This past week I chose to hike to the Hollywood sign. I’ve made an intentional effort to be adventurous on my days off. For me, that means my ass has to strategically plan stuff ahead of time.
Main objectives:
(a) Have something to look forward to when I get off.
(b) Know when I need to be out of the house to avoid LA traffic.
So, today’s post is brought to you by a 4.5 mile, round-trip, hike to the Hollywood sign. This experience is courtesy of AirBnB. I totally recommend this, by the way, if you are solo traveling. Simply read the description of the service that the “hosts” are offering in whatever city you’re in, read through the reviews thoroughly, then decide if it is worth it to ‘pay’ for the service. Most of the experiences are probably free do on your own, but hiking with others and interacting with strangers makes it more interesting!
Thomas and Jessie were our hosts. They are actors in the area and lead these hikes as a side hustle. They do this hike 3-4 times a week for groups of 10-15 people. Along the way, they tell entertaining stories and provide a brief history of the sign itself. There were three places to get the best photos in front of the sign which we captured. They play photographer and use your device to take your pictures. They took multiple, ensuring that you got a decent picture.
Fun facts: The sign…
- originated in 1923 as “Hollywoodland”
- was an advertisement or “billboard” for a new housing development
- was only meant to stay up for a little over a year and then evolved, decades later, into the city’s marker for the land of magic and dreams
- went through a re-building in 1978 due to deterioration
- has letters that stand approximately 45 feet high by 33 feet wide
The hike itself was moderate. The views along the way were stunning as you can see the entire span of the city from several viewpoints.
No Comments