caelem

These canals are not just a place to see, they’re an experience. The story behind the neighborhood with the canals is lovely, and the walk is spectacular, relaxing, and full of things to constantly look at and say “hey, look at that!”

Most of the homes have their own tiny boat dock, all of the homes are unique. From quaint, to innovative, to holy crap look at that place – you won’t find anything identical, and everyone who lives here is friendly. They have neighborhood parties, and really seem to enjoy their ‘hood to it’s full potential.

Take your camera, and be there by 3pm so you’ll have enough time to walk around, cross the bridges, take photo’s, and look at it all by dark. You may even find some prof. photographers doing some work there – sometimes with models.

It’s a cozy, romantic, quiet, peaceful and beautiful thing to do with someone you enjoy spending time with. Would be a great first (free) date, or a lovely time to spend with someone you’ve loved for a lifetime.

The theater is fantastic, and the characters dressed up outside the theater on any given day is really something everyone who visits Hollywood should just go and experience for the nostalgia. Most of them dress up and hang out just to make some extra money, but you don’t have to pay them – just go look at the, all, take pics, take the little ones too! It’s a real part of what makes Hollywood, Hollywood – and can be good fun for any age.

If you have a chance to see a film here, do it. You’ll remember it for the rest of your life, and everytime you see it in another movie, you’ll have those dumb, gooey nostalgic feelings that make you go “Hey! I’ve been there!”

Putting your hands in the cement molds is even more ignorant, childish fun, but it’s irreplacable childish fun, so if you aren’t too proud to get yourself a fun little memory, go do that too & get some photo’s of yourself doing it.

When I lived in LA i went often and it is a big part of the great memories I have. Then again, a lot of other things Hollywood has to offer are a big part of the experience, so don’t stop after you’ve gone here! You must also have a PINKS hot dog after a night of clubbing! (But leave the club a tad early because they will close up shop at closing time, even if there are 30 people in line – and there often are) :)

And no it does not smell like urine and bums, reminding you of nothing but broken dreams. Well, unless you’re a miserable person who can’t find magic or some kind of amusement in anything. There are homeless people in the area, yes – but they are forbidden from loitering around this and Hollywood Blvd (and it’s constantly enforced) so if you see a bum – he’s usually walking around minding his own beeswax.

There are some great stores, but it’s not really the place to drive around and be awed. You need to do some day-long and evening-time walking around to really enjoy it’s treasures.