The Las Vegas Strip is known for its neon glitz and glamour, and the Strip is also closely tied to Hollywood; there is an entire constellation of Hollywood Stars with shows on the Strip. From the Rat Pack and Elvis, to Britney Spears and Lady Gaga, Las Vegas has historically hosted the luminaries of both the big screen and the music industry.
Whether it is the movies, music, or TV, the stars shine bright on the road from Hollywood to Las Vegas. There are countless people who come to Hollywood to achieve their dreams; some succeed, and some fall by the wayside. Take a tour through it all, and experience it on your own.
Getting to Hollywood, California from Las Vegas, Nevada
Hollywood is 282 miles from Las Vegas; this will be at least a 4 ½ hour drive each way, so you’ll want to spend the night in Hollywood. You can take the I-15 south all the way into Los Angeles.
On the way, you’ll pass through at least 100 miles of the beautiful Mojave Desert. The I-15 will go up in elevation from Las Vegas, through the Joshua Tree forest, and then descend down into Baker. Be prepared to stop at the California border, and surrender any fruits or vegetables you may have; out of state produce is not allowed into California.
You’ll know you’re getting close to Los Angeles as the atmosphere begins to change, and the traffic becomes more congested. After that long drive, your first stop should be at the ocean, at Santa Monica Pier.
The Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier first opened in 1909, and the entrance is iconic. The wide, sunny beach is where Baywatch was filmed. You’ll definitely want to take your shoes off and get your feet wet in the vast, Pacific ocean.
The Santa Monica Pier has been used as a Hollywood filming location ever since it opened. In fact, you’re sure to recognize it instantly. The pier has the original carousel from the 1920s, as well as a one of a kind, solar-powered Ferris wheel that lights up at night in a stunning display of colors.
Beneath the pier is the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, home to hundreds of aquatic creatures native to the Southern California coast. There are also dozens of shops, restaurants, entertainers, a video arcade, and even a trapeze school. The Santa Monica Pier is also where the historic Route 66 ends, so be sure to take a picture near the Route 66 sign.
Warner Bros. Studios
From the Santa Monica Pier, the next logical step is to take the Warner Bros. Studio tour. You can tour this working Hollywood studio, where many iconic TV shows and movies are filmed. Operating for nearly 100 years, the Warner Bros. Studios has been the source of many of your favorite TV shows, from Friends and the Big Bang Theory to the Batman movie franchise.
You have several different tours to choose from; the basic tours are 3 hours, with 2 hours for a guided tour and one hour for a self-guided tour. The Deluxe Tour includes all of the basic tours, plus a visit to the costume and property departments, and the commissary for an exquisite lunch. The Deluxe Tour is a full 5 hours of guided tour, plus 1 hour of self-guided tour. If you choose to do the Warner Bros tour, be sure to give yourself enough time.
Homes of the Stars
Hollywood may be where the stars work, but Beverly Hills is where the stars live. They don’t all live next door to each other, so you’ll need to do some driving to see these homes of the stars. Also, some of the houses are near busy intersections, so don’t block traffic as you look. Start just west of the Sunset Strip on Sunset Boulevard and end your trip near the Bel-Air Country Club.
First up is Madonna’s house at 9425 Sunset Blvd. The superstar’s 9-bedroom, 15 bathroom house is valued at nearly $20 million and has a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a full-size theater.
Next up, let’s look at the homes of the legendary Las Vegas Rat Pack members, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Dean Martin’s old house is at 511 N. Maple Drive. After visiting Dino’s house, go south on Santa Monica Boulevard until you get to Foothill Road. Frank Sinatra’s old house is at 915 Foothill Road.
Next, make your way to Coldwater Canyon Drive. Carrie Fisher, aka Princess Leia’s, house is at 1700 Coldwater Canyon Drive. Charlton Heston’s house is at 2859 Coldwater Canyon Drive.
Jack Nicholson’s old house is at 12850 Mulholland Drive and right next door, Marlon Brando at 12900 Mulholland Drive.
There are quite a few stars on Roxbury Drive: Mia Farrow, 809 Roxbury Drive; Lucille Ball, 1000 Roxbury Drive; and Diane Keaton at 1015 Roxbury Drive.
Two other Las Vegas alumni include Elvis Presley’s last home at 144 Monovale Drive and Michael Jackson’s last known address at 100 Carolwood Drive.
Walt Disney’s old house is at 355 Carolwood Drive and Hugh Hefner’s old Playboy Mansion is at 10236 Charing Cross Rd., on the west side of the Los Angeles Country Club. This is considered a historic building and has since been sold for a cool $200 million.
Rodeo Drive
You’ll recognize Rodeo Drive from the Julia Roberts movie Pretty Woman. It’s where the elite of Hollywood buy their fabulous designer clothes and other bling. Where you want to go is the three-block stretch of Rodeo Drive north of Wilshire Boulevard and south of Little Santa Monica Boulevard.
The transformation of Rodeo Drive from an ordinary street to a world-class shopping destination began in 1967 when Fred Hayman opened Giorgio Beverly Hills, followed in 1968 by Gucci, Van Cleef & Arpels in 1969, and Vidal Sassoon in 1970.
While you window shop, take note of the Walk of Style plaques set in the sidewalk, honoring fashion icons for their accomplishments in style and fashion.
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel
Located on the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Rodeo Drive is the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel. You may also recognize this place from the movie Pretty Woman. The hotel was completed in 1928, and has been used as a setting for many movies and TV shows. Guests have included both international celebrities and US presidents.
Both Elvis Presley and Warren Beatty lived at the hotel for a number of years, and John Lennon lived here for several months when he was separated briefly from Yoko Ono. Other notable guests include President Barack Obama, the Emperor of Japan, and the Dalai Lama.
By the time you get here, you may be getting a little tired; however, keep in mind, rooms start at $795 per night, and suites start at $1,500 per night. But you might be able to afford a champagne cocktail poolside or a plate of Bone-Marrow Flan at the Beverly Wilshire’s Cut Lounge.
Hollywood Boulevard
The final stop of our Hollywood tour is on Hollywood Boulevard, where you can see both Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Grauman’s was designed in the early 1920s as a Chinese-style “palace-type theater.” Sid Grauman financed the building’s initial $2 million costs and owned a one-third interest along with silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. In the courtyard of the theater, you can see the famous handprints of the stars, embedded in the cement. The Chinese Theater continues to be a venue for first-run movies, so you can take in a show while you’re in Hollywood. It is worth it to see the interior of this historic landmark.
Just west of the Chinese Theater is Madame Tussauds Hollywood Wax Museum. The three-story museum features hundreds of incredibly lifelike wax figures of famous celebrities; the first ones made were of actor Jamie Foxx and singer Beyoncé, at a cost of nearly $350,000 each. It’s probably as close as you’ll get to meet a Hollywood star. You can “meet” everyone from Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump to the Duke and Duchess of York. Be sure to take a lot of pictures to fool your friends back home.
Finally, the Hollywood Walk of Fame has more than 2,600 brass and terrazzo stars embedded in the sidewalks along the three blocks of Vine Street and along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard. The concept for the Walk of Fame began in 1953 with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president E.M. Stuart. The idea was fleshed out and approved, and between 1956 and 1957, 1,558 honorees were chosen to get the walk of fame started. Finding your favorite star’s place on the walk can be a fun challenge. You’ll be amazed at some of the people honored with a star here.
Before you go, pause at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue for a view of the world-famous Hollywood sign. It’s been a busy day, and you can’t leave without taking a picture of that iconic sign.
