Hollywood Bowl Concerts and Events All Summer Long
Don’t forget to make time for the Hollywood Bowl! We try to attend one of the great Hollywood Bowl concerts at a minimum once a year. There are so many amazing concerts to choose from: orchestra performances from the likes of the LA Phil and Mozart Under the Stars, oldies but oh-so-goodies like the Beach Boys and Herbie Hancock, amazing movie nights featuring music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, and Harry Potter, Gospel choirs with John Legend, KCRW festival LA favorites like Fleet Foxes and Cat Power, and the annual Big Picture event and of course the cult classic Sound of Music Sing-A-Long! We promise you, when it comes to those summertime Hollywood Bowl concerts and events, there is something for everyone!
Choosing Your Seats at the Hollywood Bowl (On A Budget)
If you are lucky enough to have garden box seats or front-row tickets don’t pass them up, but we are all about affordable luxury, so we opt for those more affordable seats in the back! Sure, they may be considered the nosebleed section, but we think these are some of the best seats in the house. And when you’re down there in the front rows, you don’t get the same spectacular view of the Hollywood sign (this iPhone photo below does NOT do the view justice — we I swear!).
The four giant video screens (two on either side) are great for your close-up views and the sound is awesome no matter where you sit. And, pro tip: If you get seats to the left of the stage there is bonus easy bathroom access as well.
Depending on the Hollywood Bowl concert or event, tickets can range from under $10 way back there at the top of the Bowl to hundreds of dollars apiece. When we choose our tickets, getting close to the action is not the priority. Any night is a good night at the Hollywood Bowl, so the more affordable sections in the back suit us just fine.
If you prefer a seat or one of the boxes, you’ll need to spend a little more. But if you are okay with the affordable bench seating, then any spot is a good spot. We bring a blanket to sit on because we know we’ll be sitting for a few hours. Additionally, there are colorful seat cushions you can rent from the Bowl for $1.
Getting To The Hollywood Bowl
The historic Hollywood Bowl is centered in the heart of Hollywood. There are different shuttle buses and public transportation that can get you to the Hollywood Bowl, but we generally drive up Highland from Mid-City. Gates open 2 hours before the show starts, so we always plan our night accordingly and aim to arrive right when the doors open.
When it comes down to it, we recommend driving to the Hollywood Bowl. You certainly can try using a ride-sharing app, but we DO NOT recommend this unless you plan on getting picked up and dropped off about a half mile down on Hollywood Blvd. Wait times can be unbearably long as frustrated drivers may cancel on you.
Parking at the Hollywood Bowl
We generally park in one of the lots across the street from the Bowl. You can purchase parking passes in advance, and we recommend doing just that as we were recently turned away from one of the lots for not having pre-purchased parking passes and parking had sold out at that specific lot.
Parking is stacked, meaning you cannot leave until the cars in front of you leave. As awful as this sounds, this exit system is actually pretty efficient and the Hollywood Bowl parking lots aren’t ridiculously huge. Cars do move at a decent pace, all things considered, so long as you are not the first one out of the Bowl.
What to Bring to Hollywood Bowl Events
If the event is an official Hollywood Bowl event, then you are permitted to bring your own food and beverages. We always bring our trusty cooler to keep the cheese and wine cold, and we usually also pack a bag with crackers, pistachios, and maybe something sweet. We have also pre-ordered some amazing fried chicken from Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken at the corner of Pico and Crenshaw. We’ve also ordered some pretty amazing to-go bento boxes from Sugarfish on La Brea — they pack up everything so neatly, and you’ll be the envy of your picnicking neighbors.
Bringing your own picnic to the Hollywood Bowl is a great bonus, but here is something you should definitely consider — if you are attending a big-ticket leased event, then don’t bring that cooler or that wine because you’ll be turned away. At leased events, all food and beverages must be purchased on-site. So definitely know what kind of Hollywood Bowl concert or event you have booked and be sure to read the fine print. One of us saw Radiohead at the Bowl way back when and remembers seeing concert-goers chugging a bottle of wine that they weren’t allowed to bring in.
Regardless, there are plenty of great food and beverage options on-site for your convenience at all Hollywood Bowl concerts and events, including pizza, barbecue, popcorn, sodas, bottles of wine, and more. Make your way to one of 14 picnic areas scattered throughout the park, and set up! Just note that the picnic areas at the Hollywood Bowl are first come first serve and you might have to share a table, but the grounds are beautiful, and we consider this to be part of the Hollywood Bowl experience.
Who Should You Bring?
Trust us, everyone LOVES the Hollywood Bowl. Just like a night at LACMA Jazz, the Bowl is great for families, date nights, group events, and hanging out with friends. Need some motivation to deal with the crowds? The Hollywood Bowl is a great place to bring out-of-town guests. Again, book some seats way at the top and spread out! There is more room up there to get comfortable, and there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
As mentioned above, the less expensive seats are wooden bleachers, so bring a blanket to sit on, or better yet cough up a few bucks to rent seat cushions for your peeps. But maybe still bring that blanket or a sweatshirt because Hollywood Bowl concerts and events can go late into cool summer nights, and you are in a literal canyon in the middle of nature.
Special Occasions at the Bowl
Is there a holiday coming up and you have yet to receive that party invitation? We’ve spent the past two 4th of Julys at the bowl. There’s always a special guest and fireworks — this year it was the Beach Boys, and we settled in for a show that absolutely blew our minds. Who knew that these Los Angeles icons could still bring the house down? And the firework display is always epic.
Check out the upcoming schedule of Hollywood Bowl events and concerts.
