Travel Log: Fontana

After trips to Upstate New York, the Irish Hills of Michigan and grassy hills of East Tennessee, it's bright lights and big city as the spotlight shines on Hollywood.

You've seen the Hollywood sign, so go visit it.

You've heard of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, so go walk it.

And along the way, make a few stops and get educated in L.A. star-gazing. But first, get caught up on all the gossip and news.

MAP OF FONTANA, CALIF.
Click here for directions and an aerial map.

DID YOU KNOW?
Nestor Studios was the first movie studio in the Hollywood area, founded in 1911 on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street.

WHAT THE AREA OFFERS
Los Angeles Bus Tour -- Want to check out the luxurious homes of movie stars? Want to go behind the scenes of Hollywood -- old Hollywood? Want to check out the city's stars under the stars? All of it can be done with a bus tour, and there are plenty of specialized tours out there.
• For more information, click here

Head to the beach -- Contrary to the standard lay-in-the-sun, play-in-the-ocean beaches, L.A. offers something different. Santa Monica Pier is full of restaurants, small shops and entertainment for the kids. Venice Beach Boardwalk is known for people-watching and street entertainment. And of course, there's Muscle Beach, where bulky brutes can be found working out.
• Santa Monica Pier
• Venice Beach Boardwalk
• Muscle Beach
• Zuma Beach
• Manhattan Beach

Take a studio tour -- Get an up-close look at what it takes to put actors and cameras into a full production with one of several studio tours available in Hollywood. Visitors can typically expect demonstrations of special effects and in-depth facts on movie-making.
• For more information, click here

Rancho La Brea Tar Pits -- Take a trip back in time ... to the Ice Age. The Tar Pits are home to the largest group of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world. See what Los Angeles was like between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago.
• For more information, click here

MUST-VISIT RESTAURANT
Swingers -- Talk about a throwback diner in the middle of Beverly Hills. That's exactly what Swingers is. It's not unusual to catch a celebrity ordering a shake and burger here, and it's definitely not rare for the cozy place to be packed at all hours. It's open 6:30 a.m. until 4 a.m.
• For more information, click here

WEATHER FORECAST
As the Race to the Chase heats up, so does the L.A. weather. The forecast calls for sunny skies and near 100-degree temperatures all weekend. Complete forecast

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL
Let NASCAR.COM help book your last-minute travel. Click here