Los Angeles - Things to Do - Attractions Overview

Exploring the jungle of LA's nightlife can be great fun. Everyone you meet claims to be either a rock star or in the movies. Even the quietest venue offers a chance to eavesdrop on a bit of vapid Less Than Zero dialogue; the most raucous ones will take your breath away. In all the pubs, clubs and discos, you'll need to be 21 and will almost certainly be asked for ID.

The best sources of listings are LA Weekly and the "Calendar" section in the LA Times on Fridays.

Although proportionately not as big as that of San Francisco, the gay scene in LA is no less prominent. While West Hollywood is synonymous with the (affluent white) gay lifestyle, not just in LA but all over California, there are many other spots where intolerance is kept at bay. The other major gay community is Silver Lake, most evidently along Hyperion Boulevard, home to working-class blacks, whites and Hispanics, while other places like Venice, Los Feliz, Studio City and even Laguna Beach in Orange County are comfortable gay and lesbian locales. We've listed gay-friendly accommodations, restaurants, bars and clubs in the relevant listings sections.

The city's best known gay and lesbian bookshop is A Different Light , 8853 Santa Monica Blvd (tel 310/854-6601, www.adlbooks.com ), with monthly art shows, readings and musical events. Magazines with good listings sections include Nightlife, Edge and Frontiers . The Gay Community Yellow Pages (tel 323/469-4454) is a comprehensive annual directory ($5) of gay businesses, publications, services and gathering places; it also publishes a gay restaurant guide. The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center , 1625 N Schrader Blvd (tel 323/993-7400), is the community's prime resource for counseling, health testing and information.