Abigail Stone as Princess Fiona from Shrek poses with her umbrella in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on a rainy day in Hollywood. A variety of costumed characters gather at this spot to pose for pictures with tourists in exchange for tips. Photo by Kayte Deioma
A Rainy Day in …Hollywood, CA
While sunshine is the norm in Los Angeles in the summer – at least after the morning haze burns off – winter brings its share of drizzly days and torrential downpours to La La Land. The last thing you want to be doing in LA in the rain is driving around on the freeways. Angelenos really don’t know how to drive in the rain. So I’m breaking Rainy Day L.A. down into neighborhoods that can be navigated without getting on the freeway.
This month we’ll look at things to do on a Rainy Day in Hollywood since that’s the place most visitors start and there’s plenty to do to keep you out of the rain.
Even though you can address mail to Hollywood, CA, Hollywood is not a city; it is part of the City of Los Angeles. Like many Los Angeles communities, it has a personality of its own. With glamorous beginnings as home to some of the earliest movie studios in L.A., Hollywood’s reputation took a dive into sleaze in the 70s and 80s. Since the late 90s, Hollywood has received a major face lift and staged a comeback as a glitzy destination representing the heart of the entertainment industry. There are still remnants of sleazy Hollywood with strip clubs, lingerie and sex toy shops interspersed between the tourist attractions, upscale restaurants and A-list nightclubs, but that’s part of what makes Hollywood, Hollywood.