What to See and Do During Your West Hollywood Vacation

Home to famed streets such as Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California has a vibrant nightlife, a multitude of attractions, and famed beaches. You won’t have trouble finding things to do in West Hollywood, but the sheer variety of things to do and see might make planning your vacation itinerary a bit difficult. Just make sure you don’t miss these attractions.

Take in the Vibrant Nightlife Along Sunset Strip

If you’re looking for things to do in West Hollywood at night, head to Sunset Strip. The iconic party scene spans 2.4 miles of Sunset Boulevard. What was the second home to many 1920s gangsters, turned into a haven for up-and-coming rock bands and their groupies in the late 1960s and remained a well-known hangout for musicians well into the 1980s.

Sunset Strip’s billboards light up the street at night, making it easy to explore your surroundings or navigate your way between clubs. Some of the more famous clubs and venues on Sunset Strip include:

• The Viper Room — founded by Johnny Depp in 1993, the club became a tragic landmark when River Phoenix died just outside its doors the same year.
• The Roxy — Neil Young played The Roxy during its opening week in 1973, and since then, everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Bob Marley has recorded live albums there.
• The Rainbow Bar and Grill — known as The Rainbow Room, the bar serves homemade food in an intimate space lined with museum-worthy rock memorabilia. One of the most famous rock star hangouts on the Strip, the club was a favorite of everybody from Elvis and Elton John to Motley Crue and Guns ‘n’ Roses. Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio even had their first date there.
• Whiskey A Go Go — This West Hollywood landmark opened in the mid-60s. Since then, bands such as Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Nirvana, and The Doors have graced its stage.

Explore Santa Monica Pier

Spend the day exploring Santa Monica Pier. It houses Pacific Park, which features several family-friendly rides including a solar-powered Ferris wheel and the oceanfront West Coaster. During your visit, ride the pier’s iconic carousel, test your aerial skills during a two-hour Flying Trapeze class, and visit 66-to-Cali to pick up a souvenir from the shop sitting at the end of Route 66. If you’re interested in the history of the pier — which opened in 1909 and was the first concrete pier on the west coast — take a free historical walking tour. Before you leave check out the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and Playland Arcade.

Grab Lunch at Chateau Marmont Restaurant

Chateau Marmont Restaurant sits inside Chateau Marmont — a 1920s castle-like hotel that hasn’t changed much over the years. The Los Angeles restaurant serves American cuisine in an intimate indoor dining area and on the outdoor garden terrace. The hotel itself is an amazing sight. Lindsay Lohan, Led Zeppelin, and every celebrity in between has been a guest of the hotel at some point. In fact, after a night of partying at the nightclub that sits above The Roxy — On the Rox — and eating a bowl of lentil soup at The Rainbow Room, John Belushi OD’d in bungalow three.

Whether you’re visiting West Hollywood for a weekend or a week, you don’t have to travel far to find something to see and do. With the area’s amazing nightlife, abundance of restaurants, and countless landmarks there’s always someplace new to explore.