Sunset Strip

Much shorter than Wilshire Boulevard [1], but an equally famous stretch of road, the Sunset Strip really is part of Sunset Boulevard—specifically the part that runs through West Hollywood from the Hollywood [2] border to the Beverly Hills [3] city limits.

The Strip exemplifies all that’s grandiose and tacky about the L.A. entertainment industry. Few other places, even in California, boast about the number and glaring overstatement of their billboards.

You’ll also find many of the Sunset’s legendary rock clubs, such as the Roxy [4] and the Whisky [4] and the infamous after-hours hangout The Rainbow Bar & Grill. Decades worth of up-and-coming rock acts first made their names on the Strip, and lived at the “Riot Hyatt.”

If you last visited the Strip more than a decade ago, you might fear bringing your children to what was once a distinctly seedy neck of the woods. Then again, old-timers might be horrified now by the gentrification of the Strip. Today, a woman alone can stroll the street in comfort in daylight.

At night, especially on weekends, no one’s alone on the Strip. Don’t plan to drive quickly or park on the street after dark; the crowds get big, complete with celebrity hounds hoping for a glimpse of their favorite star out for a night on the town.