Los Angeles Attractions
West Hollywood
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West Hollywood, CA 90069
WeHo bumps and grinds to its own edgy beat. An artsy bastion of progressive people and alternative lifestyles, the city's roots as a night-life magnet and counterculture center go way back.
West Hollywood, which became a city in 1984, benefited for many years from its location and status as an unincorporated area in the middle of the city of Los Angeles, just north of Beverly Hills.
Since gambling was illegal in 1920s Los Angeles, casinos and nightclubs sprang up just outside the city limits along the Sunset Strip and attracted the stars and entertainment execs who would later open clubs such as Ciro's, the Mocambo and the Trocadero there in the 1930s and 1940s.
While the names have changed to Whisky-a-Go-Go, House of Blues and the Roxy, the downtown streets are still a hub of raucous late-night clubbing and bar-hopping. During the day, trendy boutiques sell designer clothes next to vintage clothing shops and antique dealers in and around the Pacific Design Center.
Known as a mecca for creative people, and with a reputation for tolerance, the city has attracted a diverse group of residents. The large gay and lesbian population, which produces the annual Gay Pride Parade, is a strong and visible presence, as are the numbers of Russian Jewish immigrants who moved to the area in the 1980s and 1990s. Although most of the residents are single professionals, a growing number of families have been drawn to the area in recent years.
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