The 5 Absolute Best Places To See The Famous Hollywood Sign in LA

The famous Hollywood Sign in LA is much more than a staple in the City of Angels. It’s a symbol of how Los Angeles became the top city for film and television for many decades. It’s a sight for tourists who roam across town in tour buses, rentals, or afoot. The history of the Hollywood sign begins in 1923. Originally, it was a marketing plan by a real estate company that wanted to get its name out there to the public. The original spelling of the monument was HOLLYWOODLAND. The 50-foot-high and 400-foot-wide sign was supposed to stay on Mount Lee for eighteen months. Due to popular demand from the city, the famous Hollywood sign became a permanent fixture in Los Angeles. It has had several renovations to preserve the famous sign through donations from Hugh Hefner and other influential figures.

As Los Angeles celebrates the 100th anniversary of the famous Hollywood Sign, there are several locations to view the legendary monument.

Where Is The Sign?

The famous sign is on top of Mount Lee in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood by the end of Mount Lee Drive. It’s near several parks where visitors and natives can capture beautiful photos or views of the sign. There are several places near and far to view the famous Hollywood sign.

Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory is at 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Visitors can go there to get not just a wonderful view of the sign but also a great overlook of the City of Angels. It has free admission and easily accessible parking, compared to the rest of Hollywood, to explore the observatory grounds and capture some shots of the famous Hollywood sign. Griffith Observatory has a planetarium, free-to-use telescopes, and more for visitors.

Innsdale Drive Trail

The Innsdale Drive Trail provides many opportunities to view the sign up close. It also provides the longest hiking trail in that area. Street parking can be found on Tahoe Drive or Canyon Lake Drive. About 0.45 miles into the hike, the Hollywood sign becomes easily visible as the trail bends right below the mountain. Be aware of the “restricted” areas. Crossing into those areas can result in fines and possible arrest. Innsdale Drive can also send hikers into different areas to view the sign such as Mulholland Highway and the exit of Griffith Park.

Mt. Lee Drive

Mt. Lee Drive is the shortest and quickest route to get close to the Hollywood sign. However, it’s not as easily accessible as the other locations mentioned in this list. Parking is not allowed on the western ends of the trailhead from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays. It follows an asphalt trail at the gated end of Deondra Drive and goes up the north side of the mountain. Mt. Lee Drive takes you just behind the letters and presents hikers with a beautiful view of the city that stretches toward the coastline. Along the trail, you can find over two hundred bird species, lizards, and many different mammals.

Bronson Caves

The Bronson Caves not only give a majestic view of the monument, but they are also the home of the iconic Batcave from the Batman show in the sixties. It is also home to scenes from films like Army Of Darkness and The Searchers. It is a relatively short hike compared to the other trails on the list, clocking in under an hour, but it is an effective trail to get some amazing shots of the sign itself. To access the caves, park at the parking lot at the end of Brush Canyon and you’ll reach a gate by Camp Hollywoodland. After that gate, keep going north through the Brush Canyon and you’ll be there in no time.

Ovation Hollywood

Ovation Hollywood is the host to the Dolby Theater, which has been the home of the Oscars since 2002. It is catered to having multiple areas that display the larger-than-life sign from a distance. A tourist favorite is the 4th level bridge. Ovation Hollywood is also a shopping center and event venue. Their Instagram page is very active in showing how much they do for their community and its visitors. Before it was a shopping center, Ovation Hollywood used to be the location of the famous 1092 Hotel. The 1902 Hotel was a popular spot during the very early days of Hollywood. Other than it being a shopping center, it is a studio hub where many different TV shows are filmed.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Laurin P/Shutterstock.com