About a 35 minutes drive from Downtown Los Angeles (with no traffic), is the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk (also known as Ocean Walk Front). The Venice Beach Boardwalk is a slightly over 2 mile walkway filled with shops, restaurants, and the fun and funky vibes of its creative performers. Not only can you see many awesome people showing off their splendiferous talents, the Venice Boardwalk is known for its celebrated attractions such as Muscle Beach and its skatepark.

History

In 1905, tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney realized his dream of opening "Venice of America", a resort town filled with fun and gondolas that would be remeniscent of Italy's Venice. It included a canal system, miniature railroad, amphitheater, beach and other attractions that would entice tens of thousands of people to flock to his Venice weekly. This included the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Kinney built a small amusement park on the pier of the beach, which would end up burning down twice shortly after his death. Venice was originally known as the "Playground of the Pacific", but eventually became run-down to the point where the City of Los Angeles tore down many of its attractions. In 1977, Venice Beach was recognized as the "Roller Skating Capital of the World" and grew as a popular magnet for tourists once again.

Recommended Activities

Looking at Art, Performers, and Shops

The Venice Beach Boardwalk is certainly a treat for your senses. Your eyes can take in all of the colorful sights, including the unique merchandise being offered by the shops and street vendors, the bounty of cool murals and graffiti art on display, and the personalities and talents of the performers that grace themselves all throughout the boardwalk. Even majority of the residential buildings are covered in colors! The Venice Beach Boardwalk is not a quiet place; your ears will defnitely hear the crowds of people cheering for performers and making music in weekly drum circles and the peaceful sounds of the nearby ocean. Some shops sell snacks and there are many restaurants located along the boardwalk, so if you get hungry you can definitely find a place to eat (for recommended places to eat at the Venice Beach Boardwalk, click here).

Muscle Beach Venice Outdoor Gym

Not to be confused with Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, Muscle Beach Venice is an outdoor gym known that has been open since 1963. It is known as the "Home of Bodybuilding" and has cranked out many notable bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. The gym is open 7 days a week and operates between 8 am to 6 pm Monday though Friday, 8 am to 4 pm on Saturday, and 12 pm - 4 pm on Sunday. There are different memberships if you are interested in becoming a member of the gym (prices can be found here). If you are not interested in becoming a gym member, you are welcome to watch the body builders in action since the gym is outdoors.

Venice Beach Skate Park

Although it is a newer attraction, with its construction being finished in 2009, the Venice Beach Skate Park stands as one of the sights to go see while visiting the Venice Beach Boardwalk, especially for skateboarding enthusiasts. The Venice Beach Skate Park is a celebration of skateboarding culture that has been present at Venice Beach since at least the 70's, when California was experiencing a severe drought and all surfers had were empty swimming pools to play in. You are welcome to view the skateboarders pull of their gnarly stunts across the park and can even join in if you bring your own skateboard! It is open daily from 8 am until 7 pm, except on rainy days. There is no cost to enter the skatepark.

Venice Beach

The word 'beach' isn't in the name 'Venice Beach Boardwalk' for no reason, right? Of course not! The Venice Beach Boardwalk is located on an actual beach! After walking of the boardwalk, you can go dip your toes in the fresh ocean water and take in the relaxing ocean scents and sounds. You can also decide to go surfing, swimming, or just play in the sand. A bike path is also located on the beach if you decide you wanna rent (or bring your own) bike to ride in the wind next to the tropical palm trees. While there is no cost to enter the beach, you'll probably want some cash if you decide to park nearby.

P.S. Don't feed the seagulls... Just kidding!

More information about Venice Beach can be found here.

Where to Eat

There are several places to eat while at the Venice Beach Boardwalk. You definitely should not go hungry while you are visiting.

Recommended places include:

• The Sidewalk Café


The Sidewalk Café is a family run and owned business that has been present at the Venice Beach Boardwalk for over 35 years. Starting off as a small bookstore on one side of the building, the Sidewalk Café started out as a small takeout place and evolved into a patio restaurant that has become a staple on the boardwalk. The bookstore, "Small World Books" is still operational and is "one of the last surviving independent bookstores in Los Angeles". The Sidewalk Café also has a sports bar with a daily happy hour. It is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 10 am to 9 pm and on Saturday and Sunday between 9 am to 9 pm.

For more information about the Sidewalk Café, click here.

• The Win-Dow


The Win-Dow is a American-style take out restaurant specializing in burgers. Offering options for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, the Win-Dow is the place to go to refuel yourself with a burger and some fries after walking on the Venice Beach Boardwalk. They also have several ice cream and milkshake flavors for a great dessert in sunny Southern California. The Win-Dow operates from 11 am to 8 pm from Sunday to Thursday and from 11 am to 9 pm on Friday and Saturday.

For more information about the Win-Dow Venice Beach Boardwalk location, click here.

Bonus Activities to do in the Area

Venice Canals

Abbot Kinney's main goal when developing the Venice Beach area was to recreate the iconic Venice Canals from Italy. About one mile away from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, you can find his canal system in the residential suburb of Venice, California. You can walk around the Venice Canals and its bridges in this peaceful neighborhood. Occasionally, they have events for the residents in this area, such as the 4th of July Rubber Ducky Race and a float parade. There is no cost for walking around the Venice Canals.

Santa Monica Pier

About 2 miles north of the Venice Beach Boardwalk, is the notable Santa Monica Pier. Originally opening in 1909 to get rid of Santa Monica's sewage, the Santa Monica Pier has evolved into the ultimate amusement attraction that includes an amusement park, aquarium, shops, and even a concert venue where residents of Southern California can go and have fun. It is also known as the place where the iconic "Route 66" ends. Whether you just want to stroll around, fish, or go wild on some rides, the Santa Monica Pier has something to offer everbody. The Santa Monica Pier is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. To enter the pier is free, but the price varies by activity.

To learn more about the Santa Monica Pier, click here.

Additional Information

Address: 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Phone Number: (310) 396-6764
Hours of Operation: October 1st - April 30th: 8 am - 6 pm, May 1st - September 30th: 8 am - 6 pm (Closed on rainy days and Christmas)
Price: Free
Website: Venice Beach Boardwalk's Offical Website