If you’re looking for nightlife in an unfamiliar town, it pays to do some research. Otherwise those of you looking for a trendy lounge may end up in a seedy dive bar, or vice versa.

There are some well-established review Web sites that help determine if a bar or nightclub has the kind of ambiance and clientele that works for you.

Check out WorldsBestBars.com, which has reviews and rankings of bars all over the world from Atlanta to Zurich.

The site has a list of the hottest bars of the moment, so you can check off the “must-see” places from your list.

It’s also got user-generated reviews about lesser-known places, and you can even create a printable map of establishments in specific neighborhoods.

More general review sites like Citysearch or Yelp.com can be helpful in this space as well.

You can customize your search by neighborhood or price, and even based on whether you prefer pubs, sports bars, lounges, or other types.

And then you can do what I do—ask the locals.

I’m not talking about the concierge, but the hotel maid, the bellhop, and even the bartender at the hotel bar.

Sometimes finding out where they like to hang out after work is exactly the kind of place to get a truly local experience.

Or get more help in our Ask the Locals Travel Guides section.

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