The Best Places to See & Photograph the Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood Sign is one of the most iconic landmarks in the state of California. People all over the world are familiar with the sign, and it is something that most Los Angeles tourists want to see when they visit. While getting close to the sign is not as easy as you would think, here are my favorite ways to view the Hollywood Sign while in Los Angeles. Let me know what I left off in the comments.

Video

Here is a video I made of all the spots as well, or you can read about each below.

Lake Hollywood Park

If you are looking for the easiest / close view of the Hollywood Sign, then this is probably your best bet. This dog park has street parking and amazing Hollywood Sign views. You can even walk up the hill along the road if you want to get another, slightly different perspective of the sign. If you are looking for a comfortable and close view, this is it.

  • Address: 3160 Canyon Lake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Lake Hollywood Reservoir

Located just a little ways from the last spot, Lake Hollywood Reservoir has a great view of the sign on the southwest side. You can park at the Hollywood Reservoir Trailhead for a short walk to the lookout, or you can park on Lake Hollywood Drive and walk about a mile to this viewpoint. I love seeing the sign from here because it is a much more nature focused view of the sign, as opposed to the rest of the list.

Address: 6381-6399 Weidlake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Bronson Canyon

For the next few recommendations, I included four different viewpoints that are great spots to stop and view the sign along the Brush Canyon Trail. First, Bronson Canyon is where they filmed some of the TV Batman show, and if you walk through the cave, you can get a beautiful, far away view of the sign.

Continuing on the Brush Canyon Trail, the sign will peek out in the distance as you make your way towards it. Eventually, the trail will split with the Hollyridge Trail, which takes you down to the next viewpoint.

  • Address for the trailhead to start this hike: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Hollyridge Trail

The Hollyridge Viewpoint is part of a no longer accessible trail, so you have to get to it from the Brush Canyon hike. It provides a beautiful view of the sign with a few small mountains in front of it, and it is much less busy then the next recommendation of the viewpoint on Mt Lee Drive.

Mt Lee Drive

Mt Lee Drive is probably the best front facing view of the sign, but it is not as easy to access as Lake Hollywood Park. You can drive through the windy streets of the neighborhood to get up here, but there is no real parking and lots of signs you will want to watch out for, even if you find a spot. Most people who come here walk up along the streets, hike in on the Brush Canyon Trail, or get dropped off somewhere nearby. It is not as easy to get to, but it is a beautiful view of the sign.

Behind the Hollywood Sign

My last recommendation along the Brush Canyon Trail is just a hike up to the sign. If you take the Brush Canyon Trail, then you are almost to the top of Mt Lee, which is the back of the sign, but you can also hike to the sign from other trails as well. However you get there, the views from behind the sign looking down on LA and Lake Hollywood are awe-inspiring. I have done it many times, and it never gets old to me when you see the sign in this way.

Griffith Observatory

Moving on from the close viewpoints, my next recommendation is Griffith Observatory. Griffith Observatory is fantastic to explore on its own, but it also has a great view of the sign out in the distance. I love watching the sunset on the sign from this angle, and even though it is far away, it is still a great viewpoint. Bonus points if you hike Mt Hollywood from the observatory as there are some great views from up there as well.

  • Address: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Hollywood Bowl / Overlook

Next up, the Hollywood Bowl is a unique spot to view the sign. If you visit during the day, you can walk to the top and get some good views of the sign behind the famous bowl. Or you can drive up to the Jerome C Daniel Overlook of the Hollywood Bowl on Mullholland and get great views out towards the sign as well.

  • Address: Hollywood Bowl Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Runyon Canyon

For my second to last recommendation, a hike in Runyon Canyon Park will also give you a good view of the sign. I like this park in general as it is an excellent way to break a sweat in the city with views of Hollywood, but if you turn the other way, you can see the Hollywood Sign in the distance. It is another viewpoint that is relatively far away but provides an interesting perspective.

  • Trailhead Address: 2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Hollywood and Highland

My last recommendation is the closest that many tourists get to the sign, and that is at the mall on Hollywood and Highland. This area is the main tourist section of Hollywood, near the Walk of Fame and the Chinese Theater. If you go to the mall at Hollywood and Highland and go up to the second or third floor, you can get views of the sign in the distance, and it is an excellent way to see the sign if you don’t plan to leave the downtown area.

  • Address: 6815 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Palm Tree Lined Street

I wanted to share this bonus suggestion as well if you are looking for a fun photo of the Hollywood Sign, and you have a zoom lens. It is really far away, so don’t go just to see it, but this viewpoint on the corner of Windsor and 5th will give you a unique photo of the sign with a zoom like a 70-200mm.

  • Address: S Windsor Blvd and 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Let me know what I left off, and thanks for exploring with me!

Similar Posts