Going to LA for a few days ... where to say?

[muscleman]

Me and one of my friends are going to LA for a few days. I've never been and want to see what all the fuss is about. We'd like to be as close to the "hot spots" as possible. Clubs, shopping area, bars, dining, whatever. There's a myriad of places to stay at ... right now I'm thinking a hotel in the Hollywood or Beverly Hills area. Are there any bad parts of Hollywood? What about Burbank, is that any good? I heard LAX hotels suck.

Tips appreciated!

EDIT: I realize we'll need to drive around, but it would be cool if there were some clubs/places to eat within walking distance. We will be drinking :woo:

 

[dbot]

L.A. night life isn't all it's cracked up to be. I guess if you've never been here it's worth checking out, but overall I don't think the clubs are worth the $20 parking fee/$20 cover charge/$20 per drink that seems to be standard.

If you're doing it just for the sake of the L.A. experience, then check out some of the landmark joints like the Dresden Room or the Derby, but don't waste your time with places like Skybar, unless of course you like wasting money and are eager to see why Los Angeles has such a bad reputation. And YES, there are definitely areas of L.A. that you don't want to get lost in. Ever seen the movie Grand Canyon? Make sure you know where you're going.

If you're looking to actually have a good time, however, the bars in Long Beach and Orange County have much more to offer, and are about a half hour drive from LAX. I'm sure many will disagree with me, but it's my preference. Enjoy your trip.

 

[speakeasy]

L.A. is a massive city, more spread out than any other in the country and it can be hard to know exactly where to go because it's so decentralized. I also think L.A. has so many different scenes that it's a bit unfair that it's only known for the pretentious "Hollywood crowd" scene. We're definitely not known for greatest nightlife in the world, we're not London or Barcelona, but there's no reason you can't have a blast out here.

Last weekend I went to an sleek little restuarant/bar/lounge in downtown L.A. that was spinning deep house music till late in the night. Next door to that was a hipster bar. A few blocks away is The Standard that's more posh and is known for it's incredible view overlooking the city. If you're looking for more of a white yuppie meat market scene, there's the Hermosa Beach peer and Orange County, if you want something kinda sophisticated with more of a South Beach Miami feel, check out the Viceroy Hotel scene in Santa Monica. If you want something less Hollywood pretentious check out the bars in Silver Lake or Abbot Kinny in Venice. If you go to Hollywood, people are there to see and be seen, bouncers like having people wait in long lines just to create a buzz and being selective about who they let in all that kind of sh*t, so come dressed to impress. Then there's just your regular dives and joints that ordinary mainstream people go to like in Old Town Pasadena or Santa Monica. If you're in Hollywood and looking to pick up, the scene at Hollywood Blvd and Cahuenga is pretty good. Lots of hotties. There's all kinds of scenes here. It just depends on what your tastes are and what you're looking for, no different than any other city.

One thing that universally sucks about L.A. nightlife though is that everything closes at 2am. No getting around that fact. That REALLY sucks. There are some afterhours places out there but they won't be serving alcohol. Best to meet some chics at the club, and take them back to your hotel to continue the drinking.

East Hollywood is kinda trashy. I wouldn't say bad as in people getting gunned down in the streets, but it's seedy. West Hollywood is more upscale, but much more expensive too.

Good site to get an idea what's going on here:
http://losangeles.metromix.com/

 

[Nygard]

At any given night, there are at least 300 things to do in LA. If you get bored in there, it's because you're a boring person.

 

[Drewskie]

Dbot's is spot on, go to the "hot spots" maybe one night, to see what the fake LA looks like, then try to find some spots around the city. I live in burbank, it's a damn nice city, but rather boring. Ten minuites from Hollywood, and close enough to anywhere else you want to go. A hotel here would be much cheaper and just as nice as anything in Hollywood or BH.

 

[muscleman]

Yea we're thinking Burbank may be a good option too. We'll be ordering tickets tonight so still got a few hours to figure out exactly where we're staying.

 

[backbreaker]

hey i like skybar

 

[Drewskie]

It's not that bad, but it is pretty fake...... you've been around a while man, that's cool.

 

[Quiksilver]

I heard LAX hotels suck.

Indeed they do. The ones right beside the airport aren't so bad. I went a different time and they took me out into the boonies to some derelict place

They dropped me off and told me to lock my doors until morning and don't open for anybody

 

[The Piano Master]

Most hotels anywhere near LAX sucks. I'd rather stay the Bates Motel.