Top 10 Best Places to Spot Celebs
If you can't get enough of the rich and famous, we're here to help you out. This list breaks up the best places to spot your favorite celebs such as the Grove, The Bowery Hotel Lobby Bar, Mr. Chow, Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles International Airport [aka LAX] and Rodeo Drive, Runyon Canyon Park, and Fred Segal Melrose. We're excluding popular places for premieres or award shows, like TCL Chinese Theatre, because although celebs will be there, it's not really the same as seeing them out in the world.
#10: The Grove
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Celebrities love to shop just like the rest of us. And when they do, they’re likely to hit up famed mall, The Grove, in Los Angeles. The mall is part of the greater Farmer’s Market area, and has every shopping chain imaginable, as well as a movie theatre. While you’re perusing the shops, keep your eyes peeled because tons of celebs are known for making appearances here. Your best bet is to follow the paparazzi if you see any big camera, because they likely have the hottest leads as to who will be there on a certain day.
#9: The Bowery Hotel Lobby Bar
While most movie stars live in LA, there are still many who call the Big Apple home. In addition to the locals though, top tier celebs are known to visit NYC regularly for premieres or other promotional events and will likely be staying in one of a few of the hotels popular with A-listers. The Bowery in the East Village is one such establishment, and if you hang out in the sumptuously decorated lobby bar, you might be lucky enough to spot one of your favorite actors grabbing a drink.
#8: The Ivy
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Though the food is apparently quite good, LA’s most famous brunch spot isn’t known for its cuisine. The Ivy has hosted tons of different celebs from Paris Hilton to Brad Pitt and Madonna over the years. The reason it’s easy to catch a glimpse of famous faces here is that much of the restaurant’s seating is on their outdoor patio, which is in front of the building itself. This means that you can hang with the paparazzi across the street and wait to see your favorite stars arrive. Now that the restaurant is so renowned for the famous people who eat there, some of the more private celebs have understandably moved on to quieter locales.
#7: Central Park
No trip to New York is complete without a walk through Central Park, and luckily, this urban green space also just so happens to be a great spot for celeb sightings. Considering there aren’t many alternatives for getting your nature fix in Manhattan, lots of actors and actresses who live in the city frequent the park regularly. The running track around the reservoir is a particularly good place to see celebs getting a workout in. If you’re lucky, you could even end up with an Oscar award winner making a guest appearance in your Central Park wedding photos!
#6: Mr. Chow
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The original iteration of this celebrity favorite opened in London in the 1960s and boasted The Beatles as some of their first regulars. Years later, in 1974, a second location was opened in Beverly Hills and the stars flocked there as well. Today, both of these two locations on either side of the pond are popular with the rich and famous, though the LA neighborhood branch will probably give you a higher likelihood of seeing a star. If you decide to eat here, order the popular Chicken Satay dish and cross your fingers that someone famous is craving Chinese. Two locations in NYC also offer the opportunity for celebrity sightings.
#5: Chateau Marmont
This Sunset Boulevard landmark has been a haven for the stars since it opened as a hotel in the late 1920s. Many infamous incidents have taken place in this Hollywood haunt, though it’s sometimes difficult to separate fact from fiction. John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in one of the bungalows, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham allegedly rode a Harley Davidson through the lobby, and according to legend, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable had an affair on the premises. Rooms here are pretty pricey due to the notoriety of the place, but you can always stop in at the bar for a drink.
#4: Fred Segal Melrose
This trendy shop is part department store and part exclusive boutique. Fred Segal has entered the cultural collective as a symbol of extravagant LA shopping. The ivy-covered flagship location on Melrose in Los Angeles is the place to go for star spotting, though there used to be another location in Santa Monica. The paparazzi are accustomed to waiting outside to see the big names get in and out of their cars. Lunchtime at the onsite cafe, Mauro's, is one of your best bets for seeing celebs dine, because even they can’t resist good Italian food.
#3: Runyon Canyon Park
When you see photos of celebs sweating in their workout clothes with a dusty looking background, you’re probably looking at Runyon Canyon. Located conveniently in the center of LA, this is the perfect spot for actors and actresses to get toned while taking in those awesome panoramic views. It may be a little harder to recognize even the most famous of faces here though, as it’s easy to blend in when you’ve got your hair in a ponytail and a baseball cap on. There are tons of hiking trails and lots of off-leash dog areas, so you might even get to see some famous pups as well!
#2: Los Angeles International Airport [aka LAX]
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While some superstars may charter private jets to get around (or even own one themselves!), for the most part, celebrities have to deal with air travel just like the rest of us. And if you’re self-conscious of how you look after a nine-hour flight, just imagine how you’d feel with 20 cameras pointed at your face. In 2015 however, it was announced that LAX would be building a new, private terminal for those wishing to pay a substantial additional fee. Set to open in May 2017, the terminal is intended as the new go-to route for celebs.
#1: Rodeo Drive
This is where you’ll find all the luxury shopping you could possibly want, and you may also spot a few famous faces. The commercial section of Rodeo drive is only three blocks long, between Wilshire Boulevard and ‘Little’ Santa Monica Boulevard, but all the high-end shops that the street is famous for are conveniently concentrated in that small space. Because celebs have to go in and out of each individual store, there are plenty of chances to catch a glimpse. And if you want to go into the store that was made famous in “Pretty Woman,” you’re in luck because it’s still open – though it’s moved and its outdoor signs have changed.
