Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles and the symbolic home of the global film industry. The tourist strip along Hollywood Boulevard — the Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held — is genuinely atmospheric but also genuinely crowded with costumed characters and souvenir shops. The best things about Hollywood require looking slightly beyond the obvious: up the hill to Griffith Observatory, out along the Sunset Strip into West Hollywood, or deeper into Griffith Park for hiking with views over the entire LA basin.
The Hollywood Bowl, set in a natural amphitheatre in the hills, runs outdoor concerts from June through September and is one of America's great summer music venues. West Hollywood, just to the west, has the Sunset Strip's bars, clubs, and restaurants along with a long tradition as a gay-friendly neighbourhood.