You'll find a bit of everything associated with movie stars and fame in Tinseltown: theaters, memorabilia shops and even wax museums featuring golden girls and boys of past acclaim. Your family will want to walk the walk in Hollywood—the Walk of Fame that is. After a day of sightseeing, you can hike or bike the trails in nearby Runyon Canyon Park, where you might even spot a celebrity or two.
Walk the Walk
If you arrive in Hollywood with the hope of seeing some stars, you won’t be disappointed! Just stroll down Hollywood Boulevard to spot stars aplenty—on the sidewalks. No matter which section of this famous thoroughfare you're walking on, you'll step over large bronze stars that have been inlaid into the sidewalks. The legendary Walk of Fame was established in 1960, when 2,500 blank stars were set into cement there. Over the years, all but a few hundred of them have been engraved with the names of famous Hollywood folks that have been honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. You can have fun searching for your favorite stars, and if you’re in the right place at the right time, you may even spot a celebrity being immortalized with their own star!
Dive for Treasures
Plunge into the Hollywood shopping experience to find everything from unique boutiques, souvenir shops, chic clothing stores and more. The Hollywood & Highland Center is a landmark for both locals and tourists alike—it is a large shopping mall and entertainment complex that boasts high-end stores, a variety of dining options, and red carpet events.
Waxworks and Odditoriums
You can ogle movie stars—both current and past—at the Hollywood Wax Museum. At Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood, your family can step onto "movie sets" to join your favorite celebrities—from Johnny Depp to Marlon Brando—as if you had a supporting role in their pictures. Other odd and interesting options along Hollywood Boulevard include Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum—check out the telephone book carving of Clint Eastwood in the lobby—and the Guinness World Records Museum. A combination ticket will get you into both Ripley's and the Hollywood Wax Museum, with its more than 200 replicas of movie and sports figures.
Hollywood Chow
You can drop the equivalent of your mortgage payment on a family dinner in Hollywood's chic restaurants, but much more affordable eclectic and delightful dining is also possible if you know where to go. One good restaurant to try is Birds Cafe and Bar (5925 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles), a Franklin Village tradition in a great location that offers both indoor and outdoor tables, delicious slow-roasted chicken, and some of the world's best onion rings. Hollywood boasts a wide variety of ethnic eateries and fantastic, small restaurants, including Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine (7181 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles) which is well known for its unique fried yucca appetizer topped with Parmesan cheese.
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