'''Venice''' [http://www.westland.net/venice/], also sometimes referred to as Venice Beach, is a district of Los Angeles in Southern California. Its colorful Boardwalk is a great scene: free, fun, and funky, making the "short list" of things to do in Los Angeles.
Understand
Venice was the creation and dream of one man, Abbott Kinney. Kinney was an investor who built a sort of recreation of Venice, Italy including a massive system of canals and a huge entertaintment complex that opened in 1905 and became very popular.
The overly ambitous canals were mostly filled and made into streets in 1929. A few of the canals survive and are lined with funky, expensive, and architecturally diverse urban homes. A stroll along a couple of the remaining streets is a lesson in architectural ecclecticism.
Kinney's huge Pacific Ocean Park entertainment complex survived until the mid-1960s, eventually subcumbing to competition from Disneyland and others. The spirit of his seaside entertainment complex, however, still pulses in Venice's captivating Boardwalk.
In the 1950s and '60s, Venice became a center for the Beat generation. There was an explosion of poetry and art. Major participants included Stuart Perkoff, John Thomas, Frank T. Rios, Tony Scibella, Lawrence Lipton, John Haag, Saul White, and Philomene Long. Jim Morrison of The Doors also lived in Venice and wrote much of his poetry and song lyrics here.
In the late '60s, Venice became a center for radical activism, including a Black Panther chapter, a Free Venice (from Los Angeles) movement and many other activities opposing various urban renewal plans. Venice, today, is a community in the throes of gentrification but maintains a strong identity and progressive political posture.
More than one hundred years after Kinney's debut, Venice remains unique and well worth the visit.
Get in
Driving from [http://lawa.org/lax Los Angeles International Airport], take Lincoln Boulevard (CA-1) north and turn left on Venice Boulevard.
Taking a pulic bus from LAX to Venice is quite simple; take a free shuttle to the LAX Transit Center then board a #3 Santa Monica Blue Bus, north; ask for an interangency transfer. Get off at Washington Blvd. and at the NW corner of Lincoln and Washington take the Culver City Bus #1, west. Get off at Pacific and Windward; you are now in the heart of Venice Beach and Ocean Front Walk.
Get around
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See
Canals. Venice's canals (complete with ducks) are home to some of LA's most eclectic residential architecture. See tiny bohemian cottages next to million-dollar ultra-modern houses. If the drapes are open, peek in the windows - that's how close you are to the homes. The canal streets are between Washington Blvd. and Venice Blvd; park on Dell to access.
Abbot Kinney. ttp://www.abbotkinney.org/. The Abbot Kinney district (the area along Abbot Kinney Boulevard) runs for about 1.5 miles between Main St. and Washington Blvd. The area is a hotspot for artists and hipsters and includes numerous shops, restaurants and bars including several excellent art galleries, about a half-dozen interesting clothing boutiques and over a dozen cafes and eateries. Named for the developer who originally created the "Venice of America", the area holds an annual festival featuring music and art.
Ocean Front Walk . enice Boarkwalk Assc.. etween Washington Bvld. & Navy. 10/392-4687 ext.6. Venice's Ocean Front Walk runs between Washington Blvd. to Navy. Along the walk you will find an assortment of retailers, from tourist souvenier shops, bike rental outlets, arts and crafts booths, restaraunts and "snack shacks" for dishes from around the world to hot dogs and corn dogs, ice cream, coffees and smoothies. You'll find henna tattoo artists, chair massages praticioners, fortune tellers and more. Of course, sit at one of the ocean-side restaurants to watch the parade of people go by.
Do
Venice Beach. One of the LA area's more popular beaches, including the infamous Muscle Beach which the city has set up as an outdoor weightlifting gym for the local hulks. People watching along Venice Beach is something to put on your "things to do before you die" list. Think of the scene as a Bohemian-Mardis Gras-Beach Blanket Bingo-Circus. If that doesn't make any sense, well neither does Venice and that's the charm. Every summer day and every weekend, join the parade of humanity strolling amongst amazing and bizarre street performers, obscenely bulging body builders (at Muscle Beach), eclectic shops and street vendors, panhandlers, and beautiful, scantily clad, people desperately seeking attention. Go ahead and stare at it all. That's the point. Walking is fine but if you like to bike there is a great path along the beach. There are many places to rent bikes. You cannot however ride them on the pedestrian street
'''Yearly Events''' There are always exciting things happening at Venice Beach.
During the Winter months, start the Holidays with the ''Venice Canal Holiday Boat Parade'', usually the second Sunday of the month of December. Watch the small, non-motorized boats punt or row down the canals in their finest -- and funnest -- holiday decore, brilliantly lit and costumed as only Venice can. Then on January first, join the ''Venice Penguin Swim Club'' for their Annual "Chilly" Swim at noon off the beach north of Venice Blvd. and south of Windward Ave.
In Spring, celebrate the home and garden, during the month of May, with the ''Venice Garden & Home Tour'' (usually the first weekend in May.) This self-guided tour of local Venice homes and gardens also benefits a local Venice charity. Also in mid-May there is the '' Venice Annual Art Walk'' in the Abbot Kinney area, again benefitting a local charity.
Summer celebrates the outdoors with ''Venice Beach Carnevale'' -- usually the first weekend in June. Outdoor musical and dance performances plus lively costumed participants highlight the soul of Venice. Food, fire-spinners, belly dancers, live theatre and prizes for the best dressed. Also during the Summmer months are various bodybuilding and figure contest, including the ''Venice Championships'' (Memorial Day Weekend and early September ) and ''Mr. & Ms. Muscle Beach'' (July 4th).
Fall celebrates the arts with the ''Venice Music Festival'' (mid-September) and the ''Abbot Kinney Blvd. Festival'' that honors arts and crafts, live music, family fun and food (end of September.)
Venice Pier. nd of Washington. Venice Pier offers parking, fishing and access to the beach below. Just before the Pier on Washington Blvd., there are numerous restaruants for fine dining or a quick bite, and great places for an evening of drinking. Plus, there are numerous shops for all your beach needs -- from swim suits and sunglasses, to sunscreen and sweatshirts.
Buy
Abbott Kinney Blvd. reflects the neighborhood's funky feel with eclectic shops, artist galleries, one-of-a-kind clothing and more. There are also many local artisans and craftmen at Venice Beach along the Ocean Front Walk. Items range from tourist items, handmade jewlery, spoon art and bottle art (which is really cool) to bongs made out of beer cans.
Eat
Jin Patisserie. 202 Abbot Kinney Blvd.. 1-310-399-8801. nfo@jinpatisserie.com. ttp://www.jinpatisserie.com. ues-Sun 10:30am-7:00pm. Abbot Kinney's exquisite tea garden and pastry shop resides right next to Aragon Ct. Jin offers an exceptional selection of teas and signature truffles, as well as a delectable food menu. The quaint spot is an ideal location for baby showers, bridal showers, and Mother's Day celebrations.
Hama Sushi. 13 Windward Ave. 1-310-396-8783. ttp://hamasushi.com/. Serves lunch on weekends from 11:30 until 2:30, and dinner daily after 5:30. The sushi is reasonably good and not outrageously priced, but the love-it-or-hate-it feature of this restaurant is the numerous screens scattered around the eating area showing everything from sports to 1950's surfer flicks. For some this provides a unique atmosphere, while those with attention deficit issues may not be able to focus on just one thing for days afterward.
Joe's. 023 Abbot Kinney Blvd.. 1-310-399-5811. Joe's offers gourmet California/French cuisine in an elegant setting. Quiet, not overly crowded, and laid back, the chefs will probably stop by to say hello during your meal, and waiters will be more than happy to allow you to sample the wines before ordering. There are fixed-price dinners for $50 to $70 per person, or entrees can be purchased for $20 to $35. An extensive wine list offers bottles from the $30 to $500 range.
Primitivo Wine Bistro. 025 Abbot Kinney Blvd.. 1-310-396-5353. Primitivo is a Mediterranean tapas restaurant with a large wine selection. Dark scenery and a large outdoor seating area in back. Moderately pricey, but the food is delicious. Try the bacon wrapped dates.
La Cabana. 38 Rose Ave.. 1-310-392-7973. pen 11 AM to 3 AM daily. This hard-to-find Mexican restaurant serves great food in large quantities. Burritos start at $4, with most other entrees priced between $6 and $12 and margaritas available for about $6 more.
Wabi-Sabi. 637 Abbot Kinney Blvd.. 1-310-314-2229. As its hip Abbot Kinney location demands, Wabi-Sabi doesn't easily fit one mold, offering good (but pricey!) sushi as well as Asian-fusion cuisine. The menu includes everything from sushi to beef dishes to pumpkin dishes. The wait can be long on weekends.
C&O Trattoria. 1 Washington Blvd.. 1-310-823-9491. ttp://www.cotrattoria.com/. -Th: Lunch served 11:30am-3:30pm, Dinner served 3:30pm-10:00pm; F: Lunch served 11:30am-3:30pm, Dinner served 3:30pm-11:00pm; Sat: Breakfast served 8:00am-1:45pm, Lunch served 12:00pm-3:30pm, Dinner served 3:30pm-11:00pm; Sun: Breakfast served 8:00am-1:45pm, Lunch served 12:00pm-3:30pm, Dinner served 3:30pm-10:00pm. Located right next to the beach and a short walk from the Venice Pier, C&O Trattoria is a popular spot for casual dining as well as large birthday parties. This Northern Italian seafood restaurant features an indoor seating area and a patio, with menu items available in either "individual" or "gargantuan" portions (for family-style meals). The wait staff is friendly, and every night during dinner hours, activity temporarily pauses for a restaurant-wide singalong of Dean Martin's "That's Amore," during which servers roam around and toast with the diners. The atmosphere is comfortable and fun, and their garlic balls are famous. Prices range from $5-10 for "individual" sized dinner antipasti to $15-20 for "gargantuan" sized entrees.
Piccolo Ristorante. Dudley Ave. 18-$35 entrees. High end, authentic, Italian food in a street alley of the beach in Venice this is one of the hidden gems of Westside eating, the area itself is a little rough around the edges though so be careful at night.
Drink
Beechwood. 22 Washington Blvd.. orner of Washington and Abbot Kinney. 1-310-448-8884. 1-310-448-8889. ttp://www.beechwoodrestaurant.com/home.php. Both a bar and an upscale restaurant, Beechwood provides an elegant environment for hanging out and grabbing a few drinks. The crowd is varied, ranging in age from late-20's on up. Drinks are good although somewhat pricey, with several excellent microbrews on tap. There is both an indoor and outdoor lounge area, with heavy bass pumped through the speakers although not so much as to drown out conversation.
The Otheroom. 201 Abbot Kinney Blvd. 310) 396-6230. PM - 2AM. Wine and beer bar with a large selection of beers on tap and by the bottle. The bar manages to be both casual and hip, with the crowd tending towards well-to-do 20 and 30 somethings. Dark, but not too dark with a good selection of modern alternative music in the background (at times a tad too loud). Lots of seating area, but the spots by the windows are prized. Bar has menu's for local delivery options and pretty waitresses. Earlier on warm evenings, the windows are opened giving a very open, breezy feel to the place.
Townhouse. 2 Winward Avenue. ocated in the Venice Circle. 310)392-4040. A dive bar through and through. Though under new ownership, much of the old tradition, decor, and dankness remains. This is a good thing. This is the oldest continuously running bar west of the Mississippi (it was a speakeasy during prohibition) and though never really a scene, it is nice place to stop off for a drink on a low-key night.
Baja Cantina. 11 Washington Blvd.. nd of Washington, east of the Pier. 10-821-2252. Tropical mexican food with a great assortment of margaritas and other tropical drinks. Late night menu and drinks.
Cabo Cantina. 0 Washington Blvd.. end of Washington, east of the Pier). 10-305-4010. Small but fun place; great assortment of tropical drinks, bar appetizers and during the summer months check by often to see their drink and meal specials. Indoor and outdoor seating.
Sleep
Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites. 697 Pacific Avenue. 1-310-452-1111 or +1-800-421-8151. 1-310-452-5479. ttp://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=05602.
Venice Beach Hotel & Hostel. 515 Pacific Ave.. orner of Windward Ave.. 1-310-452-3052. nfo@planetvenice.com. 1-310-821-3469. ttp://www.planetvenice.com/. Private and shared rooms, housekeeping apartments, all with free internet.
The Inn at Venice Beach. 27 Washington Blvd.. 1-800-828-0688. 1-310-827-0289. ttp://www.innatvenicebeach.com/. Located one block from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, adjacent to the world's largest man-made yacht marina. Has direct online reservations and special packages.
Venice Beach Suites and Hotel. 305 Ocean Front Walk. 1-310-396-4559 or +1-888-877-7602. 1-310-396-3989. ttp://venicebeachsuites.com/. Venice Beach Suites & Hotel offers fully furnished vacation/corporate suites in the heart of Venice Beach.
15 Rose Ave Hotel & Vacation Rentals. 5 Rose Avenue. ocated on the corner of Rose and Speedway. 1-310-399-1850. ttp://www.15roseave.com/. :00pm. 1:00am. tarting at $50 per night. enicerosehotel@gmail.com. 1-310-564-1977. Built by Abbott Kinney in 1908 as a guesthouse, The 15 Rose Ave. Hotel offers a variety of room options. Bachelor rooms with or without private baths are ideal for those travelers on a budget, while the vacation rentals offer the traveling family or business person stays ranging from cozy to the luxurious. The building has been lovingly restored to it's historic splendor with high ceilings and Victorian moldings, and is conveniently situated right in the heart of Venice Beach just a few steps from the ocean, shopping, and restaurants. Parking, and free wireless internet available.
Townhouse. 2 Winward Avenue. ocated in the Venice Circle. 310)392-4040. A dive bar through and through. Though under new ownership, much of the old tradition, decor, and dankness remains. This is a good thing. This is the oldest continuously running bar west of the Mississippi (it was a speakeasy during prohibition) and though never really a scene, it is nice place to stop off for a drink on a low-key night.
Venice Breeze Suites. Breeze Ave, Venice, CA 90291. 10 566 2222. ww.venicebreezesuites.com. Following a recent multi-million dollar remodel, these are the hippest vacation rentals in Venice Beach. Hardwood floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, floating walnut beds, huge showers with rain overheads, glass tiles, parking, high speed DSL, premium cable, weekly maid service, and the best ocean views. Nightly, weekly and monthly rates available. Email manager@venicebreezesuites.com, or visit http://www.venicebreezesuites.com.
Venice Admiral Suites. 9 Navy Street. 10 452 1228. ww.veniceadmiralsuites.com. Quiet, spacious furnished rentals on the border of Venice and Santa Monica. Steps from the beach and the bars, boutiques and restaurants of Main Street. Hardwood floors, separate fully fitted eat in kitchens, walk in closets, premium cable channels, high speed internet, underground parking, and weekly maid service.
Venice Paloma Suites. 2 Paloma Ave. 10 566 5224. ww.venicepalomasuites.com. Following a multi-million dollar remodel, these spacious two bedroom apartments offer travelers luxury furnished accommodations just steps from Venice Beach. Walnut floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, glass tiles, floating beds, full kitchen, flat screen HD-TV and DVD player, high-speed (T1) Internet, and telephones with free local and long distance calling (within the continental United States): these are quality contemporary spaces on a peaceful residential walkway. Sundeck with gas BBQ and onsite laundry facility also available. Email manager@venicepalomasuites.com, http://www.venicepalomasuites.com
Venice Horizon Suites. 5 Horizon. 10 399 0461. ww.venicehorizonsuites.com. This classic boardwalk-style building offers some of the most affordable furnished accommodations just steps from the beach. All apartments are totally remodeled and come with hardwood floors, full kitchens, DSL, TVs with DVD players, premium movie channels, and in suite telephones with free local calls. Enjoy 360 degree views of the ocean and the city from our spacious roof deck. Email gm@venicehorizonsuites.com, http://www.venicehorizonsuites.com
Get out
'''Santa Monica'''. A neighboring beach city that is slightly more touristy than Venice and features a fun and famous pier.
'''Culver City'''. A neighboring city and the home of Sony Studios that in recent years has been undergoing a rebirth and now has an increasing number of food, shopping and entertainment options.
'''Marina del Rey'''. The "marina of the king" is home to a vast number of restaurants and hotels, and while not as touristy as some of the neighboring beach cities is nonetheless a fun spot to spend an evening.