There are writers who capture an era, and then there are writers who define it. F. Scott Fitzgerald did the latter. With prose that glitters like champagne and characters who ache with disillusionment, he chiseled the image of the Jazz Age into the American consciousness. To read Fitzgerald is to hear the distant echo of a party, to feel the phantom coolness of a gin rickey, and to understand the profound melancholy that haunts the most extravagant dreams. But his world wasn’t confined to the page. It was built from the bricks and mortar of St. Paul, the ivy-covered walls of Princeton, the electric hum of New York, the languid heat of the French Riviera, and the quiet desperation of Baltimore. To trace his footsteps is to walk through the very landscapes that fueled his genius and, ultimately, bore witness to his heartbreak. This is more than a literary tour; it’s a journey into the heart of the American Dream, in all its dazzling and destructive glory. It’s an exploration of the places that made the man who made the myths we still live with today. So, let’s begin our pilgrimage, chasing that elusive green light across continents and through the decades, stepping into the living story of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
If you’re inspired to explore how other authors’ lives are etched into their settings, consider a literary pilgrimage to trace Ian McEwan’s landscapes.
The Gilded Cage: St. Paul, Minnesota
Before the roaring parties of Long Island and the sun-drenched ennui of the Riviera, there existed the quiet, aspirational grandeur of St. Paul, Minnesota. To truly understand Scott Fitzgerald, one must first grasp the city that shaped his earliest ambitions. Born there in 1896, St. Paul was both his anchor and his antagonist—a place of comfortable Midwestern affluence that he both loved and desperately sought to escape. This city, with its stately Victorian homes and rigid social hierarchies, instilled in him the central theme of his life’s work: the outsider’s yearning to belong to a world of effortless grace and inherited wealth.
Summit Avenue: A Street of Dreams and Discontent
At the heart of Fitzgerald’s St. Paul lies Summit Avenue. Walking this street today, especially in the crisp glow of autumn, is like stepping back in time. It stands as one of the best-preserved stretches of Victorian architecture in the nation, a four-and-a-half-mile promenade of magnificent mansions built by railroad barons and timber magnates. This was the world Fitzgerald viewed with a blend of awe and envy. Although his family was respectable, they lived on the fringes of this elite society, often in rented apartments or more modest homes just off the main drag. This close proximity to wealth, coupled with exclusion from it, became the crucible of his creative passion.
Begin your journey at 599 Summit Avenue, an exquisite Romanesque Revival townhouse where the Fitzgeralds resided for a time. It’s here, in a third-floor study, that Scott revised and completed his debut novel, This Side of Paradise. Although it’s a private residence and not open for tours, standing on the sidewalk, you can almost sense the restless energy of a young writer on the brink of fame. Picture him gazing out the window, watching wealthy children play on manicured lawns, fueling the class-consciousness that would shape Jay Gatsby. The atmosphere exudes hushed elegance, the air thick with the ghosts of past ambitions. For the most evocative experience, visit on a quiet weekday morning, allowing the grandeur and history of the architecture to fully register.
Continue down the avenue; each home tells a tale of Gilded Age prosperity. Notice the James J. Hill House, a commanding red sandstone mansion that epitomized the power and influence coveted by Fitzgerald’s characters. Though Scott never lived there, this estate symbolized the apex of St. Paul society—a fortress of old money that he could observe but never truly enter. Touring the Hill House provides invaluable insight into the social dynamics that captivated him.
The University Club and the Social Scene
To feel the heartbeat of the social world Fitzgerald aspired to join, visit the University Club of St. Paul, perched atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The current clubhouse, built in 1913, was frequently visited by a young, often rambunctious Scott. It served as a gathering spot for the city’s young elite—a venue for dances, dinners, and secretive Prohibition-era drinks. Here, he absorbed the mannerisms, speech patterns, and casual cruelties of the upper class, which he later dissected with sharp precision.
Today, the club retains much of its old-world charm. Though private, it stands as a potent symbol of the social ladders Fitzgerald yearned to climb. Standing outside, one can envision scenes from his short story “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz”—a realm of staggering wealth that seemed tantalizingly close yet utterly unattainable. The view from Ramsey Hill is breathtaking, offering a panorama of the city Scott knew intimately. It is an ideal spot for reflection, a place to consider the gap between dream and reality—a theme he revisited time and again.
A Deeper Dive into Fitzgerald’s St. Paul
For those deeply committed to the pilgrimage, the journey extends beyond Summit Avenue. Visit the Commodore Hotel, now the Commodore Bar & Restaurant, where Scott and Zelda briefly lived during the 1920s. Renowned for its glamorous Art Deco style, it was a hotspot for the city’s fashionable crowd. Enjoying a classic cocktail at the restored bar offers a vivid sense of stepping back in time. Surrounded by gleaming brass and dark wood, one can easily imagine the Fitzgeralds holding court, their brief, bright flame burning amid the backdrop of a conservative Midwestern city.
Don’t overlook the Cathedral Hill neighborhood around Summit. This charming area, filled with boutiques, cafes, and a strong sense of history, was Fitzgerald’s stomping ground. Here, he nurtured his dreams, experienced his first heartbreaks, and gathered the raw material for his early stories. A helpful tip: wear comfortable shoes. The best way to experience Fitzgerald’s St. Paul is on foot, allowing the rhythm of the city and the grandeur of its architecture to seep into your soul. It’s a city of hills and long, straight avenues—an environment that mirrors the linear, relentless pursuit of a dream that defined its most famous son.
The Ivy League Dream: Princeton, New Jersey
Leaving behind the structured society of St. Paul, Scott Fitzgerald arrived at Princeton University in 1913, not merely as a student, but as a man with a purpose. To him, Princeton was the ultimate stage—a romantic vision of Gothic spires, exclusive eating clubs, and intellectual glamour. It was the place where he believed he could reinvent himself, casting off his Midwestern identity to become the sophisticated, worldly figure he admired. Though his academic performance was disastrous, his time there was creatively crucial. It was at Princeton that he refined his voice, fell in love with literature, and encountered both the intoxicating allure and harsh rejection of elite social circles—experiences that formed the foundation of his first novel, This Side of Paradise.
Walking the Campus of Amory Blaine
Stepping onto the Princeton campus is like stepping directly into the world of Amory Blaine, the protagonist of This Side of Paradise. The university has carefully preserved its architectural charm, making a walk through the grounds feel almost cinematic. Begin at Nassau Hall, the historic heart of the university. Its stone walls, heavily draped in ivy, have witnessed centuries of ambition. Picture a young Fitzgerald, dressed impeccably but academically adrift, hurrying across the lawn with his mind teeming with ideas for poems, plays, and stories destined for the Princeton Tiger magazine.
The campus atmosphere is charged with intense focus, yet it carries a deep romanticism. The Gothic architecture, with its soaring arches and intricate stone details, imparts a sense of timelessness. Fitzgerald was captivated by this aesthetic, seeing it as a symbol of tradition and old-world prestige. As you explore, make your way to the Firestone Library. Though the current building postdates Fitzgerald’s time, it houses his papers, including original manuscripts of The Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night. Seeing his elegant, looping handwriting on the page is a profoundly moving experience, a direct link to the man behind the legend.
For first-time visitors, a guided tour of the campus is highly recommended. It will help you get your bearings and highlight key buildings central to Fitzgerald’s time here. Afterwards, be sure to wander on your own. Lose yourself in the maze of courtyards and archways. Find a quiet bench and simply watch the flow of student life, which, in many ways, has likely changed less than you might expect since Fitzgerald’s era. The pursuit of knowledge, status, and connection remains just as palpable now as then.
The Eating Clubs: The Ultimate Inner Circle
No aspect of Princeton life meant more to Fitzgerald than the eating clubs, the university’s distinctive version of fraternities. These exclusive, mansion-like clubhouses lining Prospect Avenue were the ultimate arbiters of social status. Gaining membership in one of the top clubs was everything. Fitzgerald, with his charm and literary talent, was admitted to the prestigious Cottage Club—a moment of supreme validation.
Today, you can stroll down Prospect Avenue and admire these impressive buildings firsthand. The Cottage Club, with its stately white columns and manicured lawn, appears much as it did in Fitzgerald’s time. While the clubs remain private, you can appreciate their architecture from the street and sense the imposing air of exclusivity they convey. This was the world navigated by Amory Blaine in This Side of Paradise—a landscape of intense social rivalry where one’s entire future seemed to be decided over a dinner table. To understand Jay Gatsby’s desperate yearning for acceptance by East Egg’s old-money elite, you must first understand the social trials of a young Scott Fitzgerald on Prospect Avenue. It was his first real encounter with a world that judged not talent, but lineage and belonging.
Practical Advice for a Princeton Pilgrimage
Princeton is easily reachable by train from both New York City and Philadelphia, making it an ideal day trip. The best time to visit is spring or fall, when the campus is at its most beautiful and the weather is pleasant for walking. The town of Princeton itself is charming, with Palmer Square offering a variety of shops and restaurants. Grab a coffee at a local café and linger awhile, imagining Fitzgerald doing the same, perhaps jotting down notes for a story in a small notebook. Avoid visiting during major university events like Reunions or graduation, when the town and campus become overwhelmingly crowded. It is in the quiet moments that you can best connect with the spirit of the place. This visit isn’t about ticking off landmarks, but about soaking in the atmosphere that so profoundly shaped a young writer’s view of the world—a world of beauty, ambition, and the heartbreaking realization that some doors, no matter how hard you push, will always remain closed.
The Roaring Metropolis: New York City and Long Island
If St. Paul nurtured Fitzgerald’s ambition and Princeton served as his proving ground, New York City was the spectacular realization of his wildest dreams. He arrived there with Zelda in 1919, just as the Jazz Age was in full bloom, quickly becoming its king and queen. For Scott, New York was a “city of incredible promise,” a dazzling, vertical landscape where anything seemed possible. It was the center of glamour, wealth, and modernity, and its intoxicating energy pulses through every page of The Great Gatsby. The city and its Long Island suburbs were more than just a backdrop for his work; they were a central character, embodying the dazzling, chaotic, and ultimately hollow pursuit of the American Dream.
Manhattan: The City of Spectacle
Begin your Fitzgerald tour of New York where Scott and Zelda often did—in the heart of Manhattan. This was their playground, filled with grand hotels, smoky speakeasies, and endless parties. Visit the Plaza Hotel, towering over the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. This iconic landmark appears repeatedly in Fitzgerald’s work, most notably as the setting for the heated clash between Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Stand in the Palm Court, or better yet, enjoy a drink at the Champagne Bar, and soak in the opulent atmosphere. It’s a place of quiet luxury, where the clinking of glasses and soft conversations echo with the ghosts of the past. You can almost see Daisy Buchanan, torn and distressed, in that stiflingly hot hotel suite.
From the Plaza, stroll down Fifth Avenue—once the artery of wealth and fashion, where Fitzgerald’s characters shopped, dined, and mingled. The sheer scale of the city, with its canyons of steel and stone, profoundly influenced him. It was a visual symbol of boundless aspiration. As you walk, envision the city as Nick Carraway describes it, teeming with “the restless flicker of men and women and machines.”
For a glimpse into their residential life, visit the Biltmore Hotel (now the Bank of America Plaza) near Grand Central Terminal. This was where Scott and Zelda spent their raucous honeymoon, famously being banned for their wild antics. While the hotel itself no longer stands, the energy around Grand Central endures. Stand in the station’s main concourse and gaze up at the celestial ceiling. This was a gateway, a place of arrivals and departures, a nexus of countless converging stories—a perfect metaphor for the city itself. Characters in Fitzgerald’s stories arrived here from the Midwest, wide-eyed and hopeful, only to be consumed by the metropolis.
Long Island: The Mythical Eggs
To fully immerse yourself in the world of The Great Gatsby, leave Manhattan and head east to Long Island’s “Gold Coast.” Here the novel’s geography comes alive. Fitzgerald lived in Great Neck, on the newly affluent North Shore peninsula, which inspired the “West Egg,” home to the nouveau riche like Gatsby. Across Manhasset Bay lie Sands Point and Port Washington, the models for the more aristocratic “East Egg,” where the old-money Buchanans lived.
A car is essential for this part of the journey. Begin in Great Neck and drive to 6 Gateway Drive, the modest house the Fitzgeralds rented. Though it’s a private residence, from the street you can glimpse the world they inhabited. It wasn’t a mansion like Gatsby’s, but it was their foothold in this realm of great wealth. From here, Scott would have watched the lavish parties and social rituals of his neighbors, gathering inspiration for his masterpiece.
Next, drive through the winding, tree-lined roads of Kings Point and Sands Point, the real-life East Egg. The mansions here are staggering, set back behind imposing gates and expansive lawns. This is the world of Daisy and Tom Buchanan—a domain of inherited privilege, effortless elegance, and deep-seated carelessness. The atmosphere is one of secluded, fortified wealth. You can sense the barriers, the invisible walls that kept outsiders like Gatsby at a distance.
Although you can’t pinpoint the exact locations of Gatsby’s mansion or the Buchanan estate, you can visit places that capture their spirit. The Sands Point Preserve, home to former Guggenheim estates including Hempstead House and Castle Gould, offers a glimpse of the Gilded Age opulence that inspired Fitzgerald. Walk the grounds, look out over Long Island Sound, and see the water that separated the two Eggs—the bay across which Gatsby gazed at that hypnotic green light.
Capturing the Jazz Age Vibe
To round out your New York experience, seek the lingering spirit of the Jazz Age. Visit a classic cocktail bar in Greenwich Village, a neighborhood Fitzgerald frequented. Listen to live jazz—the era’s defining soundtrack of rebellion and liberation. While the speakeasies have long vanished, the spirit of that time remains alive in the city’s vibrant nightlife.
One essential tip for visitors: read or re-read The Great Gatsby just before your trip. With the novel fresh in your mind, Manhattan’s streets will feel more electric, and Long Island’s shores will seem haunted by the story’s tragic figures. New York was Fitzgerald’s ultimate muse—a city reflecting his soaring ambition and profound disillusionment. To walk its streets is to sense the ghostly pulse of a party long ended, whose music never quite fades away.
Southern Belles and Broken Dreams: Montgomery, Alabama
After the frenetic energy of New York, the next stop on our pilgrimage leads us south to the slow, magnolia-scented air of Montgomery, Alabama. This was the hometown of Zelda Sayre, the quintessential Southern belle who would become Scott’s wife, muse, and tormentor. Montgomery is essential to the Fitzgerald narrative; it was here that he, a young army lieutenant stationed at nearby Camp Sheridan, fell desperately in love. The city represents a different kind of American dream—one rooted in tradition, family honor, and a strict social code. This world both fascinated and frustrated Scott, and its influence, especially through the fiery and unpredictable character of Zelda, is woven throughout his work.
The Fitzgerald Museum: A Home of Their Own
The centerpiece of any visit to Montgomery is The F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, located at 919 Felder Avenue in the charming Old Cloverdale neighborhood. This is the last remaining home where the couple lived with their daughter, Scottie. Stepping inside is an incredibly intimate experience. Unlike a traditional, roped-off museum, this house feels lived-in, preserving the fragile, chaotic domesticity of its famous residents. They lived here from 1931 to 1932, a turbulent period when Scott was grappling with Tender Is the Night and Zelda was fighting the mental illness that would eventually consume her.
As you walk through the rooms, you’ll find family photographs, first editions of Scott’s novels, and, most poignantly, Zelda’s hauntingly beautiful paintings. Her artwork reveals a formidable talent and vibrant artistic spirit that often struggled to find an outlet in the shadow of her husband’s fame. Notice the small details: cigarette burns on the mantelpiece, evidence of countless anxious nights. The museum’s staff are deeply knowledgeable and passionate, often sharing anecdotes that bring the Fitzgeralds’ time here to life. You can even rent the upstairs apartment through Airbnb, allowing you to literally sleep under the same roof where literary history was made. Spending time in this house provides a powerful counterpoint to the glamorous myth of the Jazz Age couple, revealing the vulnerability and tension beneath their glittering surface.
Exploring Zelda’s Montgomery
To understand Zelda, you must explore the city that shaped her. Start in the downtown area, near the Court Square Fountain. This was the city’s heart where a young Zelda Sayre, daughter of a prominent judge, would have been a well-known, vivacious presence. She was the golden girl of Montgomery, a daring and unconventional spirit in a deeply traditional society. Walk past the Alabama State Capitol, a magnificent building where her father, Judge Anthony Sayre, served on the state Supreme Court. This was the world of established Southern aristocracy that Scott, a young Northern officer, was eager to impress.
Visit the site of the old Montgomery Country Club, where Scott and Zelda’s romance blossomed at countless dances. Though the original building no longer stands, the location remains a key part of their story. It was in places like this that Zelda’s rebellious charm captivated Scott, and where he saw in her the embodiment of the elusive, unattainable woman who would become a central archetype in his fiction—from Isabelle Borgé in This Side of Paradise to Daisy Buchanan herself.
The Old Cloverdale neighborhood, home to the museum, is worth exploring on its own. This beautiful historic district boasts wide, tree-lined streets and charming houses. It feels worlds away from the grit of New York or the glamour of the Riviera. There’s a slowness to the pace of life here, a sense that time moves differently. It’s easy to imagine Scott feeling like an outsider in this close-knit community, his Northern energy clashing with the genteel traditions of the Deep South. A practical tip for visitors: come in spring when azaleas and magnolias are in full bloom. The intoxicating floral scent adds an extraordinary layer of atmosphere, making the romantic—and often tragic—history of the place feel even more vivid.
A Different Kind of Longing
Montgomery offers a fresh perspective on the theme of longing that permeates Fitzgerald’s work. In the North, it was a longing for wealth and status. Here, it was a longing for acceptance into a society built on lineage and tradition. Scott felt the pressure to prove his financial success to win Zelda’s hand, a drive that pushed him to complete This Side of Paradise. His time in Montgomery was marked by intense yearning and uncertainty, palpable in the atmosphere. Visiting here is essential to grasping the full complexity of their relationship and the powerful influence of Zelda’s Southern roots on Scott’s literary imagination. It adds a vital, poignant chapter to the story—a reminder that behind the champagne and parties were real people, with deep regional identities, struggling to reconcile their dreams with a complicated reality.
The Lost Generation: Paris and the French Riviera
In the mid-1920s, in search of new inspiration and a lower cost of living, the Fitzgeralds sailed to Europe, joining a wave of American expatriate artists and writers who became known as the “Lost Generation.” This chapter of their lives, set against the glamorous backdrop of Paris and the sun-drenched French Riviera, was a period of remarkable creative output for Scott and dizzying social excess for both of them. It was here that he wrote The Great Gatsby and began the painstaking process of crafting Tender Is the Night. The European landscape offered a potent mix of freedom, beauty, and moral ambiguity, providing a fresh stage for his exploration of wealth, love, and the corrosion of the soul.
Paris: The Moveable Feast
Paris in the 1920s stood as the undisputed cultural capital of the world. For Fitzgerald, it was a place to mingle with the literary giants of his era. Your Parisian pilgrimage should focus on the Left Bank, particularly the neighborhoods of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Montparnasse. This area was the intellectual and bohemian heart of the city. Begin your day at a classic café like Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore on the Boulevard Saint-Germain. Though these spots are now tourist magnets, in the 1920s, they served as the unofficial offices of writers and artists. Picture Scott sitting at a corner table, watching the parade of fashionable Parisians, perhaps debating literature with Ernest Hemingway, his friend and rival.
From there, head towards Montparnasse to La Closerie des Lilas. This historic brasserie features brass plaques marking the favored seats of its famous patrons, including Fitzgerald and Hemingway. It was here that Scott famously showed Hemingway the manuscript for The Great Gatsby. Having a coffee or a drink at the bar is essential; the atmosphere is thick with literary history. The interior, with its dark wood and moody lighting, remains largely unchanged, serving as a direct portal to the era.
Be sure to visit Shakespeare and Company, the legendary English-language bookstore. Although the current location is not the original one run by Sylvia Beach that Fitzgerald and his contemporaries frequented, it is its spiritual successor. It remains a lively hub for the international literary community, and browsing its chaotic, overflowing shelves captures the spirit of creative exchange that defined 1920s Paris. As you wander these streets, you can sense the creative ferment in the air—the feeling of being at the center of the universe, where new ideas in art, literature, and life were born daily.
The French Riviera: A Sun-Drenched Paradise, A Gilded Hell
While Paris was a place for intellectual sparring, the French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, was for indulgent living. This stretch of Mediterranean coastline became the Fitzgeralds’ summer playground and the primary setting for the beautiful and tragic Tender Is the Night. The novel’s Villa Diana was inspired by the Villa Saint-Louis in Juan-les-Pins, where the Fitzgeralds lived with their friends, the wealthy American expatriates Gerald and Sara Murphy. The Murphys, known for their impeccable taste and glamorous lifestyle, were the models for the novel’s Dick and Nicole Diver.
To experience this world, base yourself in Antibes or nearby Cap d’Antibes. This area still retains an air of exclusive, old-world glamour. Visit the Hôtel Belles Rives, which now occupies the site of the Villa Saint-Louis. Enjoy a drink on its terrace overlooking the sea. The view is stunning, a panorama of sparkling blue water and luxury yachts. As the sun sets, casting a golden glow over the water, you can vividly imagine the stylish, alcohol-fueled parties described in the novel. This is the very shore where Dick Diver rakes the beach clean for his guests, crafting a perfect, fleeting paradise.
Stroll along the coastal paths of Cap d’Antibes. The scent of pine and saltwater fills the air. The landscape is breathtaking, with grand villas hidden behind lush gardens and stone walls. Make your way to the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, the fictionalized Hôtel des Étrangers in the novel. This legendary hotel remains the pinnacle of Riviera luxury. While you might not be able to stay there, you can sense its commanding presence, a symbol of the unattainable, hermetically sealed world of the super-rich that so fascinated Fitzgerald.
Practical Tips for the European Tour
Visiting these locations requires some planning. In Paris, the best way to get around is on foot and by Métro. Allow yourself to get lost in the winding streets of the Left Bank. For the Riviera, renting a car is ideal, letting you explore the coastal towns and winding corniche roads at your own pace. The best time to visit the Riviera is during the shoulder seasons—late spring or early autumn. You’ll enjoy beautiful weather without the overwhelming crowds of peak summer. Re-reading Tender Is the Night is essential for this leg of the journey. The novel is both a love letter to the landscape’s beauty and a searing critique of the moral decay beneath. Seeing this world through Fitzgerald’s eyes reveals the seductive danger of beauty—how a perfect, sunlit surface can conceal the darkest truths.
The Long Decline: Baltimore and Hollywood
The final chapters of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life were characterized by struggle, loss, and a desperate effort to reclaim his literary reputation. The glittering parties of the Jazz Age had become a distant memory, replaced by the harsh realities of financial debt and Zelda’s deteriorating mental health. The surroundings of this era—the quiet, leafy suburbs of Baltimore and the contrived glamour of Hollywood—mirror this transformation. These are places of deep sorrow but also remarkable perseverance, where Fitzgerald, against all odds, created some of his most mature and emotionally powerful work.
Baltimore: The Burden of Reality
The Fitzgeralds relocated to Baltimore in 1932 to seek treatment for Zelda at the Phipps Psychiatric Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital. This was not a city they chose but one dictated by necessity. Their life here sharply contrasted with the expatriate splendor of the Riviera. Your journey to Baltimore should start with a drive to “La Paix,” the expansive estate in Towson where they rented a house. Although the original house no longer stands, the area conveys the isolated, pastoral lifestyle they maintained. It was here that Scott worked tirelessly to afford Zelda’s care, producing countless short stories for magazines. This period was marked by intense financial strain and creative frustration.
From Towson, proceed into the city to visit the apartment building at 1307 Park Avenue in the Bolton Hill neighborhood. Scott moved here after Zelda was transferred elsewhere. In this apartment, he penned his renowned “Crack-Up” essays, brutally honest reflections on his spiritual and emotional collapse. Bolton Hill is a beautiful neighborhood with rows of stately townhouses and a tranquil, contemplative vibe. Walking these streets, one can sense the profound loneliness and introspection that must have shaped his existence here. This was a man haunted by his past, struggling with his present, and unsure of his future. A visit to the George Peabody Library, with its breathtaking, cathedral-like atrium, offers a place for reflection. It stands as a temple of knowledge and literature—a fitting site to contemplate the immense talent that persisted even during his darkest moments.
Hollywood: The Final Chapter
By 1937, broke and disillusioned, Fitzgerald made his final move to Hollywood. Like many writers, he went there to work as a screenwriter, hoping the sunshine and steady paychecks from MGM might provide a path to redemption. This city represented his last frontier, the ultimate land of dreams, but for him, it was a place of exile. He despised the studio system, which he viewed as a factory that commodified art, yet he worked diligently, contributing to screenplays such as Gone with the Wind (though uncredited).
To follow his final years, begin at the iconic Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard. While he never lived there, it was a social hub for Hollywood’s elite and a place he likely frequented. Its gothic, castle-like architecture symbolizes Hollywood’s manufactured fantasy—a realm Fitzgerald found both enticing and repugnant. From there, visit the former site of the Garden of Allah hotel (now a shopping center), another renowned residence for writers and actors of the era.
Fitzgerald’s own residences were far humbler. He lived briefly in a bungalow at the Garden of Allah and later in an apartment at 1403 North Laurel Avenue, where he died of a heart attack in 1940 at 44 years old. The building remains—a modest, unpretentious structure. It’s a sobering sight, starkly contrasting the grand homes of his earlier life. In this apartment, he worked on his final, unfinished novel, The Last Tycoon, a sharp and insightful critique of the Hollywood studio system. During this time, he was involved with gossip columnist Sheilah Graham, and they spent time together at her home at 1443 North Hayworth Avenue. These are not grand monuments but quiet residential streets that reflect the humility of his last years.
A Journey’s Conclusion
Visiting these final locations is a deeply moving experience. It peels away myth to reveal the man beneath: brilliant, flawed, and profoundly human. The best way to approach this pilgrimage is with quiet reverence. Read the “Crack-Up” essays and The Last Tycoon beforehand. These works, born of pain and defeat, testify to his unyielding spirit as a writer. Hollywood was not the triumphant conclusion he might have hoped for, but it was where he rediscovered his voice, writing with newfound clarity and maturity that proved he was far from finished. His journey ended in the land of celluloid dreams, yet his story—as this entire pilgrimage demonstrates—is immortal, forever etched onto the landscapes of America and beyond. His was a life of extraordinary peaks and devastating valleys, a relentless pursuit of a dream that always seemed just beyond reach. And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into his world.
