The 40 Most Iconic Things to Do in West Hollywood

The City of West Hollywood celebrates its 40th birthday in 2024. To mark the occasion, we made this definitive list of the 40 things you absolutely must do in LA’s mecca of creativity. Slip on your sunglasses and let us be your personal tour guide.

Feel the Rock ‘n’ Roll Energy of the Sunset Strip

The Sunset Strip, the 1.7-mile section of Sunset Boulevard between Crescent Heights and Doheny Drive, occupies a mythic place in music history. The careers of rock gods (and goddesses) like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Guns N’ Roses took off in clubs like the Roxy Theatre and Whisky A Go Go — both of which are still open and making music history. Attend a show and you’ll see that the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll’s golden era never left the building. 

Visit WeHo’s “Rock of Fame”

While on Sunset Boulevard, stop by the Rainbow Bar & Grill, another one of the Strip’s rock institutions. Out front, bricks have been etched with the names and logos of iconic music acts, from Queen to Bob Dylan to the Jackson 5. You might call it WeHo’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Pop inside to pay your respects to the bronze likeness of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, who was a Rainbow regular for years.

Drink in Epic Views at a Rooftop Bar

Some of LA’s buzziest nightspots can be found on the rooftops of West Hollywood. Bars like E.P. & L.P., Catch, Skybar and Harriet’s provide the quintessential WeHo experience: There’s eye candy everywhere, from the sparkling city views to the trendy (and oftentimes famous) clientele, and the vibes are just right.

Explore West Hollywood’s Best Rooftop Bars

Stay at a Legendary and Luxurious Hotel

Several of WeHo’s storied hotels have been immortalized in pop culture, and you’ll definitely feel like you’re in the company of legends while staying there. Raymond Chandler wrote about the Sunset Tower in Farewell, My Lovely, and the hotel was featured in movies like The Player and Get Shorty. The band Hole wrote a song about the Sunset Marquis, a famous hideaway for the celeb set. Newer properties like the Pendry West Hollywood, the Kimpton La Peer and The West Hollywood EDITION push the boundaries of design, amenities and hospitality. Even if you don’t spot a celeb during your stay, you’ll certainly feel like one. 

Find Your Perfect West Hollywood Hotel

Play in LA’s Most Vibrant LGBTQ+ Neighborhood

West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ roots run deep. In fact, the idea to make West Hollywood a city came from a diverse coalition that included gay activists, and when it officially happened in 1984, West Hollywood was the first city in the nation with a majority openly gay governing body. Today, Santa Monica Boulevard is still the beating heart of LA’s gay community. Visit the famed rainbow crosswalk at Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards, then venture out to explore the many LGBTQ-owned and -friendly shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. It just might be the most fun you have in Los Angeles. Learn more with this LGBTQ history video series from the City of West Hollywood.

Attend the World’s Best Halloween Party

Every October 31, Santa Monica Boulevard is the scene for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. This spirited celebration draws more than 500,000 revelers, making it one of the biggest street parties in the world! Attendees come dressed to impress in some of the cleverest, most creative costumes you’ve ever seen — not surprising since Los Angeles is filled with makeup, costume and special-effects artists. Best of all, it’s free to attend!

Taste the Creations of World-Renowned Chefs

West Hollywood has some serious heat in the kitchen. The dynamic dining scene includes culinary giants like Wolfgang Puck (Merois, Ospero); Top Chefs like Charbel Hayek (Ladyhawk) and Michael Cimarusti (Connie & Ted’s); and rising stars like Kris Yenbamroong (Night+Market) and Raphael Francois (Tesse). Be sure to get a reservation — these tables are in high demand.

Lounge By the Pool of Your Dreams

West Hollywood’s hotel pools — many of them perched on rooftops high above street level — are true oases of fabulousness. Along with their dazzling designs and photo-worthy views, many of them offer perks like poolside wellness treatments (1 Hotel West Hollywood), live DJs (Hotel Ziggy) and even a Moët & Chandon vending machine (Pendry West Hollywood). Post up in a lounge chair or cabana and you might totally forget there are beaches nearby.

Explore 15 of West Hollywood’s Hottest Hotel Pools

Shop LA’s Most Fashionable Neighborhood

With a mix of designer brands and eclectic boutiques, West Hollywood’s Design District is one of the top shopping hubs in Los Angeles. It’s not uncommon to run into personal shoppers and interior designers pulling items for their famous clients. But that doesn’t mean it’s off-limits to the rest of us. Stroll the charming neighborhood around Melrose and Robertson to browse insider-y favorites like The RealReal and Maxfield, along with popular brands such as Alice + Olivia and Vince. Hot tip: Grab lunch on the incredibly chic rooftop of RH West Hollywood.

Ultimate Guide to Shopping in West Hollywood

Celebrate Equality at WeHo Pride

West Hollywood was the longtime home of LA Pride, but the city now has its very own, very awesome festival. Held each June, WeHo Pride is a month-long celebration boasting arts and community events, a star-studded music festival and a jubilant parade down Santa Monica Boulevard. Even though you can celebrate equality year-round here, this is one big lovefest you’ll never forget.

Explore Movie History and Celebrity Haunts

As Hollywood’s next-door neighbor, WeHo has been a playground to the stars practically since the movies were invented. Grab a drink at the Sunset Tower Hotel, where icons like Elizabeth Taylor and John Wayne once resided. Have dinner at The Formosa Cafe, a filming location for L.A. Confidential and a former hangout of Humphrey Bogart. Just across the street, stroll by The Lot at Formosa, a soundstage where West Side Story and many other famous movies were filmed.

Check Out Our Movie Lover’s Guide to West Hollywood

Take a Walking Tour of “Old Sherman”

Before the city was called West Hollywood — way before it was even a city — it was called Sherman, named for General Moses Sherman, who established the headquarters of the Los Angeles Pacific Railway at the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente in the late 19th century. Commercial buildings, residences and other relics from Sherman’s rail-hub heyday remain throughout WeHo, if you know where to look. Take a self-guided walking tour to explore this surprising side of WeHo’s history.

Witness Music Magic on Intimate Stages

There’s more to WeHo’s music scene than rock shows and DJ sets. If you’re looking for a more subdued live music experience, there are several intimate stages you shouldn’t miss. The Troubadour hosted such history-making moments as Neil Young’s first solo show in LA and The Byrds’ first public performance of Bob Dylan’s “Tambourine Man,” and it remains one of LA’s premier venues. Head to The Peppermint Club to see up-and-comers in a 1960s-themed setting. The 100-seat Sun Rose hosts intimate and exciting performances, from jazz and classical to surprise appearances by artists like Stevie Wonder and Jack Harlowe. 

Hop on the Free Trolley!

If you’re planning to indulge in Santa Monica Boulevard’s vibrant nightlife, here’s a tip: The WeHo PickUp is a free weekend trolley that shuttles between Robertson Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. Visit the WeHo PickUp website for a route map and schedule.

Dine at a Celeb-Favorite Restaurant

Certain restaurants in West Hollywood are so popular with celebrities that hordes of paparazzi will gather outside to wait for a photo opp (we see you, Craig’s). Pretend you’re an A-lister for a day at restaurants like Dan Tana’s, Catch, Drake’s and Cecconi’s, to name a few.

Best Places to Spot Celebrities in West Hollywood

Browse a Mind-Blowing Concept Store

In West Hollywood, you can experience some of the most creative and immersive retail concepts in the world. The LA flagship of streetwear label Kith is a literal wonderland of experiential design, from the cereal bar to the 200 Air Jordan sneakers dangling from the ceiling. Look out for WeHo’s next big store launch when Kim Kardashian opens the first West Coast brick-and-mortar for her popular shapewear brand, Skims, this year. 

More Concept Stores to Check Out in WeHo

Walk. Everywhere. 

At 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood is widely regarded as the most walkable neighborhood in Los Angeles. Not only that, Walk Score ranks WeHo as the #1 walking city in all of California, with a walk score of 91 out of 100. Relish the opportunity to get out and enjoy some of California’s famous sunshine while exploring the entire city on foot. 

Your Guide to WeHo Without Wheels

Take a Hike…

Want to stretch your legs even more? Some of LA’s top hikes, including Runyon Canyon, the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, are just a couple miles away. If you’re not familiar with hiking in LA, we suggest you sign up for a tour with WeHo’s Bikes and Hikes. Their guides will take you on the best routes and show you all the top photo spots.

…Or, Rent an E-Bike

If you prefer to explore on two wheels, Bikes and Hikes also offers e-bike rentals and tours. The grid-like layout that makes West Hollywood great for walking also makes it ideal for biking — just be ready to face some seriously steep climbs as you peddle from Santa Monica Boulevard up to Sunset!

Indulge in Next-Level Wellness Treatments

IV drips, cold-plunge baths, gym training for your face — we take self-care seriously in West Hollywood. And as a city filled with people who make their living in front of the camera, it makes sense! The beauty is, you can get the same treatments the celebs do and leave looking — and feeling — like a million bucks. From skin-tightening facials at Joanna Vargas and OLEHENRIKSEN to private training sessions at the star-studded Barry’s, indulge your wildest wellness fantasies at West Hollywood’s innovative, luxurious gyms and spas.

Where to Get a Red Carpet Makeover in West Hollywood

Snap a Selfie in Front of an Amazing Mural

Thanks to the City of West Hollywood’s mural program, walls around town have been transformed into one-of-a-kind works of art. With a diverse roster of artists that includes Shepard Fairey, Kenny Scharf and Retna, along with up-and-coming LA artists, you can stumble upon masterpieces just about everywhere you go. See a list of murals currently on display.

See Stand-Up Greats at the Comedy Store

Just about every night of the week, a who’s who of established and rising comics takes the stage at The Comedy Store. The fabled club, which opened in 1972, has been a launching pad for countless comedy greats, including Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, David Letterman and Eddie Murphy. The traditions — and the laughs — continue today, with modern-day comics like Marc Maron, Bill Burr and Ali Wong among the stars you can catch at “The Store.”

Make a Beauty Pilgrimage to Glossier Alley…

Beauty darling Glossier opened its supremely cool flagship store in West Hollywood in 2021, and Melrose Avenue has never been the same. Selfie opportunities abound, from the smiling Glossier globe at the store’s entrance to the enormous tubes of mascara and other products.

… Then Visit the Most Glamorous Alley in the World

Right next to Glossier is a photogenic little nook called Glossier Alley. Pink gates lead to a whimsical outdoor sanctuary filled with swirling bench seating, lush foliage and a surrealist marble fountain designed by LA artists the Haas Brothers. You’ll also find a tiny outpost of Alfred Coffee, the only place on planet earth where you can order a Glossier Pink Latte. 

Soak Up the Sun at West Hollywood Park

With about 283 sunny days per year and temperatures rarely dropping below 60 degrees, the weather in WeHo is simply too nice to stay inside. You could spend a whole day sunning and lounging at West Hollywood Park. In addition to benches, picnic tables and sprawling grassy areas perfect for a picnic, the park has basketball, pickleball and tennis courts, restrooms, a library, a dog park and a public aquatic center. When you need to refuel, there are lots of great restaurants and coffee shops in the neighborhood.

See the “Blue Whale,” Pacific Design Center

With 1.6 million square feet housing scores of showrooms and brands, the Pacific Design Center is the most important furniture and decorating market on the West Coast. Top architects and designers flock here to get ideas and browse the newest furniture and décor. And while the showrooms are open to design trade professionals only, the building itself is a local landmark. Designed by distinguished architect César Pelli, PDC comprises three separate buildings in vivid shades of red, green and blue; the latter has been dubbed “the Blue Whale” due to its enormous size and hue. Scenes from Westworld were filmed on the trippy escalators inside. 

See a Movie in the Film Capital of the World

Movies just hit different when you know they were made right down the street. Have this only-in-LA experience at the Landmark Theatres Sunset, which shows first-run films on five screens. For a uniquely West Hollywood movie night, sink into a bean-bag chair at Melrose Rooftop Theatre, which presents outdoor screenings of beloved films on the roof of one of WeHo’s trendiest restaurants, E.P. & L.P. 

Brunch Along Plant-Based Alley

Are you a vegan (or traveling with one)? Head to the half-mile strip of Melrose nicknamed “plant-based alley” for some serious vegan fare. Hit up Urth Caffé or Great White for coffee and a meat-free breakfast of champions, and be sure to snag a reservation at Gracias Madre or Butcher’s Daughter, two of LA’s most raved-about vegan eateries. Zinque and Zinc Cafe & Market also offer great plant-based options.

Shop Like a Local at the Farmers Market

The Golden State is famous for its fruits and veggies, and you can get your fill at the Helen Albert Certified Farmers’ Market. Every Monday, rain or shine, the market is held at Plummer Park and offers farm-fresh produce, baked goods, flowers and more. 

Dine (and Drink) on a Reality TV Set

Fans of Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules are sure to know West Hollywood as the location of two restaurants prominently featured on the show, Sur and TomTom. You can spot cast members — or, with some luck, be there on a filming day — at both eateries. And that’s only the beginning; Selling Sunset, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Keeping Up with the Kardashians have all filmed at WeHo businesses. 

More West Hollywood Reality TV Filming Locations

Ride the Mechanical Bull at Saddle Ranch

If you haven’t hopped on the back of a mechanical bull to the whoops of your fellow bar-goers, have you even lived? Have your own Miranda Hobbes moment atop the iconic bull at Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Boulevard, which has been featured in everything from Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. Grab your perfect Western-themed outfit along the Sunset Strip at Boot Star or H Bar C. 

Fill Up on Fabulous Sushi

Excellent sushi restaurants pack WeHo like sardines in a tin. There are longtime classics, like the luxurious Nobu; unassuming celebrity faves like Sushi Park; MICHELIN-starred stunners like Sushi Ginza Onodera; and hot new arrivals like the Austin, Texas-based Uchi. Whether you’re looking for a fancy omakase experience or a la carte rolls, there’s a sushi house that’s sure to fit the bill.

Relive the 1960s

The Sunset Strip was the epicenter of youth culture in America during the 1960s. As young people filled the streets and clubs, the area became known as a hub of creativity and self-expression. It reached a fever pitch in 1966 with the Sunset Strip curfew riots, when thousands of protestors clashed with police on Sunset Boulevard — an event that inspired Buffalo Springfield’s classic song “For What It’s Worth.”

Today, the spirit of the ’60s is alive at several spots around town. Hotel Ziggy celebrates the “rebellion and ingenuity” that defined the Sunset Strip in those years, while clubs like Delilah and The Classic Cat will whisk you right back to that golden era with their impeccable retro ambiance.

Tour Schindler House, a Modern Architectural Masterpiece…

An iconic style of architecture was born in California, and one of the most influential examples can be found in the heart of West Hollywood. The Schindler House, which is now home to the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, was built in 1922 by Rudolph M. Schindler. He devised the house as a shared live/work space for two families, with an open floor plan that harmoniously blended indoors and out. It was a radical idea for the time, and the home’s sleek, low-slung form helped spark a revolution in modern design. Tours of Schindler House are offered Wednesday through Sunday and advance reservations are strongly recommended. 

…And Visit Stahl House, a Mid-Century Modern Gem 

Glassy modern homes twinkle in the hills of Los Angeles, but few shine as brightly as Stahl House. It was built in 1960 as part of a design experiment known as the Case Study Houses, and incorporates principles of Schindler’s groundbreaking design. Perched on a cliff just above Sunset Boulevard, the home is hands-down one of the coolest vantage points in LA. Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday and advance reservations are required.

Gain VIP Access to a Private Club

Several members-only establishments in West Hollywood cater to the famous and well-connected, including The Bird Streets Club (where Jay-Z recently held a Grammy party); Soho House (with its intimate screening room and rooftop bar); and San Vicente Bungalows, a private club whose A-list roster is a well-guarded secret. Now you know; we’ll leave the getting in part to you…

Hit Up a Stylish Dispensary

WeHo is having a dispensary boom, and buzzy new businesses offer a glimpse of what the future of cannabis retail holds. Actor Woody Harrelson teamed up with Bill Maher and other stars to open The Woods, a garden-like dispensary and cannabis lounge that would feel right at home in Architectural Digest. Another high-profile (pun intended) opening is Artist Tree, which combines dispensary, art gallery and café into a creatively charged community space. And PleasureMed is pioneering the upscale cannabis experience with two bars serving gourmet munchies along with alcoholic- and zero-proof cocktails. If you’re 21 or older, this is a side of WeHo worth exploring.

Experience West Hollywood’s Russian-Speaking Community

Always an inclusive place, West Hollywood welcomed thousands of immigrants from republics of the former Soviet Union, including Russia and Ukraine, throughout the 1970s and ’80s. Today, WeHo is home to the most concentrated Russian-speaking community in the U.S. outside of New York City. Many of these immigrants opened small businesses, and it’s common to see Cyrillic writing on signs around the city. Check out restaurants like Traktir or Kashtan, or visit Plummer Park to pay your respects at a monument honoring Russian-speaking veterans of World War II. 

See the World-Famous Sunset Strip Billboards

Welcome to one of the only places on earth where billboards are a certified tourist attraction. But they aren’t just any billboards; Elektra Records began putting up the massive ads along Sunset in the 1960s to promote their latest music acts. Other labels and brands followed suit, and the signs quickly became a permanent (and iconic) part of the landscape. They recently played a big role in The Rolling Stones’ music video “Angry” featuring Sydney Sweeney.

Learn About the Historic Rock ‘N’ Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip

Browse Two Legendary Book Stores on One Block

If you love the written word, then you need to pay a visit to the 8800 block of Sunset Boulevard. Book Soup was founded in 1975 as “Bookseller to the Great and Infamous,” and its more than 60,000 titles include author-signed editions and books on film, music and photography. A couple doors down is Mystery Pier Books, which is widely considered the most important first-edition bookseller in the world. The displays feel more like a museum than a store, and even if you don’t buy anything, you’ll get to flip through signed movie scripts and early volumes by literary luminaries like William Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde.