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Los Angeles / West Hollywood Gay Travel Guide
Whisper “Hollywood” in the ear of any young gay man and he will tremble. Los Angeles is the city of the rich and famous…and those who want to become so. For years, aspiring actors and models have flocked to the city of glitz and glamour, which makes it only logical that LA should be packed with a bizarrely high quotient of utterly gorgeous men and women. Here, in the bars of West Hollywood, boys-so-beautiful-it-hurts schmooze with men-who-are-unthinkably-rich in a vibrant cycle that has remained unchanged for decades. If it’s your first time to the city, the “Don’t Miss” spots are Universal Studios, where movie magic is made, Disneyland (where else?), the Hollywood Walk of Fame, not to be confused with the handprints in the Forecourt of the Stars at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (formerly Mann’s), where many films are premiered. You can get your shop on at Rodeo Drive, perhaps the most exclusive shopping district in the world. Venice Beach is the best people-watching spot in the nation on a summer weekend, with its famous Muscle Beach, and a veritable sea of eccentric and beautiful pedestrians. Just north of there, the Santa Monica Pier is packed with attractions and pretty people. From there, head east into Hollywood to catch a glimpse of the famous sign. You can return via Sunset Boulevard past neighborhoods where the most famous stars in the world make their homes. When it’s time to go gay (and plenty of people in LA do, even if they don’t advertise it! *wink, wink*), head to West Hollywood, the center of gay life in Southern California. There are a handful of gay venues in Silverlake, just north of downtown LA. And the gay community has adopted the town of Laguna Beach, thirty miles south of the city, as their sandy summer playground.
Gay Los Angeles / West Hollywood Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
In Silver Lake, check out MJ’s, formerly Woody’s Hyperion, which is a different bar each night of the week. Sometimes it’s packed with leather daddies, sometimes with dancing twinkies, and sometimes with karaoke-crooning drag queens. The Other Side attracts an older crowd with its cruise-ship-like cocktail lounge and live music each night. The Silverlake Lounge draws an eclectic crowd from Latino drag queens to neighborhood hipsters with its live music. Cuffs draws a tougher leather crowd, as does Gauntlet II.
In West Hollywood, the only place to be is The Abbey. Here, LA’s most beautiful and most rich gather each night for outrageously creative (and astronomically-priced) martinis. Its bizarre décor (canopy beds and a wall of fire) never cease to amaze. If you can’t find a place to squeeze in, Rage, across the street, is almost as popular, and quite a bit larger. At Tempest, the glitz and attitude are tossed out in favor of eclectic, indy rock. Revolver offers everything from karaoke to techno-pop dance. It can be terribly difficult to find reasonably priced drinks in West Hollywood, and the solution is Mother Lode, where the boys flock to get tipsy before hitting trendier joints with more attitude. The Palms used to be an exclusively lesbian joint, but after a recent remodeling is attracting some guys, as well.
In Laguna Beach, the crowds gather at the Boom Boom Room to party the night away. For something a little more intimate, hit Main Street Cabaret, a cozy piano bar. The bar at Woody’s is also a popular spot during the day.
LA knows clubbing. In Silver Lake you can hit Rudolpho’s on Saturday night (or Wednesday night for salsa dancing). Most nights it’s a mixed crowd, but adjacent to it is Dragstrip 66, Silver Lake’s only exclusively gay dance club. But just downtown you can find Jewel’s Catch One, a quirky joint that has been thumping for years. Madonna holds parties here, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this is an LA club. It’s eccentric, laid-back, and not obsessed with image.
For a true LA clubbing experience, West Hollywood is the place. Mickey’s is one of the most popular, drawing a young, chic crowd. The Factory, largest in West Hollywood, is thumping every night, but on Friday it becomes Girl Bar and the lesbians take over. Here Lounge alternates the styles every night, from HipHop to 80s to experimental House. Fubar brings in the crowds, especially on Thursdays with its Old Skool Grooves. Every Sunday night, The Ruby hosts Beat It, a totally 80s trash party. Gay boys come punked-out, or with big hair and rolled-up jeans and sweater vests, and the scene is young, playful, and utterly 80s.
In Laguna Beach, your closest bet for a clubbing experience is at the Boom Boom Room, but Laguna primarily serves as a day-trip for beachgoing LA boys, and they flock back to town for powernaps before hitting the West Hollywood clubs. But the gay beach at Laguna can be so packed with bronzed bods swaying to techno that it might be called a day-club of sorts. To find it, drive south on South Coast Highway from downtown Laguna about four miles. Continue up the hill to the stoplight at West Street, where there is a stairway down to the gay beach.
For gay munchies in Silverlake, it’s all about Mexican food. Casita del Campo, Cobalt Cantina, and El Conquistador all draw primarily-gay crowds. In West Hollywood, The Abbey serves up an eclectic lunch menu. Mark’s is a community favorite for dinner. Sunday brunch at The French Quarter is a tradition. In Laguna, it’s the Boom Café or Woody’s.
A Different Light is LA’s biggest gay bookstore, right in the middle of West Hollywood.
Gay Friendly and Gay West Hollywood / Los Angeles Hotels
The Gay Hotel, operated by Ramada Plaza, is smack dab in the middle of gay West Hollywood. We doubt you’ll find any homophobes booked into this joint. If you need something more posh, book into Le Montrose, an exclusive small inn a bit removed from the bustle of the WeHo scene. For something truly different, try the San Vicente Inn-Resort , a Key West-styled clothing optional guest house for gay men. In Laguna Beach, check out the Coast Inn, an intimate little hostelry on the beach, or By the Sea Inn, with a heated pool and spa.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
West Hollywood / Los Angeles LA Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Pride in LA is referred to as Christopher Street West, and has been celebrated in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots since 1970! It has grown a bit since its early days (when participants often landed in jail) to an average attendance of 100,000. It takes place in the middle of June. Carnivale: At The Beach, LA’s Black Pride, is celebrated at the end of June. Latino/a Gay Pride is held the first weekend in August. Gay Day at Disneyland is usually held the last weekend in September.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
