Quirky And Interesting (Non-Touristic) Places to Visit in LA/SFO

[Compile 'em all]

In a couple of weeks, I will be visiting LA and San Francisco for the first time ever. I was wondering if you guys got any recommendations of places to visit. The usual stuff are easy to find via a couple of minutes of googling, quirky and cool are not (which I am more interested in).

I am not after anything specific, it can be a little weirdish shop in some small street, some cranky underground bar (I listen mostly to hardrock/metal), or some place to eat.

I am basically looking for something different.

Any hints/guides/pointers are much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Gelfin]

it can be a little weirdish shop in some small street

It's not a particularly small street, but the Pirate Store at 826 Valencia and the curiosity shop next door fit this bill.

 

[CaptMurdock]

Don't know if your reading or movie tastes trend this way...

...but Dark Delicacies is a great bookstore and curio shoppe.

 

[bradl]

For LA, go for some nostalgia, since most kiddies nowadays don't know about it or really have experienced it. But Route 66 ends at Santa Monica. If you have the time, even the trip out on it to San Bernardino wouldn't be bad.

For SFO, see if you can schedule a trou of Guide Dogs for the Blind, in San Rafael. Most of the time, they are having training going on with the new guides and their partners, but every so often, they allow tours. Should be a nice BART ride from SFO. A ferry ride to Vallejo wouldn't be bad either. Gets you out of the bay to a quieter part of the area.

Clubs.. hmm... In LA, have a run by the Troubadour. If you know your metal, you'd know that you're in the joint where a lot of bands got started. Crue (IIRC, that shot of Sixx when he set himself on fire while playing bass was there), Metallica (yes, Metallica started in LA before moving to SFO to meet up with Burton), Dokken, and a few others, all the way back to the Eagles.

I'll think of more, but there's a good place to start.

BL.