Wandering Whitley Heights

June 1st, 2008 · No Comments

Whitley Heights

Walking L.A. led us to another gem of a neighborhood today, this time in the hills near the Hollywood Bowl, overlooking Hollywood Boulevard. Whitley Heights, once home to Hollywood royalty like Valentino, Chaplin, and Garland, was severed in half by the construction of the 101 Freeway in the mid-’40s, and was recently granted protection as an HPOZ (Historic Preservation Overlay Zone). Many of the homes we walked by had National Register plaques outside, dating the homes from the mid-teens to the mid-’30s. We saw some really beautiful homes, walked more steep stairs, and enjoyed the secluded, relatively quiet neighborhood – only the dull drone of the 101 down the hill kept it from being completely idyllic.

Whitley Heights

From the quiet, old Hollywood charm of Whitley Heights, our walking route led us down the hill to Hollywood Boulevard, past the costume shops, the Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Not, the Erotic Museum, and into the heart of the set-up for the red carpet premiere of Kung Fu Panda. What a difference a few blocks make. Iron Man and Batman were there, as were Darth Vader, Charlie Chaplin, Davy Jones, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis, among others.

Hollywood Boulevard

We walked past the Renaissance Hotel, up towards the Bowl, and wound our way back up into Whitley Heights and down the Whitley Terrace Steps, where we saw the smoke from the Universal Studios fire drifting rising on the horizon.

Whitley Heights

Here’s the Whitley Heights and Hollywood Boulevard photo set.

Tags: Los Angeles · Photos ·