Fans pay tribute to Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CEMETERIES
TOURS
DINING
NIGHTLIFE
MUSEUMS
The passing of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson continues to bring crowds of visitors to Los Angeles to mourn the unfortunate loss of the entertainers. Fans of the self-proclaimed “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson arrived in record numbers to visit Jackson’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and to mourn near local landmarks such as his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Long after a celebrity passes away, their legacy remains in the history and landmarks of Los Angeles. Fans enjoy traveling to Los Angeles to experience the life and career of influential entertainers through tours and attractions. The Los Angeles area is home to the final resting places of many of Hollywood’s most well known celebrities, and many local historic landmarks and museums offer ways to experience Los Angeles as the famed entertainers did. Honor the legacy of your favorite celebrity at some the following locations.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame runs along the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. It's embedded with over 2,300 stars dedicated to celebrities by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in recognition of their contributions to the entertainment industry. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce offers a searchable online directory making it easy to find the address of your favorite celebrity’s star. When a celebrity passes away, a memorial spray is placed on the entertainer’s star on behalf of the Hollywood community. The floral arrangement is donated by the Hollywood Historic Trust. Visitors may leave additional flowers on a star cite while exercising care not to place anything on the public sidewalk that might present a hazard to pedestrians. Recently, fans waited in line for as long as three hours to pay tribute to Michael Jackson's star. www.hollywoodchamber.net/icons
Hollywood’s RockWalk, located at Guitar Center in Hollywood, celebrates the greatest names in Rock ‘n’ Roll with a collection of memorabilia, handprints and signatures honoring legendary names in music such as Stevie Wonder and Eddie Van Halen. www.rockwalk.comGriffith Observatory, a world class astronomy education institution located on Mt. Hollywood in LA’s Griffith Park, was used as a filming location for many classic Hollywood movies including Rebel Without a Cause. A bust of screen icon James Dean was subsequently placed on the west side of the grounds. www.griffithobs.org
The Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood, built in 1925, once housed Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Bette Davis among others. It is now an apartment building. (1714 Ivar Avenue, Hollywood)
Discover the history behind the myth of your favorite celebrity at the Los Angeles Central Public Library. Located in Downtown Los Angeles near fine dining and theatre attractions, the Los Angeles Central Public Library is the perfect place to research the life and times of Hollywood legends. www.lapl.org
Honor the passing of an influential person at the annual Dia De Los Muertos festival November 1st at the Olvera Street marketplace in Downtown Los Angeles. Known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, the marketplace at Olvera Street is alive with culture and tradition. Enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine and shop for handcrafted souveniers at this vibrant marketplace. www.olvera-street.com
Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park is the final resting place for Marilyn Monroe, buried in a simple wall crypt along the “Corridor of Memories”. Dean Martin, Natalie Wood, Truman Capote and Frank Zappa are also buried here. www.piercebrosmortuary.comHollywood Forever Memorial Park is home to more entertainment industry grave sites than any other cemetery in the world. Visitors are treated to spectacular memorials and mausoleums, with some headstones even housing video screens showing a reel of the deceased’s life story. Fans still gather every August 23rd to pay homage to Rudolph Valentino. Cecil B. DeMille and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. also rest here. www.hollywoodforever.com
Music legends Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald are buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery, a century-old park with a lake and ornate stone memorials. www.inglewoodparkcemetery.org
Gregory Peck was laid to rest inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles. Family and friends of late actress Farrah Fawcett paid their respects at a private service at the cathedral. www.olacathedral.org
Dearly Departed, a tour company offering an entertaining combination of wit, humor and insight into the morbid world of celebrity death, plans to include a stop at The Holmby Hills home of Michael Jackson on its Hollywood Tragical History Tour. www.dearlydepartedtours.com
Starline Tours has been providing the original sightseeing tours of Los Angeles since 1935. Routes include tours of Hollywood, movie star homes including the Holmby Hills home of Michael Jackson and a tour of Universal Studios. www.starlinetours.com
Grab a bite to eat at the legendary Hard Rock Café at Universal Studios Hollywood and relive the prime of music’s most memorable names. www.hardrock.com
Musso & Frank Grill, established in 1919, is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood and has served countless celebrity patrons. This popular restaurant is rich in Hollywood history and offers a delightful menu of traditional fare. www.mussoandfrankgrill.com
The Viper Room, on the legendary Sunset Strip, brings a mix of emerging bands and name artists to the stage every night in West Hollywood. Rising star River Phoenix passed away of a drug overdose at the Viper Room in 1993. www.viperroom.com
The world famous Whisky a Go Go played a pivotal role in launching several celebrated music careers. The Doors, Van Morrison, and Led Zeppelin played here and tribute bands often take the stage to play covers of their classic hits. www.whiskyagogo.com
The Hollywood Museum features rare and exciting collections of movie memorabilia. Visit the world’s largest collection of costumes, props, posters, photographs and other priceless memorabilia from Hollywood’s greatest films, TV shows and music acts. www.thehollywoodmuseum.com
Beginning in August 2009, Los Angeles visitors will be able to view their favorite celebrities in wax at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. www.madametussauds.com/hollywood
The GRAMMY Museum in Downtown Los Angeles celebrates artistry and innovation in music. For a glimpse at the signature fashions and unforgettable GRAMMY performances of Michael Jackson, check out the HIStyle exhibit. CLICK HERE for more information. www.grammymuseum.org.
