The Best Spots to See the Hollywood Sign

In a city full of tourist draws, the Hollywood Sign is arguably the most iconic. While it faced decades of disrepair in the middle of the 20th century, it's back to its former glory. The downside? It can be really hard to get up close for that perfect shot! And as Hollywood continues to build up with high-rise hotels, offices, and apartment buildings, it's increasingly difficult to see it from the streets.

 
Photo by Gina Ragland.

Luckily, we have the inside scoop on the 10 best places to view the Hollywood sign. From rugged hillside vistas to Central LA buildings' rooftops, there are quite a few great places to see the sign. 

If you're looking for other fun things to do with kids, check out 77 free things to do with kids in Los Angeles during the summer, the ultimate guide to Discover Cube: LA, and themed restaurants and dinner shows in Los Angeles. 

Runyon Canyon

Runyon Canyon is a must-hike for active tourists who want to take in sweeping views of Central Los Angeles and the Westside. While most people hit the trails in hopes of spotting an incognito celebrity getting a light workout, the views of the Hollywood Sign are excellent. Take the recently paved and moderately well-maintained Runyon Canyon Road Hiking Path or the more rugged Inspiration Point trail to get those views. 

It’s easier to park on the city side of Runyon Canyon, with street parking being very tight but doable around Sunset and LaBrea. You can also access the park from the north along Mulholland, but there’s just a small dirt parking lot and very little if any, street parking. You can also take the Metro to Runyon from the B Line stop at Hollywood and Highland. It’s a bit of an urban hike to get to the park’s entrance on Fuller Ave.—but with parking being so tight, you might walk just as far from your parking spot!

Griffith Observatory

The Griffith Observatory might be just as much of an LA icon as the Hollywood Sign. Built in the 1930s, it offers visitors some of the best views of the city—and the galaxy! It’s located down the hill from the Hollywood Sign, making it a perfect, leisurely way to get perfect photos.

Plus, unlike other options on this list, parking at the Griffith Observatory is relatively easy. 

Mt. Hollywood Trail

If just viewing the sign from the Griffith Observatory isn’t enough physical activity, you can take the Mt. Hollywood Trail for a little exercise and a better view. Just park in the Observatory lot and walk to the northern side of the parking lot to find the trailhead. 

Warning — it gets very hot in the summer in Los Angeles and there’s not much shade on Mt. Hollywood Trail. Be sure to bring lots of water and wear sunscreen! 

Sunset Ranch Guided Trails

Viewing the Hollywood Sign makes for great photo ops, but as an experience, some visitors find it a bit of a letdown. That’s why Sunset Ranch Guided Trails is the perfect way to make seeing the sign a little more experiential. You get to ride horses in the Hollywood Hills! 

The ranch offers two guided trail rides, the Mt. Hollywood Day Tour for $125 per person, and the Mt. Hollywood Evening Tour for $175. Keep in mind that the Hollywood Sign is not illuminated at night, so you’ll only be able to see the sign during the early parts of the tour.

Lake Hollywood Park

If you’re more interested in just lounging around and leisurely taking in views of the Hollywood Sign, visit Lake Hollywood. That’s right, there’s a lake right in the middle of the Hollywood Hills! Next to Lake Hollywood is a large grassy park with a playground and nice shady areas.

There’s only street parking, so finding a space might be tight (and since it’s up in the hills, it’s not walkable from the city). It pays to go early and beat the traffic (and heat).

Hollywood Sign from Mulhollland Drive. photo by Matt Kieffer, via Flickr 2.0

Jerome C. Daniel Overlook on Mulholland Drive

One of the best places to see the Hollywood Sign is also one of the least-known. Jerome C. Daniel Overlook is located right along Mulholland Drive, above the Hollywood Bowl. The observation deck is located up a staircase, opening to breathtaking views of the Downtown, Koreatown, and Mid-Wilshire skylines, plus views of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Bowl below. Like Lake Hollywood Park, finding a place to park your car may be challenging, so head up early.

Hollywood Bowl

Speaking of the Hollywood Bowl, it’s also a great place to see the sign! The best views of the Hollywood sign at the Bowl are on the western end of the seating area. One of the best things about the venue is that there’s not a bad seat in the house, and while the boxes and terrace levels can be expensive, tickets in the bench seats are incredibly affordable. 

If you’re not up for an entire show, you can also visit the Bowl during rehearsals, which is completely free! Rehearsals usually happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the Bowl season.

 
Ovation Hollywood. Photo by Jan Helebrant via Flickr, Public Domain 

Ovation at Hollywood and Highland

If you don’t have a car or aren’t interested in hiking or driving up into the Hills, you can see the Hollywood Sign from the city’s streets! The best place to view the sign in Hollywood is easily the 4th-Level Bridge of the Ovation at Hollywood and Highland—in fact, it was designed specifically to give visitors a prime view of the iconic sign.

The Roof of the Academy Museum

Another great rooftop to view the sign is at the Academy Museum on Wilshire in the Miracle Mile. Atop this new-ish museum (which is free for kids!) is the Dolby Family Terrace, which has a direct sightline to the Hollywood Sign.

Barnsdall Arts Park

One of Los Angeles’ hidden gems is the Barnsdall Arts Park in East Hollywood. This grassy park is perched on a knoll right below the Hollywood Hills, directly below the sign. It’s perfect for enjoying a picnic and taking in LA’s incredible weather. 

 The Hollyhock House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is one draw of the park (in addition to the views!). If you want to walk to local restaurants, Vermont Village and the rest of Los Feliz is just a few blocks away.