Is there a place online to watch the Macy's parade balloon inflation live?

Where is the best place to watch the Hollywood Christmas Parade?

• I want to go to the Hollywood Christmas Parade but I don't want to pay to sit in the grandstands. Where is the best place to stand curbside to watch the parade?

• Answer:

  The best place? Any place you can find a spot to SIT on the curb. There really is no best spot... the best spots all have grandstands, especially on Hollywood Blvd. People camp out all day for a good free spot on the curb. And that's not really my cup of tea, anyway. After awhile on the cold curb, your butt starts freezing. Notes from past years: · Traffic: getting to and from the parade can be murder. Even as early as 4 hours before the parade time, the Hollywood (101) Freeway backs up for a mile before the Santa Monica exit, and surface streets in the area are a real zoo. Trying to find a parking spot is even worse. I'm sure that many people who arrive late end up spending the entire parade either stuck in a traffic jam or looking for a place to park. It can be very frustrating. (The solution? Come early. Or else take the subway.) · Crowds: over one million people turn out each year to view the parade, so finding a curbside viewing spot isn't easy. A lot of people are disappointed each year. (The solution? Buy the reserved seats, then bring along a seat cushion.) · Cold: This is a night time parade, and the weather in late November is often quite chilly (at least by L.A. standards), with temperatures often falling into the 50's or even the 40's. Exposed skin can become painfully chilled, especially after hours of sitting motionless in a grandstand seat. (The solution? Dress very warmly!) · The Wait: the parade lasts for two hours, and you have to show up at least 4-6 hours in advance to have any chance of getting a viewing spot. So that means sitting cramped in the same spot, relatively motionless, for hours, sometimes in bone-chilling cold. (The solution? Be patient, and be sure to stand up and stretch your legs every now and then...) You'll have better luck further away from where the parade begins.