Steph C.
Yelp
Our kids spent the night at my parents' house, and instead of sleeping in, Matt B. and I went on a hike up to the Hollywood sign. This was 100% his idea, but I went along for the sake of our marriage. Besides, as he pointed out, I had to do it sometime.
He wasn't wrong. I'm a native Angeleno, almost forty years old, and it was about time I did this thing that tourists knock out on fly-in visits to my hometown. I have, of course, seen the Hollywood sign from a million vantage points, including quite up close from Lake Hollywood Park, which is popular for that exact view. But this hike went right up behind it, where I could appreciate the majestic scale of those letters I'd seen from afar all my life.
We went on Saturday morning, a little before 10:00, when the trail was chilly and calm. We found easy street parking in the neighborhood, not close but not terribly far. Matt says this hike can get kind of crowded, with more tourists and mildly antisocial behavior than you see on other hikes around town. It was pretty nice when we went, though, with a steady, quiet stream of hikers and a handful of very fit cyclists.
I've done a few beginner-level hikes around L.A., and I'd say this one was on the slightly harder side, while still being doable and even mostly relaxing for an absolute wimp like me. It was uphill all the way, and steepest at the top. The views were remarkable, though, making even the painful stretches worthwhile. We saw the sign several times on the way up, getting closer and closer. Finally, we wound up behind it, separated by a fence and maybe a swimming pool's length of green hillside. That was an iconic view, the sign under cloudy skies, with all of Los Angeles spread out below. We went up to the top viewing platform and took in the sign and the city before making our way back down the back we'd come. The return trip was a breeze.
Now that I've crossed the Hollywood sign hike off my bucket list, I kind of regret not doing it sooner. I loved both the views and the pleasant exercise, and I'll definitely go back more than once every 39 years. It's a great way to spend a weekend morning with my husband, and when the kids are old enough, we'll take them along, too.