Visit to Hollywood on a Friday Evening ?

[CanadaJulie]

I asked this question inside a thread on the DLR board but go no response - I figure it might be better asked in this board.

This is my first time to California - coming in from the cold in western Canada in January for a convention. I only have 4 extra days to do all the stuf my BF and I want to do and the list is LONG !!

We want to visit Hollywood and are wondering if it is feasable to go after the conference ends on Friday ? We'd leave the Long Beach Convention center at around 2-3pm (as soon as I'm done) and drive to Hollywood (we have a car), see the sights there, do some shopping, get a picture of the sign, wander the walk of Fame, see the hand/foot prints and drive back to Anaheim late at night where we are spending the next 4 days.

Is this a good/bad idea ? I don't know Hollywood at night... Also the trafic might be horrendous on Friday at that time... I'm sure there are other things I hadn't though of too... Any suggestions ?

Thanks !
Julie

 

[Eaglefan9727]

As a former resident of Southern California and spent quite alot of time in Hollywood back in the early 90's. I would give myself about 6 hours for any activities you would want to do in Hollywood. That includes the 45 to 60 minute trip from Long Beach to Hollywood, But does not include the trip back to Anahiem.

 

[tracys2cents]

Be sure to end your evening with a trip to the fabulous Griffith Park Observatory, just a couple of miles from Hollywood and Vine.

 

[Magix]

If you can make the trip closer to 2pm than 3pm, you should be generally okay with traffic. Starts to get bad around 3pm, but even at that, it shouldn't be too horrible.

Presuming you'll visit Hollywood & Highland, so be sure to get some creampuffs at Beard Papa's!!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I wouldn't drive it anywhere between 4 and 7pm. It will take you anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on accidents, traffic, etc. However, after 7pm, it should only take you about 45 minutes or so. Keep in mind that when you come North on the 5 - take the 101 to get the closest to Highland (you will get off at the Hollywood Bowl exit and go South from there). When you leave, if you go to Griffith Park to see the Hollywood sign, you will go Hollywood Blvd east to Western - turn left on Western and that will bear right, becoming Los Feliz. You can then take that east until you see the Griffith Park entrance. After you come out of the Park, you will make a left and pick up the 5 to go straight back to Anaheim.

Hollywood and Highland complex stays open very late, so you should park there - safest lot and spend until 11pm or so before heading back. If you abbreviate your list of things, you should be fine.

You should be able to accomplish (all within 2 blocks of or immediately at the Hollywood and Highland complex) the Walk of Fame, the footprints at Mann's, Disney's El Capitan Theater and the Disney Soda Fountain, shopping, Beard Papa's (yum for the strawberry filled and the original), the Egyptian Theater, and The Kodak Theater. Also within a few blocks is the Hollywood Bowl, which is difficult to see and will most likely have a concert.

The Hollywood sign isn't really very easy to get to for photographing - one of the best places to go would be the Griffith Park Observatory. I would enter the park off the 5 and Los Feliz and you have to drive through a fair amount of the park to get to that good vantage point. It's easier done in the daytime, but the view at night is spectacular and kind of frightening from a "good God - look at all of the lights that indicate how many people there really are here!" kind of way.