Have you ever dreamed of living in a Hollywood zip? If so, you probably think you have to achieve the pinnacle of the American Dream to get there. After all, the people who live in Hollywood are the famous ones, right? The ones who are part of the efforts to decorate with words on the Walk of Fame, the A list of movies and television.

Actually, glitz and glamour aren't what the actual town of Hollywood is about at all, at least not anymore. Instead, the town has lent its name to a concept that has to do with a certain lifestyle, rather than the town itself.

Don't get us wrong, there are still plenty of glitzy events held in Hollywood; the Oscars are held there every year, and Paramount still produces movies in the district. But for the most part, actual Hollywood is nothing like the Hollywood in your imagination, the home of stars, bankruptcy lawyers, California businessmen, and other elite. Still, it is a big tourist attraction, and there are plenty of things to do.

Unlike other areas of Los Angeles, you won't find oceanfront property for sale in Hollywood. The town is very much indicative of the interior California climate. It's hot and dry, the perfect setting for the many parks and attractions in the area. It's also a great place to set out on a hike or other outdoor excursions.

Hollywood is also well known for its night life. Star sightings do still happen from time to time, but for the most part the nightlife of the city involved those without millions of dollars invested in precious metal funds and other diversification endeavors. In fact, the recent rejuvenation of the area around the Kodak Theatre has meant Hollywood is re-gaining its reputation as the center of the Los Angeles club scene.

That rejuvenation has also been critical in the preservation of some of old Hollywood's historic landmarks. You have to give the town's staff in research and development credit for coming up with the concepts which initially saved significant pieces of Americana. Thanks to incisive urban planning and good marketing, many formerly run down buildings are being transformed to hip condos and lofts as well as entertainment attractions unto themselves.

Those buildings, of course, continue to be some of the main attractions Hollywood has to offer. Whether touched up in their original state or redone entirely, they offer glimpses of a past and a future which helped to shape the United States as we know it today.