Venice Beach

The most street-flavoured beach in Los Angeles, with a skate park, Muscle Beach, graffiti walls and buskers on the boardwalk, as well as the quiet Venice Canals.

Venice Beach lies 3 km south of Santa Monica. In 1905, a real estate developer dug canals to imitate Venice, Italy, and built a resort. In the 20th century it became a stronghold of hippies, artists and skate culture. The core of the beach is the 2.5-km Ocean Front Walk boardwalk. Street performers, buskers, the Venice Art Walls (where graffiti is legal), tattoo parlours, souvenir stalls and fortune-tellers line its length. Muscle Beach, an open-air gym, was once where Schwarzenegger trained. Beside the sea is the Venice Skatepark, built in 2009, where skilled riders often perform and which is a classic spot for sunset silhouettes. There are also a basketball court, a filming location for the film Black and White Dragon, and a handball court. Walk two blocks inland to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which has been named America’s coolest neighbourhood. It has independent design shops, cafés such as Blue Bottle and Intelligentsia, and restaurants such as Gjelina. Further south, the Venice Canals, four quiet waterways with wooden bridges and small villas, form a striking contrast to the bustle of the boardwalk and can be walked in about 30 minutes. Admission is free. Transport: cycling along the seafront bike path from Santa Monica takes 15 minutes (recommended), or you can take Big Blue Bus Line 1. By car, beach car parks cost US$10–20. Caution: there are many homeless people and individuals with unstable mental states around the boardwalk, so avoid staying after dark. Keep valuables close and do not leave belongings on the beach. The water is cold and has rip currents, so keep your swimming near the lifeguard towers.

Venice Beach

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby