After decades of notoriety, the Sunset Strip continues to blaze its own path as a world-famous cultural landmark, setting trends in music, hotels, dining, and shopping. This most famous stretch of Sunset Boulevard begins and ends in West Hollywood, and like the city it calls home, it is constantly breaking new ground and reinventing itself.

From the 1920's when it was full of Prohibition speakeasies (at the time the area was not an incorporated city so it had no police force) to becoming the go to, celebrity visited nightclub strip in the 40's, onto the host of the counterculture movement in the 50's, the punk rock / new wave of the 70's, the glam metal of the 80's, and today where a lot of the historic places are still doing their thing at night but during the day you can find high-end shopping and dining. Some parts are still sketchy but it is worth a walk to explore and see why the Strip is such a draw.

Check out what bands are playing the Strip while you're in town at: www.visitwesthollywood.com/events

Fun fact: it is named after the Las Vegas Strip

Careful when parking on the Strip - some areas do not have meters but you must still pay at the kiosks. be sure to read all the signs in the area and you won't have any problems. You can also park at one of the many garages or public lots (U$ 10-20 per night)

Visitors to Sunset Plaza can park in the lots behind the plaza for free but don't stray away (theft is always a problem)

Though it's often been portrayed in movies like Sunset Boulevard, Almost famous, and Rock of Ages, visitors say that nothing compares to seeing the Sunset Strip up close and in person. In 2012 a documentary titles Sunset Strip was released featuring interviews with starts like Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Dan Aykroyd, Hugh Heffner, Sharon Stone, and many others. Get an insider's look at the Strip on Amazon Prime (as of 2021).

The Andaz West Hollywood (8401 Sunset Boulevard) - formerly the Continental Hyatt Hotel can be seen in the 2000 movie Almost Famous. It was also used as the location of an NBA's penthouse apartment in the first episode of Ray Donovan.

The television series 77 Sunset Strip was filmed at 8524 Sunset Boulevard where Dino's Lodge once stood from 1958 to 1964. A sidewalk plaque commemorates the old lodge.

High Voltage Tattoo (1259 N. La Brea) was home to the popular TLC show LA Ink which ran from 2007 to 2011

Mondarin (8440 Sunset Boulevard) was featured in Entourage at the end of the third season when Vince moves into the hotel after selling his house to buy the rights to the script of the fictional film Medlin.

The Rainbow Bar & Grill (9015 Sunset Boulevard) featured in the music video for Guns N' Roses "November Rain"

The Roxy Theatre (9009 Sunset Boulevard) can be seen in the 2009 movie Fame and in the 2012 movie Rock of Ages

Saddle Ranch Chop House (8371 Sunset Boulevard) had its own reality show in 2011 apply named Saddle Ranch, and was also featured in an episode of Sec and the City when Miranda decided to let loose and ride the bull on the girl's visit to Los Angeles as well as in several episodes of The Girl Next Door!

The Sunset Tower Hotel was once an apartment building that old Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Bugsy Siegel, Frank Sinatra, and John Wayne (who kept a cow on his balcony) called home. It has been featured in many movies including the original 1969 version of The Italian Job, the men stayed here while planning their heist and in Dinner for Schmuck's it was used as the exterior for Tim's (Paul Rudd) apartment.

The Standard (8300 Sunset Boulevard) can be seen in the 2011 move The Green Hornet during a party scene with Seth Rogen in which a chair flies through one of the windows. The hotel is also in an episode of Entourage - Drama ends up handing upside down from a balcony overlooking the pool deck.

Whiskey A Go-Go (8901 Sunset Boulevard) was the location of a rock concert scene in the movie The Doors which told the story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison. This famous Sunset Strip nightclub was also shown in the movies A Night at the Roxbury and Rock of Ages.