Chapter One
The Best Full-Day Tours
The Best in One Day
Seeing the country''s largest city in a single day takes preparation. It''s best to secure reservations in advance for the Warner Brothers VIP tour, your first stop, as well as tickets to the Hollywood Bowl for the day''s finale. In between, you''ll see landmarks in pop culture, experience the majestic Getty Center, and wind along the city''s most scenic and historical roads. START: Burbank.
1 ** Warner Brothers VIP Tour. Start the day early in Burbank because that''s how the ghost of studio chief Jack Warner would want it. Warner Brothers, the third-oldest movie studio (founded in 1918), took over 110 acres from First National Pictures in 1928 with the payout from betting big on the first "talkie," The Jazz Singer. The 2 1/4-hour tour takes you behind the scenes of the working lot, and with roughly 35 soundstages and outdoor sets, there''s a lot of work going on. The hit television show ER is shot here, as were The Dukes of Hazzard, The West Wing, and Friends. In fact, the Central Perk coffeehouse set remains intact, and you might have a chance to snap a shot of yourself on the famous couch (Chandler Bing not included). But it''s the studio''s film history that boggles the mind-My Fair Lady, Rebel Without a Cause, and Bonnie and Clyde were all made here. Standing on the hallowed ground where Casablanca was shot, take a moment to imagine Bogie telling Ingrid Bergman, "We''ll always have Burbank." Children under 8 are not admitted. Reservations are recommended and can be made online. [??] 2-3 hr. 3400 Riverside Dr., Burbank. [??] 818/972-8687. www. wbstudiotour.com. Tours $45. Guided tours Mon-Fri, every half-hour 8:30am-4pm (extended hours in spring & summer).
Coming from Riverside Dr., head left on Olive Ave., continue on Barham Blvd., turn left at Cahuenga Blvd., continue on Highland Ave., and look for a parking structure on your right after you pass Franklin Ave. Park here.
2 * Hollywood and Highland. After languishing for years as flypaper for runaways and hustlers, Hollywood Boulevard has Times Squared itself in the past decade and is now a polished link to Tinseltown''s heyday. The centerpiece of the area''s revitalization is the retail and entertainment behemoth at Hollywood and Highland, which includes the grand Kodak Theatre, the first permanent home of the Academy Awards. Explore the multitiered Babylonian-style courtyard, inspired by D. W. Griffith''s silent film epic Intolerance, and you''ll find photo-ready views of the HOLLYWOOD sign perched atop Mount Lee in the distance. [??] 30 min. 6801 Hollywood Blvd., at Highland Ave. [??] 323/817-0200. www. hollywoodandhighland.com. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm.
You can leave your car in the Hollywood & Highland parking complex; the next stops are walkable.
3 Beard Papa Sweets Caf?.
Grab one exquisitely calibrated cream puff to go. And I do mean go-if you stay, you might not be able to stop eating. 6801 Hollywood Blvd., #153. [??] 323/462-6100. $.
4 ** Grauman''s Chinese Theatre. "Over the top" would be an understatement. The bronze pagoda roof, garish columns, leering gargoyles, and fiery dragons-for mad impresario Sid Grauman, these were only half the fun. According to the apocryphal story, silent-film star Norma Talmadge accidentally stepped in a patch of wet cement at the theater''s opening (the 1927 premiere of Cecil B. DeMille''s The King of Kings) and the great imprinting tradition was born. A less dramatic version says Grauman got the idea when he observed his chief mason signing his work (look for J.W.K.). Today, the Forecourt of the Stars is cemented in history, crammed with the handprints and footprints of more than 200 movie legends. Perusing them all might leave you with a few questions: Is there a more famous movie theater on the planet? Are Marilyn Monroe''s feet really that tiny? Do I have time to catch a matinee? [??] 45 min. 6925 Hollywood Blvd. [??] 323/464-8111. www.manntheatres.com. Open daily; check website for showtimes.
5 * Walk of Fame. On 18 blocks of pink terrazzo stars, you can find more than 2,000 names-some unforgettable, some already forgotten, and others perhaps less than deserving (sorry, I just don''t think Godzilla is much of an actor). Joanne Woodward received the first star in 1960, and Gene Autry received the most, one for each of the five categories: film, television, music, radio, and theater. Immortality doesn''t come cheap; the honoree must fork over $25,000 (a "sponsorship fee") to cover installation and maintenance. Be sure to poke your head up every once in a while as you shuffle along, or you could miss other landmarks: the immaculate El Capitan Theatre (6838 Hollywood Blvd.), which premiered Citizen Kane in 1941; the Hollywood Roosevelt (7000 Hollywood Blvd.), where the first Academy Awards were held; and another Sid Grauman inspiration, the Egyptian Theatre (6712 Hollywood Blvd.), now home to the American Cinematheque. [??] 30 min.; best times are weekday mornings. Hollywood Blvd. from La Brea Ave. to Gower St. & down Vine St. from Yucca St. to Sunset Blvd.
6 Pig''n Whistle. Food options abound at the Hollywood and Highland center, but if you''re looking for old-school ambience, duck in here for slightly upscale pub fare. 6714 Hollywood Blvd. [??] 323/463-0000. $$.
Back in your car: From Hollywood and Highland, head east to Vine St., take a right on Vine St., and take another right on Sunset Blvd.
7 ** Sunset Boulevard. If you have to choose only one road by which to see the city of Los Angeles, this is the one. Beginning near El Pueblo, the historic core of Downtown, and stretching nearly 25 miles west to the Pacific Ocean, Sunset links working-class ethnic communities (Hispanic, Armenian, Thai), bohemian Silver Lake, historic Hollywood, the always rockin'' Sunset Strip, exclusive Beverly Hills and Bel Air, U.C.L.A., and the Pacific Palisades. For an abbreviated tour, start in Hollywood at Sunset and Vine and head west. You can''t miss the Cinerama Dome (6360 Sunset Blvd.), which anchors the ArcLight Cinemas complex, where serious cineastes get their fix. When you hit Crescent Heights, you''re officially on the world-famous Sunset Strip. Keep your eyes peeled-the names are going to jump out at you hard and fast: Chateau Marmont (no. 8221), the Standard (no. 8300), the Sunset Tower (no. 8358), the Viper Room (no. 8852), and Whisky a Go Go (no. 8901), to name just a few. By the time you reach the pink palace of the Beverly Hills Hotel (no. 9641), you''re loving the lushness of Beverly Hills. Continue on past the gates of Bel Air and the U.C.L.A. campus until you reach Sepulveda Blvd. [??] 45 min.
Head west on Sunset Blvd., take a right at Sepulveda Blvd., and follow the signs for the Getty Center.
8 *** [kids] Getty Center.
Money can''t buy happiness, but J. Paul Getty''s $1.2 billion bought plenty of world-class art (works by van Gogh, Monet, and Man Ray, among others) and an architectural marvel in which to display it-that makes you a little happy, right? Ascend the acropolis and admire the way Richard Meier ballasts his modern, airy design with textured travertine blocks. But don''t forget about the art on the inside. Grab a GettyGuide ($5), your own personal digital docent, and go. See the minitour on p 12.
Head north on the 405, exit Mulholland Dr., and head east.
9 ** Mulholland Drive.
Rolling east along the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains and away from the setting sun, you can watch the canyons pooling with diffuse golden light. It can be hard to keep your eyes on the road, so pull off into one of the many overlooks to take in vistas of the Los Angeles basin to the south and the San Fernando Valley to the north. Repeat as necessary, because an overload of these curves (or worse, tailgating cars) can be as disorienting as watching David Lynch''s Mulholland Drive. [??] 45 min.
From Mulholland Dr., take a right at Cahuenga Blvd., and continue on Highland Ave.
10 *** Hollywood Bowl. Fantastic music, a cool summer evening, a lush green hillside, and an arresting venue steeped in entertainment history-a night at the Hollywood Bowl is a consummate Los Angeles experience. The Bowl derives its name not from its famous backdrop of concentric arches, but from the way Mother Nature cups her hands into a 60-acre canyon once known as Daisy Dell. One of the world''s largest natural amphitheaters, the Bowl was built in 1922 and holds nearly 18,000 people. The bleachers can be a blast, but if you decide to splurge on box seats, you won''t regret it. You can even have a multi-course meal brought right to your box (buy tickets well in advance and order your dinner the day before by 4pm). A diverse schedule-including acts as distinct as the L.A. Philharmonic and Willie Nelson-makes it easy to pick the right night for you. Be sure to come early to check out the Bowl Museum, take a self-guided Bowl Walk, or just relax with a bottle of wine. [??] 2-3 hr. 2301 N. Highland Ave. [??] 323/850-2000. www.hollywoodbowl.com. Tickets $1-$105. June-Sept.
11 * Musso and Frank Grill.
Need a nightcap? The town''s oldest restaurant (established in 1919) was once a workday watering hole for writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Dorothy Parker, and Raymond Chandler, who they say wrote The Big Sleep while boozing in a red-leather booth in the back. Plop into a seat at the counter, order one of their mean martinis, and let yourself slowly drift back in time. When you start calling the bartender "doll face," he''ll let you know it''s time to go. 6667 Hollywood Blvd. [??] 323/ 467-7788. $$.]
If you made it through day 1, you''ve earned a few hours at the beach. Catch the buzz of bustling Venice Boardwalk, then drift up the Pacific Coast Highway past Santa Monica, and splash in the waves of Malibu. Finish up with some hoity-toity shopping on Beverly Hills''s Rodeo Drive. START: Venice.
1 Rose Caf? and Market. A Venice institution for nearly 30 years, this lively cafe will jump-start your day with a cup of joe and something fresh from the bakery (as far as selection goes, the earlier the better-the muffins and scones go like, well, hot cakes). 220 Rose Ave. [??] 310/399-0711. $.
Head west on Rose Ave., go left at Speedway, and look for parking lots along Venice Blvd.
2 * Venice Canals. The image of these canals, like the HOLLYWOOD sign, is a Los Angeles icon born of a busted real-estate venture. In the early 1900s, entrepreneur Abbot Kinney dreamt up "Venice of America," 16 miles of canals connecting piers, theaters, restaurants, and hotels; he even imported a couple dozen gondoliers from Italy. Cars or gondolas: Guess what won out in the long run? Today only a handful of canals and bridges remain, and they form a quaint residential nook. Cute, decades-old bungalows and modernist McMansions flank the canals, which are dotted with ducks and small boats. A peaceful setting for a morning stroll. [??] 30 min. Venice Blvd. (btwn Pacific & Ocean aves.), Venice. Start at the Grand Canal & follow the bridges.
3 *** Venice Boardwalk. When I say it''s a "complete freak show," I mean that lovingly. L.A. has a rich history of people who require a lot of attention, and the Venice Boardwalk is where exhibitionists come to out-exhibit each other: messiahs in Reeboks, amateur acrobats, jewelry-bedecked pit bulls, and a ubiquitous Rollerblading, electric guitar-playing dude who seems to be everywhere at once. Join a drum circle, get a henna tattoo, join a political movement you''ve never heard of, help the skate rats with their Jackass audition, or even join the grunts of the Muscle Beachheads. Or take a front-row seat at the Sidewalk Caf? (1401 Ocean Front Walk) and watch it all through a pair of cheap sunglasses that you''ll lose by the end of your trip. [??] 1-2 hr. Ocean Front Walk (btwn Venice Blvd. & Rose Ave.), Venice.
Take Pacific Ave. north, continue on Ocean Ave., and take a left at Colorado Ave.
4 * Santa Monica Pier. This century-old slice of Americana is considered the end of the line of the legendary Route 66. If you''re catching a Coney Island vibe, that might be because it was designed by amusement-park pioneer Charles Looff, the man who carved the first wooden carousel at Coney Island. Today the Pier''s gorgeous Looff Hippodrome Carousel building is a National Historic Landmark (and not just for its plum roles in film and television, such as in the opening credits of Three''s Company). For a great panorama of the entire Santa Monica Bay, head to the far end of the pier or, even better, take a spin on the world''s first solar-powered Ferris wheel, which sends you nine stories above the water. [??] 30 min. Colorado Ave. at Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. [??] 310/458-8900. www. santamonicapier.org.
From the pier, turn right (south) on Ocean Ave., then turn right on the CA-1/PCH ramp. Go north on the Pacific Coast Hwy. (PCH).
5 * The Pacific Coast Highway. If you haven''t dropped the top of your convertible, now might be a good time. The PCH hugs the dramatic California coastline all the way to the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. But we don''t need to go that far to get the picture. The ocean shimmers to the west, the warm wind whips your hair, and you finally find a song you dig on the radio-it''s little moments like this that keep Angelenos addicted to their cars. [??] 30 min. Pacific Coast Hwy.
6 ** The Getty Villa. Little (but older) sibling of the Getty Center, the Getty Villa is entirely dedicated to ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art. In 1974, when J. Paul Getty''s art collection overran his Malibu ranch home (don''t you hate it when that happens?), he had a museum built next door and modeled it after the Roman Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum. The collection grew and, in 1997, moved into bigger digs: the celebrated Getty Center a few miles away in Brentwood. Reopened in 2006 after a 9-year, $275-million makeover, the Villa displays roughly 1,200 artifacts from 6500 B.C. to A.D. 600 (from a total collection of 44,000 items). Fittingly, you enter the lavish grounds from an elevated walkway, as if stumbling across an archaeological dig. Wander the sun-drenched formal gardens (even the smelly one, the Herb Garden, which grows herbs popular with the ancient Romans), and soak in the magnificent Pacific views. Admission is limited to around 1,200 people a day, so reservations are a must. The museum remains a hot ticket, despite being dogged by charges from the Greek and Italian governments that some artifacts were acquired illegally. [??] 1 hr. 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu. [??] 310/ 440-7300. www.getty.edu. Thurs-Mon 10am-5pm. Reservations strongly recommended. Free admission. Parking $8.
7 Cafe at the Getty Villa. Mediterranean-inspired lunch fare is simple, but it''s made tastier by an outdoor patio with a killer view. Thurs-Mon 11am-4:30pm. $.
Head west along the PCH.
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Excerpted from Frommer''s Los Angeles Day by Dayby Garth Mueller Copyright © 2008 by Garth Mueller. Excerpted by permission.
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