Visit one of Los Angeles' famous comedy clubs. Enjoy a night of traditional stand-up comedy at the Laugh Factory, the Hollywood Improv or the Comedy Store, where famous comedians like Richard Pryor, Jay Leno and Dave Letterman began their careers. If you're into "alternative" or sketch comedy, catch a show at the IO West or Uptight Citizens Brigade Theater. Call for reservations, and buy tickets on the clubs' websites or purchase them at the door.
The Comedy Store
8433 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 650-6268
http://www.thecomedystore.com
The Laugh Factory
8001 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 656-1336
http://www.laughfactory.com
Hollywood Improv
8162 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 651-2583
http://www.improv.com
IO West
6366 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 962-7560
http://west.ioimprov.com
Uptight Citizens Brigade Theater
5919 Franklin Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 908-8702
http://www.ucbtheatre.com
Hit up one of LA's nightclubs and dance all night. Be prepared to wait in line, sometimes for about an hour, unless you're famous or know someone who works at the club.
Try celebrity favorites Hyde Lounge, The Kress or Villa Lounge, which you may have read about in gossip magazines. Or try Les Deux, a popular hot spot seen in the MTV series "The Hills." Note that you have a better chance of being allowed inside if you are an attractive young woman wearing minimal clothing.
Hyde Lounge
8029 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 656-4933
http://www.sbe.com
The Kress Hollywood
6608 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 785-5000
www.thekress.net
Villa Lounge
8623 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 289-8623
http://www.villalounge.com
Les Deux
1638 N. Las Palmas Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 462-7674
http://www.dolcegroup.com
Go on an old-fashioned pub crawl with your friends. Try a western stretch of Sunset Strip Boulevard, and hit up the posh Skybar for cocktails. Have some beers at the outdoor bar at the Comedy Store and the nearby Saddle Ranch Chop Shop, where you can ride a mechanical bull. Or go south and visit the Crown Bar, Bar Lubitsch and Winston's on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Skybar
8440 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 848-6025
http://www.mondrianhotel.com
Saddle Ranch Chop Shop
8371 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 822-3850
http://www.srrestaurants.com
Crown Bar
7321 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 882-6774
http://www.crownbarla.com
Bar Lubitsch
7702 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 654-1234
http://www.committedinc.com
Winston's Bar
7746 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 654-0105
http://www.winstonsla.com
Take in a game with some fellow merry boozers at Barney's Beanery in Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Or visit Big Wangs, a popular Hollywood sports bar frequented by new Los Angelinos, where you can spot many former reality show stars.
Barney's Beanery
8447 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 654-2287
or
1351 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 656-5777
http://www.barneysbeanery.com
Big Wangs
1562 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028-7313
(323) 469-2449
http://www.bigwangs.com
See your favorite group perform live, or catch a show by an undiscovered band at one of LA's famous music venues on the infamous Sunset Strip, or Sunset Strip Boulevard. Try the Roxy, Whiskey A Go Go, the House of Blues or the Viper Room, once partly owned by Johnny Depp, where actor River Phoenix overdosed at age 23 in 1993.
These clubs have hosted some of the biggest bands in the world. Who knows? You may see a young music star in the making.
The Roxy
9009 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 278-9457
http://www.theroxyonsunset.com
Whiskey A Go Go
8901 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
(310) 652-4202
http://www.whiskyagogo.com
The Viper Room
8852 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 652-7869
http://www.viperroom.com
House of Blues
8430 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 848--5100
http://www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/sunsetstrip/
Park at a safe, marked viewing spot on the side of Mulholland Drive, and see a beautiful night view of Hollywood and the city of Los Angeles, or park facing north to see the San Fernando Valley. It's time to re-create those high school make-out sessions with your loved one.
Go bowling. Bowling is a great way to spend a late evening with your friends, loved one or even your whole family. The cheaper lanes are located in the San Fernando Valley, about 20 to 30 minutes north of Hollywood. Visit Pinz Bowling Center in Studio City or Corbin Bowling Center in Tarzana. If you want to stay in Hollywood, try Lucky Strike Lanes, where you can also catch stand-up comedy by lesser-known comedians.
Pinz Bowling Center
12655 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA
(818) 769-7600
http://www.pinzbowlingcenter.com
Corbin Bowling Center
19616 Ventura Blvd.
Tarzana, CA
(818) 996-2695
http://www.corbinbowl.net
Lucky Strike Lanes
6801 Hollywood Blvd. Ste. 143
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 467-7776
http://www.bowlluckystrike.com
Dine in style at one of Hollywood's priciest and most prestigious restaurants, all frequented by celebrities. Try Ketchup or Beso, which is owned by actress Eva Longoria. Have some quality sushi at Katsuya or the Geisha House, which is owned by "That '70s Show" actors Wilmer Valderrama and Ashton Kutcher. It was also one of the filming locations of the popular 2007 movie "Knocked Up."
Ketchup
8590 W. Sunset Blvd. # 14
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 289-8590
http://www.dolcegroup.com
Beso
6350 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 467-7991
http://www.besohollywood.com
Katsuya
6300 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 871-8777
http://www.sbe.com
The Geisha House
6633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028-6207
(323) 460-6300
http://www.dolcegroup.com
Watch people go by on Hollywood Boulevard. See tourists, club-goers hobbling in giant heels, crazy people talking to themselves, street musicians and other street performers--like someone dressed as a comic superhero. Almost every night, you can see a man dressed as Jesus preaching the Bible. If you want him to "bless" you, you will need to give him a few dollars.
Take a drive to the beach, and walk on the pier or the 3rd Street Promenade of Santa Monica. Or enjoy some cocktails at one of the many bars or restaurants near Hermosa Beach, located farther down the Pacific coast.
