Living and going to college in Los Angeles definitely has its perks. Not only do you get the benefits of having access to a college campus, but you also have the opportunity to explore one of the biggest cities in the country.

While the typical frat party and your average Top 40 club can be a great time, there are so many other types of places you should explore. With that being said, here’s a list of cool and alternative places that you should check out on those nights you want to get off campus.

Boba Bear
414 S. Western Avenue, Suite C | 12105 Santa Monica Blvd (West L.A.)
Boba Bear is a hookah lounge unlike any other. In addition to its awesome hookah flavors like Chai Latte, Strawberry Margarita and Mint Chocolate Chill, Boba Bear also serves delicious boba tea drinks, mocktails, smoothies and even crepes. Talk about a cultural fusion! Even more, there's a selection of fun board games, like Apples to Apples and Janga, for customers to play while they sip on their tea and smoke hookah. If you’re looking to chill out and bond with your friends, this is the place to be.

The Brickyard Pub
11130 Magnolia Blvd. (North Hollywood) | 1810 N. Wilcox Avenue (Hollywood)
Ever get tired of crowded college parties with barely any room to play beer pong? Trek out to the valley or to Hollywood, and hit up the Brickyard Pub. This bar creates a college-like atmosphere, with tables to play beer pong and even pool tables and darts. Even better, the Brickyard Pub has a huge selection of more than 100  beers to choose from. Make sure to try out its Jolly Rancher shots; they’re delicious, sweet and cheap.

Blue Mondays
Boardner’s | 1652 N. Cherokee Ave. (Hollywood)
Just because it’s a Monday doesn’t mean the party needs to stop. If you’re looking to continue your weekend fun, go to Blue Mondays at Boardners in Hollywood. Not your typical Hollywood club, Blue Mondays plays '80s music, indie and elecktro all night long. With its young, eclectic and open crowd, it’s a club where you can wear whatever you want and dance however you like. Other than its two dance floors, it even has an upstairs area where club-goers can chill out and play classic '80s video games, like Pac-Man and Mario Bros. So throw on your favorite comfy outfit, and get ready to dance the night away to the Cure and Madonna. It’s bound to be a “bitchin” time.

Bourgeois Pig
5931 Franklin Ave. (Hollywood)
If you’re dying to get out of your room but maybe partied a little too hard the night before, the Bourgeois Pig is a café that is perfect for those alcohol-free nights. A dark and intimate café, it’s a place where you can get together with a small group of friends and have a great conversation over delicious tea and coffee. The Bourgeois Pig even has a couple of pool tables and a backroom decorated like a forest. Break away from your Netflix marathon, and sip on some tea with some friends in the middle of the forest in Hollywood. 

Dub Club
The Echoplex | 1154 Glendale Blvd. (Echo Park)
Calling all my reggae fans: this is a club for you! Held at the Echoplex on Wednesday nights, this club plays a mix of classic reggae, dancehall, dub and hip-hop the entire night. What’s even cooler about this club is that it’s free before 10 p.m. and only $7 after. And as college students, free and cheap is definitely a plus. With its spacey dance floor and mixed crowd, it’s a happening place to be at on a Wednesday night.

The Overpass
303 East 5th Street
If you’re ever lucky enough to get invited to this speakeasy, going to the Overpass is a must. Open from midnight to 5 a.m., it’s a place you go to when you want to keep partying after all the clubs and bars in L.A. close. It’s a bar/club, where Andy Dick and his fan girls seem to frequent most nights, and a place where you see probably the craziest things you could ever see in a bar.

Each night has a different type of music playing, and it doesn’t really get crowded until about 3 a.m. But, be warned (or informed): Sunday nights are country music night. If you’re a lover of country music or a hater, you decide whether or not you want to make it out to the OP. A huge plus abou this speakeasy: it is has really cheap drinks and the occasional free shot with it. A $5 beer and a tequila shot? Yes, please.