Car Rental LAX and the Hollywood Sign

A landmark that literally screams HOLLYWOOD is the Hollywood sign. This historic monument has endured and still stands for all to see. Take a LAX car rental to check out this grand sign.

Viewing the Hollywood Sign
Since the sign is built on a mountain, direct access to the sign is difficult, to say the least. Even if you were ambitious enough to hike up the mountain, you would discover the sign is tightly guarded with a high-tech alarm system. The cameras are monitored at Los Angeles County Park Rangers headquarters.

The best place to view the sign is to drive up Beachwood Drive (north of Hollywood Boulevard) in a LAX car rental.

Here are some other spots you'll get a good view on a clear day:

If you just want to have a passing view of the sign, take a LAX car rental down the Hollywood (101) Freeway. Head in the northbound freeway and catch a brief view between Santa Monica Boulevard exit and Sunset Boulevard exit.

If you want to be able to look at the sign a bit longer, consider driving a LAX car rental to the Beverly Center mall's food court patio on the top floor.

The upper bleaches of the Hollywood Bowl is another good place to take in the view.

Another good spot is the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery gate next to Paramount Studios. Turn your gaze north and you'll get a good view.

Try heading in a Car rental LAX to the top of the hill at Barnsdall Art Park, which is located east of Hollywood Boulevard. Look to the east of the Observatory.

The Griffith Park Observatory's parking lot offers a good spot if you look northwest.

Did you know that the Hollywood sign:

stands 45 feet tall, stretches 450 feet long and is visible from anywhere in Hollywood
was originally "Hollywoodland"
was erected in 1923 on Los Angeles' tallest mountain Mount Lee
cost $21,000 to build
is officially declared the "Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Monument #111"
A depressed British actress, Peg Entwistle, ended her life by jumping from the Sign's giant letter "H" on Sept. 18, 1932 . She was dubbed as the "Hollywood Sign Girl" by the LA Times.
In a successful effort to restore the Hollywood sign to its original glory the following people sponsored the letters for $28,000 each:
Each letter stands 30 feet wide and 45 feet tall
Each letter originally was lit by 4,000 light bulbs until 1939
In 1949 "LAND" was removed
As part of an effort to restore the sign, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce raised funds by dedicating each letter to names of private donors:

H - Terrence Donnelly, Publisher Hollywood Independent Newspaper
O - Giovanni Mazza, Italian movie producer
L - Les Kelley - Originator of the Kelley Blue Book
L - Gene Autrey - With his pioneer television station KTLA
Y - Hugh Hefner - Creator of Playboy Enterprises
W - Andy Williams - Singer
O - Warner Brothers Records
O - Alice Cooper - In memory of Groucho Marx
D - Dennis Lidtke

Other trivia

There is a movie called "The Hollywood Sign" released in 2001. It's about three ex-Hollywood legends trying to steal $10,000,000.
In the 1998 Disney remake of "Mighty Joe Young," the oversized ape climbs the Hollywood Sign and perches in one of its giant letter "O."s
In the 1991 Disney movie The Rocketeer, evil Nazi spies explode the letters "LAND" in the Hollywoodland sign.

The sign has been changed three times:

Pranksters changed the sign to read "HOLLYWEED" in 1976 when laws were becoming more accepting of marijuana use.
When Pope John Paul II visited the sign in 1978, the sign was changed to "HOLYWOOD" to commemorate his visit.
In 1987, the sign was changed to read "Ollywood" during the Iran-Contra scandal's peak.