Hollywood: Land of Dream Merchants

The golden-hour sunset over Hollywood marks the city’s nightly transformation into a land of dream merchants, where, for the price of a few cocktails, you can revel in its velvet rope dramas, magnetic charms and enduring enticements. Today the city’s nightlife comprises an eclectic mix of historic speakeasies, and nostalgic, upscale venues alongside fresh new dance clubs and local dives.

The vivid and thriving music scene spotlights the nation’s top musicians, as well as local talents. The atmosphere of Bardot, located above the historic super-club Avalon, will transport you back to old Hollywood after a night of invigorating dancing. Or check out Create, which hosts the world’s top DJs and next-big-things.

While the famed Brown Derby closed its doors for good in the spring of 1985, you can still get a taste of wistful Lala Land magic at Musso & Frank, Hollywood’s oldest restaurant. Musso & Frank has seen it all since its doors opened in 1919, and still boasts iconic red-jacketed waiters and bartenders.

On the other hand, if a dive-den is more your speed, try the Frolic Room, which began its life as a prohibition-era speakeasy before becoming a regular hangout for names like Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland.

For a more local Hollywood experience, take a turn off the Walk of Fame and stroll down the ever-changing Cahuenga Corridor, or skip over to Mama Shelter or Tao Asian Bistro on Selma Ave to taste a little bit of what this city has to offer.

Hollywood might be famous for dreaming big, but its robust nightlife proves that it’s a city that never sleeps.