West Hollywood

West Hollywood is not a place to see things (like museums or movie studios) as much as it is a place to do things—like go to a nightclub, eat at a world-famous restaurant, or attend an art gallery opening. Since the end of Prohibition, the Sunset Strip has been Hollywood's nighttime playground, where stars headed to such glamorous nightclubs as the Trocadero, the Mocambo, and Ciro's. Las Vegas eclipsed the Strip's glitter in the 1950s, but in the next decade the music industry moved into town, and rock clubs like the Whisky A Go-Go took root. While the trendiest nightclubs are orbiting elsewhere, today's Sunset Strip is still going strong, with clubgoers lining up outside well-established spots like the House of Blues. But hedonism isn't all that drives West Hollywood. Also thriving is an important interior-design and art-gallery trade.

In the 1980s, a coalition of seniors, gays, and lesbians spearheaded a grassroots effort to bring cityhood to West Hollywood, which was still an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County. The coalition succeeded in 1984, and today West Hollywood has emerged as one of the most progressive cities in southern California. It's also one of the most gay-friendly cities anywhere, with one-third of its population estimated to be either gay or lesbian. Its annual Gay Pride Parade is one of the largest in the nation, drawing tens of thousands of participants each June.