Like San Francisco to the North, Los Angeles has a vibrant and politically powerful gay & lesbian community. Every year in June this active community comes out (pun intended) in full force for one of the city's most popular events: the Gay Pride parade, which all but takes over West Hollywood in the spirit of activism and audacity. If you're in town this is one party you don't want to miss.

Although West Hollywood (WeHo), often referred to as "Boys Town," is the best-known gay neighborhood in Los Angeles, there are several other noteworthy enclaves. Silver Lake has a long-standing gay community that's worked hard to preserve the area's beautiful homes that Charlie Chaplin and Cecil B. DeMille once occupied. To the west of WeHo, Santa Monica and Venice also have a strong gay and lesbian presence.

If you're looking for specific info on gay culture in L.A. (beyond what we include), there are several local options, including 4-Front Magazine (tel. 323/650-7772), Edge Magazine (tel. 323/962-6994), and Frontiers (tel. 323/848-2222). Edge and Frontiers are the most prominent free biweekly gay mags and are available in coffeehouses and newsstands citywide. For these and other GLBT magazines, call or visit A Different Light Bookstore, 8853 Santa Monica, West Hollywood (tel. 310/854-6601). The L.A. Weekly and New Times Los Angeles also have lesbian and gay articles and listings.