, Kiko took this picture in one of the observation decks near the back of the courtyard in Hollywood and Highland.

L: adventurousPinay; R: My cousin, Lori in front of Kodak Theatre. 

     First stop in Hollywood Boulevard is Kodak Theatre (Dolby Theatre). Picture above shows my cousin, Lori (R),  and  adventurousPinay (L) at the entrance. Lori is a long-time California resident, but it was her first time to tour around Hollywood. If you remember, the Academy Awards, concerts by Hollywood A-listers, the American Idol, Victoria’s Secret Fashion shows, among others, were held here at the Kodak Theatre or Dolby Theatre.

     

adventurousPinay on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

     Going down Kodak Theatre, you will find the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As of last count, “there were about 2,518 stars honored with this coral-pink terrazzo five-point stars rimmed with brass inlaid into a charcoal-colored terrazzo background. In the upper portion of each star field the name of the honoree is inlaid in brass block letters. Below the inscription, in the lower half of the star field, a round inlaid brass emblem indicates the category of the honoree's contributions. These stars are embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame).” 

   adventurousPinay had this picture taken (above) beside the star of Charlize Theron to share with my husband, Leo, who was back home in the Philippines because Leo is such a fan of Charlize (Above L). Sadly, though my favorite-male-actor-of-all-time, Brad Pitt, does not have a star, yet, so we opted for his foot and hand prints on this side of the road (Above R).

L: Skeleton Man; R: Spiderman.

     Walk around Hollywood Boulevard and feel the movie ambiance with these ‘characters’ in costumes. The man behind me with his hood on is actually a ‘skeleton’ (Above L). ‘Spiderman’ is also on the scene (Above R).  The people walking around are, like me, the millions of tourists that visit Hollywood each year. 

     If you are a fan of the show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the picture above shows where Jimmy Kimmel tapes his shows in front of Kodak Theatre. Yes, the shows are really canned and not shown live. 

     Just around the block are two other Hollywood landmarks: Ripley’s Believe it Or Not (Below L) and Guinness World of Records Museum (Below R).  “Ripley’s…offers museums and attractions in multiple countries focusing on odd and amazing things. During your visit, marvel at their collection of weird and unusual relics and rare treasures as you explore through some of the weirdest finds imaginable. Inside a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium you can visit an unbelievable variety of artifacts and displays in ‘their’ unique interactive galleries that pay tribute to the odd and strange (http://www.ripleys.com/corporate/brands/believe-it-or-not-odditoriums/).”

L: Ripley's Believe it or Not;  R: Guinness World of Records.

     On the other hand, “the Guinness Museum vividly showcases records, from the great to the gross, in a fun up-close look at pop culture, sports, space, technology, animals, natural phenomena and, of course, the limits of human potential. From the Largest Work of Art to the Lowest Limbo…record-breaking facts and feats documented by the best-selling copyrighted book in the world come to life at the Guinness World Records Museum in Hollywood. At this family attraction on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, you’ll have the chance to check your weight against the world’s heaviest person, attempt the world’s long jump record, compare your height with the world’s tallest man, get the feel for speed records in the Adrenaline Theater, and much more (http://www.guinnessmuseumhollywood.com/).”

adventurousPinay with the Wax Museum as background.

      Another attraction, The Wax Museum (above), is directly across The Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum. “The Hollywood Wax Museum is the longest running wax museum in the United States, with more than 45 years of continuous operation by the same owners since 1965. Hollywood Wax Museum is the only wax museum in the country devoted entirely to celebrity figures. That means a visit to the Hollywood Wax Museum puts you face-to-face with icons of the silver screen, recreated so faithfully that you'd swear they were alive (http://www.hollywoodwaxmuseum.com/hollywood/).”

Shops behind adventurousPinay.

   Hollywood Boulevard is also littered with restaurants, retail shops and department stores to lure the shopper in you. Photo above shows the GAP store, primarily a clothing store for the hip and the young. What adventurousPinay loves about Hollywood is this escalator (below). With us is Satur, Lori’s husband.

 

Riding the escalator are adventurousPinay, Lori and Satur.

    In case you’re wondering, our photographer/driver was Kiko, who followed our every move. He also owned such a high-tech camera that’s capable of, among others, doubling the subject, me (photo below). This picture is a wide angle shot of Hollywood Boulevard shown with all the shops and places designed as tourist attractions (background). 

Wide angle shot of Hollywood Boulevard.

     There is so much to see in Hollywood Boulevard, alone. At least, one whole day is needed to see all the sights and watch all the shows and museums. If you are a fan of everything-Hollywood, then this adventure is for you. But, since, I had very little time, we only allotted the morning for this leg of my USA tour. That meant, just sight-seeing and taking quick souvenir shots, as we did in Hollywood Boulevard. At least I had these pictures to reminisce and share with you my half-day in Hollywood.