The 8 best things to do in Venice Beach

The Venice Canals offer a completely different side of the famed beachfront neighborhood. Take a stroll through the four Italian-esque, canal-lined blocks of Dell Avenue—hence the neighborhood’s name, Venice—and you’ll discover an idyllic scene: arching pedestrian bridges, charming beach houses, bunches of ducklings and the occasional paddleboarder.

Time Out tip: Though you won’t find boat-rental kiosks anywhere along the canals, you can bring your own non-motorized vessel to tour the neighborhood at water level (a handful of locals offer rentals or private tours too). Tote your boat to the launch ramp at Venice Boulevard.

While Venice’s claim to fame may be its beach culture, the ’hood’s most stylish block, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, has some of the city’s best boutiques, galleries, restaurants and bars (Felix Trattoria and Gjelina, most notably). The posh neighborhood manages to keep things pretty casual, so feel free to bike over from the beach and peruse the storefronts.

Time Out tip: There are dozens of trendy, pricey boutiques (plus an Erewhon) on the boulevard, but for one-of-a-kind items, check out Artists & Fleas, a weekly market at the corner of Abbot Kinney and Westminster Avenue where over 50 local artisans set up shop each Saturday from 11am to 5pm.

If there’s one thing the Venice Boardwalk is good for, it’s people-watching. This pedestrian walkway (and its parallel bike path) effectively continues from the southern end of Santa Monica Beach without a break. Unlike its posh neighbor to the north, though, Venice is far more stocked with T-shirt stands, pot shops and questionable street performers, alongside the pumped-up gym obsessives who work out at Muscle Beach. It’s not entirely without its charms: It’s always fun to watch the wheeled action at the skate park, and there are a couple of worthwhile eateries, like the Waterfront, Dudley Market and the nearby Great White. Plus, the beach here is particularly soft and wide, with great views of the mountains.

Time Out tip: Rent a bike and hit the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, a 22-mile flat, paved path that traces nearly the entire extent of L.A.’s westward-facing coastline (it’s commonly referred to as “the Strand”). Biking from Santa Monica to Venice will only take you about 15 minutes.

When surfers were bored with flat waves—like Venice’s legendary Z-Boys—they took to the sidewalks and thus birthed the subculture of skateboarding in the process. While this more recently constructed skate park, built in 2009, doesn’t really factor into that history, it has quickly become one of the world’s most iconic skateboarding spots—chalk that up to its photogenic palm trees and a location only steps from the shore. Watch from the fences and you’re sure to see a bustling scene, oftentimes with a skate video shoot in the process.

Time Out tip: If you want to hit the ramps but aren’t a seasoned skater, there are companies in the area that offer skateboarding lessons—some even offer same-day coaching at the Skate Park. 

Surrounded by bad beach food and throngs of people, this little family-owned shop has been an oasis of literary calm for more than five decades. Their local author selection is right up front, so check out the talent coming out of Los Angeles before perusing the aisles, where you’ll find a number of hard-to-find independent imprints, along with the more usual suspects. 

Time Out tip: Your book purchase will get you a discount at the adjoining Sidewalk Cafe, which serves standard American fare. Oh, and don’t forget to pet the resident bookstore cat.

When the original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica disappeared in 1959, this competing spot in Venice arose to fill the void. Since then, it’s morphed into a voyeuristic gym for chiseled bodybuilders—it’s welcomed the likes of Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Today, curious onlookers can watch from outside the fence of the postmodern, dumbbell-shaped building or from the stands at the competition stage, where bodybuilding shows are held on select summer holidays.

Time Out tip: If you’re feeling inspired and want to pump some iron yourself, a day pass is $10, while a weekly pass is only $50. 

When artists Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran first moved into their Venice home, it was nothing more than a simple, rather drab house. But over the course of a decade, the couple transformed their live-work space into a spectacular collage of colorful tiles, paintings, stone and clay wares that has to be seen to be believed. You can explore the space on Saturdays from noon to 3pm—you’ll just need to make an email reservation first ($20).

Time Out tip: When you visit, keep an eye out for the Alice in Wonderland–themed wall and the couple’s painted love letters to each other.

Though L.A.’s rooftop bar offerings have stepped up in recent years, they’re still surprisingly sparse along the coast. That makes Kassi (rebranded from High Rooftop Lounge), stationed atop the Hotel Erwin, a relative rarity: a picturesque rooftop bar barely a block from the beach that’s as perfect for day drinking as it is for catching a multi-hued sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

Time Out tip: Even if you’re staying at the hotel, be sure to make a reservation, especially if you’re hoping to see the sunset with a cocktail in hand.