With its world famous boardwalk filled with colours, music and art, Venice Beach is the Bohemian Center of Los Angeles. The artsy and stylish neighborhood offers its visitors an unique and vibrant experience of the area through different attractions and activities. From spending an entire day sunbathing on the beach, to enjoying some art and music, Venice Beach has it all! Keep reading and learn more about Venice Beach – the Bohemian Center of Los Angeles!
Location
As the second most-visited destination in Southern California, Venice Beach is a spot you should be adding to your travel plans for this summer! Located on the Western side of Los Angeles, Venice Beach is one of the most popular recreational and commercial neighborhoods in the city. Thanks to its proximity to Santa Monica, you can easily plan an entire day exploring both locations.
Getting to Venice Beach
The neighborhood is very easily accessible from each side of the city. Visitors would be happy to hear that you can even use the public transport from Downtown Los Angeles to reach both Venice Beach and Santa Monica via Metro Line 704 and Metro Express Line 920. If you are arriving from Los Angeles International Airport, getting to the neighborhood would only take 15 minutes by car – Check out the best domestic flight deals. If you have decided to take the entire walk from Santa Monica Beach to Venice Beach be prepared for around 45 minutes of walking. Alternatively, you can get the Big Blue Bus 1 or 2 and reach for just under 15 minutes.
When to visit
It should be no surprise to you that the peak season for visiting Venice Beach is during the summer months. Both the beach area and the promenade get extremely busy mid-morning and later in the afternoon on weekends. Something to have in mind is that sometimes the entire neighborhood can get foggy early in the morning or in the evening. In order to fully experience the atmosphere of Venice Beach make sure to visit during a busy time. This is not an area, where you would be looking for seclusion and peace!
Staying Overnight at Venice Beach
If you are planning on visiting Venice Beach, you might as well treat yourself to a luxurious stay in the area. You can choose between Hotel Erwin, Venice Suites or Venice on the Beach Hotel, which all offer stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the long covered in sugary sand beachfront. Overall camping is not very popular for the city of Los Angeles, however, if you have decided that you will be traveling by RV, you can check the Malibu Creek State Park. With a total capacity of 60 sites, the campground is located just 10 minutes away from the Malibu Lagoon and 25 minutes away from Venice Beach.
Facilities
As one of the most popular tourist areas in Los Angeles, Venice Beach offers 3 parking lots with a total capacity of 1200 spaces. Within the neighborhood you will be able to find everything from bike trails to skate plazas. If you are planning on spending the day surfing or sunbathing at the beach, keep in mind that facilities might be a bit limited. Even still you will be able to find showers to rinse off the sand, restrooms and a few beach volleyball courts. The area is packed with different small restaurants and bars, so you do not need to bring your own food.
Activities
You can never get bored at Venice Beach. Make sure that you fully experience the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood and completely immerse yourself into the bohemian atmosphere. Keep reading and learn how you can spend your time at Venice Beach.
Spend time at the Beach
Stretching for approximately 3 miles, Venice Beach is a pristine white sandy beach, where you can easily spend an entire day. Besides sunbathing, you can also try different sports activities such as surfing, parasailing or jet skiing. Visitors can choose between the numerous rental shops to find exactly what they are looking for.
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Taking a stroll down the Venice Beach Boardwalk is a must-do when visiting the area. As home to various performers and artists, this is the best place for people watching. Visitors can see mimes, fortune tellers and musicians on one side of the boardwalk, while the other is packed with unique and chic restaurants and bars. The area has an interesting mixture of laid-back, but at the same time lively atmosphere. No one here is in a hurry, as people are just enjoying the summer days by showcasing their talents. Yet, the combination of so many different noises and colours, bring a very bohemian and edgy vibe to the sidewalk. Make sure to stop by the Skate Park or the Muscle Beach Gym and enjoy the shows! If you are visiting during the weekend you can even participate in the Venice Beach Drum Circle, when hundreds of people gather together to play drums and congas, while others are dancing to the sounds of music.
Venice Canal Historic District
Take a step back in time and learn about the construction of the “Venice of America” by visiting the Canal Historic District. Back in 1905, the entire neighborhood was a system of canals, similar to the canals network in Venice, Italy. During the 1920s and 1930s, though, some renovations took place and roads had to be constructed to accommodate for the growing number of automobiles. The Venice Canal Historic District, however, is still home to the remaining canals and various charming cottages.
Excellent surfing conditions, artsy vibe and pristine beachfront combine together to create one of the most popular locations in California. If you have not been to Venice Beach you should certainly start planning your trip now as this is the place to be! Completely immerse yourself into an unique colourful and vibrant summer vacation by visiting Venice Beach – the Bohemian Center of Los Angeles.
