To celebrate my birthday I decided to spend a day in Hollywood wandering around with my husband Paul. Our first stop was the Funko Pop Shop, there is no entrance fee to visit her and besides checking a vast amount of Pops to purchase, the store also has a wealth of photo opportunities. Parking can be a bit hectic here so I suggest picking a parking lot that will be accessible to all of the places that you want to visit. Since we were going to start at the Funko shop we picked a lot located at the Fonda Theater parking lot. You can check online as there are numerous lots and structures to park in.Pricing can vary depending on the day, if there are any events occurring, etc. This lot worked for us since we wanted to eventually make our way to Beetle House for dinner.
No matter what nerdy fandom you are into, the Funko store has something for everyone. From Harry Potter, to nostalgic cartoon characters, Disney, and of course horror. There is truly something for everyone. The horror display is what I really wanted to check out. Throughout the store there are large Pops to pose next to some with more elaborate backdrops than others.
The horror section looked like a large two story study and various horror icons were on display including: Elvira, Slimer, Pennywise, and Jason to just name a few. Besides the horror section, there was a section dedicated to Star Wars, Harry Potter, Disney villains, anime icons, athletes, and musicians. I especially liked the Star Wars and General Mills Halloween cereal display.
I would estimate two hours as more than enough time to enjoy all of the displays, take photos, and make purchases. In addition to the photo ops and purchase opportunities there was also an option to make yourself into a Funko Pop.
After leaving the shop, we decided to keep walking down Hollywood Blvd and headed to Danny Trejo’s Cantina. This cantina is a street over on Selma Ave. It is directly across the street from the Museum of Death. I have not visited this location but have been to the Museum of Death located in New Orleans. Photos are not allowed at either museums but if you’re into learning about death practices and true crime this may be somewhere you will want to check out. At Trejo’s Cantina, we had a few cocktails. They have over twenty beers on tap from various breweries, including their own lager. In addition to a full bar, there are also mocktail options, as well as non-alcoholic spirits options. We were given chips and salsa to snack on. Which were made in house and had a unique seasoning that set them apart from other restaurants. We decided to only have drinks as we had reservations to head to in a few hours.
We eventually made our way back onto Hollywood Blvd and browsed shops along the way. From costumes, wigs, military surplus, and various souvenirs there are numerous things to look at. Additionally you are walking along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and will also pass by the TCL Chinese Theater. Depending on how long you stay on this street, you can visit notable spots such as Musso and Frank Grille, The Hollywood Museum (see blog post here), and Amoeba music, to just name a few.
To read about our evening and experience at Beetle House restaurant, read it here.
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