The Hollywood Bowl is by far one of my favorite concert venues of all time. The atmosphere is simply classic, and the outdoor experience just livens up any concert. In the past, I’ve mainly attended for live action experiences such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Game of Thrones Concert Experience and most recently in May 2023 to see an all-time favorite band- The Cure. I’m going to bring you along to make sure you know how to elevate your experience, because a show at The Bowl is so much more than ordinary.
Pre-Purchase Parking
Okay so full disclaimer, I have never parked at The Hollywood Bowl beacause as with most events I do my research beforehand. And all reviews pointed towards crazy parking scenarios which include stacked parking. This means you will be waiting quite some time before leaving the lot as you have to wait for the car in front of you to leave. I’ve witnessed what this looks like and I’m just not interested. My stance on this was pretty solid, even pre-kids.
So, what do we opt for? Shuttle service parking. We typically will pay for this upon purchasing our tickets at check out. Prices are generally $7 per person. Parking at the shuttle site is ample and easy to access and only 15 minutes away. In addition, the shuttles begin operating as early as 4:30pm which means you can still arrive to The Bowl early enough to eat/drink, buy merch and tour the grounds way before the show starts (usually 7pm).
Food/Picinic Leased Events
Something to look out for here is that picnicking is often advertised meaning you can bring food and drink into the Bowl, you will want to see if your event is considered a leased 3rd party event. This means you can definitely still bring in food and drinks but just not into the actual Bowl. Nothing to worry about though as there is tons of space where you can consume your food and drink. I’m a huge fan of this – we often opt for bringing in our food in and a couple of adult beverages. I’m not a fan of the food (or price) options offered for food inside and the drink options are pretty limited.
Don’t Miss a Photo-Op
This goes without saying, arrive early and snag a picture in front of the Hollywood Bowl sign – it makes for such a classic memory.
Purchase Merch
If you are planning to purchase any concert merchandise, do so early on before you get past the doors. This is one of the great things about this venue, they have their merchandise stands outside the entrance and conveniently located.
Tour the Grounds
You’ll definitely want to give yourself some time to walk around and take in the sights around you. The Hollywood Bowl is a scenic venue, and worth spending some time on foot.
Grab your Seat
Whatever seat you have, this scenic venue offers no bad seat in my opinion. I’ve seen many people rent the seat cushions since the seats are concrete/bleacher style seating but we’ve done without. I often find that I never leave my seat during concerts here, you just really don’t want to miss a second. There’s something about being seated surrounded by the Hollywood Hills that makes you want to take it all in.
If you haven’t had the chance to visit this gorgeous venue I highly encourage you to look into it for a fun and memorable night out.
xoxo,
The Sun Queen