Venice Beach is one of Southern California's most unique beach cities, with a plethora of local history. The coastal region offers it's own gritty charm compared to it's neighboring beaches, making it a destination to see.
I spent much of my childhood at this specific beach and over the years it has morphed and gentrified (more on the history of that here). So, I decided to visit again recently to get my own fresh take on ways to spend time there.
And so-- here's my recommends on how to spend a day at Venice Beach.
Venice Canals
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Stroll the boardwalk and explore the unique shops and vendors
Grab a bite by the water
Explore the Street Art
Relax at the beach
Rent a bike, skates, surfboard
Muscle Beach
Venice Skate Park
Visit Santa Monica Pier
VENICE CANALS
Start your day with a walk through the Venice Canals. These waterways are unique to the city, built by developer Abbot Kinney after an inspired trip to the real Venice in Italy. It's a fun way to explore the neighborhoods lined with unique homes and architeture, and there's plenty of street parking (just be sure to read the posted signs).
ABBOT KINNEY STREET
A 10 minute walk from the Canals, you can venture over to the founder-named Abbot Kinney boulevard, lined with various shops, galleries, eateries, and the astronomically priced but oh-so-LA upscale grocery store Erewhon. We grabbed a quick bite and smoothie for the road, as we browsed the stores.
VENICE BOARDWALK
Shop the Venice Boardwalk. If you're a fan of crystals, band t-shirts, and art -- you're bound to find something to splurge on here. From street vendors, boutiques, dispensaries to skate shops, there's plenty to see. I picked up a Venice hoodie from the skate shop Boardwalk Skate and Surf to commemorate my day. Compared to some of the neighboring touristy stores offering "Venice" memoribillia, their quality of material was better, and the shop attendant Johnny was a super laid back guy. He told us all about the local artists they feature in select screenprints (find the surf zone hoodie pictured above here), and we were happy to support.
EAT BY THE WATER
Grab a bite or a drink by the water. While most of the eateries along the boardwalk had a pub/bar vibe that might not be super family-friendly, The Waterfront was a bit more laid back (although there is a bar, the space feels more open-air and quieter situated toward the edge of the line of restaurants). We cooled off from the heat with lunch under a shading palm tree, before continuing with our day. The food was decent, but I would highly recommend checking out the nearby Fig Tree Beach Cafe and Grill (also oceanfront dining)-- see my blog on that experience here.
STREET ART
Venice is known for it's art scene, and that's reflected in the street art you can find surrounding the city. While we didn't get a chance to explore deeply this time around-- one childhood spot I used to frequent were the Venice Art Walls. Lincoln Boulevard and other avenues offer murals and inspiring graffiti -- here's a guide for a deeper dive.
RELAX AT THE BEACH
It goes witout saying, you can kill plenty of hours on the beach itself. Pull up a beach chair, pitch a tent for some shade, or just lay out a towel and enjoy a swim in the Pacific waters. Just beware the seagulls....they will steal food directly from your hand (speaking from experience).
BEACH RENTALS
Beach rentals are a fun and convenient way to get around the beach, from surfboards, to bikes, skates, skateboards, or multi-seater wagons for the whole gang, the boardwalk is lined with tons of transport options to choose from. While we opted to get our steps in that day, I'll definitey be back for a bike ride some time.
VISIT MUSCLE BEACH
We didn't have enough time in the day to fit everything in, but Muscle Beach is a historic Venice landmark that's worth seeing if you do indeed have the time. The beachside weightlifting outdoor gym is just south of the pier, housing weightlifting gear, and a sand box with gymnastic, rope climbing, and acrobatic bars. The gym famously birthed the fitness boom of America back in the 1930s. Today you can still catch locals and visitors pumping iron, and even join them for a day fee of $10.
THE SKATE PARK
A big part of Venice Beach is it's skate culture. So naturally, there's a public skate park built along the sand. Drop into the concrete bowl, or sit on the sidelines and watch as talented skaters showcase their skills, backdropped by the Southern California ocean and sun.
JUST NEXT DOOR: SANTA MONICA PIER
The boardwalk will take you all the way to the neighboring Santa Monica pier-- about a 15 minute bike ride. Santa Monica Pier is, in my opinion, very touristy but like any classic LA Landmark worth visiting at least once. Food, rides, street perfomers, arcade games, and views of the ocean will greet you upon arrival.
BONUS: DESSERT AT CRUMBL COOKIES
Like all good things-- we ended our Venice day with a sweet treat. Technically in Marina Del Rey, a 10 minute drive away from the Venice boardwalk, we stopped by Crumbl Cookies to see if it lived up to the hype. I don't have a huge sweet tooth, so it was a 6/10 for me-- but the flavors change weekly so who knows. If you're craving cookies, head over there and let me know if you love it!
Besitos and Happy travels,
Jenny Rose