10 Things To Do At Venice Beach

It’s written as one of the top things to do in Los Angeles, Southern California.

It’s one of those places you see on TV shows, movie scenes and is high up on most Los Angeles travel guides.

Now it was definitely on our places to visit on this trip.

One of the first spots we checked out was the Venice Beach Boardwalk, it’s the perfect place for an oceanfront walk. The boardwalk runs parallel to the ocean and is lined with many interesting shops, works of art, street performers, cafes and so much more.

The boardwalk itself is one mile long and whether you are here for a walk, a little bit of shopping, exercise or just people watching there is something here to keep everyone entertained.

At the southern end is the Venice Beach fishing pier, this is a great spot for watching sunsets and taking photos of the stunning coastline.

There is always plenty of fisherman on the pier and most are happy for a chat about Venice fishing scene.

We spent a few of hours of this oceanfront walk wandering, watching, wandering, watching a little more, followed by grabbing a bite to eat and then wandering around again.

Time flew by so quickly, there is so much to do here. To be honest you could spend the whole day here as there is so much to see and do.

Our favourite 10 things to do 

1. People Watching 

During one part of our walk, we stopped by a cafe and picked up a couple of coffees and water for the boys.

We sat outside and just watched people walking around. You see a range of sights, from locals going about their everyday business, tourists, and a diverse range of clothing/fashion attire.

Honesty you could do this all day and never get bored. To be honest though we had to talk to Lukas about not staring for too long or pointing.

2. Watching Street Performers 

This is all along the boardwalk and wow are they entertaining. This really is one of the great attractions on Venice Beach Boardwalk.

They range from musical acts, dancers, acrobatics, jugglers to artists. Make sure you have a little cash in your pocket to tip especially if you watched the whole performance.

You will also walk through the Free Speech Zone where you can listen to a range of people having their say and passing out fliers. 

If you are on Venice Beach on the weekend make sure you check out the Drum circle. Located at the end of Brooks Av, if you can’t find it, no worries, you will hear the beats. It usually starts around noon and goes well into the evening.

Musicians of every kind bring their drums, congas, shakers and other percussions to create amazing sounds. This is one of the must things to do in Venice Beach if you are here on the weekend.

3. Shopping for Souvenirs

This place is great for shopping and the boardwalk is lined with plenty of interesting shops. Where is something here for everyone.

You can buy your souvenir t-shirts, bohemian clothing, artworks, jewellery, just to name a few things. In one of the shops, I bought a mini surfboard art piece with Santa Monica pier on one side and Venice Beach VW Combi on the other.

It now hangs proudly in my hallway.

I think the thing though that impressed me the most was the original artworks from beachside stands. Now there are some talented artists with creative ideas. 

Related: Santa Monica With Kids

4. Go Mural Hunting

The Venice Public Art Walls, the walls are located off the boardwalk between the skate park and the basketball courts.

These murals (truly amazing Venice art) are managed by a company and when it’s time the next artist just paints over the top.

There is also a couple of other areas displaying artists creativity.

You can also do the self-guided walking tour. This starts at the concrete barrier between Navy and Rose Ave, it takes around 3 hours to do and is a leisurely 3-mile walk/stroll. Or you can also do this tour by renting a bike or roller-stakes.

5. Muscle Beach 

Now one thing Venice Beach is known for is the Muscle Beach Gym. On the day we were there there was a couple of lads pumping iron and playing it up for those watching. For $10 (day pass) you can get in there to if you are brave enough.

Behind the gym, you will find the basketball and handball courts. Again this is a great spot for people watching or if you are keen to put your skills to the test join in. 

Just past the gym is the paddle tennis courts, you can rent rackets and tennis balls from the Recreation and Parks Office.

Next to Muscle Beach is the gymnastic equipment from the balance beam, to rings, to the rope climb as well as a couple of other bits and pieces. It’s free to use so give it a go.

6. Skate Park

If you are into skating or just want to watch the experts show off their skills then make sure you check this spot out. We watched for a few minutes as a few people put their talents on show. I know Lukas was impressed.

This stake park is world-class, it has 2 sunken pools, a snake run along with stairs, ledges and rails.

There are a few places close by including Ride! Venice – Bike Rentals where you can rent skateboards and join in the action. 

7. Childrens Playground

Between the Recreation Center office and the Bike Path is a fenced children’s playground. There is plenty here to keep the kids going. From slides, swings, bars, trails, things to climb and more.

Our boys didn’t want to leave and who could blame them, with plenty of sand and views of the pacific ocean. It’s a great place to relax while kids play.

You Might Enjoy: Top Family Activities In Orange County California

8. Bike Path and Rentals

There are plenty of options for you to choose, either renting a bike and going for a ride or joining a tour and learning more about the areas you bike through.

You can rent bikes on the boardwalk for around $15 for 3 hours.

Otherwise, some of the well-known tours are the Legends Historic Bike Tour. This goes for 2 hours and you’ll pass through famous spots around Venice, Santa Monica and even see a few famous Hollywood residents multi-million dollar homes note this tour starts from Santa Monica Pier.

The Venice Beach Bike Tour starts in Venice. Here you learn about the history of Venice Beach, its people and its art. There are 2 options to choose from; 2 hours includes Venice Beach to Santa Monica while the 3-hour tour (Venice Beach to Santa Monica) it also includes Marina Del Rey. This marina is home to around 5000 boats. 

If you just want to rent a bike and cruise around then check out Ride! Venice – Bike Rentals near Muscle Beach and on the oceanfront. They have a massive range of bikes, even trailers for small children, and you can book online. 

Click here for your bike map

9. Surfboard Rentals

Great news if you are heading for the water, some places rent surfboards, boogie boards, paddleboards and wetsuits. Jays Rentals, located on the corner of Windward and Speedway and is very close to Muscle beach.

They offer surf lessons from $100 for an hour + 2 extra hours of surfboard rental. This is a great way to learn about the area and water while catching a few waves with these experts.

However, if you just want to catch waves by yourself you can rent boards from is little as $12 an hour.

10. Places to Eat  

There are plenty of spots to grab a bite to eat, mainly snack bars. We choose the Sidewalk cafe, mainly to give our legs a rest.

Our kids loved their pizzas and it filled them up. Well almost fill, Lukas made a little space for some pudding.

For this we tried Espresso Yo Self, it’s a Bread Pudding (and so worth it) right on Ocean Front Walk. He loves his fruit especially strawberries however this came with rhubarb so instead, he opted for Apple Pie in the Sky. He enjoyed every bite, so I guess this is another place that we’ll visit again. 

While we didn’t visit The Rooftop Bar at Hotel Erwin, opposite Muscle Beach, we did hear that the food and drinks are great along with the views of Venice Beach and the ocean.

They have DJs playing both night and day. And although we didn’t eat at The Rose Cafe Venice we heard the food here was amazing so we’ll check it out next time for sure. 

We also noticed that there were plenty of food trucks in and around Venice beach serving a range of different foods from; tacos, sushi, pizzas, sandwiches and more.

Note:

There are plenty of parking lots. We just cruised along a street called Speedway and found a parking lot. We paid around $15 for the day.

 

Other places to visit or things to do around Venice Beach

Venice Canals Walkway 

Just a couple of streets away from the boardwalk are the Venice Canals comprised of six waterways, just like Venice Italy but a small version and without the gondolas. Though at one time there were gondolas here.

These man-made canals were created by developer Abbot Kinney in 1905. He also has one of the main streets in downtown Venice named after him Abbot Kinney Blvd.

This is a great spot for a walk with beautiful architecture and gardens to look at. The best place to start your walk is near the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Pacific Ave.

Aloha Brothers Surf Lessons 

These guys are the best when it comes to surf lessons, just take a look at their reviews. Located on Rialto Ave they provide lessons from beginner to advanced surfers.

Prices start at $85 for 90 minutes and includes your board and wetsuit. Aloha Brothers offer group lessons to a maximum of 4 and private lessons.

There is no better way to spend a few hours out on the ocean with these instructors. You can also book online too.

Menotti’s Coffee Stop, Venice Beach, CA 

Located just of the boardwalk Menotti’s Coffee Stop is a great place, it really is your coffee haven. Well, it was for us!

The staff were friendly, welcoming and this place has a real artsy vibe. Connie picked up a flat white and I tried the Spanish Latte.

Needless to say, we will be making this our first stop upon our return. They serve both organic and vegan coffee options too and offer a selection of food.  

 

Final Thoughts

Venice Beach is a place we will return too, there is so much to do for the whole family.

We already have plans to book a paddle tennis court, check out the Roof Top Bar and to take the kids on a bike tour to learn even more about this place.

To be honest next time we are visiting Venice Beach we might just have to make a weekend of it.

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