Exploring the City of Angels: Los Angeles & the Universal Studios Hollywood
Welcome back on the blog, and I hope you are ready for a new blog post. The last weeks I was already talking a lot about California and famous places in this US state, this week, I focus on the most famous city in California, maybe even the most famous one in the United States: Los Angeles. LA and Hollywood are dream destinations for lots of people, but I am not one of them, and so I’ll share with you not only the places I visited but also my personal opinion.
This year was the second time I visited LA, as I had already been to this city two years ago. On my first trip I explored mostly the same places, but this time it was easier for me to get around and I already knew which areas are worth how much time.
Hollywood Sign & the Griffith Observatory
If you hear Los Angeles, I’m pretty sure Hollywood and the Hollywood Sign are one of the first things that you get in mind. During my first visit, getting around the city was pretty tricky, as I was using Uber and had no Wifi device, so I as in constant need of free Wifi to call an Uber to get around. That’s why, when looking for a viewpoint of the Hollywood Sign, I opted for the Griffith Observatory.
The observatory is a beautiful part of LA, and the views you get over the whole city, downtown, and on some days even until the sea are impressive. Nevertheless, the view of the Hollywood Sign is not that great. You can see the sign, but it’s small, it’s distant and overall – not that impressive.
This time, we were getting around by car, so it was way easier. There are various different viewpoints, one of the best has to be the Vista Point at Canyon Lake Drive. It is easily reached by car, there are numerous parking lots, just keep in mind that it is not allowed to park in the middle of the street (yes, there were actually people trying to do this, but within minutes there were authorities making them pay a fine) and it is forbidden to park facing against the direction of the street. From this viewpoint, you have an excellent view of the sign and the area is so extensive, you get pictures without other people in it quite quickly.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Whenever walking the Walk of Fame, I get the same song lyric stuck in my head:
“The sky wasn’t big enough for them all” – Of Monsters and Men
As you already know, the Walk of Fame extends over 15 blocks and is plastered with stars of famous people, musicians, actors, directors, … If you are looking for a specific star in particular, it’s best to google its location beforehand, because otherwise you might be walking endless hours and do not find it.
If you are looking for the hand and footprints of people, you’ll find them in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre which is pretty much the busiest part of the Walk of Fame. The stars of people like Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Spacey and Donald Trump are located nearby. If you are looking for the hand and footprints of certain people, it’s easiest to ask at the Chinese Theatre where they are located, as the whole area in front of it is full of them, and you are quite likely to miss exactly the one you were looking for.
Santa Monica Pier
There seems to be a discussion about whether it is better to visit Santa Monica or Venice Beach. I prefer Santa Monica all the way. I’m simply in love with this pier and I there’s nothing better than a sunset at Santa Monica.
Parking at the pier is quite affordable, and the pier has so much to offer. Of course, there is the famous Pacific Park, an amusement park on the pier, but there are various shops of different sizes, restaurants, cafés and iconic places, too.
You should definitely walk the whole pier and take a look at the Pacific Ocean, take a picture at the ‘End of Route 66’ sign and go for dinner at Bubba Gump. I have to admit that right after sunset when listening to the ocean breeze, even I was able to feel the famous ‘Cali vibes’ and it one of the few moments in LA where I was delighted to be there.
Keep in mind that this place gets really busy, so you might have to wait in line to take a picture at the famous sign or at the Pacific Park entrance. There’s always that one person that things everyone else has to wait besides them, don’t be that person.
Melrose Avenue
If you are a fan of street art or art, you must make a pit stop at Melrose Avenue. This is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque streets in LA. You want to take a picture with angel wings? No problem. You are looking for the ‘Made in LA’ wall? Perfect. You want to take photos in front of the big pink wall? Go ahead. Melrose Avenue is filled with so many wall paintings and graffiti, when driving, you’ll feel the need to stop every few metres to take new pictures! Also, I can only suggest looking around when taking photos as mostly you’ll find a courtyard with more art. The angel wings are located at 7779 Melrose Ave, and you’ll find the pink wall at 8221 Melrose Ave, keep in mind that at the pink wall, which belongs to the Paul Smith store, you are only allowed to take pictures with your phone, not with cameras.
The Famous Palm Streets
What would be a visit to Los Angeles without taking a picture in one of the famous palm streets?
Obviously, there’s quite an extensive list of roads that qualify for one of these classic pictures. Still, there’s a certain one from where you can – depending on the air quality – even see the Hollywood Sign in the background.
It is South Windsor Blvd between 4th and 5th street and additionally, it is one of those streets with very little traffic, so taking a picture there is quite easy! Beware, some in of the streets close by it is forbidden to park your car to take pictures and sometimes there’s even a guard watching that the rules are are being followed, so I wouldn’t try shooting on one of those streets.
Universal Studios Hollywood
Last but not least, it is time for me to talk about the Universal Studios Hollywood. I cannot compare them to the Orlando one as I’ve never been there, so I can’t tell you which one is better, but I loved it.
No matter what kind of films you prefer, you’ll surely find attractions that are based on the one you like. The Harry Potter World and rides are outstanding, and I just love how much detail is put into creating areas that resemble film locations. From Springfield to Hogsmeade, little Italian or Parisienne alleys, Gru’s Laboratory and so much more – you’ll find yourself completely speechless! I mean: HOGWARTS?!
You shouldn’t miss out on making a studio tour, in which you’ll drive around sets – on which filming is actually in progress – and hear amazing stories about the present and past productions. The other rides are amazing as well but mostly based on 4D, meaning there are no actual rollercoasters. Jurassic World is the only one based on water, but the line was never less than two hours. Still, the 4D animations are pure old, and you really feel like falling and dropping. Also, there are lots of characters walking around, and I love the talking Bumblebee and Optimus Prime from Transformers.
I might have to add that with more than 100 $ only for the entry, no Express Passes included, it is an expensive entertainment. Food, drinks and souvenirs are not cheap either. Still, if you are looking for a fun day, it’s definitely a fantastic experience. I might have to add that visiting the Harry Potter Studios in London costs more than 100 € too, so even though it’s relatively expensive for a theme park, it might be worth the money depending on your interests.
My personal opinion on the City of Angels:
I am honestly not the biggest fan of LA. During my first visit it felt really unsafe, surely also because I was staying at the Walk of Fame and was hearing gunshots at night, definitely something I as a European am not used to! Overall, I was not that impressed and was pretty relieved when I was heading home. Also, getting around the city only using Uber was quite hard and annoying.
This time, LA felt better. Yes, the people are crazy and was witnessing a reckless car accident just next to me, but it felt safer. Nevertheless, for me, LA does not live up to the hype. I get why many famous people live here, but I don’t think it offers tourists as much as other cities like New York or so do. On the other hand, maybe LA is simply not MY city, and still, I think everyone has to go there and make an opinion by themselves.
I hope you liked this blog post, and I can't wait to write the next one. Be prepared - it's getting veeeery hot. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your opinion on LA.
