With an image from Hollywood’s golden era often in visitors’ minds, many come to Hollywood expecting to rub elbows with the stars and find work in the studios. The reality is that only a handful of studios, Paramount among them, remain in Hollywood.

The famous Sunset Boulevard ("the Strip”) runs through the heart of Hollywood, providing access to neighboring West Hollywood, a place known for its bustling nightlife. Along Hollywood Boulevard, the recently built Hollywood and Highland (at the intersection of the same name) is a multi-story outdoor mall that, from its third-floor pedestrian bridge, offers the best view anywhere of the Hollywood sign.

It is anchored by the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel and classy Kodak Theatre (host to the annual Academy Awards). Step out onto the Boulevard and you’ll find a cluster of twenties-era theaters: Mann’s Chinese, the Egyptian, and the El Capitan, known as the places to go for opening night movies.