The 22 Absolute Best Places To Spot Hollywood Stars [Gallery]

Ditch the double-decker tours and find out where to actually encounter celebs in the wild at these spots around the country.

Because of the tax incentives the state of Georgia has given studios, Atlanta has become a haven for movie and TV stars when they're off the clock. Though the Watershed and Chops Lobster Bar attract plenty of A-listers, stars who want down-home charm with a fine dining feel head to Buckhead Diner. Stars spotted there include Ryan Gosling, Liam Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Hamm. Sir Elton John actually owns a home in the area, and once when the owner heard the singer had a reservation, he sent a waiter out to buy three kinds of whole-wheat bread especially for the icon.

While in Manhattan, plenty of celebs opt to be shuttled in and out of five-star locations. But while in the Big Apple, it's hard for many of them to resist a stroll through Central Park. Stars who are NYC residents can often be spotted jogging on the running track. Tom Hanks famously crashed a couple's wedding photo shoot in the park. And plenty of movies film in Central Park, meaning you could glimpse a sneak peek at season two of "Iron Fist" or see Sandra Bullock, Rihanna and Cate Blanchett shooting "Ocean's 8."

This Sunset Boulevard hotel has a decades-long reputation as a discreet place for celebs to stay in LA. Chateau Marmont has a "no photography" policy, but the hotel bar and restaurant are open to non-guests, so you can get a glimpse of beautiful people such as Lindsay Lohan, James Franco, Lady Gaga, Kit Harington, Lana Del Rey and "Fifty Shades" stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.

Miami is famous for its party scene in iconic beachfront hotels and clubs, but when celebrities are done dancing the night away or want to relax between pressers or tour dates, you can find many of them stopping by burger joint Cheeseburger Baby. Big names such as Kanye West, Jay Z and Beyoncé, and Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union might saddle up to the counter next to you.

Nicknamed the Second City, Chicago is a natural stopping point for celebs on tour, traveling between LA and NYC and those visiting home. Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Common, Pete Wentz, John Cusack and Harrison Ford are just a few of the stars with roots in Chicago. When stars dine out in this city, they flock to Chicago Cut Steakhouse for some classic Midwestern meat and potatoes in a contemporary atmosphere. When Drake dined here, he reportedly brought a laptop and speakers so he could DJ his own dinner with friends.

It's well-known that Calabasas is Kardashian-Jenner territory, so if you want to spot these reality stars and their associates, check out this high-end shopping center in their neighborhood outside of LA. If the family is grabbing coffee, seeing a movie or shopping, you will spot them here. Stars like Britney Spears, Jaden Smith and Justin Bieber have also stopped by.

This American dining spot in West Hollywood has a constant paparazzi presence camped outside because of the likelihood that a star or two will be dining there on any given day. In fact, it's been jokingly called "Olive Garden for celebrities." Regulars include Kim Kardashian West and Kylie Jenner, Cindy Crawford, Elton John and George Clooney, and the Observer claims that Joe Jonas, Judge Judy, Caitlyn Jenner, Iggy Azalea, Jordana Brewster and Kate Upton all ate there in one month.

Stars are just like us — they eat, they buy clothes and they shop for their own groceries. When Kim, Kourtney or Kylie need specialty items or supplements, they often hit up Erewhon Natural Food Market, which has actually been featured on their show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." To see other stars, you can also try the Whole Foods in Tarzana, where actors like Kaley Cuoco and Matt LeBlanc have been seen doing their shopping.

Since the days of the Rat Pack, this art deco Miami hotel has been a celebrity haunt. With its luxurious pools and lively club Live, the Fontainebleau attracts VIPs such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian West, Kate Hudson, Alex Rodriguez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

Although LA has seemingly ideal weather, stars still want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and many of them flock to the nearby island paradise of Hawaii for the peace and privacy it can provide. Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Tyler are a few of the celebrities who've bought second homes on the island of Maui. Other celebrities getting R&R on the island, including Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Paris Hilton, John Stamos, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jessica Alba, stay at the Four Seasons Maui.

Located in Napa Valley, The French Laundry is considered one of the best restaurants in the country. Owner and chef Thomas Keller is a celebrity in his own right. Although you have to make reservations two months in advance and will be lucky to score one of the 60 seats on a given night, you can almost be guaranteed to be in good company. Foodie stars such as Perez Hilton, Emma Stone, Sean Penn and more have dined alongside lay people at this posh restaurant.

It might seem like stars doing their shopping in LA might only hit up the pricey Rodeo Drive, but the mall and shopping center The Grove is crawling with celebs as well. On top of that, The Grove's movie theater plays host to plenty of movie and TV premieres, while the shops there often have celebs stop by for special events. Paparazzi frequently camp out here because they know they'll see someone famous.

One of Vegas's largest nightclubs, Hakkasan cemented its place as a celebrity mecca thanks to residencies from the world's biggest DJs such as Steve Aoki, Deadmau5, Tiesto, Afrojack and Calvin Harris. The musicians attract fellow stars and also invite many of their famous friends to the party. According to Locale Magazine,  Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Upton, Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora and Pharrell Williams have all been spotted at Hakkasan in the last few years, as have Kesha, Vanessa Hudgens, Nick Jonas, Carly Rae Jepsen and The Weeknd.

For decades, LA's The Ivy has been the place to see and been seen for Hollywood stars, primarily because the majority of the restaurant's seating is on its quaint patio, making it easy for paparazzi to get their shot. The Beverly Hills eatery saw an iconic date between Madonna and Michael Jackson in 1991 and continues to draw both A-list and C-list celebs. Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Laura Dern, Sean Penn, Demi Moore and Reese Witherspoon are among the stars seen there.

Lenox Square Mall has forever cemented its place in hip-hop lore thanks to Outkast. The duo's members, Andre 3000 and Big Boi, first met at the Ralph Lauren store there as high schoolers in 1992. Dre and Big Boi have been spotted there plenty of times since rising to fame. The luxury mall is also a hotspot to shop for rappers and hip-hop artists such as Usher, Akon, Young Thug, Desiigner and Quavo.

Stars are known to support their fellow celebs' ventures, and RPM Italian and its sister restaurant RPM Steakhouse in Chicago are no exceptions. Co-owned by Bill and Giuliana Rancic, who've made their home in the city, the restaurant has hosted Barack and Michelle Obama, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Lady Gaga, Michael Jordan, Cindy Crawford, Lisa Marie Presley, Janet Jackson and Sarah Michelle Gellar, to name a few.

When LA-based stars want to go for a run in nature, they often hit up Runyon Canyon Park, which is blocks from Hollywood Boulevard. The park is spread across 160 acres, and stars try to conceal themselves with hats and sunglasses, but it's still easy to spot svelte superstars such as Jared Leto, Heidi Klum, Miley Cyrus, Orlando Bloom, Justin Timberlake, Natalie Portman and Matthew McConaughey, almost every day.

Nashville is a hub for musicians, many of whom record, live or own second homes in the area. While not performing, local stars such as Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman can be spotted at coffee shops like Bongo Java or breakfast hotspot the Pancake Pantry. But a great way to see stars kicked back is to head to the dive bar Santa's Pub. The local watering hole is open late and has karaoke every night, meaning you could see an impromptu performance from the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Mumford & Sons, Gavin DeGraw or Ed Sheeran.

One thing most celebrities in Hollywood have to do to stay at the top of their games is to work out. If they're not running in Runyon Canyon, chances are you can spot some stars sweating it up at the gym. Unbreakable Performance Center in LA attracts athletes and actors such as Armie Hammer, Michael Strahan, Forest Whitaker and Clay Matthews, while the trendy Soulcycle has plenty of celeb devotees in New York City and LA. Head to the studios in West Hollywood or Manhattan for a chance to work out alongside an icon.

The unassuming British gastropub The Spotted Pig in New York City has gained quite a celebrity following. Taylor Swift is a regular, and often brings famous friends like Ed Sheeran out for a meal. In fact, it's where she and Kanye West supposedly made up after their VMA beef in 2015 (before things went south again). The eatery also happens to be co-owned by Jay-Z, Bono and Mario Batali, so you never know when you'll see them or their friends and family there.

If they're not at Hakkasan when visiting Vegas, chances are your favorite stars are a little further north on the Strip. Tao, which claims to be the most profitable restaurant in America, courts big-name stars to celebrate major milestones at its club within the Venetian Resort. Nicole Scherzinger, Nicki Minaj, Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian West have all celebrated their birthdays here over the years.

According to the Chicago Tribune, one of the best places to rub elbows with a star in a club is the Underground in Chicago. From athletes playing for or against Chicago teams to musicians and actors passing through town while making or promoting their projects, they all seem to make an appearance at this downtown hotspot. Chance the Rapper, Dave Chappelle, Mark Cuban, Derrick Rose, Derek Jeter, Henry Cavill, Liam Payne and Beyoncé have been spotted here since it opened in 2006.