hollywood sign | Petite Retreater

Glamp Near Some of the Most Iconic Landmarks and Locations

Thanks to social media, any of you list makers can always get some ideas from Instagram, Facebook, and other various online sources for listicles that regularly pop up letting you know how many people have visited these locations, viewed these landmarks, visited these national parks etc. We took a tour around some of these lists to see what you can mark off when glamping nearby with us:

One list includes US landmarks like the Hollywood Sign, the Las Vegas Strip, and Disney World. We can make this easy for you:

To visit the Hollywood Sign, book a glamping cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon and drive roughly 45 miles to see this iconic bit of LaLa Land. Fun fact, the original sign, which was built in 1923 to advertise a real estate development, read HOLLYWOODLAND. A great spot to view the sign is from the Griffith Observatory which can be reached via a hike through Griffith Park.

To experience the bright lights and high energy of the Las Vegas Strip, book a glamping cabin at Thousand Trails Las Vegas and stroll the roughly four miles where highlights include the nightly fountain show outside the Bellagio Hotel, a gondola ride at The Venetian, the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, and the Insta-worthy “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign!

Florida’s Walt Disney World is considered an unofficial landmark as the iconic castle is known world-wide so that works for our purposes. And apparently you are never too old to enjoy the fun here. In March 2024, Magnolia Jackson celebrated her 106th birthday with her first trip ever to the Magic Kingdom. Book a colorful glamping cottage at Encore Tropical Palms in Kissimmee and let the magic in!

Yurt at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Campground

Then there’s the National Parks checklist – how many of the 63 US national parks have you visited? Start tackling that list by glamping with us when you head to Yosemite which is famous for the Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome, plus just down the road from Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes.

How about the most beautiful small towns in America? That’s another easy one list makers include California’s Carmel by the Sea (book a glamping stay at Marina Dunes RV Resort); Cannon Beach, Oregon (book a charming glamping cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Seaside); and Sedona, Arizona (glamp at a tiny house at Thousand Trails Verde Valley).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Petite Retreats (@petite.retreats)

Read More:

Here are 5 fun things to do for your trip to Orlando, FL
Unique and tasty celebrations to add to your calendar
We’re thankful for glamping! Are you?
Find your next glamping destination at PetiteRetreats.com.

That’s a Wrap: Going Hollywood

Right on the heels of the holiday season comes Awards Season. This is the time of year, from roughly early January until mid-February, when the Hollywood stars shine their brightest doing the circuit of award shows to see who takes home the coveted statuette – from the Golden Globe to the SAG Actor to the big daddy of them all, the Oscar. Take a trip to LaLa Land and vacation Hollywood-style.

Go full-on tourist and hit the LA scene that highlights all things Hollywood.

Walk of Fame: Stroll on over to Hollywood Boulevard and check out the more than 2000 stars on the Walk of Fame. The dedications here include luminaries from television, radio, movies, live theater, and the music industry, To have a star here, the criterion includes “being famous for at least 5 years.” The first star dedicated belonged to actress Joanne Woodward and the most recent was to Snoop Dogg.
Graumann’s Chinese Theater: Opened in 1927 to debut the film King of Kings, Graumann’s Chinese Theater was so named because of the style of the architecture. For years it was the venue for the Academy Awards, and is noted because of the more than 200 handprints and footprints of the Hollywood hotshots that you can still step into in the forecourt of the theater. FYI, those prints include the hoofprint of Trigger, Roy Rogers’ faithful horse and the tire marks of Herbie the Love Bug.
Hollywood Sign: If you want a good view or a selfie backdrop of the Hollywood sign, take a trip to Griffith Park. There are trails that lead up to as close as you can legally get to the sign. The outdoor patio at the Griffith Observatory also provides an ideal spot to get a good shot of this landmark sign that was built in 1923. The letters stand 45 feet high and span 350 feet across the entire sign.

Go on location and visit iconic settings that have had their fair share of close-ups during some of most the popular movies and television shows.

The Last Book Store: Located at 453 S. Spring in Los Angeles, the bookstore itself is worth the visit as it houses plenty of books, including vintage volumes, at great prices. From a fan perspective, you will recognize the place from the 2014 movie, Gone Girl.
Cunningham House: While the Cunningham family of Happy Days fame resided in Milwaukee, the exterior shots of their happy home was actually those of a house located in LA. Cruise on over to 565 N. Cahuenga Boulevard in LA and you’ll be transported to happier days! Can you hear Fonzie’s bike coming to visit?
Leo Carrillo State Beach: Plenty of filming has gone on at this popular beach in Malibu. Walk the beach and imagine you see Danny and Sandy enjoying those summer nights or Keanu and Patrick Swayze catching a wave while filming Point Break. The iconic beach movies of the early 1960s were also filmed here including Gidget and Beach Blanket Bingo. Named for actor Leo G. Carrillo, best known for his television series, The Cisco Kid, the beach is located at 35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, in Malibu.

Boardwalk to Leo Carrillo State Beach, Malibu, CA

Get up close and personal with the Academy Awards and the stars who shine.

The Annenberg Space for Photography has a current exhibit entitled “Vanity Fair: Hollywood Calling,” scheduled to run through July 26. The exhibit features more than 100 photographs of film and television industry stars over the last 40 years taken by famous photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Herb Ritts. Visit annebergphotospace.org for hours and more details.
Coming soon! The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is definitely coming soon. The museum, which was slated to open in 2019, is expected to open this year on the site of the former May Co. department store, located at 6067 Wilshire Blvd. Film related objects, including Dorothy’s ruby slippers and the typewriter on which the screenwriter wrote Psycho, are slated to be on display here. Watch the website at academymuseum.org for updates on the opening date and details.

If you’re looking to add a bit more star power to your LA visit, try staying in a cabin, cottage, teepee, or covered wagon at Rancho Oso in Santa Barbara. Rancho Oso is a working ranch and also served as a retreat from Hollywood life for silent film stars, including the famed Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.

Covered Wagons • Rancho Oso • Santa Barbara, CA

National Selfie Day

June 21 is National Selfie Day. Established in 2014, this day, according to NationalCalendar.com, was designed to “encourage people to take creative (appropriate) selfies and share them on social media.” Of course, this may be something you do on a daily basis, so maybe on National Selfie Day you should go all out and make sure your post is amazing! One way to do that is to make sure wherever you’re snapping the perfect pic of yourself offers outstanding scenery. We’ve listed a few of the more iconic locations to provide the perfect selfie backdrop. Also, if you choose to participate, you should post your pic on social media with the tag #NationalSelfieDay. For more information, visit www.nationalselfieday.net.

The Hollywood Sign: Located in Los Angeles (and just an hour from Soledad Canyon), this American landmark is 352 feet long and spells out the word HOLLYWOOD in 45-foot tall letters. A star is born, for sure!
The Washington Monument: While the monument itself is closed for repairs until August, you can still stand in the forefront and get a great shot with this 555-obelisk built to commemorate George Washington. Conveniently, Harbor View is about 65 miles from Washington D.C.
The Golden Gate Bridge: San Francisco’s iconic suspension bridge is a great backdrop for a selfie. Hike up Hawk Hill, located in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, for a perfect shot.
Disneyworld: A perfect selfie would include Cinderella’s Castle in the background as you smile broadly with Mickey and/or Minnie to complete the shot. The colorful cottages at Tropical Palms are just 10 miles away from the Magic Kingdom.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign: A Vegas landmark since 1959, this 25-foot tall neon masterpiece marks the entry to the famous Las Vegas strip. Stay in a cabin at Las Vegas to prep for the perfect pic.
The Bean: Chicago’s Cloud Gate sculpture, also known as The Bean, is a popular selfie backdrop. Located in the city’s Millennium Park, selfie snappers have been known to get very creative when taking pics with this mirrored landmark.
Cheers Bar: Go where everybody knows your name, or at least your social media handle after you post a pic of yourself with the famous Cheers sign in the background. Head to Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood to find this iconic sign. It is located across from Boston’s Public Garden, which provides some great selfie shots, too! The Tuxbury Tiny House Village is located just an hour from downtown Boston.
Hersheypark: Visit Hersheypark and keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to take a pic with life-sized candy characters, including a Hershey Kiss, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or a Hershey Bar. The cabins at Hershey are less than 30 miles from Hersheypark. These are guaranteed to be some sweet shots.
The Parthenon: You don’t have to travel all the way to Greece to get this shot. Instead, head to Centennial Park in Nashville and snap a shot in front of this full scale replica of the original in Athens. The adorably themed cabins at Natchez Trace are about an hour from downtown Nashville.
Chief Passamaquoddy: Take a picture with a 40-foot Indian chief in the background. To do so, head to Freeport, Maine (which is about 60 miles from Moody Beach) and you’ll find him standing tall along Route 1. He is also known as the Big F Indian.