Whether you’re imagining yourself arriving at your film premiere, fascinated by the Golden Age of Hollywood, or just curious to soak it all in, Hollywood Boulevard is a great place to start your adventure. The boulevard is home to many popular tourist destinations, including the famous stars of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the handprints at TCL Chinese Theatre. The best way to experience Hollywood Boulevard is to walk its sidewalks while marveling at its historic buildings, curving palm trees, and shining stars.
Brief History of Hollywood Boulevard
The iconic Hollywood Boulevard is one of the major streets in Los Angeles. For much of its length, it runs parallel to Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard.
In 1910, an existing road, Prospect Avenue, was rechristened Hollywood Boulevard. During the ’20s, the strip was eyed as a popular neighborhood with a central theater district. Sid Grauman’s theaters (the Chinese, the Egyptian, and El Capitan) joined a bevy of businesses like the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and the Hollywood Masonic Temple. By the late 1950s, the Hollywood Walk of Fame was opened on the avenue.
After a downturn in the 1970s, the area around Hollywood Boulevard has been revitalized. Today, it still captures some of the glamor of a century ago.
TCL Chinese Theatre
Once known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it is officially known today as TCL Chinese Theatre. Built for $2.1 million (equivalent to more than $30 million in 2024), the theatre opened in 1927 and promised to transport moviegoers to a Chinese palace. This included murals in the lobby hand-painted by Chinese-American actor Keye Luke.
Today, there are multiple ways to experience TCL Chinese Theatre. The theatre offers tours every day. Highlights include the history of the lobby and some of the film costumes on display from films, including Gone with the Wind and Some Like it Hot, as well as a chance to see inside the extravagantly decorated theatre and watch a short film. During my summer visit, the theatre made announcements for the upcoming tour, and visitors could walk up and buy a ticket on the spot. If a tour isn’t for you, there’s another way to see inside the theatre: see a film. The TCL Chinese Theatre is still a working movie theater with one of the country’s largest screens following a renovation to an IMAX theatre in 2013.
Chinese Theatre’s Forecourt of the Stars
But the Chinese Theatre’s biggest attractions might be outside: Forecourt of the Stars, Grauman’s famous concrete handprints. Grauman used handprint ceremonies to promote the theater. Many of the oldest cement blocks include messages to Sid. Others feature something more than the standard signature along with hand and footprints. Marilyn Monroe left behind an earring, and Groucho Marx made an imprint with his cigar.
Over the decades, several hundred handprints have been made. But only a relative handful are actually on display. While the cement squares may look permanent, they’re movable, and the blocks on display are a curated selection.
Visitors can walk right up to the Forecourt of the Stars to find their favorite celebrity and compare hand and foot sizes—no ticket necessary.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
On the way to and from the TCL Chinese Theatre, stars line the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard and some of the adjacent streets. The first permanent star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for director Stanley Kramer, was laid in 1960. Today, there are nearly 3,000.
The stars fall into one of six categories: Live Performance, Motion Pictures, Radio, Recording, Sports Entertainment, or Television. Each year, roughly 200 are nominated for stars, and only about two dozen stars are awarded. There’s also a $75,000 fee associated with each star, in addition to a mandatory personal appearance at the unveiling ceremony.
Other Must-See Spots on Hollywood Boulevard
There are plenty of things to discover things to do on Hollywood Boulevard. Admittedly, many are geared toward tourists, with special celebrity sightseeing tours or souvenirs. But there are also some hidden gems.
Amoeba
Amoeba Records is an iconic independent record store that started in 1990 in Berkeley. Their Hollywood Boulevard outpost opened in 2020. The store has a massive selection of vinyl, CDs, tapes, and more in almost any genre or sound you can think of. There’s also a notable film selection. It’s a mecca for music fans.
Other Theatres
In addition to the famous TCL Chinese Theatre, there are other historic and interesting theatres along the street.
The Egyptian Theatre opened in 1922 as one of the first in a trend of lavish large movie theatres. Featuring somewhat stereotypical Egyptian decoration with sphinx sculptures and hieroglyphics, it is also one of the older venues still in existence on the street. The theatre hosted the world’s first film premiere with Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood. Today, the theatre is owned by Netflix.
A few years later, in 1926, across the street from where the TCL Chinese Theatre would stand a year later, the El Capitan Theatre was built. Its exterior architecture is a California flavor of Spanish Colonial, while the inside is a mix that includes Tudor-style wood paneling. The theatre would host the world premiere of Citizen Kane.
Also in 1926, the Fonda Theatre opened as the Carter DeHaven Music Box Theatre for revues. Today, the theatre is a popular music venue.
One of the newer theatres of note is the Dolby Theatre, which opened in 2001. Located next to the TCL Chinese Theatre and across the street from the El Capitan, it has hosted the Academy Awards since 2002.
Nearby Hollywood Landmarks
Because Hollywood Boulevard is in the heart of Hollywood, there is plenty to discover off the strip, too. Between the buildings on the north side of the boulevard, you can catch glimpses of the famous Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory.
At the intersection with Vine Street, the iconic Capitol Records building can be seen. The instantly recognizable tower was constructed in 1955 and 1956 and is considered the first circular office building.
At the foot of the building is a mural highlighting American jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole. Just across the street is another mural of Sidney Poitier and Judy Garland. They’re just a few of the street art murals you can find along the strip.
There are also some museums just off the boulevard. Some are more…unique than others (looking at you, Medieval Torture Museum and Museum of Death). The Japan House Los Angeles hosts rotating exhibits highlighting Japanese culture. Or, for more of a classic experience, there is the Hollywood Museum.
Getting There & Getting Around
The best way to explore Hollywood Boulevard is on foot. So the real question is how to get there.
Parking is always a challenge in Los Angeles, but parking lots and garages are sprinkled around the area, as is metered street parking. Some stores validate parking at nearby garages and lots if you’re shopping. Of course, ride-share services are always popular, too.
With public transportation, the Metro’s B Line has stops at Hollywood Boulevard cross streets Highland and Vine Streets. The 217 bus line also makes frequent stops along the boulevard.
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All photos and opinions are my own.
