During late February or early March, film buffs, entertainment industry VIPS, celebrity-spotters, the press, and of course the paparazzi descend upon Hollywood for one of the world’s most star-studded affairs: the Academy Awards. The annual event first began in 1929 in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, but these days the Oscars are handed out at the nearby Dolby Theatre, located right along Hollywood Blvd.
How to See the Festivities in Person
This exclusive red-carpet event may be reserved for of-the-moment celebrities and VIPs, but that doesn’t mean that adventurous travelers can’t get in on the excitement. Fans have been known to arrive outside the Dolby hours, or even days, in advance to stake out a prime viewing spot along Hollywood Blvd. Be aware that many streets are closed and there’s usually traffic gridlock on the day of the event. But summon enough patience to really get in the mix and it will likely be one of the most exciting and charged experiences of your trip.
A word for aspiring seat fillers: the unfortunate truth is that without connections, the chances of landing a spot are nil. Seat-filler duties are reserved for those with family members in the Academy and employees of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm that oversees the vote counting and vote distribution of the awards. (For other award shows, you can sometimes score a spot as a seat filler through a casting agency such as seatfillersandmore.)
Later in the evening, you might catch sight of stars as they come and go from high-profile after-parties. The main events tend to be Elton John’s annual multimillion-dollar fundraiser for the AIDS Foundation at West Hollywood Park and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party held near both the Wallis Annenberg Center and Beverly Hills City Hall.
Planning a Trip Around Hollywood Fun
Year round, there are many ways to soak up Hollywood magic in Los Angeles and beyond. You can spot Hollywood celebrities going about their lives at certain shopping areas and local restaurants, and it’s also pretty easy (and free) to get a seat at a taping of various television shows.
To dig into movie culture itself, consider ways to go set-jetting around the area, to visit locations from different shows and movies, and don’t miss the chance to explore the art and science of filmmaking at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, located along Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile. Also, no trip to Hollywood is complete without a stroll along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Take a Movie Studio Tour
Nearby, you can tour movie studios, too. Different experiences at the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood let you see sets and props from a wide array of TV shows and movies, from Casablanca to Friends. Universal Studios Hollywood, meanwhile, is both a theme park and a working studio: You can easily spend a full day enjoying rides inspired by the Harry Potter movies, Jurassic Park, and Despicable Me, but don’t miss the park’s Studio Tour, a fascinating look at its backlot and famous sets.