Going out to LA next weekend to see a couple of friends and wondered if any of you Los Angeleans had any advice on the nightlife scene? Just wanted to be armed with some good ideas (any house clubs too?)

Going out to LA next weekend to see a couple of friends and wondered if any of you Los Angeleans had any advice on the nightlife scene? Just wanted to be armed with some good ideas (any house clubs too?)

Nothing worth mentioning. I've never hit up any of the big clubs. Only one i know about is LAX.

Nothing worth mentioning. I've never hit up any of the big clubs. Only one i know about is LAX.

Wait isnt LAX the airport?!? :D

Nothing worth mentioning. I've never hit up any of the big clubs. Only one i know about is LAX.

That's unfortunate... Oh well, I'll have to try to wing it, then since I'm not sure the crew out thereI'm seeing in LA's all up on the clubbing scene at all.

although im not a resident I do have some friends out there and get out there often myself and I would suggest hotel marmont great scene, sky bar and house of blues

although im not a resident I do have some friends out there and get out there often myself and I would suggest hotel marmont great scene, sky bar and house of blues

Thanks! Sky Bar or House of Blues sounds like places to hit

Thanks! Sky Bar or House of Blues sounds like places to hit

if you hit up HOB go aorund back and talk your way up to foundation room that will def be a great time!

if you hit up HOB go aorund back and talk your way up to foundation room that will def be a great time!

As far as I know, the HOB in hollywood and Anaheim only have concerts in them. No club. Then again I dont have a membership, so you might be right.

As far as I know, the HOB in hollywood and Anaheim only have concerts in them. No club. Then again I dont have a membership, so you might be right.

the one in hollywood has a foundation room upstairs....you have to walk around back in the parking lot and up about 4 flights of wood stairs

That's unfortunate... Oh well, I'll have to try to wing it, then since I'm not sure the crew out thereI'm seeing in LA's all up on the clubbing scene at all.

I know it's a Vegas forum, but could you put up a TR when you get back? I might be in LA in November and could use some input on some good places to check out.

I know it's a Vegas forum, but could you put up a TR when you get back? I might be in LA in November and could use some input on some good places to check out.

Sure, though it very well could be daytime-heavy (though I'm determined to go out on one night, at least, even if I have to drag my friends out)

Sure, though it very well could be daytime-heavy (though I'm determined to go out on one night, at least, even if I have to drag my friends out)

Hey, whatever works - I'll probably have a bunch of free time once I get up there, so daytime or night stuff is cool.

Good luck!

Hey, whatever works - I'll probably have a bunch of free time once I get up there, so daytime or night stuff is cool.

Good luck!

I'll have a better report tomorrow, but, well... Wasn't really feeling LA. Didn't get a chance to go out at night since the crew I visited weren't really into it at all. Visited Malibu & Santa Barbara beaches during the day, which was fun, but I can't really say I'm going to plan a trip back out there anytime soon.

Arrived at LAX via AirTran (via Milwaukee) at around 10:30AM. First time in a while that I've flown without checked baggage since I trusted that AirTran would find a way to lose my luggage via the connecting flight out of Milwaukee (where I had all of ten minutes to catch the flight going out to LA). Waited about ten minutes for my friend to pick me up at the terminal. Went to lunch from there - nothing fancy, just some Subway in Inglewood outside of LAX. My friend asked me what I wanted to do and didn't know, so he suggested going up to Santa Monica & Malibu.

Took the Pacific Coast Highway up and that was a nice sight, traveling along the Pacific Ocean. Yes, this was my first time in California and also first time seeing the Pacific, so I was excited to see that. On the way up, it was really scenic - I don't know how anyone who goes to Pepperdine gets any work/studying done cause just passing by their campus looks like it would be too much distraction by the ocean & hills (vast difference from my time at Penn State!). Went to the beaches at Malibu and that was really beautiful - I wasn't really dressed for it as I had on slacks and loafers (I always like to be dapper when flying even if the rest of the ruffians aboard the craft don't feel the same way). So I hiked up my slacks and stepped into the Ocean - phew, cold at first, but got used to the tide rolling in enough. Didn't go all the way in since I'd rather not be dripping wet, but my slacks got soaked (and now smell like the beach, but not in the Kramer's-cologne-on-Seinfeld good way).

After some picture taking and a change to jeans, went over to Santa Monica. That was interesting, walking up to and on the pier there. Kind of typical stuff, it seems - little shops and mostly touristy stuff throughout. Had my first churros there - wasn't that impressed, but my friend told me that it wasn't really fresh. Walked around a little bit more - found it interesting that they had Segway rentals for the area. The weather, by the way, was perfect - low 80's and a bit of a breeze, so I was lucky to not hit the area during their heat wave (like the Northeast is feeling now, ugh).

After that, went over to Hollywood area since that's where my friend's fiance lives. We still had a couple hours to kill before dinner, so my friend drove up to Griffith Observatory at Griffith Park, which was a great place for photos. Overlooks the city with the the Hollywood Hills in the backdrop. Obviously touristy, but figured that would be the norm for this trip since it was my first time in LA. There was one, uh, incident where I had to use the bathroom - they had all unisex bathrooms there and are usually full. I knocked a couple of times and no one would answer, so I turned the handle thinking no one was in there. Whoops - a young woman was in there and she looked mortified! I know it was only a second, but it felt like forever until I closed the door so she didn't have to get up and close it! I didn't feel like waiting around for another door to open - or for her to come out of the bathroom (though, she was quite attractive, but just... not... like that), so we high-tailed it out of there. It was time to go back, anyway, for dinner. Next time - if there is a next time - I would like to hike up the Hills there and get to the top since that would seem to have some great views.

Got back to Hollywood and waited on the my buddy's fiance to get ready. After she came out and after picking up her friend, we went over to this little Polish restaurant, Polka (http://www.polkacatering.com) (my friend is from Poland and his fiance's Polish too). This was a very nice place - quaint, but authentic. Warning, though, Polish food is VERY heavy. I had the Kura (I think that was the name), basically a chicken dish which was very good. My friend, though, he had the Kotlet Schabowy, which was this huge breaded pork chop with a bunch of sides. The food here could easily last you two or three meals, but all very affordable.

After this, we went back to my friend's fiance's place in Hollywood and just relaxed for a couple hours, drinking some Corona's. I was pretty beat - only had a couple of hours of sleep the night before and didn't grab much on the way over. Plus, like the idiot I am, I forgot to put sunscreen on when we went out to Malibu, so my face got burnt (and, yay, it's all peeling like made now!). So we left to my buddy's place up in Pasadena.

The next morning, grabbed some breakfast before picking up my friend's fiance and her friend to head up to Santa Barbara. On the way, we stopped in Agora Hills to pick up yet another buddy from college who's out in LA for work. We all piled into his car and went up to Santa Barbara. Took about two hours since there was some festival in Ventura that clogged traffic. Once there, we made our over to State St to grab some lunch. Plenty of restaurants to choose from - we went to some Mexican grill place (forget the name, but quality food & drinks). Afterward, we went down to Stearns Wharf. Pretty nice place, lots of seafood places and fishing. Really nice views of the Oceans and the boating all around. After walking about, went over to the beach and rented some kayaks. This was lots of fun and a great way to see the area! Plus, it was a really good workout [my arms felt like they would fall off afterward]. Thankfully didn't tip over since I that would've been a walk back to the car, but it was a close a couple of times. Didn't venture out too far for fear of something happening, but might should there be a next time.

After this, we went over to the Harbor for drinks. Had a Tokyo Tea there and that was pretty good - think I found my new daytime drink next time I go out to Vegas! We chilled there for a little bit, kind of resting after the walking & kayaking. Stayed for an hour and a half - I kept to my drink, but the others had a couple beers (not exactly the replenishing drinking one should do after strenuous activities, but oh well!)

Time for dinner and we walked back up State St to find some place to dine at. None of the guys really were that hungry, but the two girls were famished, so we let them pick... and, of course, we walked all the way up State St before they decided that they wanted to eat at a place down the Wharf. We decided to take the shuttle down to lower State St - while on there, talked to a local who said that one of the bars, O'Malley's, one can sometimes see Michael Jordan there since he'll sling drinks at the bar for charity a couple times during the year. Could have been turning my crank, though, since the guy seemed a little out of it. Riding down, saw some interesting bars to maybe go at later in the night. But anyway, got back down to the Wharf and decided to go to LongBoards. This place wasn't too bad, very low key at the dining area upstairs. Kind of odd that there was peanuts shells all over the floor. I didn't have anything here since I wasn't that hungry and figured we might be going out after, so didn't want to feel full. Everyone else had some big platters, though. Conversation went around and they all complained about "getting too old" - which, to me, was a WTF moment since we're all in our late 20's. I don't know if the LA area makes people feel thirty years older than they are of if it was just my friends, but it was a bit disappointing as they all kind of decided to make it an early night after dinner (basically at 8:30PM). Oh well, no going out this night either, though I did sort of expect this... but still, quite lame. Got back on the 101 down to Agora Hills to drop off my friend then back down to Hollywood to drop off the girls. Then back to Pasadena for an early night again.

Next day, had an early breakfast and got to LAX a couple hours before my flight. And... that's it. Like I said, mostly a daytrip mini-vacation. Next time I go out there, though, I'd like to see what nightlife the area has to offer.

I just saw this thread, I would've responded to you earlier since I call Socal my home.

Here are my list of faves: Hollywood - The Highlands, its also fun to just do barhopping down hollywood blvd and sunset. Downtown LA, go with the Mayan. My gf used to go go dance there. People are friendly and theres different themed rooms.
The OC, Anaheim, I would recommend Heat. Its a Vegas copy of an Ultra Lounge. Its not bad. South OC, definitely give the Sutra a try. Another Vegas like spot. Celebs are spotted on occasions.

Bar hopping is really the thing to do down here. I save my clubbing for LV. I highly recommend bar hopping down Huntington Beach (Main St), Newport Beach (PCH) and I heard good things about Hermosa Beach as well. Every Fri/Sat its like a mardi gras like atmosphere w/ chicks strolling up an down the street getting crunk in bikini tops.

Hope this helps B!

I just saw this thread, I would've responded to you earlier since I call Socal my home.

Here are my list of faves: Hollywood - The Highlands, its also fun to just do barhopping down hollywood blvd and sunset. Downtown LA, go with the Mayan. My gf used to go go dance there. People are friendly and theres different themed rooms.
The OC, Anaheim, I would recommend Heat. Its a Vegas copy of an Ultra Lounge. Its not bad. South OC, definitely give the Sutra a try. Another Vegas like spot. Celebs are spotted on occasions.

Bar hopping is really the thing to do down here. I save my clubbing for LV. I highly recommend bar hopping down Huntington Beach (Main St), Newport Beach (PCH) and I heard good things about Hermosa Beach as well. Every Fri/Sat its like a mardi gras like atmosphere w/ chicks strolling up an down the street getting crunk in bikini tops.

Hope this helps B!

Thanks for the info, royale! Even if you saw the post before I went out, the crew I visited weren't really open to going out at night... But I'll definitely note this post back next time I'm in the area!