Los Angeles
USA West Coast
Los Angeles is huge - 84 separate city authorities in an area larger than London and Manchester combined. But when it came to deciding which districts to feature, there was no contest – it had to be gay and lesbian friendly West Hollywood and Long Beach.
Rainbow flags fly from the lamp posts of the 1.9 square mile city of West Hollywood squeezed between Hollywood and Beverley Hills. Created just 20 years ago by a determined group of gay civic elders, West Hollywood is divided by Santa Monica Boulevard - better known as Sunset Strip. Here are all the main bars, clubs and shopping and it is very much the centre of gay life and life style.
Long Beach with its two mile long promenade offers a different side to gay LA. More relaxed and more Mediterranean in style, it has a low-key but rainbow-flag waving concentration of businesses in East Broadway – just a short walk from the gay section of beach.
All the touristy things to see in LA are easily accessible from both Long Beach and West Hollywood and a day at Disneyland or Universal Studios is easily arranged. All the bars and clubs are within easy walking distance of our hotels and transfers to LAX Airport by shuttle or taxi are quick and easy. So despite LA being the city that paid homage to the motor car, we don’t recommend one. Driving is horrendous and it is easy to get lost, parking is difficult and all the hotels charge for overnight parking.
Click to view the Independent Gay Guide to this destinationAccommodation
Cruises
Sightseeing