Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
195
entertaining areas around the city and can accommodate any skill level for 4 to 12 miles.
One of the most popular r outes is up to H olmby Hills, past the P layboy Mansion and
other massive estates. It's a fun way to get the most out of y our morning jog. Tours cost
about $60 and include a T-shirt, a light breakfast, snacks, and plenty of water.
Beverly Hills Trolley Tours
The city of B everly Hills offers inexpensiv e trolley tours that detail the city 's history as
well as little-kno wn facts and celebrity tidbits. The tour takes visitors on a 40-minute
docent-led tour through the tony avenues of Beverly Hills, including Rodeo Avenue and
the Golden Triangle. It runs every Saturday and Sunday on the hour from 11am to 4pm.
The fare is a mere $5 for adults and $1 for kids 12 and under. The trolley departs at the
“Trolley Stop” at the intersection of R odeo Drive and Dayton Way. For more informa-
tion, call
&
310/285-2438
or log on to www.beverlyhills.org.
7
LIVE-AUDIENCE TV TAPINGS
Being part of the audience for the taping of a television show might be the quintessential
L.A. experience. This is a gr eat way to see H ollywood at wor k, to find out ho w your
favorite sitcom or talk show is made, and to catch a glimpse of your favorite TV person-
alities. Timing is impor tant—remember that most series go on hiatus betw een March
and July. And tickets to the top shows are in greater demand than others, so getting your
hands on them takes advance planning—and possibly some waiting in line.
Request tickets as far in adv ance as possible. Several episodes may be shot on a single
day, so y ou may be r equired to r emain in the theater for up to 4 hours (in addition to
the recommended 1-hr. early check-in). If you phone at the last moment, y ou may luck
into tickets for your top choice. More likely, however, you'll be given a list of shows that
are currently filming, and you won't recognize many of the titles; studios are always tap-
ing pilots, few of which end up on the air . But you never know who may be starring in
them—look at all the famous faces that have launched new sitcoms in the past couple of
years. Tickets are always free, are usually limited to two per person, and ar e distributed
on a first-come, first-served basis. Many shows don't admit children under the age of 10;
in some cases, no one under the age of 18 is admitted.
Tickets are sometimes given away to the public outside popular tourist sites like Grau-
man's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and Universal Studios in the Valley; L.A.'s visitor
information centers in D owntown and Hollywood often hav e tickets as w ell (see “O ri-
entation” in chapter 4). B ut if y ou're determined to see a par ticular show, contact the
following suppliers:
7
Tips
The Cold Truth About Talk Shows
The sets of most talk shows are kept at a cool temperature (the hot lights raise
the temperature on stage), so be sure to bring a sweater or jacket. And if you
dress well—no T-shirts or shorts—your chances of getting a front-row seat
increase dramatically.
