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If I say Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, what comes to mind? If you immediately think of Club Silencio and the distressing story of Betty and Rita, then you are a fan of David Lynch and Mulholland Drive, one of his most famous movies, which is set entirely in Los Angeles.
If you aren’t familiar with Lynch’s movie, maybe I should tell you a bit about Mulholland Drive, a hillside street famous for its viewpoints over the town of Los Angeles and for the mansions of Hollywood stars who have decided to settle in this quiet and exclusive area. Celebrities such as Madonna, Jack Nicholson, John Lennon, Roman Polanski, Marlon Brando, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, and David Lynch himself live or have lived on Mulholland Drive. In other words, in this area, you have a high chance to meet famous stars!
If you have never heard about this illustrious road, the article you are reading is right for you. I will give you tips to plan a drive along Mulholland Drive and tell you where to stop to enjoy its beautiful views.
Where Is Mulholland Drive? How Do You Get There?
By Car
Take a Tour
Mulholland Drive View: Recommended Overlooks
Jerome C. Daniel Overlook
Universal City Overlook
Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook
Barbara A. End Overlook at the Summit
Stone Canyon Overlook
Runyon Canyon Park
Mulholland Drive: The Locations Where the Movie was Filmed
Where to Stay
Where Is Mulholland Drive? How Do You Get There?how to get to mulholland drive
In its entirety, Mulholland Drive is a 55-mile long winding road that connects the Hollywood Hills to Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu. Along the way, more precisely at Calabasas, Mulholland Drive becomes Mulholland Highway (not to be confused with the road with the same name on the slopes of Mount Lee, where the Hollywood Sign is located) and arrives at Leo Carrillo Beach State Park through the Santa Monica Mountains. However, to drive the entire length of Mulholland Drive is very difficult and not at all common, especially because a long stretch of Mulholland Drive (from the junction with I-405 to Calabasas) is a mountain dirt road.
By Car
Therefore, in this article, we will limit ourselves to describing the classic route on Mulholland Drive, the one most travelers choose and that offers the most interesting views. This segment of
Mulholland Drive climbs up the Hollywood Hills from US-101 via Cahuenga Blvd, then it crosses the hills to the intersection with I-405, for a 20- mile drive that will take at least one hour, not counting the scenic stops.
Tip
If you have little time but still want to enjoy this road, you can decide to cover even just 5-6 miles (from the exit of the US-101 to the Mulholland Scenic Overlook, see below) and then turn back. In my opinion, this stretch of Mulholland Drive is enough for you to see the best views. I myself drove this section after visiting Universal Studios on my way back to Los Angeles Downtown.
Take a Tour
The area is not accessible by public transportation, but those who do not have a car can join a guided tour to see the houses of celebrities on Mulholland Drive (and beyond).
Mulholland Drive View: Recommended Overlooks
Just driving down this road is an experience unique to Los Angeles, which I didn’t want to give up. You will realize this right away, when before your eyes you will see the opulent villas of Hollywood stars surrounded by greenery, among flowering gardens and shady woods. There is no lack of views of the ocean, mountain landscapes and canyons, but one thing is certain: fans of the Mulholland Drive movie will drive with great caution, since they will bear the memory of the car accident that the initial protagonist (then Rita) had at the beginning of the movie, which happened right on this winding road (as we will see later).
Here are the viewpoints to stop at, in order from east to west.
Jerome C. Daniel Overlook
mulholland drive overlook
After a little more than half a mile from the beginning of the road, you will find the Jerome C. Daniel Overlook, the most famous and frequented one on Mulholland Drive. The overlook has a small parking lot and is located right above the Hollywood Bowl, so it offers a beautiful view of the amphitheater of the same name and of Downtown Los Angeles. If you go on a clear day, you can see all the way to the ocean and Catalina Island. But the main reason to stop here is that this overlook gives you the opportunity to see not only the Griffith Observatory, but also the legendary Hollywood Sign. If you click on the link for the Hollywood Sign, you will find information about this overlook and many others in Los Angeles that allow you to see the Hollywood Sign.
