General Information
NFT Map: 3
Address: 6801 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Box Office: 323-308-6300
Ticketmaster: 213-480-3232
Website: www.dolbytheatre.com
Overview
The Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre) hosts two of Hollywood’s most important events: the Academy Awards and the American Idol finale. It’s location right in the heart of the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex means that visitors can also engage in another quintessential LA activity: shopping.
Not everything that takes place on its hallowed stage is Oscar-worthy. Kathy Griffin regularly slags on Hollywood phonies in her one-woman shows, and Sesame Street Live is a more typical Dolby attraction. But that’s Hollywood for ya—sometimes you get an Oscar, and sometimes you get Elmo.
Drawbacks that lessen the venue’s cred include seats in the upper levels (the only ones that you can usually afford) raked at an alarmingly high angle and the fact that the red carpet for the Academy Awards actually rolls out through a mall. Those looking for some Hollywood magic are advised to shell out the money for a guided tour (adults $17, students & seniors $12).
The good news? The Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex, which houses the Dolby, is slowly improving with more shops and eateries like the ubiquitous California Pizza Kitchen. And if you want to balance a night of theater with a little trashiness, there’s always Hooters across the street.
How to Get There—Driving
The Dolby Theatre is part of the Hollywood & Highland complex, found—surprise!—at the corner of Hollywood & Highland. From most parts of Los Angeles, the easiest way to reach this behemoth is via the 101 Freeway. Avoid the Highland Avenue exit if you can—it’s always congested. Try the Cahuenga exit and head west on Hollywood Blvd, followed by a right onto Highland. Enter the parking garage via Highland next to the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. From the south, you may want to avoid significant traffic by taking the 10 to La Brea Avenue and heading north. Take La Brea all the way up to Franklin Avenue and turn right, then make another right onto Highland Avenue. Drive south until you reach the entrance for the parking garage.
Parking
The closest parking facility for the Dolby is the Hollywood & Highland parking garage. Escalators from said garage will deliver you virtually to the Dolby Theatre’s doorstep and any merchant in the mall will validate your parking, making it a bargain at just $2 for two hours. (Valet parking is also available for an additional $6.) The parking garage is undoubtedly your best bet, as long as you don’t forget to get validated and you don’t mind the deep, cavernous, and impossibly designed structure.
If you’ve got a little extra time, however, there are several lots that can be entered from Hollywood Boulevard that cater to the tourists who have come to see the Walk of Fame. Rates vary and tend to get more expensive as night falls and nightclubbers come out to play.
How to Get There—Mass Transit
The Metro Red Line stops at the Hollywood/Highland Station. This may actually be the easiest option for people coming from the Valley, especially when Highland Avenue backs up during Hollywood Bowl season. The 156, 212, 217, 312, and 717 buses also stop in the immediate vicinity of the Dolby. Once there, the convenient Holly Trolley can shuttle you around Hollywood between Highland and Vine for a mere dollar (free for LADOT Pass Holders).
How to Get Tickets
The box office at the Dolby Theatre, located on level one of the Hollywood & Highland center, is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am until 4 pm. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster.