Star Struck: Hollywood's Famous Walk of Fame

What's the best Hollywood attraction? While many places around Los Angeles let you dream of what it would be like to be a celebrity, only the Hollywood Walk of Fame lets you actually walk in their footsteps. One thing that surprises many travelers when they visit this iconic attraction is its length. Spanning 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard before cutting into three blocks of Vine Street, this gilded walkway features more than 2,700 embedded stars!

The Logistics of the Walk of Fame

Covering the entire path requires a 1.3-mile walk from east to west that takes you near Hollywood Boulevard, La Brea, Marshfield Way, and Vine. More than 10 million people from around the world walk the route every single year! This is technically one of the best free attractions in Hollywood.

The History of the Walk of Fame

While many people assume that the Hollywood Walk of Fame is as old as Hollywood itself, ground broke on the project in February of 1960. It was a month later in March of 1960 that the very first permanent star was set into concrete for director Stanley Kramer. The first celebrities to have their names added to the walk during the prototype phase included Joanne Woodward, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, Olive Borden, Ronald Colman, Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, and Ernest Torrence. While it's impossible to imagine Hollywood without this landmark today, there was a time when the excitement over what would become one of the biggest attractions in the world fizzled out. During the 1960s, eight years passed without another star being added. However, the attraction found its shine again after it was designated an official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles during a major ceremony that was hosted by Danny Thomas in 1978. In recent years, Jennifer Aniston, Bob Odenkirk, Ryan Reynolds, Adam Sandler, Octavia Spencer, Jimmy Kimmel, and so many of the biggest names of today have been inducted with ceremonies!

How Entertainers Are Selected

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Walk of Fame selection committee receives nearly 200 nominations each year for new additions. Anyone can nominate someone in the entertainment world! All nominees will be considered if they have at least five years of experience in a nomination category. Generally, 20 celebrities are selected each year to receive stars. While living star recipients must agree to personally attend a presentation ceremony, ceremonies for deceased stars must include a relative of the star. You don't need to be a star to watch a star being inducted! All presentation ceremonies are open to the public.

Planning the Full Hollywood Experience

The Hollywood Walk of Fame rightfully stands with TCL Chinese Theatre, Dolby Theatre, the Griffith Observatory, and the Hollywood Sign as one of the greatest attractions in Los Angeles. One of the only things that can top the experience of seeing the stars of your favorite stars is hiking to the Hollywood Sign. Of course, being able to say that you did both gives you ultimate bragging rights!