Group Touring Los Angeles’s Famous Watering Holes
Looking back to my early backpacking days and indeed the birth of this site, one of the first places I ever wrote about was Los Angeles! Yes, I was there back in 2007 when David Beckham signed for LA Galaxy and I toured Venice Beach, Hollywood Hills and of course the famous Hermosa Beach, where Northern Irish footballer George Best once spent his post-Manchester United days.
Group Touring Los Angeles’s Famous Watering Holes
To get around, public transport can be sparse so you should aim to rent a Los Angele mini bus with driver to help you get around. This was you can tour all the key sights in the day time, then for sunset you can enjoy cocktails and drinks without worrying about driving. This means you can have alcohol and your driver will drive you meaning everyone can enjoy drinks and nobody has to drive. As I backpacked my way through Los Angeles, a lot of the bars I drank in were not close to each other, rather dispersed. This makes for another superb reason to hire a driver and get around the city that way. Here are 5 bars I recommend.
By the George Best Shrine in the Underground Bar and Grill
1.Bestie’s (The Underground Pub)
Of course my favourite bar in Los Angeles has to be Bestie’s as it was once co-owned by George Best and the Northern Ireland and AFC Bournemouth legend also used to drink here. Get Bestie’s on your list, now called The Underground Pub and Grill. You can read about my trip to Bestie’s here.
At the George Best Shrine in the Underground Bar, Los Angeles
2.Mariasol
Located on the end of the world famous Santa Monica Pier, Mariasol offers great food, cold beers and terrific views. It really is a cool place to watch the world go by, watch the sun sink and enjoy a great time with friends over the Atlantic Ocean overlooking the sea and Santa Monica beach. Mariasol serves Mexican food and drink.
Beer and writing a travel blog on Santa Monica Pier at Mariasol
3.Chelsea Pub and Lounge
A sister pub of Bestie’s (The Underground Pub) is the superb Chelsea Pub and Lounge. This has a sporty feel to it, great Happy Hour promotions and superb food. The location is overlooking Hermosa Beach. The chefs are great at cooking up gourmet treats here in yet another iconic LA hangout.
4.The Venice Ale House
The Venice Ale House is one of my favourites in the city as it is located on the boardwalk itself, and therefore just a few minutes walk from the hostel I stayed in back in 2007. The views are superb, the bikinis are out and you can grab some excellent locally crafted beer here as well as organic food. The bar has changed hands since my visit, but looks to have got even better.
Venice Ale House LA
5.The Rainbow Bar and Grill
One of the most famous LA bars sits just a few steps from The Roxy on the Strip, welcome to the Rainbow Bar & Grill, which was made famous back in the day since the likes of Neil Diamond, Ringo Starr and Elvis Presley used to hang pout here. These days of course anyone can enter and you never know who you might meet. Plenty of cool rock n roll trivia and memorabilia adorn the walls. The Rainbow Bar and Grill is located on Sunset Boulevard.
Rainbow Bar and Grill, Los Angeles
And with Los Angeles boasting no shortage of beaches, restaurants and bars, this small selection is only the tip of the iceberg. Get out there yourself and get exploring this party city and you never know what bars you will end up in.