PLAYGROUNDS for CITY SLICKERS : From virtual reality to bungee jumping, L.A. County offers something for almost any urbanite in search of a thrill.

1. HOLLYWOOD ROCK WALK * Guitar Center, 7425 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood They won’t make you a star here, but you can look at their relics. The sidewalk of the Guitar Center’s flagship store is to rock ‘n’ roll fans what the front walk at Mann’s Chinese Theater is to movie fans. The handprints and signatures of such musical innovators as the Moody Blues, Stevie Wonder and Eddie Van Halen are embedded in individual paving blocks for a foothold in history.

2. CITYWALK * 1000 Universal Center Drive, Universal City The carnival-like atmosphere of shops, restaurants, street musicians, a giant video screen looming over an artificial beach and King Kong dangling over the entryway offers a playful ambience. Sandwiched between the Hollywood and Ventura freeways, it’s open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Most restaurants stay open later; parking is $6. Call (818) 622-4455.

3. VIRTUAL WORLD * 35 Hugus Alley, Old Town Pasadena This is the place for those waiting to dive through the canals of Mars or battle towering warriors from a cockpit of a three-story walking tank. On Friday and Saturday nights, reservations are often required for these big video games operated with complex controls. One 10-minute “inter-dimensional” ride costs $7 to $9, depending on the time and the day of the week. Call (818) 577-9896.

4. CALIFORNIA DRAG-RACING SCHOOL * Los Angeles County Raceway, 6850 E. Ave. T, Palmdale Ever feel like really putting the pedal to the metal? How about a $995 course in drag racing, where you can wheel around in a $20,000 dragster capable of doing a quarter-mile in eight seconds flat? Or you can take the family car out to the raceway any weekend and floor it all day long for $20. Since most insurance companies consider this a high-risk activity, they’ll only insure your body, not your car. The drag strip is in Palmdale, sandwiched between a cement company and the San Andreas Fault. Call (805) 533-2224.

5. BUNGEE JUMPING * Narrows Bridge, Azusa Canyon Risking cuts, bruises and even death is all part of the thrill for some adrenalin fanatics. Licensed instructors with Bungee America take jumpers up a four-mile trail to the Bridge to Nowhere that arches about 250 feet above a spectacular gorge. The 60-year-old, 150-foot-long monument in San Gabriel Canyon, officially called the Narrows Bridge, was never completed. Plungers can enjoy the all-day outing for $40 to $115 a person, depending on the number of jumps. Reservations required; call (310) 322-8892. (For those who don’t have all day, try the Queen Mary’s new 210-foot, 21-story bungee tower for $85 a jump. (310) 435-1880.)

6. HAMILTON GREGG BREWWORKS * 58 11th St., Hermosa Beach This do-it-yourself brewery offers amateurs over 21 access to the stainless steel kettles, hydraulic bottles and a temperature-controlled fermentation room. Customers can choose among 45 beer styles, from light lagers to porters and stouts. Be ready to spend up to 2 1/2 hours mixing the brew in this bar-like atmosphere, then return in two weeks to fill and label the fruits of your efforts. Customers get 48 22-ounce bottles of beer for their trouble, at package prices ranging from $80 to $130, depending on the beer style. Open 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday to Sunday. Validated parking. Call (310) 376-0406.

7. VENICE BOARDWALK * Oceanfront, Venice This 1.5-mile tourist-thronged boardwalk is where the stunt-skating dance team Bad Boyz helped make the walk the roller-blading, roller-skating capital of the world. Besides the renowned Muscle Beach where bodybuilders pump iron, Venice is known for its free-spirited and swimsuit-clad roller-bladers, poets, rap dancers, musicians and open-air shops.

8. ROCK STORE * 30354 Mulholland Highway, Agoura Hills The fabled biker hangout in Agoura Hills picked up its “born to be wild” character in the 1960s when Steve McQueen cooled his leather riding boots there. Bikers can grab a beer or soft drink at this legendary store, built on a hill out of piled-up rocks. Members of the Hollywood biker crowd, including Sylvester Stallone, Jay Leno, Mickey Rourke, Keanu Reeves, Peter Fonda, Eddie Murphy and Arnold Schwarzenegger, can sometimes be seen here.

Other popular hangouts: Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, the Planetarium laser show at Griffith Park Observatory, Greystone Park and Mansion picnic grounds in Beverly Hills.