Another low-key but worthwhile WeHo find is the beloved Book Soup bookshop, with readings and signings by top writers from around the world. Tour the stylish structure, which was completed in 1922 and is an early example of California’s indoor-outdoor style of architecture. Tucked away on a quiet side street, there’s an icon of modern architecture: the Schindler House at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture.
Dance your heart out at Revolver Video Bar, get a fancy cocktail at The Abbey or enjoy hipster comfort food in Laurel Hardware.īut West Hollywood is not all about flash. Santa Monica Boulevard, the centre of WeHo’s LGBTQ community, is packed with bars, clubs and award-winning restaurants. Stop in at The Viper Room or The Roxy, where such legends as Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen have recorded live albums. Keep your eyes out for spendy celebrities dipping in and out of shops and head to the fabled Sunset Strip to experience the allure of world-famous music venues, hotels and nightclubs.
More interior design showrooms line Beverly Boulevard, while the highest of high-end boutiques can be found on the ever-stylish Robertson Boulevard. This trendsetting area includes intimate galleries and the massive Pacific Design Center, a interior designer’s dream, located on Melrose Avenue. In the West Hollywood Design District, fashion and the arts rule. It’s easily accessible from anywhere in the city, and the area has plenty to see and do packed into 14.9 square kilometres. Bordering Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, WeHo is located in the heart of Los Angeles. West Hollywood has been dubbed “The Creative City,” and for good reason.
Additionally, One City One Pride commences in late May, honouring LGBTQ visual and performing arts with free events around the city. Listen to A-list musicians perform on the event’s three stages and watch the elaborate floats roll by at Sunday’s parade. The monthlong celebration includes festivities around the city, but the main event is the two-day festival in West Hollywood Park, which welcomes more than 400,000 people each year. Round out the weekend with drag queen bingo nights held every Sunday at Hamburger Mary’s.Ĭome June, West Hollywood becomes the home base for the LA Pride Festival and Parade. Turn up the volume at the aptly named Girl Bar, check out Fubar if you’re looking for an underground feel, or The Bayou for a late-night happy-hour scene. One of the most famous gay bars and nightclubs in the world, The Abbey has everything from go-go dancers to high-end cocktails, and surprisingly good food. As for nightlife, consider The Abbey as your first stop. It goes without saying that the entire area is LGBTQ-friendly, with excellent restaurants, hotels, and shopping on every corner. Today, LGBTQ residents comprise more than 40 percent of the 5-square-kilometre community, and the crosswalks are painted as welcoming rainbows. In 1984, West Hollywood became the first majority-gay municipality in the country, and ever since, its rich tradition of pride and acceptance has been enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
At the base of the Hollywood Hills, the city of West Hollywood is the center of LGBTQ Los Angeles.