Clay & Danielle’s guidebook
Neighborhoods
From the beach boardwalk’s shops to muscle beach and the skatepark, there’s always something fun going on. Venice attracts lots of different types of people (artists, technology workers, performers, etc.) which creates a rich mixture of activities and events. The most action on venice beach is where windward meets the beach (close to windward circle). From here, you'll see the famous venice lights at Windward and Pacific Ave. From the beach, you can walk north towards Santa Monica or East towards Abbot Kinney, which is a street that has various trendy boutiques and restaurants. If you venture this way put Venice Canals in maps & take a nice walk through this magical neighborhood - little known fact, Venice used to be entirely built on the canal system after its namesake Venice, Italy.
A great way to see lots of Venice is to bike the beach path, which can take you north to Santa Monica or south all the way around Marina Del Rey to Playa del Rey to El Segundo and Manhattan Beach.
352 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Venice
From the beach boardwalk’s shops to muscle beach and the skatepark, there’s always something fun going on. Venice attracts lots of different types of people (artists, technology workers, performers, etc.) which creates a rich mixture of activities and events. The most action on venice beach is where windward meets the beach (close to windward circle). From here, you'll see the famous venice lights at Windward and Pacific Ave. From the beach, you can walk north towards Santa Monica or East towards Abbot Kinney, which is a street that has various trendy boutiques and restaurants. If you venture this way put Venice Canals in maps & take a nice walk through this magical neighborhood - little known fact, Venice used to be entirely built on the canal system after its namesake Venice, Italy.
A great way to see lots of Venice is to bike the beach path, which can take you north to Santa Monica or south all the way around Marina Del Rey to Playa del Rey to El Segundo and Manhattan Beach.
Marina del Rey is the largest man made small craft marina in the USA, with over 5,000 boats. It's a great place to try stand up paddle boarding since the marina is so calm. You can also rent kayaks or go on a dining yacht.
66 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey is the largest man made small craft marina in the USA, with over 5,000 boats. It's a great place to try stand up paddle boarding since the marina is so calm. You can also rent kayaks or go on a dining yacht.
Food scene
This street has the most boutiques and restaurants in Venice. You'll find all sorts of stores, many local brands and unique national retailers. There's also some great restaurants, like Felix, and Erehwon, a wonderful grocery store that has great take away food.
1065 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney BoulevardThis street has the most boutiques and restaurants in Venice. You'll find all sorts of stores, many local brands and unique national retailers. There's also some great restaurants, like Felix, and Erehwon, a wonderful grocery store that has great take away food.
One of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles and located right on Abbot Kinney in Venice. You can stroll the street before or after dinner. Handmade pasta is their specialty and their pizza is also wonderful. But make sure to make a reservation 30 days in advance as they are often booked.
93 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Felix
1023 Abbot Kinney BlvdOne of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles and located right on Abbot Kinney in Venice. You can stroll the street before or after dinner. Handmade pasta is their specialty and their pizza is also wonderful. But make sure to make a reservation 30 days in advance as they are often booked.
This is our favorite breakfast and brunch spot in Venice. Gjusta offers baked goods, breakfast bowls, deli sandwiches (with house cured gravlax), amazing salads and veggies and pizza. It looks very basic from the outside, but inside it's got a very industrial trendy vibe with lots of trendy clientele. Plus, it's not expensive.
Tip, get there early to have a baklava croissant - they sell out by 11am most days. Beet gravlax is also one of our favorites.
447 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Gjusta
320 Sunset AveThis is our favorite breakfast and brunch spot in Venice. Gjusta offers baked goods, breakfast bowls, deli sandwiches (with house cured gravlax), amazing salads and veggies and pizza. It looks very basic from the outside, but inside it's got a very industrial trendy vibe with lots of trendy clientele. Plus, it's not expensive.
Tip, get there early to have a baklava croissant - they sell out by 11am most days. Beet gravlax is also one of our favorites.
Looking for American-style Chinese food with some healthy options? Mao's offers a wonderful menu full of typical favorites with additional options for those seeking unique dishes. Try cashew fried rice (which has a wonderful assortment of veggies not found in typical fried rice), or Lo Mein which you can customize with any meat or nut of your choice or Peace Not War Wonton soup which has so much goodies in it!
Great place for take out / take away.
112 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mao's Kitchen
1512 Pacific AveLooking for American-style Chinese food with some healthy options? Mao's offers a wonderful menu full of typical favorites with additional options for those seeking unique dishes. Try cashew fried rice (which has a wonderful assortment of veggies not found in typical fried rice), or Lo Mein which you can customize with any meat or nut of your choice or Peace Not War Wonton soup which has so much goodies in it!
Great place for take out / take away.
Sushi lovers will be amazed at the fresh fish that is served here. The menu is limited and most diners get one of four different Trust Me (Omakase) menus that range in price from $22-$52. Most of the trust me menus show exactly what comes with it and some items can be substituted. Each trust me comes with edamame and tuna sashimi and their specialty is albacore sushi.
Tip: go before 6:45PM to ensure there's no wait. On the weekends after 7PM, it can get busy and they don't take reservations. They do have online takeout / take away available.
There's also many different locations of Sugarfish, so if you're out and about and need a good place for sushi, there's never one too far away when you're in LA.
654 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa
600 W 7th StSushi lovers will be amazed at the fresh fish that is served here. The menu is limited and most diners get one of four different Trust Me (Omakase) menus that range in price from $22-$52. Most of the trust me menus show exactly what comes with it and some items can be substituted. Each trust me comes with edamame and tuna sashimi and their specialty is albacore sushi.
Tip: go before 6:45PM to ensure there's no wait. On the weekends after 7PM, it can get busy and they don't take reservations. They do have online takeout / take away available.
There's also many different locations of Sugarfish, so if you're out and about and need a good place for sushi, there's never one too far away when you're in LA.
Quick sushi hand rolls served along a large u-shaped bar where you see the sushi chef's make your hand roll. They serve it immediately as hand rolls are supposed to be eaten when the rice is warm (fish is cold). This restaurant was started by the owners of Sugarfish, one of the better sushi restaurants in LA and is a more casual, simpler and less expensive version (only hand rolls and sashimi are available).
24 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar
120 BroadwayQuick sushi hand rolls served along a large u-shaped bar where you see the sushi chef's make your hand roll. They serve it immediately as hand rolls are supposed to be eaten when the rice is warm (fish is cold). This restaurant was started by the owners of Sugarfish, one of the better sushi restaurants in LA and is a more casual, simpler and less expensive version (only hand rolls and sashimi are available).
Sightseeing
Santa Monica is just north of Venice, but very different. It offers more typical branded stores and a large mall on the promenade (just a few blocks east of the beach). It has a large beach and huge pier with arcades and a large ferris wheel. Annenburg Community Beach House, up the beach, is an amazing find - free except $10 for pool wristbands - if you love fancy hotel pools - this is a must do for your trip.
127 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is just north of Venice, but very different. It offers more typical branded stores and a large mall on the promenade (just a few blocks east of the beach). It has a large beach and huge pier with arcades and a large ferris wheel. Annenburg Community Beach House, up the beach, is an amazing find - free except $10 for pool wristbands - if you love fancy hotel pools - this is a must do for your trip.
The pier has a great ferris wheel, rides, an arcade, and tons of other activities. There's something for everyone on the pier. It's also got a great sunset view. In the summer, the pier has a free concert series on Thursdays.
94 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica PierThe pier has a great ferris wheel, rides, an arcade, and tons of other activities. There's something for everyone on the pier. It's also got a great sunset view. In the summer, the pier has a free concert series on Thursdays.
Wonderful small yoga studio near the Venice Pier (off Washington St). This studio offers drop in classes that suit beginners to advanced.
46 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Yoga Nest Venice
38 Washington BlvdWonderful small yoga studio near the Venice Pier (off Washington St). This studio offers drop in classes that suit beginners to advanced.
Here, you can visit one of the only historical canals left in Venice. Venice started out with many canals instead of roads and this 3 block area is the only area left in tact. You can wander on the sidewalk along the canals and over bridges to see the quiet neighborhood. Many of the homes have amazing gardens that make the walk so enjoyable for all types of visitors seeking a nice walk.
947 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Canales de Venecia
Here, you can visit one of the only historical canals left in Venice. Venice started out with many canals instead of roads and this 3 block area is the only area left in tact. You can wander on the sidewalk along the canals and over bridges to see the quiet neighborhood. Many of the homes have amazing gardens that make the walk so enjoyable for all types of visitors seeking a nice walk.
One of the most popular hikes on the westside. This moderate 1.5hr (1hr up and 30 mins down) hike will take you up the Santa Monica mountains where you get a great view of the beach.
75 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Los Leones Canyon Trailhead
510 Los Liones DrOne of the most popular hikes on the westside. This moderate 1.5hr (1hr up and 30 mins down) hike will take you up the Santa Monica mountains where you get a great view of the beach.
Always a popular hike, this is the go to when you're near hollywood as it's a moderately strenuous hike and has high potential to spot a celebrity.
41 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Runyon Canyon Park
2000 North Fuller AvenueAlways a popular hike, this is the go to when you're near hollywood as it's a moderately strenuous hike and has high potential to spot a celebrity.
This is my favorite contemporary art museum in Los Angeles. It's got a fantastic permanent collection filled with many works from Jeff Koons, Elsworth Kelly, Sam Francis, Ed Ruscha, Jasper Johns and many many more.
Tip, get tickets online for free so you don't have to wait in line. If you want to see the Yayoi Kusama infinity room, it's first come first serve, so best to get there when they open as it fills up very quickly.
1555 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The Broad
221 S Grand AveThis is my favorite contemporary art museum in Los Angeles. It's got a fantastic permanent collection filled with many works from Jeff Koons, Elsworth Kelly, Sam Francis, Ed Ruscha, Jasper Johns and many many more.
Tip, get tickets online for free so you don't have to wait in line. If you want to see the Yayoi Kusama infinity room, it's first come first serve, so best to get there when they open as it fills up very quickly.