Venice Beach is one of the most entertaining places in Los Angeles for a walk, and it’s also one of the most famous beaches in California. Along the boardwalk you’ll find street performers, skaters, artists, bodybuilders and all kinds of characters. There is always something going on, and it’s one of the best places in LA for people watching.
If you’re staying in West Hollywood or Hollywood, Venice Beach can feel surprisingly far away, so a visit requires a bit of planning, both when it comes to traffic and the weather.
Leave at the wrong time and you risk ending up in rush hour traffic, and the roughly 12 mile drive can easily take more than an hour. It’s also a good idea to check the weather forecast before you go. What looks like a bit of morning haze can turn out to be the marine layer locals call June Gloom, which sometimes sticks around most of the day.
Here is how I like to spend a half day in Venice Beach.
Start with a walk along Venice Beach Boardwalk
The Venice Beach Boardwalk is the heart of the neighborhood and one of the most famous beachfront promenades in the United States. Musicians, dancers, artists and street performers line the path, and it’s impossible to walk far without stopping to watch something.
If you stop to watch a performance or take photos, it’s customary to leave a small tip, so it’s a good idea to bring a few $1 bills.
You’ll also see plenty of souvenir stands, street vendors and small shops along the boardwalk. Cannabis is legal in California for adults over 21, and there are several licensed dispensaries in the Venice Beach area, but smoking is not allowed on the beach or along the boardwalk.
One of the most photographed spots in Venice Beach is the Venice sign across Windward Avenue, right at the entrance to the boardwalk.
Stop by Muscle Beach
Just a short walk from the boardwalk you’ll find Muscle Beach, probably the most famous outdoor gym in the world. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other bodybuilding legends trained here in the 1970s and 1980s, and today it’s still the place to go if you want to watch very dedicated people lift very heavy things.
Visitors can buy a day pass if they want to work out, but most people come to watch.
The original Muscle Beach was actually located near Santa Monica Pier, but when people talk about Muscle Beach today, they are almost always referring to the Venice Beach location.
Take a look at Venice Skatepark
Right by the beach you’ll also find the Venice Skatepark, where skaters ride the concrete bowls with the Pacific Ocean in the background. It’s one of the most famous skateparks in the world and a great place to stop for a few minutes and watch the action.
Walk down to the beach
The beach itself is wide and sandy and stretches for miles. It’s a great place for a walk or just to sit and watch the ocean.
The Pacific Ocean here is usually quite cold, even in summer, but surfers and swimmers head into the water year round. If you’re planning to swim or surf, keep an eye on the lifeguards and warning flags, as rip currents can occur along this stretch of coast. Lifeguard stations and public restrooms are located along the beach and the boardwalk.
Venice Beach is also a great place to watch the sunset. On clear evenings the light over the Pacific and the palm trees along the boardwalk is beautiful.
Head to Abbot Kinney Boulevard for food and shopping
After the beach, walk or drive a few blocks inland to Abbot Kinney Boulevard. The stretch between Venice Boulevard and Westminster Avenue is where most of the action is.
Abbot Kinney is known for its restaurants, cafés and independent boutiques, and it’s one of the nicest streets near Venice Beach to stroll along.
Gjelina is famous for its pizzas and vegetable dishes and is one of the best known restaurants in the area. If you’re in the mood for ice cream, Salt & Straw on Abbot Kinney is also a popular stop.
Take a walk around the Venice Canals
A short walk from Venice Beach you’ll find the Venice Canals, a quiet residential area with small bridges and houses lining narrow waterways. The canals were built in 1905 as part of developer Abbot Kinney’s original “Venice of America” project, inspired by Venice in Italy.
Today it’s one of the prettiest areas in Venice Beach for a stroll and a nice contrast to the busy boardwalk.
How to get to Venice Beach
If you’re driving to Venice Beach from Hollywood or West Hollywood, it pays to plan the timing so you don’t get stuck in rush hour traffic. My experience is that on weekdays it works well to go around 10 in the morning and then either head back in the early afternoon or stay in Venice Beach for dinner.
On weekends traffic is often lighter, but parking can be harder to find.
In the summer, parking in lots within walking distance of the Venice Beach Boardwalk is usually around $10 to $30 for the day depending on the lot and how busy it is.
If you’re several people going together and you don’t want to deal with parking, taking a rideshare is often the easiest option. Uber and Lyft work very well in Los Angeles, while traditional taxis can be harder to find.
You can also take public transportation. Buses run to Venice Beach from different parts of Los Angeles, and if you’re already near the Metro rail system, you can take the E Line to Santa Monica and continue by bus or rideshare from there.
