Hollywood Los Angeles, CA

Hollywood was a small agricultural center surrounded by vineyards and citrus groves until the early 1900s, when the film industry burst into town. By the mid-1920s, four major movie studios were operating in the district, and motion pictures had grown into the fifth-largest industry in the United States. A culture dominated by glitz and glamour quickly developed, and the once-sleepy hamlet became an oasis for the rich and famous. A stroll down Hollywood Boulevard reveals the history of the nation's film capital. Start your tour at the Egyptian Theater to watch a film about Hollywood's history, then visit Grauman's Chinese Theater, where the handprints, footprints, and autographs of movie stars are preserved in the sidewalk. Stop for lunch at the Hollywood institution, Musso & Frank Grill. You may not see any movie stars, but the rich, elegant decor speaks eloquently of days gone by.

With its abundant selection of restaurants and nightclubs, Hollywood offers fun on every corner, whether your tastes run toward the simple or the exotic. On Hollywood Boulevard's restaurant row, locals can find everything from gastropubs to Mexican food. For a fantastic light dinner, try Wood and Vine, located in the heart of historic Hollywood at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. With an inviting interior and outdoor dining beside a roaring fire, this restaurant serves sustainable, healthy appetizers and small plates to share. Locals rave about the truffle chips and Brussels sprouts with chorizo, feta, and sherry vinaigrette, but for a real treat have the chicken and waffle with sweet potato syrup, a truly unique culinary delight. Craft cocktails and local small-batch wines and beers are available from the bar, or you can bring your own wine and pay a modest corkage fee. When you crave Mexican, check out one of the many taco stands and food trucks along Hollywood Boulevard to sample real south-of-the-border food. You may fall in love with the al pastor tacos at Rincon Oaxaqueno -- the slow-roasted pork on homemade flour tortillas is one of the best Mexican dishes anywhere in Los Angeles. The Loteria Grill's chicharrones de queso -- light, crispy cones of Mexican cheese -- promise to delight your taste buds, and the chips, salsa, and bean dip at Calle Taco can't be beat. Finish up your Mexican fiesta with a frosty margarita at one of Hollywood's top-rated night spots, La Velvet Margarita Cantina on Cahuenga Boulevard and Vine Street. If the mood to party strikes, Hollywood's vast selection of nightspots keep you hopping all night long. Visit Sound Nightclub on North Las Palmas Avenue, where 3-D video pairs with a state-of-the-art sound system to offer a unique sensory experience, and tech dancing is everyone's favorite sport. Or check out Boulevard3, a posh nightclub with intimate seating, a huge dance floor, free tacos, and outdoor tables where you can chill out and order appetizers or small-plates to share. Dance to 1990s hits at King King on Hollywood Boulevard, or hang out with friends at the Room, a small dance club with live music and a cozy, intimate vibe.

Unlike many of the neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Hollywood offers a variety of ways to get around. The ninth most walkable neighborhood in the city of L.A., it has a walk score of 86, which means you can do your shopping, pick up your dry cleaning, and stop for a haircut or a cup of coffee without ever setting foot in a car or bus. Several narrow bike routes crisscross the neighborhood, allowing cyclists to travel safely around town. DASH, a local bus service, offers six bus routes leaving various locations throughout downtown Los Angeles every 5 to 12 minutes, and serves the area between Hollywood and Wilshire Boulevards every weekday until 6:30 p.m. For longer trips, try the Metro, the county's public transit, which offers four rail lines and hundreds of buses daily. If public transit is not your thing, call one of several Los Angeles County taxicabs, or spring for a personalized lift from Uber or Lyft. If you're traveling out of Los Angeles entirely, Amtrak and Greyhound serve locations throughout the country, or you can fly out from Los Angeles International Airport or Bob Hope Airport in nearby Burbank. Almost everyone in Los Angeles owns a car, and the freeways are busy nearly all hours of the day. The Hollywood Freeway, or U.S. 101, offers direct access to Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles from the south into North Hollywood, and you can make easy connections to Interstate 5, the primary north-south route through California, Oregon, and Washington State.

Known for year-round warm weather and abundant sunshine, Hollywood and Los Angeles offer many places to enjoy the outdoors. From picnics to soccer to water sports, Hollywood offers something for just about everyone to enjoy. Located on Canyon Road, not far from the heart of Hollywood, sits Lake Hollywood Park. This park offers picnic tables, a children's play area, and several barbecue grills. Nearby West Hollywood Park also offers three tennis courts that are open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Los Angeles Parks and Recreation also operates an aquatics division with 38 seasonal swimming pools, 16 year-round pools, and 11 open-water facilities throughout the city. Adults pay $3.50 per day to swim in the city pools, and children, seniors, and people with disabilities pay $1. Each year since 1983, Los Angeles' Museum of Television & Radio hosts one of Hollywood's most anticipated events, the Television Festival. A two-week event featuring TV stars from bygone years, the event gives locals and tourists from all over the United States a chance to see some of their favorite stars for the first time in years. Past festivals featured such classics as "Star Trek," "Hill Street Blues," and the "Mary Tyler Moore Show."

Like much of Southern California, Hollywood has a cost of living that is considerably higher than much of the United States, although costs are no higher here than in most of the city of Los Angeles. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Hollywood runs $1,637. Groceries and most commodities are on par with the rest of the country, but gas prices are about 22 percent higher than the U.S. average. Average salaries are a bit higher than the national average, too. Expect to pay $40 to $65 for a meal in a moderately priced restaurant in Hollywood, although you may find that many trendy bistros charge a bit more. A beer at a local bar costs $4 to $6, but a craft beer at a posh night spot may run about $8 to $10, about the same price as a glass of locally-produced chardonnay or cabernet. Ride around the city on the Metro bus or railroad for $1.75 each way, or pay $7 for a full-day pass and unlimited rides. Transfer to a non-Metro bus for just 50 cents each way.

Ready to go shopping in LA? Wear your walking shoes! The entire LA area is a shopper's paradise, and Hollywood is certainly no exception. Start your day at Start your day at Hollywood & Highland, located in the heart of Hollywood with a view of the legendary Hollywood Hills. The huge mall features more than 75 shops, including favorites such as Fossil, Gap, Guess, Sephora, and Forever 21, and an assortment of high-end designer boutiques such as Louis Vuitton. For your next stop, take a stroll down nearby quirky Melrose Avenue, where you can find everything from 1980s grunge to one-of-a-kind boutiques. Head into TenOverSix for a shop that treats its clothing, home decor, and accessories like works of art. Look for collectibles and accessories at American Vintage or Wasteland. For one-of-a-kind indie apparel, check out the trendy Chantell boutique. For grocery shopping, you can head to Ralphs, Vons, or Whole Foods Market. For fresh, locally-grown produce and a variety of handcrafted works of art, head to the Hollywood Farmers' Market, a local institution since 1991. This market brings together 160 farmers and artisans from as far away as Ventura County. The market also features crafts, entertainment, and book signings by some renowned authors every week. Open every Sunday from 8 am to 1 pm, the market sits at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Ivar Street.

ArcLight Hollywood, Walk of Fame, Hollywood Pantages Theatre, Hollywood sign, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood High School, Barnsdall Art Park