LOS ANGELES—It's been called, sometimes derisively, a collection of 72 suburbs in search of a city.



Here is a modest list of just five:


The intersection of Hollywood and Highland is the crossroads for the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where more than 2,400 terrazzo-and-brass stars containing the biggest names in the entertainment business can be viewed by just walking down the sidewalk. You'll find everyone from Clark Gable to Johnny Depp, Marilyn Monroe to Meryl Streep. You can also gaze upon a lot of people in that neighborhood who are dressed up to look just like some of the stars, especially Marilyn. But if you take their pictures they'll want money, so stop by instead at the courtyard to the famous Chinese Theatre. There you'll find the stars' names, and their hand and footprints, immortalized in concrete.



Last stop, appropriately enough, should be the Hollywood Forever cemetery. While some burial grounds frown on tourists wandering around looking for stars' graves, this one, featured in the 2010 film "Valentine's Day," does not. It even has a map on its website telling you just where to find the final resting places for punk-rocker Johnny Ramone, director John Huston and dozens of others. For details, check out www.walkoffame.com, www.tclchinesetheatres.com and www.hollywoodforever.com




With more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) of free hiking trails, many of them winding through chaparral-covered canyons and over hillsides, Griffith Park bills itself as the largest urban wilderness in the United States. While the zoo and some of the park's other attractions charge admission, the world-famous Griffith Observatory does not. Nighttime visitors are free to check out the moon and stars through its powerful telescopes, while those arriving during the day can safely gaze at the sun. Or they can just walk outside to take in some of the city's best views of the iconic Hollywood Sign. Details: www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk.


