Many will tell you it’s at the Griffith Observatory, but I have a spot that can get you a closer and clearer picture. You’ll have two options for this, one is from a car-accessible street where you can get a clear view of the sign and the second is the best spot for taking a photo with the Hollywood sign if you’re up for some walking.
Disclaimer for my photos: I ended up in LA on a foggy day so my photos suffered a bit. This is the photo I took just outside of my car on N Beachwood Drive. From Franklin Avenue, which is near the Griffith Observatory, you’ll turn right onto N. Beachwood Drive. As of this writing if you use Google Maps to go to “Lake Hollywood Park” it should automatically take you this route, especially if you’re near the observatory already.
This is a photo I took years ago when my best friend, Karlie, and I first found this spot. It used to be accessible by car but it was really narrow and dangerous and is now closed only to local car traffic. While we didn’t have time to make the 25 minute uphill walk on our last trip to this spot, I hear it is still accessible by foot. You can park on N Beachwood Drive and start the walk on Ledgewood Dr (to your left). Leave yourself plenty of time to get up and back down before sundown, be careful of traffic, and take water. There may be another way to get to Lake Hollywood Park from this side of town, if there is we didn’t find it on our last trip, but that is where you will find an excellent view of the sign with some street parking so you can take a photo. Just to be clear, there appears to be another way to get to the sign, potentially by car, but it was a long and winding drive from where I was so we didn’t try it out.
For Comparison, this is the view we had from Griffith Observatory:
The third option is to get a photo from behind the Hollywood sign. There are trails you can use to hike up there from the Griffith Observatory. Parking at the observatory is $10/hr, even on the “street”. We have not done this yet, but we’ve been told to go at either sunrise or sunset so the weather is cooler for the hike. I believe this hike begins at Mt Hollywood Drive, there is a sign indicating the 2.5 mile hike up to the sign. I will update this with more info and photo whenever Andy and I get back to Los Angeles and conquer this one ourselves.
If you’re reading this and found a better way to get into Lake Hollywood Park from the side of town with Griffith Observatory, let me know! I will happily update this post. For now, you know how to get a stunning photo with the famed Hollywood Sign. Enjoy!
-Taysia