Sobriety in the City: The Perfect Sober Day in La-La-Land – Fun Things to Do Sober in Los Angeles

February 10, 2022

The first time I was in rehab was the first time I was told that I would never be able to drink or use drugs safely. Sobriety was my only chance at a life worth living. “But how will I have FUN?” I wailed. This is a genuine concern for many of us when we contemplate or are new to sobriety. We don’t know what to do with ourselves when we aren’t destroying our lives in the quest for chemical relief. It wasn’t that there weren’t things to do; my brain was barely working and had no experience with sober fun. Even the phrase sober fun sounded corny. 

I started drinking and using to be cool, and then I couldn’t stop until nobody wanted to be around me. In sobriety, I’ve made real connections. I’ve had sober fun. The first time I was signed out of rehab by sober support, I kept waiting for when she was going to light up a joint or buy me a drink. This couldn’t be real, right? That people actually don’t need to drink or drug with every activity?

At first, we drink and use and do things, but eventually, we don’t do anything other than drink or drugs. And then, we get sober. And we don’t know how to have fun, how to comfort ourselves, how to live. Work can take care of itself – we all know we have to make money. But fun? What to do with my free time other than eat, sleep, masturbate, and watch TV? I needed some help in that arena. And now, I have the gift of being able to help you.

I Heart LA!

Los Angeles is by far my favorite place that I’ve ever lived. There is so much to love here. With a vibrant recovery community, gorgeous scenery, and the country’s best weather, it’s easy to live a life worth living here on the south side of the best coast. If you have even a bit of familiarity with LA, you already know the basic things you can do sober – hiking, the beaches, etc. With the help of the Facebook group Creative Women of LA, I compiled a master list of fun things to do sober. I will leave the ideas I cannot go into detail about at the end. That’s the beauty of LA – not everyone here is sober, but nearly everyone has a sober friend or partner. Stereotypically LA is known for being youth-obsessed, but we’re health-obsessed. That is how we stay so young-looking.

Here is a guide to sober things to do, focusing on nighttime activities – after all, that’s the most challenging time of day to be sober, especially at first. I wish you well on your sober journey. Now go have fun!

When You Want To Go Out And Be Social

Wait, isn’t this a BAR? Yes, it is, but this apothecary-themed establishment is known for having the best mocktails in the city. Walk into this unassuming building in Chinatown’s warehouse district to a Biedermeier-inspired design dream of a lounge. Low velvet couches, high ceilings, and a backlit marble bar accentuate the calm, relaxed environment.

The menu has six sections, five of which you should ignore, but one just for you – Spiritless tonics. I went there early – and you will want to go there early when the music & crowd are at a manageable volume, with a sober friend and tried two of the four offerings. The Mental Vitality tonic has beet, basil, house-brewed euphoric tea, ginger, lime, and club soda, and it’s so refreshing. The rest of the tonics include nourishing and unexpected ingredients such as baobab, bell pepper, lavender, and maqui berry. From there, walk out to the patio for cozy couches and chairs, string lights, and a view of the river. This is not a place people go to get drunk, but a place they go to connect with friends.

When You Want To Take The Edge Off

Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm Pacific Standard Time, a recovery circle begins via Zoom. In my experience, breathwork is the spiritual experience and trauma release I was looking for when I took hallucinogens. The process oxygenates your body and floods it with endorphins and nonpeptides. Like everything in this guide, Breathwork for recovery is not affiliated with any 12 step groups. Breathwork has helped me recognize and release maladaptive behavioral patterns that allow repressed memories to surface. It’s an emotional journey where your breath is both shaman and plant medicine. No one is turned away for lack of funds, though they request a $5 donation. A bit cheaper than therapy, and for some deeply held traumas, beliefs, and patterns, the best release.

Unplug has a dazzling array of classes designed to help you deeply chill. Classes are going all day, every day, with many offerings at night.  Try sound healing, chakra & crystal meditations, self-love meditation, changing your relationship with food, or brain massage, and leave the stress of the day behind you. With two locations, one in Santa Monica and one in West Hollywood, you don’t even have to worry about crossing the 405 after and undoing your relaxation. Best of all? You can try Unplugged for seven days free!

Sober Curator Pro Tip: Need to Unplug? Guess what? They even have an APP for that! Check it out here.

When You Want To Let Off Steam

Often I drank or used because I wanted to smash stuff and had no safe place to do so, and at Break Room LA, you can even destroy an entire car! They provide full protective gear, you can bring your own tunes, and a safe place to let it out and just break shit! They provide the breakables with packages beginning at just $32, or you can bring your own stuff to break for only $25. A great activity solo, in groups, or even on a date, smash rooms are on the rise as we collectively search for safe ways to deploy our anger. If you don’t feel angry, I promise, there is some inside of you just waiting to be released.

Break Room also offers ax throwing, and soon, paint splashing. Sometimes I like to drive to Malibu with some old pillows and a baseball bat and beat the pillows yelling until repressed memories surface. Until I did this, I didn’t even know I was still mad at my parents for giving away my dog when I was seven! Break rooms take this up a level while removing the two worst parts of breaking stuff – getting glass in your feet and cleaning up the mess. Cleaning up your own smashed glass is very anti-climatic.

One of the last old-school style roller rinks in America, Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale is uniquely perfect for this guide because they do not serve or allow alcohol inside. It expressly states on their website that intoxication of any kind is against their rules. Once upon I time I would have taken this on as a personal challenge, but not today. Today it’s just exciting to relive my childhood quad rollerskating. The rink has been open since 1956, and the decor hasn’t changed in nearly 40 years. It’s perfect.

Admission is $12, skate rental is $12, and the rink also hosts a weekly Rainbow Skate and Throwback Thursday. Other theme nights like Harry Potter Skate and Bowie night pop up sporadically, so be sure to check the website. It can get quite crowded on the weekends, so I suggest going during the week and replacing your old Thirsty Thursday with Throwback.

But wait, there’s more!

Thanks to the wonderful women of the Creative Women of LA: Jobs & Collaborations group, I have so many more ideas for you and not the space in the article to go into detail.

The valley? Why? Well, I will tell you. Karaoke nights in West Hollywood where I live are like an audition for American Idol – and by that I mean you’re never going to get to sing, and also everyone is intimidatingly good – and disturbingly drunk. Karaoke on Mondays in the valley is much more chill. Run by sober ally Sam Contreras, who never drinks when he works, it’s a place you can go and make new friends just by showing up and singing. There’s a taco truck outside, the bartenders keep the soda water flowing, they have coffee, and I’ve made new sober friends going there. It is said that we can go anywhere if we have a reason to be there. For me, karaoke is a focal activity that makes me forget I’m even in a bar. And the parking is fine!

Additional recommendations:

  • Handmade Ice Cream from Salt & Straw and a drive up Mulholland

Learning to have fun in sobriety is a great joy. Los Angeles is full of activities to bring you endless joy, and to answer the question what do I do for fun now? We all know how to work, eat, watch Netflix. But I didn’t get sober to sit on the couch. And I bet you didn’t either. Happy adventures, fellow travelers!

You can depend on Sobriety in the City for clean, creative alternatives to make the most of your time in the most amazing cities.  If you have the perfect sober agenda, reach out to us! We would love to share your ideas with our community. It’s always the perfect day for a perfect day! 

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Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

Resources Are Available

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.

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