Feature Photo: Los Angeles Road Trip Guide For Music Fans
Before visiting the City of Los Angeles as part of your road trip, it would be in your best interest to get your hands on a guide, especially if you and at least one of your passengers are music fans. This is a busy city constantly loaded with activity and is still one of the most popular tourist destinations that take in visitors from all over the world. Also known as the City of Angels, few cities in the world serve as a home base for so many celebrities as this one. In addition to its Hollywood history, L.A. also has a strong cultural and musical background. Even today, several aspiring musicians who are hoping to become the next big act as recording stars come to this city.
Driving to Los Angeles
When traveling to Los Angeles from the northwestern states of Washington and Oregon on Interstate Highway 5, you will encounter Burbank, then Glendale, before reaching the city’s downtown core. This is the same highway that brings in visitors from the south as it connects directly to San Diego, as well as Baja California and its biggest city, Tijuana. Highway 5 also connects with Interstate Highway 10, one of the most popular approaches motorists take when approaching Los Angeles from the east. This is the same Highway 10 that treks along the southern half of the United States before meeting its end in Jacksonville, Florida.
Another popular highway leading to L.A. is U.S. Highway 101. If you’re among the music fans who know their songs, odds are you may be aware of a popular country band known as Highway 101. From 1986 until 2010, this group from Los Angeles was among the hottest country acts in the music industry. Highway 101 is an incredibly scenic route along the West Coast that ventures as far north as Tumwater, Washington. This is California’s longest highway and is still frequently traveled, especially by tourists who want to make the most out of their road trip.
While behind the wheel approaching L.A., tuning in to one of the city’s best radio stations not only provides you with great music according to your taste but valuable information such as big events and traffic reports. This is an extremely busy city that also has a reputation for having the most congested highways within its metropolitan borders. Among the top radio stations that cater to music fans in Los Angeles, KDAY 93.5 caters to fans of hip-hop music and R&B.
If you’re into today’s hits, 102.7 KIIS-FM would be for you. As for rock favorites dating as far back as the 1990s, 104.3 FM’s KBIG is worth listening to. Now, if you’re a fan of classic rock going as far back as the 1970s, KRTH (K-Earth 101) has been rated as one of the favorite radio stations in Los Angeles for good reason. In total, there are at least nine major classic rock stations in Los Angeles, including another popular favorite, 113.FM The Eagle (Classic Rock).
Staying in Los Angeles
Because Los Angeles is so busy and so popular, the sooner you book a decent hotel room in the city as part of your road trip experience the better. When finding the right hotel, make sure to do as much homework as possible before dedicating your credit card to a booked reservation. Since this is a road trip, you want to make sure your vehicle’s accommodation needs are met with the same level of safety and security in the parking lot as you’d expect in your hotel room.
You also want easy access to as many music-related venues as possible if you want to party like a rocker. Should your musical preferences favor a somewhat calmer environment, the City of Angels is loaded with great bars, clubs, and restaurants that are bound to have something just right for you. The city also has some great hotels that pour its focus on doing more than serving as a quiet place to rest your weary head. One such hotel within L.A.’s city limits that comes to mind that fits the bill is the Hollywood Historic Hotel.
For travelers paying close attention to their budget, the Hollywood Historic Hotel is a great option to take in a wonderful mix of culture, history, and music. This red brick hotel stretches along an entire block on the corner of Melrose Avenue and North Wilton Place. The street address is 5162 Melrose Avenue and it takes only seven minutes to walk from this hotel to Paramount Pictures. What’s cool about this place are the rooms and suites that have 1920s-era bathrooms that still house the original mirrors, sinks, and toilets.
Although it feels like you’re staying in a time capsule of the past, there are enough modern amenities that make this a great place to chill out after exploring the city by car and on foot. All of the front-facing rooms also have a far-reaching view of the infamous Hollywood sign. While staying at the hotel, make sure to visit the Edmon Restaurant and Bar and take in the Art Deco decor. It’s even better after 8 PM when the live music begins. Edmon also features a playlist on its Spotify account that plays music from a variety of genres.
Now, if cost is no object, there’s also the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. Located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, starting at USD 540 a night, you can stay in the same hotel that has had guests such as the Doors and Led Zeppelin. This is a hotel loaded with character and history that has been catering to out-of-town celebrities since 1927.
LA’s Biggest Concert Venues
The biggest stars performing at the biggest venues in Los Angeles almost always rock before a jam-packed audience of fans who don’t mind spending the money and traveling great distances just to see their favorites in person. Usually, these are major arenas and stadiums that do more than host the home games of LA’s professional sports teams such as the Dodgers, the Kings, the Lakers, and the Rams. As soon as a concert is scheduled at any of the facilities these pro teams call home, sometimes the tickets sell out within a matter of minutes. Should you be so lucky to score some in a quest to maximize your road trip experience, be sure to book a hotel room immediately. These will go almost as fast as the tickets themselves.
Crypto.com Arena
In the heart of L.A.’s downtown core at 1111 South Figueroa Street, Crypto.com Arena is a multipurpose arena that also serves as the home base of the NBA’s L.A. Lakers. It also hosts the home games of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. This is the same arena that has served as a venue for the Grammy Awards, off and on, since 2000. Whenever holding a big concert, the arena can accommodate up to twenty thousand people so they can watch their favorite music hero perform.
When the arena first opened in 1999, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band was the first band to rock loud and proud before a live audience. Crypto.com Arena is still going strong as a favorite concert venue. Should your road trip have a major concert in mind, perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to acquire tickets and watch your favorite rocker perform in person. Because this sits in the heart of L.A.’s downtown core, the venue formerly known as Staples Center becomes a very busy place when there’s an event going on. If you’re driving, be prepared to be caught up in lots of traffic on the way there and on the way back to the hotel you’re staying at.
Dodger Stadium
Since 1962, Dodger Stadium at 1000 Vin Scully Avenue has graced Elysian Park with its presence, serving as the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aside from becoming one of the most iconic baseball stadiums in MLB’s history, it also serves as a major concert venue for the biggest stars. Legendary icons such as David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, and U2 are among the few who made some noise before thousands. From downtown L.A., it takes about ten minutes to drive north under ideal road conditions. However, given how busy the stadium can be when hosting a massive event like a concert and you’re determined to drive there, arrive as early as you can. After the concert is over and you head back to the car, be patient and let the flood of vehicles make their escape before heading out yourself.
Hollywood Park & SoFi Stadium
Situated at 1001 South Stadium Drive, SoFi Stadium belongs to L.A.’s suburban neighborhood of Inglewood. This is where the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams play their home games. Connected to Hollywood Park, SoFi Stadium began to serve as a major concert venue in 2021. Some of the biggest stars in the music industry who have rocked the stadium before a live audience include the Rolling Stones, BTS, Bad Bunny, Metallica, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.
From downtown L.A., it takes about forty minutes to reach SoFi Stadium by car. From the Los Angeles International Airport, it’s about a twenty-minute drive to the east. If this venue happens to be hosting a concert you have tickets to as you embark on your road trip, make sure to have your car in the parking lot early enough to avoid traffic congestion. This stadium can accommodate over one hundred thousand fans, so this can be an extremely busy place if the concert you’re going to has enough fan appeal to draw such a big audience.
Intuit Dome
Intuit Dome is the newest kid on the block, so to speak, as a world-class multipurpose arena. This sits just south of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and has become the new home base for the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Scheduled to get the party started in 2024, Intuit Dome is destined to serve as a major venue to host some of the city’s biggest concerts by some of the world’s hottest musical acts. It takes about forty minutes to reach this new stadium when arriving by vehicle from downtown L.A.
KIA Forum
Situated in Inglewood, forty minutes south of downtown L.A., KIA Forum has a proud history of hosting the home games of a number of professional teams such as the L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, and L.A. Kings. Since 1967, it has also served as a major concert venue and has since become a National Register of Historic Places. Today, it’s still a popular venue for major rock concerts as icons such as the Foo Fighters. Located just north of SoFi Stadium at 3900 West Manchester Boulevard, it takes about thirty minutes from the city’s downtown core for music fans to enjoy a live concert. This is assuming they’re lucky enough to score tickets.
L.A.’s Club Scene
If there is one thing Los Angeles has an abundance of its nightclubs. Should you pay one of the city’s most popular clubs a visit, there is a possibility of an A-lister sighting. Because L.A.’s nightclubs serve as favorite hangouts for partygoing celebrities, if you want to secure a decent spot for the evening, book ahead to avoid disappointment. It’s also a great way to avoid long lineups. Whether you wish to take in the vibe of Hollywood or enjoy a night on the town in downtown L.A., there are well over one hundred vibrant nightclubs you can choose from.
Before heading to a nightclub to dance the night away, your best bet is to do so on a full stomach. You’re going to need the energy if you want to party like a rock star. Most of the nightclubs that open up their doors at 10 PM don’t provide food service. Ideally, you want to fill your belly with food you know won’t turn against you as you get ready to paint the town red. If you’re looking for warm-up food and musical entertainment before partying the night away, Rosemary Grill Mediterranean Cuisine has a location in LA’s downtown core at 510 West 7th Street.
Academy LA (goes well with Musso & Frank Grill)
Located at 5021 Hollywood Boulevard, the Academy is a nightclub that features the biggest names in electric dance music. Like most of the hottest clubs in the city, there is a minimum twenty-dollar surcharge just to get through the front door. Just like its sister club, Exchange LA, the Academy comes to life at 10 PM every Friday and Saturday night. It’s also one of the few clubs in the city to stay open past the 2 AM mark. It keeps the party going until 3:30 AM.
This incredibly popular nightclub is just down the street from the globally famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Venture a bit further west down the street and you have one of the city’s most popular restaurants known for celebrity sightings, Musso & Frank Grill. Should you be staying at the Hollywood Historical Hotel, Academy LA sits smack in the middle between it and Hollywood’s oldest and most iconic restaurant still in operation.
Exchange LA (goes well with D-Town Burger Bar)
Just like its sister club, Academy, Exchange LA only operates on Fridays and Saturdays with the doors opening up at 10 PM. They stay open until 3 AM. This popular nightclub sits at 618 South Sprint Street, where the Los Angeles Stock Exchange used to be. Although modernized to cater to the discerning tastes of today’s party crowd, the Art Deco design remains as the club loves to pay homage to a club that can hold over one thousand guests. If you’re a fan of electronic dance music (EDM), this is the place for you. Be on the lookout for the hottest DJs such as Don Diablo, Gareth Emery, Tritonal, and Alan Walker.
Exchange LA puts you within walking distance from restaurants such as Rosemary Grill Mediterranean Cuisine. You’re also nice and close to D-Town Burger Bar, a wonderful opportunity to go back in time and enjoy the 1950s in all its glory. This one sits at 216 West 6th Street, perfect for you to grab a late supper bite, and then walk some of it off on your way to the nightclub. You can then burn off the rest as you head out to the dance floor and show off your best moves.
Sound Nightclub
The Sound Nightclub’s street address is 1642 North Las Palmas Avenue, right at the corner that meets with the infamous Hollywood Boulevard. If you’re a fan of underground-style music, this is where you go. Here, it’s not about indulging in the glitzy culture of Hollywood. It’s about enjoying great dance delivered by some of the best DJs in the world.
If you happen to be staying at the Hollywood Historic Hotel, it only takes about fifteen minutes to get there by car. Adding to the appeal of Sound Nightclub besides the music is the street-style grub it has to offer. However, the doors don’t open until 10 PM so if there’s a need to fill up your belly before dancing the night away, Musso & Frank Grill is a short walking distance away from it.
Rockin’ the Sunset Strip
Sunset Boulevard is one of the most popular streets in the world. This is the stretch of road that cuts through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood and has made history for its counterculture influence. In West Hollywood, the infamous Sunset Strip is highly decorated with several bars, billboards, boutiques, clubs, and restaurants. Since the 1960s, scores of musical icons partied and performed along the Strip. Rockers such as the Byrds, the Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Frank Zappa were among the many legends who made their mark here. Even today, it’s not uncommon to find active rockers and retired rockers frequent the bars and clubs whenever they feel the need to unwind.
As part of your road trip, especially as a music fan, cruising along Sunset Boulevard and the 1.5-mile-long Sunset Strip is a must. Doing so with the music playing in the car as you enjoy the ride makes the experience even better. Should you drive to the north side of the Strip, this is the residential area many celebrities such as Katy Perry call home.
Avalon Hollywood & Bardot
Since 1927, the Avalon has entertained its guests with live music performances by some of the biggest icons in the business. Even the Beatles played here as the hype of Beatlemania swept its way across America. Today, Avalon features an impressive collection of the most popular DJs such as Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia, and Tiesto. This was the first nightclub to welcome electronic dance music with open arms, even before the genre became such a big craze. Should you choose to party like a rock star at Avalon, tickets and bottle service are highly recommended. This is an extremely popular club, mainly because of the DJs.
Rainbow Bar & Grill
Simply put, the Rainbow Bar & Grill is awesome. From its 9015 Sunset Boulevard location, it operates as a bar, restaurant, and grocery store. When this iconic location opened its doors for the first time on April 6, 1972, it hosted a party for Elton John. At the time, the Rainbow was known as Villa Nova. Since then, this has become a favorite hangout for many other musical legends such as John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Keith Moon, and Ringo Starr. The most popular regular at the Rainbow was Lemmon of Motorhead. One of his favorite activities at the establishment was playing video poker at the end of the bar. Perhaps you’d like to try your luck where this legendary guitarist once sat?
Fans of Guns N’ Roses may recognize footage of this infamous bar for its power ballad, “November Rain.” The Rainbow is more than just a bar. It also offers full restaurant service and collectible memorabilia you can take home with you. What sticks out the most here as a collectible are the miniature guitar replicas Eddie Van Halen once played.
The Roxy Theatre
The Roxy Theatre is the next-door neighbor to Rainbow Bar & Grill at 9009 Sunset Boulevard. This iconic venue has been serving as one of Hollywood’s most popular nightclubs since 1973. Owned by legendary record and film producer, Lou Adler, this family-run establishment also has his son, Nic, running the show. This place hosted stars such as Bob Marley and Chaka Kahn. While here, make a point to visit On the Rox, the hidden bar situated above the theater. Among the younger members of Hollywood’s population, this is a favorite hangout. Musicians and influencers wishing to be seen will be found here.
Because of its popularity, On the Rox’s varying operating times are only revealed on its social media page to avoid overcrowding the second floor of this popular club. Even if you can’t gain entry to the bar above Roxy Theatre’s main floor, the street-level bar itself is still worth the visit. Some of the biggest names in the music industry such as Jerry Lewis and Neil Young have been here. Today, Roxy Theatre and it’s On the Rox is where music fans go to soak up some rock history and perhaps catch a live act by L.A.’s latest brand of upcoming stars.
This is the same infamous Roxy Theatre that featured some of the hottest recording stars performing before an audience, and then producing a live album out of it. The first was Linda Ronstadt: Live At The Roxy, which was released in 1973. This started what seemed like a tradition for additional stars such as Genesis, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, and Brian Wilson to follow in Ronstadt’s footsteps to record their own versions of Live At The Roxy. If you’re a music fan and want to attend a live show with today’s roster of upcoming stars, make a point to check out its schedule and what you need to know before booking tickets.
The Viper Room
The Viper Room at 8852 Sunset Boulevard first opened its doors in 1986 by Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco, the original owners of this popular establishment. Members of Hollywood’s youthful elite have partied here. In some cases, they partied a bit too hard which would land them in the tabloids. Over time, ownership of the Viper has changed hands and is now run by a team that knows more than a thing or two about how to run a fun and respectable nightclub. In addition to staying true to the 1920s era of Harlem’s jazz music scene, The Viper Room also caters to rock music fans. This is a two-story club where the main floor offers a more relaxing environment while the colorful bar upstairs goes into full-blown party mode.
Whiskey a Go Go
On 8901 Sunset Boulevard is Whiskey a Go Go, one of the most iconic rock nightclubs in Los Angeles. Some of the biggest stars performed on its stage such as the Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Guns N’ Roses, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, and Oasis. This corner street venue is too lovable to pass up, especially with a rich history that dates as far back as 1964, the year Whiskey first opened its doors. However, book ahead as this place is just as popular as ever. Today’s upcoming musicians wishing to get noticed by major record labels come here. Established musicians who’ve already made a name for themselves also come here. What’s also great about this place is the food. It’s nothing fancy but you need to keep up your energy if you want to party like a true rocker.
If you’re a fan of Motorhead, Whiskey a Go Go is a definite must. This establishment, along with the Rainbow Bar & Grill was a favorite hangout for Lemmy. As it turns out, this place is also a fan as it offers Motorhead & Collab, a shop that offers a great collection of items dedicated to the band and its dearly departed frontman.
R.O.C.K. in L.A.
There is a reason why Hollywood has been fondly dubbed as Tinseltown while Los Angeles has earned the City of Angels nickname. This is where the majority of the action is when it comes to aspiring actors to become stars and aspiring musicians to become big-name recording artists. For them, the road trips they took to this city on the West Coast took their interest to become celebrities themselves. For travelers looking for a road trip just to soak up the music scene for at least a couple of days and nights about town, L.A. offers an experience few cities have the star quality to do.
Los Angeles Road Trip Guide For Music Fans article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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