The Walk of Fame, Explained

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a public sidewalk in Los Angeles set with more than 2,800 stars, administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the City; it has no ticket, no gate and no guide of its own, and the official site describes it as free to all.

Where it runs and what a star is made of

The Walk covers 1.3 miles along Hollywood Boulevard, from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, plus Vine Street between Sunset Boulevard and Yucca Street. Stars sit on both sides of both streets and face both directions, “so that people walking either direction can see the stars easily”, in the words of the official site. Each star is terrazzo and brass, with a brass emblem for one of six categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording, Live Theatre/Live Performance and Sports Entertainment.

The idea was proposed in 1953 by E. M. Stuart, volunteer president of the Chamber. Eight demonstration stars were unveiled at Highland Avenue on 15 August 1958, Joanne Woodward’s among them, so her name is often attached to “the first star”. The first star laid in the permanent Walk was Stanley Kramer’s, on 28 March 1960, near Hollywood and Gower, and the original build was completed in spring 1961 with 1,558 stars. The full chronology is on the history page.

How a star gets there

A star starts with a nomination, made online through the official application, which carries an application fee. A committee of Walk of Famers, with each category represented, normally meets in June to choose about two dozen to 30 names, and the Chamber’s board ratifies the list. A sponsor then pays a sponsorship fee on selection, which the official site says covers the creation and installation of the star and maintenance of the Walk; the current amount is in the official FAQ at walkoffame.com.

The honoree must agree to attend the ceremony, and has two years to schedule it before the selection expires. Honorees cannot choose where their star goes. Posthumous stars are limited to one a year, after a two-year waiting period, with a family member accepting. Petitions, signatures, phone calls and emails are not accepted in place of an application. A famous name missing from the Walk usually means no nomination, no sponsor or no ceremony yet. The steps are on how someone gets a star, and reported cases of stars not collected on why some famous names have no star.

The free ceremonies

“Walk of Fame ceremonies are open and free to the public,” according to the official site, with a public viewing area subject to City restrictions. The schedule is published on walkoffame.com, which also streams ceremonies live. Recent ceremonies have been held at 11:30 am PT; the official site confirms the time for each one. The Class of 2027, announced in July 2026, has 32 honorees. Arriving early is sensible. More on watching a star ceremony.

Walking it

A walk from Gower Street west to La Brea Avenue passes the Pantages, Egyptian, El Capitan and TCL Chinese theatres, Ovation Hollywood and the Hollywood Roosevelt. At Hollywood and Vine, four Apollo 11 moon monuments sit one on each corner, and the Vine Street spur runs north and south of the intersection, past the Capitol Records Building at 1750 Vine Street. Muhammad Ali’s star is the exception to the pavement: it is mounted on a wall at Ovation Hollywood.

Visitors looking for particular names save time by checking the official directory and Star Map first. Each entry gives the category, the street address and the ceremony date, so a star can be found on the right block. Gene Autry, for example, has five stars at five addresses, the only person with five according to the official site. The route is on walking it yourself, and the directory is explained on how to find a star.

What is bookable

Nothing on GetYourGuide sells the Walk itself. What can be booked falls into three kinds, each described here from its own listing:

• On foot. The Hollywood Walk of Fame walking tour is a 2-hour guided walk from Musso & Frank Grill. The Hollywood sunset walk is also 2 hours, starts at Ovation Hollywood and spends about 20 minutes on the Walk before a hike in Runyon Canyon Park.
• Beside the sidewalk. The Dolby Theatre tour is a 30-minute guided tour of the home of the Academy Awards. Madame Tussauds Hollywood admission is valid for 1 day with no set entry time.
• By vehicle. The open-air bus boards at the Hollywood Visitor Center on the Walk for a 2-hour drive to the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills; its 3.5-hour Santa Monica departure includes 30 minutes on the Walk. The 1.5-hour night tour drives the boulevard in an open-top vehicle and stops for 30 minutes at Griffith Observatory.

Each of the six listings states free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The six are set out together on the tours page.

Getting there and practicalities

Two Metro B Line stations serve the Walk: Hollywood/Highland, below Ovation Hollywood, and Hollywood/Vine, below the Hollywood and Vine intersection, according to Discover LA. The Walk is about 12 miles from LAX, which the official FAQ puts at 30 minutes to an hour by car. Ovation Hollywood has a parking garage. Routes from each direction are on how to get there.

Hollywood Boulevard is a busy commercial street. Costumed street performers work the sidewalk, especially near the Chinese Theatre, and may ask for a tip for a photo, so it helps to agree on it before posing. Keeping valuables close and staying on busy, lit blocks after dark is ordinary city practice. The shops and attractions keep their own hours; the sidewalk has none of its own.

Ready to book

The two-hour guided walking tour that meets outside Musso & Frank Grill is below with live dates. The tours page sets all six side by side, and which tour for which visit matches them to the time available and the kind of visit.

Frequently asked questions