Mapping all the bars near LA’s rail stops

Look, it should be fairly well accepted at this point that one should not try to get behind the wheel of an automobile after imbibing just about any amount of alcohol, but in case anyone is still confused about how exactly one might get to a bar and back without summoning a designated driver (or a cab), here’s a handy map detailing just how many liquor licenses exist within close proximity to LA’s transit network.

As Los Angeles Magazine reports, the very extensive map guide is the work of local writer and cartographer Eric Brightwell. Inspired by a pub crawl along the Metro Gold Line, it lays out possible bar tours along each rail line and rapid bus route in Los Angeles County.

Because Brightwell seems as committed to this task as possible, he’s even included the Angels Flight railway, Port of LA Red Car line, and Metrolink routes—which he notes in a post on his website can be easily boarded with a $10 weekend day pass.

The map includes every bar, regardless of size or quality, within approximately one kilometer of a station. For dry stations, Brightwell has simply added the closest bar (regardless of distance).

With hundreds of entries already displayed, we’re curious how the map will look once the many rail lines funded by Measure M come online. It would also be intriguing to see a similar map constructed around LA’s major bus routes, which Brightwell notes, “are often convenient for bar crawls.”

• A Local Hero Has Mapped Every Bar Within Walking Distance of the Metro [LA Magazine]
• Mapping the 23 Best Hotel Bars in Los Angeles [Curbed LA]
• Mesmerizing gif shows how much LA’s transit network will grow under Measure M [Curbed LA]