How Hollywood Bowl Carpool Parking Works

Being at the Hollywood Bowl to see a show is a magical experience. Get there ? Not so much, thanks to streets that are so clogged with traffic that it sometimes feels like each of the 17,000 people filling the historic venue to capacity is behind the wheel of their own car, slowly making their way up Highland Avenue.

Years ago, in an effort to ensure we got to the Bowl on time and reliably, every time with minimal stress, my wife and I gave up on the idea of ​​driving ourselves and to park on site (a logistical nightmare) or to take one. from the numerous shuttles from far away (an extra step that some swear by but which requires the patience of a saint), in favor of carpooling, building in an extra hour and wearing comfortable shoes.

Once the traffic heading up Highland Boulevard toward the Bowl slowed from slowing to almost a complete stop, which it absolutely always did with at least a quarter mile left to go, disembark, and walk the rest of the way. path on foot. On the way back, we'll try to avoid the traffic and demand by going down to Hollywood Boulevard before hailing a ride home. Neither of us particularly enjoyed adding a mile walk at the end of the night, but the tradeoff was avoiding the worst of the inevitable carpool chaos.

But the last time we were there, things were different. Instead of heading toward Highland and straight into the inevitable sea of ​​traffic heading toward Bowl, our driver took a circuitous route through the hills, emerged onto Cahuenga Boulevard, and headed south. Sensing what seemed like an epic mistake that was going to land us straight into the maw of an automotive mishap, we exchanged nervous glances in the backseat and checked our watches. Then he did something totally unexpected. Instead of continuing south straight toward the Bowl, he crossed the Hollywood Freeway (via Pilgrimage Bridge), SO We headed south, taking the graceful arc of a right turn onto Odin Street. A few minutes later we found ourselves disgorged onto a triangular field crossing Highland from the Bowls entrance, which we could easily access via a pedestrian underpass.

After the show (James Taylor always kills it live, btw), instead of walking a mile into Highland to hail a car, we simply walked back through the pedestrian tunnel to the magic triangle where fleets Ubers, recently hailed Lyfts and the occasional Altos also arrived via Odin Street and were arranged in numbered rows to make it easier to locate a driver once they arrived. In about 15 minutes (light speed in Bowl terms) we were on board, flagged down into a southbound lane of the Highlands and on our way home. It was a game-changing carpool experience that shaved a good two hours and a 1.25 mile hike off our transit time.

This triangular space was formerly Parking Lot C at Bowls, and its conversion into a streamlined carpool center was quietly announced on the venue's website in mid-March, along with plans to dedicate part of Lot B (the bunk parking adjacent to the Hollywood Bowl) to public transportation. According to a representative for the LA Phil, which manages the Bowl, the venue averages about 1,000 rideshare cars per night.

The new carpooling system, which went into effect at the start of the season on April 11 (with the Jimmy Buffett tribute concert, Keep the Party Going), resulted in the elimination of 350 of the 1,700 stacked parking spaces available at 350 locations.

While this was certainly bad news for anyone trying to snag one of the remaining 1,350 spots, I can tell you from first-hand experience that for the ride-sharing public, it's game-changing good news.

THE Hollywood Bowl Carpool Center, Lot C is located at 6655 Odin St. Information about additional transportation options, including shuttles and–on-site parking is located hollywoodbowl.com.