Hollywood Bowl

• The Hollywood Bowl summer concert season runs from late June through mid September, but other events such as the Playboy Jazz Festival may occur earlier or later.
• Hollywood Bowl website
• Admission is charged and reservations are highly recommended. See below for more details

Since 1922, Angelenos have been enjoying summer concerts in the Hollywood Bowl, the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the United States. It's a beautiful setting, and even though it's in the middle of a busy city, you'll barely know it.

With a seating capacity of just under 18,000, the Hollywood Bowl is not an intimate concert venue, but it seldom feels overcrowded, either. Just be sure to arrive early enough to have time to make your way to your seats.

• Bring binoculars if you want a better look.

• Bring a jacket. It can get cool after dark. no matter how hot is is during the day.

• Renting a cushion for few dollars is a good idea if your seat is softer than the one it will be resting on.

• Pay attention when you get off the bus so you know how to get back.

• Keep bottles under control. Every concert, someone cringes to hear their wine bottle clattering down a dozen rows during the quietest part of the concert.

• Children of all ages are allowed, but the kids are likely to be bored.

We rate the Hollywood Bowl 5 stars out of 5 for ambience and location. It's one of our favorite summer activities. Others may disagree. See what other people think or tell us your opinion.

What do you think of the Hollywood Bowl?

• 0 = Yuck! Avoid this place
• 1 = So-So More fun than a night in jail, but you might like a good nap more
• 2 = OK Some like it. I didn't
• 3 = Good It's not a big deal if you miss it
• 4 = Great I really liked it, and think you will, too
• 5 = Awesome! Don't miss it

A pre-concert picnic is a long-standing Hollywood Bowl tradition, one of the most enjoyable parts of the experience. If you bring a picnic, your food containers must be less than 15" wide, 15" high and 20" long. Picnic areas open about 4 hours before each concert. You can also picnic at your seat, which affords great people-watching. Wine is allowed.

Los Angeles restaurant company Patina Group sells ready-made picnic items at the Markets near each entrance, or you can order a meal delivered if you're sitting in a box.

Food and drink policies may vary for concerts presented by other organizations.

The Hollywood Bowl is located on Highland Ave. near US 101 in Hollywood. A limited amount of paid parking is available on site, but it's expensive and traffic snarls will slow your trip. It's better to take advantage of the Hollywood Bowl Park and Ride service which runs to many area locations, or park in one of the area lots served by the Bowlbus.

Depending on where you're staying, you may be able to take the Metro Red Line to the Hollywood and Highland stop. Show your Metro ticket and you can ride the Bowlbus for free.

• Box Seats: Canvas-covered collapsible chairs in groups of 4 or 6 surrounded by wooden partitions. If you can afford it, especially if your trip may be a one-time only experience, the elevated ambience is worth the extra cost.
• SuperSeats: Stadium-style plastic seats with built-in cup holders, in the center of the audience
• Bench Seats: Located next to the Terrace boxes and all the way to the back of the theater
• Bench seats on the sides in sections D and E are are as close to the stage as the Terrace Boxes.

Upper level seats start at $5 to $10. Buy early online or at the box office (2301 North Highland).

If tickets are sold out, try Craigslist or call the box office frequently, asking for released house seats. Ticket brokers such as TicketsNow sell Hollywood Bowl tickets, but above face value. They may lower prices at the last minute if seats are left.

Senior citizens can get same-day discounts some weekdays with photo ID, and some morning rehearsals are open to the public. Call 323-850-2000 for info.

Hollywood Bowl concerts are one of Southern California's iconic events, and one of the most pleasant ways to spend a summer evening. The ambience is laid-back and sophisticated, more like the Los Angeles Philharmonic (who perform here in summer) than a rock concert.

Concert-goers start to arrive as soon as the grounds open, and regulars bring their own picnics, setting up gourmet meals on tables on the grounds or along the sidewalks on the way in. Others settle into their seats, sharing food and drink as they wait for the show to begin.

A long, outdoor moving sidewalk carries the crowds past ivy-covered slopes to the Hollywood Bowl seating area. Concerts begin near sunset, with the LA Philharmonic performing the classics, the resident Hollywood Bowl Orchestra playing lighter selections. Popular musicians from Frank Sinatra to the Beatles have also performed at the Hollywood Bowl over the years. Some concerts feature fireworks shows. JVC Jazz and the Playboy Jazzfest also perform here every summer.