Looking for a late night spot to hang out in a parked car, w/ a decent view

[grrarr]

A bunch of old buddies are getting together this weekend -- unfortunately, we're doing so in LA, which none of us have any familiarity with.

My assignment is to come up w/ some sort of bluff, some sort of park, some sort of beachfront location -- or anyplace w/a decent view, where we can drive to late at night and just sit around and hang out.

Basically, sort of like reliving a decade-old high school experience (though this time, maybe w/o the cheap booze) -- that is, if I weren't from NYC, if not for the fact that most of us can't drive, etc etc. Sort of the idealized, TV version of kids in high school after the big game...or something like that.

It doesn't have to be remote (though it can be) -- I'm totally fine just parking somewhere in the hollywood hills (maybe looking onto the HOLLYWOOD sign, as tacky as that may sound to you natives). I just have no idea if doing so is feasible, legal, a recipe for multicar pileups, etc.

Biggest Constraint:

-we need to be able to drive there and park even if it's fairly late -- like past 10:00 PM or so.
-fine if it costs money -- that's not a problem
-closer to Anaheim the better, but anyplace within 2 hours driving distance is fine (1 hour is preferred though).
-the view really doesn't have to be that "special" -- I just don't want to end up parked by the side of the freeway on a saturday night, with all my buddies tossing stuff at me because of my lame location choice...

Alternatives:
-a place where we can park our car and then walk/hike a couple hundred feet is fine. I have no frame of reference -- for instance, with respect to the tongue-in-cheek hollywood hills example, could we get away with driving to some random road, parking a car, and then hiking a couple hundred feet?

[Flhaus]

Try the top of a parking garage. :)

[septicsilver]

Have you considered Coit Tower? Not sure if it's closed at night, but the view is really good. Telescopes and everything.

[zaolee]

Moholland drive is the classic lover's lane and lookout point. It runs dozens of miles along a ridge top. there are turnouts and scenic parking. Booze is probably prohibited.

[Trishy]

drive down the Pacific Coast Highway till you find a good spot. Nice views around there. And coit tower is in San Francisco so unless you wanna drive the 450 miles, i think that is outta the pic =)

-Trish