Located primarily inside the city of Los Angeles, Hollywood is a neighborhood in the county seat of Los Angeles, California. In line with the Mapping L.A. Hollywood, a project of The Los Angeles Times, is bordered to the north by the Hollywood Hills, to the northeast by Los Feliz, to the east by East Hollywood or Virgil Village, to the south by Larchmont and Hancock Park, to the southwest by Fairfax, to the west by West Hollywood, and to the northwest by Hollywood Hills West. The Hollywood neighborhood is bounded on the north by Hollywood Boulevard, which runs from La Brea Avenue to the east boundary of Wattles Garden Park, and on the south by Melrose Avenue, and on the west by La Brea Avenue or the West Hollywood city line. On the east is Western Avenue.

Hollywood enjoys a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csa) or dry-summer subtropical climate similar to the greater Los Angeles region. Other from a few bright, sunny days, winters are usually mild and wet. April through October sees little to no rainfall throughout the hot, dry summer months. Summertime temps are comparatively milder than in the San Fernando Valley, notwithstanding the possibility of scorching days. It's usually warm, bright, and pleasant throughout the spring and fall. Santa Ana winds can bring high temperatures and low humidity, which increases the risk of wildfires, especially in dry years. These winds are prone to affecting the area in the fall and winter. Summertime can bring smog, and May and June might bring cloudiness and fog, so-called "May Gray" or "June Gloom."

Similar to the county average, 28% of Hollywood inhabitants who were 25 years of age or older in 2000 had a four-year degree. Hollywood is home to several public libraries, including the Los Angeles Public Library's Frances Howard Goldwyn – Hollywood Regional Branch, John C. Fremont Branch, and Will and Ariel Durant Branch. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), which is in charge of institutions such Hollywood High School, Joseph LeConte Middle School, Gardner Street Elementary School, and Selma Avenue Elementary School, serves the educational landscape. Private educational establishments such as Blessed Sacrament School, Hollywood Schoolhouse, Beverly Hills RC School, Young Hollywood, Temple Israel of Hollywood Day School, and Cheder Menachem may also be found in Hollywood. The AFI Conservatory, Emerson College ELA-Hollywood Center, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Film School, and Los Angeles Recording School are just a few of the universities that support Hollywood's educational landscape.

Hosted every year since 2004, the Academy Awards honor exceptional achievements in film and are usually hosted in late February or early March. The Academy Awards, which were once hosted in late March or early April, have a permanent home at the Dolby Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue as of 2002. Celebrating its 75th year in 2006, the Hollywood Christmas Parade is another noteworthy annual event that includes a parade down Hollywood Boulevard and national television coverage. Furthermore, every April, the Hollywood Half Marathon—which was started in 2012—offers a variety of race categories along Hollywood Boulevard with the goal of raising funds and awareness for nearby juvenile homeless shelters.