Best Places to See the Hollywood Sign: Views, Photos & Hikes

The Hollywood Sign is visible from all over Los Angeles, but the view changes considerably depending on where you go.

When we visited Los Angeles with our 3-year-old, we saw the Hollywood Sign from Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory. Those two stops gave us very different views.

Lake Hollywood Park was our choice for a closer, front-facing view of the sign. Griffith Observatory gave us a more distant view, but we could combine it with the Observatory and wide views over Los Angeles.

There are also several places to see the Hollywood Sign without hiking, plus official trails if you want to get much closer.

Here are the best places to see the Hollywood Sign and how to choose the right viewpoint for your trip.

Quick Answer: Where Is the Best Place to See the Hollywood Sign?

Best Hollywood Sign Viewpoints at a Glance

Swipe to compare all viewpoints →

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1. Lake Hollywood Park: Best for a Close Front View

Lake Hollywood Park was our favorite of the two places we visited specifically for getting a closer, front-facing view of the Hollywood Sign.

We drove through the Hollywood Hills toward the park with our 3-year-old.

The closer we got, the larger the sign appeared above us. The area was busy when we visited, and we ended up parking farther away and walking toward the viewpoint.

Once we got there, though, the sign was right there above the hills instead of appearing as a small feature in the distance.

For us, this was the place to go when the Hollywood Sign itself was the reason for the stop.

The Hollywood Sign Trust identifies Lake Hollywood Park as a place to picnic and see the sign, at 3160 Canyon Lake Drive.

Is Lake Hollywood Park Good With Kids?

It worked well for us with a 3-year-old because we weren’t committing to a long Hollywood Sign hike.

We could drive into the area, walk to where we wanted to see the sign and spend our time taking photos and looking around.

The parking situation was the bigger consideration during our visit. Because it was busy, we couldn’t simply pull up, take a picture and leave.

Allow some extra time rather than treating this as a five-minute photo stop.

2. Griffith Observatory: Best for the Sign + Los Angeles Views

Griffith Observatory gives you a completely different Hollywood Sign experience.

We also visited here with our 3-year-old.

The Hollywood Sign is farther away than it is from Lake Hollywood Park, so I wouldn’t choose Griffith Observatory solely because you want the closest possible photo.

What makes Griffith Observatory useful is everything you can combine in one stop.

You can see the Hollywood Sign, look across Los Angeles and visit the Observatory’s exhibits and grounds. The Observatory itself confirms that visitors can see both Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign from the property.

That made Griffith Observatory more of a complete sightseeing stop for us rather than simply a Hollywood Sign photo location.

Lake Hollywood Park vs. Griffith Observatory

If you only have time for one, decide what you want from the stop.

Choose Lake Hollywood Park when getting a closer front-facing photo of the Hollywood Sign is your priority.

Choose Griffith Observatory when you’d rather combine the Hollywood Sign with the Observatory and panoramic Los Angeles views.

With a young child, both worked for us without requiring a long hike.

3. Ovation Hollywood: Easy View From Hollywood Boulevard

If you’re already sightseeing on Hollywood Boulevard, Ovation Hollywood gives you another easy view without adding a Hollywood Sign hike.

The shopping and entertainment complex sits at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. The official Hollywood Sign viewpoint guide recommends it as a place to combine views of the sign with nearby Hollywood attractions.

The sign will be considerably farther away than at Lake Hollywood Park.

The advantage is convenience.

This option makes the most sense if Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame or TCL Chinese Theatre is already part of your day and you don’t want to make a separate trip into the hills just for the sign.

4. Mt. Hollywood Trail: Best Easier Hollywood Sign Hike

If you want to turn seeing the Hollywood Sign into a hike, the Mt. Hollywood Trail is one of the official options.

The Hollywood Sign Trust currently classifies it as easy, with a distance of about 5.3 miles. The route begins near Griffith Observatory and provides several views of the sign along the way.

The official trail information specifically describes it as suitable for families with children, although that’s very different from saying every young child will want to walk more than five miles.

We didn’t do this hike with our 3-year-old, so I can’t compare the actual hiking experience with our stops at Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory.

For families wanting the Hollywood Sign experience without that mileage, the two viewpoints we used are much simpler options.

5. Brush Canyon Trail: For a Longer Hollywood Sign Hike

Brush Canyon Trail is another authorized route toward the Hollywood Sign.

The official Hollywood Sign trail guide currently lists the route at about 6 miles and classifies it as easy, although the distance makes it a much bigger commitment than stopping at a viewpoint.

This is an option for visitors who want the hike itself to be part of their Hollywood Sign experience rather than simply getting a good photo.

Stay on authorized trails. The sign and the immediate area around the letters are restricted.

6. Cahuenga Peak Trail: For a Harder Hike

The Cahuenga Peak Trail is shorter than the other two official routes but considerably more difficult.

The Hollywood Sign Trust currently lists it at approximately 3 miles and rates it hard.

This is the option I’d put in the guide for readers specifically looking for a more strenuous Hollywood Sign hike.

It shouldn’t be presented alongside Lake Hollywood Park as though they’re interchangeable ways of seeing the sign. One is an easy viewpoint stop; the other is a hike.

Can You Hike Right Up to the Hollywood Sign?

You can hike toward and above the Hollywood Sign, but you can’t walk up and touch the letters.

The sign is inside a restricted area protected by fencing and security. The closest legal viewpoints are behind and above the sign, reached using authorized trails.

That distinction is important because saying you “can’t get close to the Hollywood Sign” isn’t quite accurate.

You can get considerably closer by hiking.

You just can’t enter the restricted area around the letters themselves.

Can You See the Hollywood Sign Without Hiking?

Absolutely.

That’s how we saw it with our 3-year-old.

Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory both gave us Hollywood Sign views without doing a dedicated Hollywood Sign hike.

Ovation Hollywood is another no-hike option if you’re already on Hollywood Boulevard. The official Hollywood Sign site lists both Griffith Observatory and Ovation Hollywood among its recommended viewpoints.

If your main goal is getting a close front-facing photo, I’d make the separate trip to Lake Hollywood Park.

How to Get to the Hollywood Sign

There isn’t a public parking lot directly beneath the Hollywood Sign where you can simply park and walk up to the letters.

Where you go depends on the viewpoint you’ve chosen.

Lake Hollywood Park

We drove there during our visit.

Parking was busy, so we parked farther away and walked toward the viewpoint. Pay attention to posted parking restrictions because the roads wind through residential areas.

Griffith Observatory

You can drive to Griffith Observatory, but parking near the Observatory is paid.

Another option is the DASH Observatory bus, which connects to Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Sign trail access. The Hollywood Sign Trust currently lists DASH service seven days a week.

If you’re visiting during a busy period, that’s worth considering instead of dealing with Observatory traffic and parking.

What Is the Best Place to Photograph the Hollywood Sign?

For the photos we wanted, Lake Hollywood Park gave us the better Hollywood Sign shot.

The letters were much more prominent in our photos than they were from Griffith Observatory.

Griffith Observatory gave us something different: a recognizable Los Angeles setting with the Hollywood Sign in the surrounding landscape.

So I’d choose based on the photograph you want:

Hollywood Sign dominating the photo → Lake Hollywood Park

Hollywood Sign as part of a larger Los Angeles view → Griffith Observatory

Sign during a hike → one of the authorized Griffith Park trails

Sign while sightseeing on Hollywood Boulevard → Ovation Hollywood

Tips for Seeing the Hollywood Sign With Young Kids

We visited both of our viewpoints with our daughter when she was 3.

The biggest advantage of Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory was that neither required us to complete a long hike just to see the sign.

For a similar trip with a young child, I’d consider:

• how far your child comfortably walks
• how much time you want to spend looking for parking
• heat and sun exposure
• whether you want the Hollywood Sign to be the main attraction
• whether you want bathrooms, exhibits and other things to do nearby

Griffith Observatory is easier to turn into a longer family outing.

Lake Hollywood Park makes more sense when the photo and close view are the priority.

If you’re considering one of the hikes, look at the actual mileage rather than relying only on an “easy” difficulty rating. The official Mt. Hollywood route, for example, is still more than five miles.

When Is the Best Time to See the Hollywood Sign?

Visibility and photography depend on weather, haze and the position of the sun.

If photography is your priority, earlier or later daylight can also be more comfortable than the middle of a hot day, particularly if you’re hiking.

The Hollywood Sign itself isn’t illuminated at night, so plan to see it during daylight.

For hiking, official trails are open from sunrise to sunset, and the Hollywood Sign Trust warns visitors about heat and fire danger.

Is It Free to See the Hollywood Sign?

There is no admission charge to see the Hollywood Sign.

Your actual cost depends on how you get there.

You may pay for parking, transportation or a tour. Griffith Observatory parking, for example, is paid, while the DASH bus is a low-cost alternative.

You don’t need to book a tour simply to see the sign.

Do You Need a Hollywood Sign Tour?

A tour can be useful if you want transportation, a guide, local history or a planned hike without working out the route yourself.

It isn’t required.

The Hollywood Sign Trust says there are no official Hollywood Sign tours; the authorized hikes and public viewpoints can be visited independently.

If you’re already comfortable driving around Los Angeles or navigating Griffith Park, seeing the sign independently is straightforward once you’ve chosen your viewpoint.

Which Hollywood Sign Viewpoint Should You Choose?

For most visitors, I would narrow the decision based on what you want to do:

For a close front-facing photo: Lake Hollywood Park

For a family-friendly sightseeing stop: Griffith Observatory

For Hollywood Boulevard convenience: Ovation Hollywood

For a relatively easier official hike: Mt. Hollywood Trail

For a longer hike: Brush Canyon Trail

For a harder hike: Cahuenga Peak Trail

We chose Lake Hollywood Park and Griffith Observatory with our 3-year-old, and I’m glad we saw the sign from both.

They didn’t feel repetitive.

At Lake Hollywood Park, seeing the sign was the point of the stop. At Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign became part of a much bigger Los Angeles view and another attraction we already wanted to experience.

If you only have time for one, choose based on whether the close Hollywood Sign photo or the broader Los Angeles experience matters more to you.

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