Great vibe with lots of fun people watching. Parking wasn't too bad with the meters. There were shops on board walk as well. read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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What could be better than watching your 8-year old grandson play basketball on a perfect, sunny, Sunday morning at Venice Beach? I really enjoyed the vibe here and it was relaxed, fun and enjoyable. There is aooo much to see here and with the LAPD substation a mere ten yards away from the basketball courts, you would hope that everyone would do the right thing which during my visit, it was all about fun and having a good time. There are many food options in the area and many stores to purchase souvenirs. The basketball courts are in GREAT condition and well-maintained. On this day, several former NBA players came out to coach the younger kids and a fun time was had by all. Definitely a place to visit and relax while working on your tan read more

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Imagine. In the 1890s, Venice Beach was a deteriorating marshland west of LA. One man had a vision to transform the area into the Coney Island of the Pacific, the Venice of the West. People thought he was crazy, but out-of-the-box ideas are often what drives progress. Over the next twenty years, Abbot Kinney and his colleagues made his dream a reality. Plots of land were developed at Ocean Park. Canals, piers and amusements were engineered for Venice of America. The Million Dollar pier was built. The next hundred years saw so many changes. Fires. Bankruptcy. Annexation. Today, Venice Beach is the second most visited destination in Southern California. Easy to see why. The white sand beach is so beautiful. Catch a wave. Or watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July. Join a race or enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk. Watch the sunset during a rooftop dinner. A great place to enjoy a birthday/holiday weekend. read more

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Perfect Day at the Beach! Today, we embraced the beauty of Venice Beach. There are plenty of activities to enjoy and many great places to eat. The beach is very dog- and family-friendly. During the day, parking costs around $18; at night, it drops to $9 (unless you manage to find free parking in the neighborhood). Please note that bringing a life vest is not allowed, as the waves can be strong and may drag you away. Restrooms are conveniently located, and the sunsets are absolutely stunning! Overall, we had a fun time. read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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Such a Vibe! I'm from Northern Cali and I am ashamed that it took me this long to visit Venice Beach. The crazy thing, I've been to Venice, Italy. lol It's very eclectic and a lot of Shenanigans are happening here. Nonetheless, it's worth stopping by to get some merch and just play basketball!! I really enjoyed my time walking up and down the boardwalk. It's plenty to do and see. Parking is only $5!!!! read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

I can't quantify the love I have for the beach since moving to LA five years ago. Knowing that, I come into this review with a bias already! I usually go to Malibu but while Wildfire Relief is still happening, I want to stay out of the way and have been venturing down to Venice Beach. I always associate Venice Beach with Venice Boardwalk, and yes, it's that. But there is also so much space of actual beach and it's super chill and amazing most days. So in short, I've fallen in love with Venice Beach. Parking prices vary depending on the day and sometimes depending on the business. Today I paid $6 but other days $13 so let me bring back an old saying, YMMV. That being said, they have huge parking lots all along the beach. The lot I always park in has the sweetest freaking lady, she's just a joy in the morning. Very normal sightings at Venice Beach: -Cool guys on skateboards 'walking' their dogs. I've been sitting here an hour and already seen 18. Always with tattoos. Very Venice. -Cool girls in stylish athletic leisure wear walking 1-2 dogs of varying sizes and styles. -Electric.Bikes.Everywhere including a bunch of two seaters. -Beautiful sand that's combed thru every morning. -Beautiful waves with tons of surfers, also cool guys but a bit different than the skater dog guys. -Emmanuel Acho bike riding with wifey - at least I saw that, lol. -Cannabis clouds, Los Angeles loves their recreation. Venice Beach was always underrated in my brain for some reason, but it really has become a happy place full of sunshine for me. read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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There was just so much to see while walking the board walk. There are parking lots for a fee (some $10 and there was a cheaper one down the boardwalk for $4). I ended up at metered parking on a side street in the area. There are plenty of places to eat and lots of street performers for entertainment. We just came to walk and see all of the sights and the sunset, which took a couple of hours and was completely free. read more

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It's an iconic "beach" but not for the water but for the boardwalk. Just enjoy your stroll by the beach, people watch, check out the vendors especially the vulgar shirts and sweatshirts , and street performers. Unfortunately there's a lot of homeless so it's not the prettiest but you can say you walked Venice beach. read more

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Venice Beach is straight-up a vibe. Every time I come to LA I usually stop here cause it's my favorite spot to come hoop. Its raw, real, and unapologetically L.A. You pull up, and instantly, you're hit with that salty ocean breeze, palm trees standing tall, and that boardwalk energy with individuals along all kinds. Skaters at the skatepark out there doing wild tricks like Tony Hawk. Muscle Beach where cats get their swole on in the sun. There's a lot of Murals and street art pop off everywhere pure West Coast art. Hoopers trash talking to each other. Venice beach has a combination of a little gritty, a little weird, but that's Venice. You'll catch poets, hustlers, rappers, artists, homeless, and folks just vibing. Street performers doing the most. People watching here alone is entertaining in itself! If you're tryna feel the pulse of L.A. away from the Hollywood filters, Venice Beach gives it to you straight,no chaser. read more

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Been to Manhattan and Santa Monica Pier while on my trip so decided to stop at Venice. I haven't been to Venice in probably 20 years or so. It's just ok. Lots of homeless people here. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here though when there are better beaches. read more

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Dirty. Dangerous. Watch out for the "vendors" who want to "give" you something. If you take it. You buy it. Buyer beware. And don't eat their food. You'll get the runs. Promise. read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

Venice Beach did a major sweep of the unhoused and it's quite nice now. Every now and again, you still get the aroma of something someone is smoking but on a weekend, it was quite calm. Murals were breathtaking but I didn't see the walls that used to be for graffiti artists. Maybe we didn't walk far enough. Dias de Los Muertos was coming up and Don Julio had a beautiful altar. The structure took a week to construct and all the flowers around it took 3 days. Yay for tequila. It was a beautiful sunny day strolling down the boardwalk. Ok, bye. read more

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Venice Beach is a great place to people watch! Having been a long time fan of all things Joe Weider, it was cool to see the Weider inspired Muscle Beach portion of Venice Beach! Muscle Beach is an open playground with a gated area that encloses weightlifting equipment. The second area is a sand box with gymnastic, rope climbing, and acrobatic bars. Venice Beach itself is rife with street performers, artists, and vendors! The wide boardwalk is an easy walk and a nice area. I went prior to the 16,000 square foot Venice Beach Skatepark's opening in 2009. Venice Art Walls (murals) adorn the various buildings and there are numerous volleyball courts. I was surprised to see that the Venice Beach Boardwalk attracts approximately 28,000 to 30,000 tourists daily, attracting approximately 10 million visitors per year, and is the second largest tourist attraction in Southern California after Disneyland. Personally, for me it's a "one and done" experience as a person who does not live in the area. I imagine it would be fun to visit occasionally if it were a convenient drive from home. Still, I'm happy to have visited Venice Beach! read more

As I close my eyes and listen to the sweet caress of the waves flow through my mind. I get this feeling, a very familiar soul soothing feeling of being back in the womb with each crash of the wave. The warmth of the sun on my skin comforts me as my mother did when I was a child. The tranquil feeling of peace flows through the air without a worry or care just as it did when I was young and didn't have to do the adulting thing. It's amazing how just a few feet away you can escape the craziness from the boardwalk onto the sand of peace and zen. This beach gets a bad rap but I've been coming here since I can remember and I guess I'm just use to the LA life. And that's my take, Peace out read more

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Iconic California beach that has tons of activity and businesses along the beach boardwalk. Seriously there's a lot of great restaurants and casual eateries in the area and pretty much you can find something for everyone. Home to the iconic Muscle Beach. I knew of this place growing up before I even moved to LA because of all the famous bodybuilders that come through. There's also some basketball courts that are really popular and there are events here I think every Sunday. Definitely a vibrant place for locals and tourists alike. I don't come out here too often, but have generally a good time when I do. A couple of the downsides is the homeless issue and drug issue. Which they might be related. As of 7/2024, it seems like they addressed the homeless issue a little bit but if you're a tourist or even a local, I would take the necessary precautions and just look over your shoulder just in case. There's paid parking, but there's some street parking to be found in the neighborhood if you're willing to walk and you know where to look. read more

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Recently, I went to Hinano Cafe. I had some time to kill before they opened at 8 AM. I walked along the pier in the rain and enjoyed taking in the views as they were less people. I watched some surfers take in the waves. It was nice pier to walk around and enjoy the sights without hustle and bustle. read more

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Great beach for people watching, skateboarding, just fun vibes overall. We rented a tandem bike and biked along the beach. It was definitely a lot of fun to do that. Loved that there were separate bike lanes and pedestrian walk ways. Highly recommend on a visit to LA! read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

Well, it is still a dump and dangerous. I used to love Venice Beach. I went there as a kid every summer. We live nearby. Now, there are some nice places to eat and there are things to buy. There are also thieves, junkies, meth heads, people sleeping in tents and you will be asked for money. It is just not worth it. I don't need to be looking over my shoulder all the time to make sure my purse is not going to get ripped right off me. I have seen this happen. You wallet will be in your front pocket at all times. Be carful with your back pack. Set nothing down and even walk a foot away to grab a photo. The water is not clean, so don't swim there. Be careful what you step on if you are on the sand. There is one thing great about this place and that is the skateboarding area. You can watch or skate yourself. It is fun. The boardwalk is usually crowded and unless you just must have a corn dog, there is no reason to be there. I loved this place growing up and now it is just scary. read more

Venice has changed quite a bit . Lots more homeless and not as clean as it once was but also not as bad as the news makes it out to be . Still a cool place with a great LA vibe 4 stars is for the lack of reasonable parking read more

Venice Statepark - Women weightlifting - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

Worth the visit if you never been before. Many locals and tourists here with plenty to do. We rented Metro rideshare bike and veo electric bikes. Those are fun to ride along the beach side. Amazing views read more

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The day started off beautifully--the beach was lively, scenic, and enjoyable to take in. I'm not fully familiar with all the pet policies beyond the basics of keeping dogs leashed and cleaning up after them, but I did notice some issues. A few dog owners allowed their pets to run without leashes and became confrontational when their dogs misbehaved, which took away from the otherwise pleasant atmosphere. For that reason, I would recommend leaving pets at home to avoid potential conflicts and enjoy a more relaxing experience. read more

Venice Statepark - The walk to Santa Monica Pier - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

Fun grungy beach. Muscle Beach is cool! I would go during the day and you can spend the entire day there and get home to cool off afterwards :) read more

So I haven't been to Venice Beach since I was a child and after watching Barbie, I added Venice Beach to my bucket list next time I was in Los Angeles. Maybe I'm on the wrong side of the beach or I came on an off day but the beach was interesting. First off, there's a sidewalk path next to the sand. We assumed one side would be pedestrians and one side for bicycles. However, both paths were for bikes. There's not a designed safe area for pedestrians to walk except for the boardwalk area (where bikes were still allowed) or the sand. The homeless are still pretty present on the boardwalk. We saw them in pretty much every bench with carts nearby. The smell of weed was overpowering. Trash was everywhere. As we were leaving, there was a homeless lady throwing bread in the parking lot attracting the birds. She was on a bike so be careful when you're exiting the parking lot. It's sad because Venice Beach is very artsy and there's lot of nice street art murals or sculptures. read more

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This place gets a 5 star if you look to expect an explosion of locals and tourists who are equally but differently engaging with the area. First time here was 2 weeks after moving to California on my first 4/20 here. Last month 16 years later we Stopped by here celebrating our Anniversary on 4/20 early in the morning to check out some Peruvian food and fish tacos.it was cold and gray. People were out and about, opening shops and setting up for the day. We say two couples in wedding attire taking photos. Nice to just stroll and take in all the variety of life. Be alert and mindful and enjoy yourself. read more

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Not my first time here, but it has been decades since my last visit. In general, I'm not a beach guy but since I've done all the amusement parks and hip clubs, I thought I would return to the beach. Plus, after a decade of playing GTA online, I feel like I know every alley around here. I was here during the week, so it wasn't overcrowded. Matter of fact I parked one stall up from the beach. It was metered, but the meter only allowed for an hour and honestly, that was enough time for me. I got some t-shirts strolled casually and regrettably used the restroom. This was the most disgusting toilet I've ever seen, it was full of filth and drug needles, there was also filth on the floor and around the bowl, and there was no lights. I'd expect the Health Department to step in based on what I saw and if I thought I could have stomached it, I would have taken a photo even though Yelp would have deleted it. Stores ok, bathroom's unsafe and you don't want your kids wandering here, cause addicts were stumbling and begging like the bad luck Olympics. Had the bathrooms not been so vile, this would have been a glorious stop. This is a high visibility tourist stop. City, County and State should be working together to keep this place safe and clean. read more

I mean you really. You do know what you're getting into. This place will indulge all the senses you have and try to find ones you don't have. This is where all the weird stuff takes place outside of Hollywood. Check it out on the YouTube live feed they had to set up since it was getting too outrageous even for Venice Beach. Yes those needles are used in the bathroom. Yes they're used for that reason not what they're meant for. What did you think would be in that stall, toilet paper? No these people don't live here, they just hang out all day so you feel awkward enough to give them money or something, I guess. I don't know bum sales techniques, I just see results. They're all in a row down here and they're not selling stuff. Not openly that is. Just repeat after me: no, I'm not interested in hearing your mixtape. Then walk away. You'll leave here a lot dirtier than you arrived so I would shower before you shower. It's not so much the sand as everyone's insane auras seeping into your epidermis. I'll watch how long this real and honest review of Venice Beach stays up before some pansy whose never been here reports it. The rumors don't even touch this place. The skate bowl is nice but over hyped, sorry but those are everywhere. This one happens to be on a beach. Park in the neighborhood and don't walk back unarmed at any time of day. No it's not usually that bad but you're less likely to get stabbed first. It's been happening lately, look it up. read more

Very run down, dirty and scuzzy place around the beach. I have been to many California beaches and towns this one is the worst by far. Too many overpriced restaurants and junk food in the area. A lit of the places are cheap pizza and county fair food. Others are overpriced sit down restaurants. Walk around the neighborhood and you will see worn out area. Shady people hanging around there and on the beach including a lot of homeless. I would not take elderly people or young children here. The positive thing is the beach itself is pretty nice and a good place for volleyball and walking. You can see muscle beach and some of the street art. It's too bad the place is not what it used to be. My friends in the area said it used to be good but in recent years has really changed. I was planning on staying here longer and going back later but left after a couple of hours. If you are in the area go check it out but I don't recommend making this place a destination for your vacation. read more

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Venice Beach is so iconic. I don't think that anything comes close. from the skating ring area to the vendors and all the good places to get snacks. Once you come here, it'll leave the lasting impression , hopefully for the good. I enjoy watching the skaters ! read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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Venice Beach offers miles of beaches, walking trails, and shops. You'll enjoy gorgeous views of the pacific, as well as cliffs in the distance. Beware that marijuana is very popular here. read more

Venice Statepark - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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I came by weekday afternoon. Not so crowded at all and the beach was empty. I walked down from Santa Monica pier and it's good place to get inspired from work out enthusiasts. If you are tired to walk, go to Main street. There is a bus to go to downtown Santa Monica. It will pass Santa Monica station though. read more

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Ah, the iconic Venice Beach. Excellent beach to check out if in LA. It can be pretty crowded, so be advised of that, but most popular places tend to be busy. read more

The crème de la creme of La. The daily festival. The palm tree circus. The land of all walks of life. The one and only Venice beach. Bring a skateboard. Ride a bike. Lay on the sand. Hit a rooftop bar. So much to do no wonder people retire here. read more

Venice Statepark - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Venice, California

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Beautiful beach! Nice restrooms, available to the public. Places to eat. Lots of shops, and colorful murals. Lots of guys working out in the Muscle Beach! We were here a short time, so I can't say much about it. I do like it, here. It was fun to people watch. We didn't have anything to eat here, we were heading elsewhere until 1:00pm. read more

Beautiful and historic, much different that the last time i was here. So many cool shops. Was the backdrop for many movies over the years. The patrons were so cool. The beach was clean, saw some skateboarders doing their thing. Just cool, to see it again! read more

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This beach is on many tourists to do list and rightly so. It's a must see if you're visiting LA not so much for the beach but for all the culture and vibrancy the people bring to it. There's a skateboard park where you can hang out for a while. Some fun graffiti art. And of course muscle gym! Beautiful strip to walk along and see the street performers. You can spend half a day here getting your steps in and people watching. This is a tourist trap though so I would steer clear of the food & souvenir vendors on the strip. The beach is also dotted with homeless persons and the beach in general is not very clean. There is a police presence though so I felt pretty safe. read more

Venice Beach is a wonderful place to catch the sun while having fun in the sand and catching waves. It is definitely a touristy place, but you'll find locals on the beach too. Its board walk is very famous and filled with souvenir shops and fast food eateries. The beach is clean and there are bathroom services nearby. Paid parking is available in the lots near the beach. read more

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I would not recommend Venice beach as a tourist stop. Maybe a decent spot for locals to do certain activities - like skateboarding, basketball, or wall ball. I visited this because I wanted to check it off the list of places in LA - But after walking down the strip I quickly realized there was nothing for me here. Unless you need a vulgar poor quality shirt or pot supplies - you can skip this destination. The vendors selling items were very low quality. read more

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We had a great time here.I love hearing the waves in the background while walking in the sand.If you're in LA, you should definitely make a stop at Venice Beach. Very clean California beach. The sand was soft. Boardwalk is a great place to walk around. read more

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We wanted to stop by the beach during our trip to LA and were in the area checking out the Venice Canals, so we headed here. Still feeling the cold winter temperatures in early March, we found a spot on the sand to just hang out and enjoy the views... the water, trees, and entire atmosphere. The beach was fairly empty since it was later in the afternoon and breezy, but it somehow felt nicer seemingly isolated.  Venice Beach doesn't really offer anything special compared to other nearby beaches, it's fairly plain. I think the Boardwalk is the biggest draw for tourists. But even that part to me doesn't really stand out. You have some eateries and souvenir shops, some that look at little run down, your typical street performers, but some of them not so interesting (and others possibly con artists), and of course some of the homeless population in the area. The beach itself is lovely, but there are so many other alluring beaches, with more beautiful and cleaner surroundings and better shops and neighborhoods, some with noteworthy piers as well. All of that really attracts a certain crowd and shapes the quality of a beach. Venice Beach is just okay, in my opinion. read more

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Venice is a super fun place to sight see and shop. The vendors offer a wide variety of interesting art, music and even psychic readings! Summer is a great time to walk along the boardwalk and enjoy the ambiance! read more