3 guys in mid 20s Visiting for a week: Santa Monica vs Hollywood (West Hollywood: to buy, trendy)

[disgruntled la native]

There won't be traffic at 3 am, but be sure you guys aren't the ones driving (unless one of you is a designated driver).

[jaypee]

Originally Posted by daum

I also forgot to ask. Is the water warm enough to swim around late August/ early Sept?

Yes. It's not Carribbean warm but not freezing cold neither.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

There won't be traffic at 3 am, but be sure you guys aren't the ones driving (unless one of you is a designated driver).

Yeah I second that. Plus cops are looking to pull people over more for drunk driving at that hour,whether you are drinking or not.

Taxi would probably be kind of expensive i'm sure all the way to hollywood from Santa Monica..but there would be 3 of you . There are also services like Uber too (UberX I believe is cheaper than taxi rates)
Looks like uber would be $40-45 each way from Santa Monica Pier to Hollywood/Highland area.
Split between the 3 of you that is not too bad really...especially considering the cost of DUI.

[disgruntled la native]

UberX might be around $40-45 from Santa Monica pier to hollywood and highland. Regular Uber and a cab closer to 60. But yeah, if you're on vacation you need to spend a bit. If you're really on a budget, there's a 24 hour bus running along santa monica blvd, so you can walk down Highland to Santa Monica Blvd then take it westbound to the 3rd st promenade.

[Dunbar42]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

You can definitely live it up and hit on girls in Santa Monica. Circle Bar on Main is the biggest meat market but several other places have that going on too including the new hip place the bungalow.

The outdoor bar at the Fairmont Mirmar hotel is seems pretty popular with the younger crowd in Santa Monica. At least judging by how full it is whenever I go by there.

[mlj1225]

Originally Posted by hken

stay at the beach. You can roll out of bed, walk to the beach and hang out all afternoon and then cab it to hollywood on those nights you want to check it out.

You should also spend a couple days down in manhattan/hermosa beach. Gotta do south bay while you are out here.

^^this^^

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

The outdoor bar at the Fairmont Mirmar hotel is seems pretty popular with the younger crowd in Santa Monica. At least judging by how full it is whenever I go by there.

The Bungalow too, yes. Never been but hear it's the new hot spot in santa monica. long lines, bottle service, hard to get in.

[daum]

Thanks guys again. What are some streets/areas in WeHo and SM we should hit up?

[disgruntled la native]

In SM you really have three choices: The divey bars in central SM, the 3rd st promenade, and Main Street.

Divey bars in central SM include JP's Sports Bar and Grill, the Gaslite, O'brien's, daily pint, Busby's. They are all fairly close to each other, but definitely not walking distance for the most part. So I might avoid them because getting around each could take time.

The 3rd St Promenade has a bunch of places within walking distance of each other. From divey (Cabo Cantina, Britannia, Ye Olde Kings Head) to moderate (West 4th and Jane) to pricy and loungey (Copa D'Oro, The Misfit, Bungalow). This is one option since everything is a short walk.

Then Main Street has a mix also but leans toward the laid back. This might be your best bet because everything is very walkable. There's divey Irish bars like Finn McCools and O'briens again. A meat market with average drinks like Circle Bar. Plenty of other options.

In West Hollywood, if you're straight, you basically have two options, depending on what type of experience you want.

If you are looking for places without cover, cheap(ers) drinkers, and a chill crowd. stick to the Sunset Strip on Sunset Blvd. There's divey bars like Rock N Reillys, Isla Cantina, Cabo Cantina (again), The Rainbow Room, Saddle Ranch. There's also the hotel bars (Sky bar, Chateau Marmont, etc.) which tend to be overpriced and fancy, not like the places I listed above.

If you want the overpriced glamorous Hollywood experience you can either go to a handful of the straight places like Bar Lubistch or Laurel Hardware (both just east of the gay bars on Santa Monica Blvd), or venture to Hollywood Blvd and go to one of those stupid places I don't know anything about.

[daum]

Sorry if I'm being stupid. But, it seems like many big clubs are in Hollywood (around Hollywood blvd) and not very many in West Hollywood? But, the ones in West Hollywood are still more "popping" right?