10+ Things to Do in Hollywood During Your Trip to Los Angeles

By Katie Sagal
Published: July 18, 2024

Los Angeles is a vibrant city, full of art, history, and nature. Of course, many people flock to L.A. for the movie and television culture that the area is most famous for. But Hollywood isn’t always easily approachable – there’s so much to see and do that it can often be overwhelming. Fortunately for you, we’ve put together a curated list of our favorite things in Tinsel Town. So, if you’re looking for things to do in Hollywood during your trip to Los Angeles, check out our list of the best local activities and attractions, including...

  • Madame Tussauds Hollywood
  • Guinness World Records Museum
  • TCL Chinese Theatres Tour
  • Hollywood Behind the Scenes Tour
  • And more!

Save on Hollywood Attraction Admission

Admission to many of these top Los Angeles attractions and activities and more are available on the Go Los Angeles® Card. Choose as you go from top attractions and save up to 50% on combined admission vs. paying at the gate. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more.

Things to Do in HollywoodMadame Tussauds Hollywood

Image of Computer Hardware, Electronics, Hardware, Screen, Monitor, Fashion, Adult, Male, Man, Person, Formal Wear, Tie, People, Hat, TV, Microphone, Female, Woman, Crowd, Suit, Fans of Hollywood will love the chance to experience celebrity culture and “meet” their favorite actors, musicians, and historical figures at Madame Tussauds. This fascinating wax museum is an incredible experience, and visitors of all ages get a kick out of the figures and exhibits. Don't miss the new Marvel Superheroes 4D exhibit. Enjoy multi-sensory components alongside the wax figures, all set in themed areas. Then, check out the exhilarating 4D film experience. Superhero fans of all ages will love it! Getting In: Madame Tussauds Hollywood tickets are available with the Go Los Angeles® Card.

TCL Chinese Theatres Guided Tour

Take a tour of this world-famous movie theatre and see where celebrity culture is concentrated in Hollywood. You’ll hear fascinating stories about Hollywood premieres and celebrities. Plus, you can tour their Forecourt of the Stars, which features cement hand and food prints of big name stars. Plan to go on your tour later in the day, or stick around for dinner, so you can see Hollywood Lights: The Magic of Movies at the TCL Theatre. This nightly light show features 3D projection mapping that fully covers the facade of the theatre with iconic moments from big-screen movies and 90 years of TCL Theatre history. The 4-minute show plays every 20 minutes starting at 8:30 pm every night. Getting In: TCL Chinese Theatres Guided Tour tickets are available on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Hollywood Behind the Scenes Tour by Red Line Tours

Image of Shoe, Person, Walking, Sandal, Adult, Male, Man, Boy, Teen, Child, Sneaker, This comprehensive walking tour is a delightful way to explore the secret and not-so-secret hotspots in Hollywood. See everything from big name icons like the TCL Chinese Theatre and Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre to smaller sites like filming locations and the best place to get a photo of the Hollywood sign. If you only do one walking tour in LA, this Hollywood Behind the Scenes tour should be it! Getting In: Hollywood Behind the Scenes Tour tickets are available on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour by CitySightseeing

Image of Adult, Male, Man, Person, Glasses, Female, Woman, Necklace, Urban, Bus, Vehicle, Expand your horizons beyond the Hollywood neighborhood to explore other areas of the city on this handy hop-on hop-off city tour. Open-air double-decker buses will escort you throughout Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Downtown L.A. Get off at any stop that interests you for a fully customizable tour. Keep in mind that while these buses do explore the Hollywood region, they pick up at Santa Monica Pier. So, this tour may be best for those who only want to see a little bit of Hollywood. Getting In: Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off City Tour tickets are available on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Starline Movie Stars’ Homes Tour

Image of Pants, Adult, Female, Person, Woman, Male, Man, Shoe, Pickup Truck, Truck, Vehicle, Car, A two-hour tour that roams throughout the Hollywood area, this highly-rated Movie Stars’ Homes Tour showcases the homes and hangouts of top celebrities. The best part about this tour is the flexibility they have to drive through neighborhoods typically closed to most tour buses. Keep an eye out for any celebrity sightings, and have your cameras ready! Getting In: Starline Movie Stars’ Homes Tour tickets are available on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Dolby Theatre® Guided Tour

Image of Lighting, Concert, Crowd, Person, Computer Hardware, Monitor, Screen, Indoors, This half-hour Dolby Theatre Tour is your VIP access to the home of the Academy Awards® Ceremonies. Step inside and revel in the elegance of this state of the art facility. Inspired by the elegance of a European opera house, with state-of-the-art technical capabilities, the Dolby Theatre has hosted the world's top performers. Celine Dion, Prince, Dixie Chicks, American Ballet Theatre, Barry Manilow and the Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet have all performed on this stage! Getting In: Dolby Theatre® Guided Tour tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Hollywood Museum

Image of City, Road, Street, Urban, Indoors, Chair, Furniture, Lighting, Person, Image credit: Hollywood Museum.
Behold the cinematic splendor as you peruse thousands of beloved items from Hollywood's glitzy history, spread out on four floors and across 35,000 square feet. See 10,000 authentic shoebox treasures showcasing 100 years of Hollywood! The Hollywood Museum boasts ten thousand items. Getting In: Hollywood Museum tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Guinness World Record Museum of Hollywood

Image of Microphone, Adult, Male, Man, Person, Female, Woman, Bride, Tie, Glasses, Belt, Explore record-breaking facts and feats, documented by the best-selling book, brought to life at the Guinness World Records Museum and take a turn attempting to set a new world record. Don’t miss weighing yourself (and your whole group!) against the world’s heaviest person, comparing your height with the world’s tallest man, and testing your wits about world-record achievements. Getting In: Guinness World Record Museum of Hollywood tickets are available with the Build Your Own Pass.

Griffith Observatory

Image of Building, Observatory, Grass, Tower, Located in the beautiful Griffith Park (another great place to explore around Los Angeles), the Griffith Observatory is filled with fascinating exhibits that focus on astronomy. You’ll see a Foucault pendulum and a Tesla Coil, among some other really cool technologies. You can also take in a planetarium show and look through their famous refracting telescope, located on the roof. Getting In: Admission to the Griffith Observatory is free.

Things to do Near HollywoodThe Broad

If you’re looking to infuse a little more culture into your life, a visit to the Broad is a must on your to-do list. The newest contemporary art museum in all of L.A., the Broad is filled with 2,000 fascinating, inspiring, and thought-provoking works of art. They also feature periodic special exhibits, so there’s plenty to see on repeat visits as well. Getting In: Admission to the Broad is free.

La Brea Tar Pits

Image of Grass, Nature, Outdoors, Park, Pond, Water, Animal, Zoo, Vegetation, Elephant, Mammal, Wildlife, Flag, Tree, Person, Explore one of Los Angeles’ natural marvels – the amazing La Brea Tar Pits. An excavation site for fossils from eons long past, today it’s still an active paleontological site. There’s also an accompanying museum that offers special exhibits and excavation tours. Getting In: La Brea Tar Pits and Museum tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

California Science Center & IMAX

Image of City, Shop, Shopping Mall, Urban, Downtown, People, Person, This hands-on museum offers tons of exhibits showcasing science and technology in many forms. Permanent exhibits feature everything from aquariums filled with live specimens to a popular exhibit containing the space shuttle Endeavour. There’s even an IMAX theater and a number of rotating special exhibits (a small fee applies for these additional activities). Getting In: Admission to the California Science Center is free; and IMAX theater tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Hollywood

Image of City, Light, Traffic Light, Palm Tree, Tree, Neighborhood, Urban, Ripley’s has long been hailed as the home of all things weird and wild, and this installation is no exception. There are plenty of funky things to explore at this top Hollywood attraction, from exhibits about natural phenomenon to those containing man-made curiosities. Getting In: Ripley’s Believe it Not! Hollywood is separately ticketed and not available on the Go Los Angeles® Card.

Remember to Save on Attraction Admission

These are our top recommendations for things to do in Hollywood during your trip to Los Angeles. Go Los Angeles® Card, which can help you can save up to 50% on combined admission vs. paying at the gate. We hope you consider adding a few of these fun options to your L.A. vacation plans.

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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Visiting Los Angeles on a Budget - A Simple Way to Save on Your Vacation

It’s no secret that family vacations can get expensive in a hurry - airfares, hotels, attractions, dining... the list goes on and on. There are tons of fun family things to do, whether you want to get closer to nature in the Los Angeles sun or hop on a roller coaster. You can take in some history or visit a few of the most iconic studios in television and movies. Los Angeles truly has some of the most unique attractions in the world. Best yet, L.A. can be a great choice for budget-minded travelers, especially when you use a Go Los Angeles Card, which makes visiting Los Angeles on a budget a breeze. Save on Admission to Tourist Attractions Admission to many of these Los Angeles tourist attractions and are included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Go Los Angeles Cards give you the flexibility to choose as you go from dozens of top attractions to create a vacation tailored to your family's interests. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. A few of the attractions include: Universal Studios Hollywood Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood Madame Tussauds Hollywood Aquarium of the Pacific and more! Top Attractions to Visit for a Budget Friendly Trip Universal Studios Hollywood If you love the movies, Universal Studios in Hollywood is likely at the top of your “must see” list in Los Angeles—and it should be! Each attraction takes you up close and personal with some of Universal Studios’ biggest movies. Get ready for the ultimate Hollywood movie experience! Getting In: Universal Studios Hollywood tickets are included on 3, 5, and 7-Day Go Los Angeles Cards. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood Image Credit: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Go behind the scenes of some of your favorite movies and shows with the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Hollywood. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is a tour inside a real, working Hollywood Studio You’ll see props, costumes, and sets that are actually used currently and in prior shows and movies. Tour guests also get to see the Harry Potter Exhibit and a DC Comic Exhibit as well. Getting In: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Madame Tussauds Hollywood Madame Tussauds Hollywood’s famous wax museum lets you unbelievably close to wax versions of some of the most famous celebrities of all time. You will be in shock and awe when you see how life-like these figures can be. One of the guests’ favorite activities is taking photos with their most adored celebs, from crushes to idols. Even President Obama makes an appearance. Getting In: Madame Tussauds Hollywood tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Aquarium of the Pacific Image credit: Andrew Reitsma/Aquarium of the Pacific Explore the ocean depths at the Aquarium of the Pacific. See the beautiful creatures of the deep blue without ever leaving land. The Aquarium is a great way to see and observe many of the area’s natural wildlife, from sharks to birds. Children and adults alike will enjoy this educational and interesting stop. Some of the awe-inspiring exhibits cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. Getting In: Aquarium of the Pacific tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Whale Watch or Harbor Cruise in Long Beach Get out on the water and see whales, dolphins, and other marine life up close, right off the coast of California. Experienced and knowledgeable marine mammal educators from the Aquarium of the Pacific narrate each tour providing valuable insight and interesting facts about the sea animals, their environment, and more. It’s a great way to spend some time during a gorgeous Los Angeles afternoon. Getting In: Long Beach Cruise tickets are included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Fun Options to Visit During Your Trip: Are you looking for some more exciting ideas to include during your trip? There is something for everyone in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive! There are plenty of other fun options to choose from, including these activities included on the Go Los Angeles Card. Knott's Berry Farm - Adventure seekers head to Knott’s Berry Farm for roller coasters and gravity-defying thrill rides. Children’s rides and family rides are also a plenty. Pacific Park- Santa Monica Pier - Take a ride on the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel or ride one of the exciting roller coasters at Pacific Park. You can also play games and get all of the traditional mouth-watering fair food available on the Santa Monica Pier. Sony Pictures Studio Tour - If you are looking for an adults-only option, the Sony Pictures Studio Tour provides behind the scenes looks at sets of many of your favorite shows and movies. Only children ages 12 and up are permitted. Perry's Beach Cafe and Rentals - If you want to get outdoors and work up a sweat, you can rent bikes, rollers skates, and much more from Perry’s Beach Café and Rentals! They also have beach gear for rent as well. Hollywood Museum - See some of the most iconic items from your favorite movies and shows—from famous props to jaw-dropping costumes. Get close to “old Hollywood” in a completely new way. Free Activities for a Budget Friendly Vacation The Beaches - Los Angeles is known for its beaches, and many are free and open to the public. Los Angeles is home to eight amazing beaches. Every visit to Los Angeles on a budget should include at least one beach visit! Griffith Observatory - Griffith Observatory offers unique views into the night sky and breathtaking views of the city high above Los Angeles. They also offer exhibits and live shows. Hike to the Hollywood Sign - The iconic Hollywood sign is just a hike away! The hike goes through the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains and offers amazing views of the city below. Although you cannot touch the sign, hiking directly to the sign is the closest you can get! La Brea Tar Pits - This exhibit is home to the most well-known fossil site. See the pit itself and check out their amazing fossil lab. The history and the excavation process will fascinate adults and kids alike. Explore Santa Monica Pier - No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a trip to the Santa Monic Pier for special events, concerts, and more. There is something for everyone on the pier! Let's Recap on Visiting Los Angeles on a Budget Don’t let your vacation budget limit your fun! Visiting Los Angeles on a budget is possible, and the Go Los Angeles Card can help, where you can save up to 55% on combined attraction admission vs paying at the gate. Remember, many of these great budget friendly attraction options and more are included on the Go Los Angeles Card, So when you are planning your trip, consider including some of these options to your Los Angeles vacation itinerary.
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Los Angeles in October

Fall in Los Angeles is a wonderful time of the year. As the heat winds down, the fun really kicks off during October with a myriad of cool and interesting things to do. Whether you’re an art lover, a thrill-seeker, or a nature enthusiast, you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes. And of course, since this is October after all, the city comes to life with lots of fun seasonal activities and pop-up events. From spooktastic Halloween events at Disneyland to unique Oktoberfest events, there should be more than enough to keep you busy. This is also an especially good time of the year to visit L.A. since there should be cooler weather, smaller crowds, and a better chance of finding great deals on accommodation and travel. So, if you’re thinking about making the trip, have a read through our list of some of the best things to do in the city during this time of the year. We promise that you won’t be disappointed! Find Fun Activities Los Angeles is home to some of the best theme parks on the planet, but of course, none of them quite stand out like Disneyland! Since opening way back in 1955, this place has become one of the most visited theme parks in the world - and it’s easy to see why! A classic all-American vacation spot, Disneyland is home to some of the most iconic rides, including It’s a Small World, Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. Within the park there are over 30 rides, so you know that there’s always something to choose from. October is a great time to visit since the weather will be temperate and dry. During this time of the year, the park also hosts some fantastic seasonal events, including the Oogie Boogie Bash and Halloween Screams. Whether you’re a kid or just young at heart, this quintessential L.A. attraction is sure to leave you with a huge smile stretched across your face. Of course, it just wouldn’t be an article about things to do in October without mentioning Oktoberfest. In a sprawling city like Los Angeles, there are a lot of ways to celebrate this traditional Bavarian holiday - all you have to do is pick your favorite! If your ideal Oktoberfest involves kicking back with a beer on the beach (and let’s face it, why wouldn’t it be?), then the Old World Oktoberfest might just be your jam. Billed as ‘’Orange County’s Biggest Party since 1977’’, this event really hits the spot. Or, if you love the idea of bratwurst but have devoted yourself to clean living, why not check out the Vegan Oktoberfest? Complete with vegan breweries and plant-based vendors, this spot is perfect for all cruelty-free visitors. For something a little bit different, check out the San Gabriel Dumpling and Beer Fest. However you choose to enjoy Oktoberfest in L.A., we’re sure you’ll have a blast! Learn Something New Those looking for history and culture in Los Angeles won’t have to search very far. Though there are countless great cultural amenities to choose from whilst visiting L.A., we particularly love the Huntington Library for its world-class repository. Combining art, history and nature all in one, this beloved tourist attraction is well-recognized for its all-encompassing collection. A total dream for all bibliophiles, the institute’s library houses more than 430,000 rare books, original manuscripts and historic documents. Meanwhile, its art gallery houses one of the best collections of British art in the United States. Still, perhaps the institute’s main draw is its botanical garden, which is home to over 150 plant varieties on its 150 acres. There’s a whole to lot see and do here, so we recommend setting aside a good amount of time aside for your visit to ensure that you don’t miss a single thing! As the epicenter of the United States’ entertainment industry, Los Angeles is a fantastic visitor destination for pop culture lovers and creative types alike. There are countless museums and cultural institutions to choose from, though we particularly love the Grammy Museum. Standing out from all the other institutes in Los Angeles, this unique speciality institute provides a fun and fascinating look into the history and significance of American music. Though young, the museum’s collection is impressive, with historical instruments, iconic costumes, awards, and much more. There are interactive instrument stations and recording booths to enhance the experience. The institute’s 200-seat theater also hosts live events including performances, screenings and lectures. Working to honor a long history of innovation and creative thought, this spot is perfect for all music lovers. Get in Touch With Nature Seated along the western coastline, Los Angeles is well-recognized for its beautiful natural attributes. If you’re looking to take in some of the area’s most wonderful greenery, we recommend Descanso Gardens. Just a short trip from downtown, this lush forested area offers a much-needed respite from the bustling city. Over its vast 150 acres, visitors can enjoy an extraordinary living repository. The site is home to a fantastic collection of exotic and native flora - there are magnificent oak woodlands, a wide collection of fruit trees, and the largest concentration of camellia plants in the Western Hemisphere. This spot isn’t too difficult to walk through - overall, it should take about an hour explore the full space. Still, we recommend wearing your comfiest shoes and bringing plenty of water with you to stay comfortable. A treasure trove of natural beauty, this spot is a total must-see. With its soft breezes and cooler temperatures, Los Angeles is a pleasure to explore in autumntime! Whatever Tinseltown lacks for in foliage, the city more than makes up for with exciting events and activities of all kinds. From kicking back with a nice cold one at Oktoberfest to ambling through the beautiful Descanso Gardens, the City of Angels never falls short. Explore the area to its full potential with GoCity’s All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass. If you’d like to know more, connect with us on Instagram and Facebook. With Go City, you can see more, for less.
Sarah Harris

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