The Sunset Strip

Sunset Strip is the section of Sunset Boulevard between Hollywood and Beverly Hills that includes nightclubs where many big names have appeared – both on stage and in the audience. 

Mammoth billboards, known locally as vanity boards, are one of its trademarks.  The Sunset Strip also has a giant statue of another fan favorite – Bullwinkle the Moose, with his pal Rocky, the flying Squirrel.

We’ll also see (but not go inside) two famous (or perhaps infamous) nightspots:

The Viper Room, formerly owned by Johnny Depp, is often called “the hippest spot” in this very hip town. Big names aren’t on the show bill here – they simply show up and perform. Among them: Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stephani and the Smashing Pumpkins. And when Mick is in town, this is where he likes to party.

Since the Whisky a Go Go night club opened its doors in 1964, it has launched the careers of a long list of high profile stars including Jim Morrison and the Doors, Little Richard, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Goldie Hawn”.

Sadly, there is no number 77 on Sunset Strip, as every address has four digits. But in 77 Sunset Strip, the popular TV program that aired from 1958 to the early 1960s (and in re-runs ever since), the swanky office of the private investigators was right next door to Dino’s, a nightclub named after Dean Martin. This swinging hot-spot was Marilyn Monroe's favorite nightclub, and was a familiar part of the scenery for viewers of 77 Sunset Strip.

Do you know?*

• Viewers of 77 Sunset Strip were so smitten with Kookie, a wisecracking beatnik and car jockey who dropped in to help solve mysteries, that a song was written about him. In it, the female singer begs sexy Kookie to lend her something. What is it?

• Who was the infatuated female singer of this song?

* Think you’ve got the right answer? Find out during your exciting Sunseeker tour!