Venice Beach Tours and Activities

Venice Beach showing shopping and markets
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Bronze your body and rub shoulders with body builders and wacky performers at Los Angeles’ quirky urban shoreline, a colorful escape from the city.

Surf, sun and sand take a backseat to the loud and lively human carnival on parade along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. There’s never a dull moment for people-watching in this sun-drenched bohemian enclave of artists, musicians, poets, singers, skateboarders and jugglers. From chain-sawing acrobats to fire-breathing cyclists, you’ll find Los Angeles at its most ostentatious, eccentric and unrestrained. Just remember to tip performers if you watch most of their show or take their photograph.

While you make your way along the boardwalk’s 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) stretch, browse the stalls, shops and stands laden with souvenirs, trinkets, cheap sunglasses, T-shirts and sandals. Have your fortune read or get a temporary tattoo.

Further along the boardwalk is Muscle Beach, best known as the place where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno (of Incredible Hulk fame) once flexed their pecs and biceps. At this outdoor gym you’ll see the toned and tanned pump iron while acrobats bend, twist and contort their bodies into eye-watering shapes. You can join them. Just buy a day pass (about $10) at the Venice Beach Recreations and Parks Office on Ocean Front Walk and then take your place to work out in front of the passing crowds.

Peel your eyes away from the vivid and flamboyant spectacles and head to the beach, a three-mile stretch of well-maintained and manicured sand. The water is patrolled during daylight hours, so you can dive in if you want to do more than soak up the rays on the sand. Rent surf or body boards and catch some waves, but be mindful of other riders.

LA’s Mediterranean climate makes Venice Beach a good place to be for most of the year however, it is incredibly crowded in the summer. It is around 19 miles (30 kilometers) from downtown LA on the coast between Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey. There are plenty of city parking lots next to the beach.

Plan a trip to see Venice Beach

Glendale Hotel
Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles
Hollywood Inn Suites Hotel
Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Reviews of Venice Beach

4.1
Top destination
5 - Excellent
177
" "5 - Excellent 38.311688311688314%
4 - Good
192
" "4 - Good 41.55844155844156%
3 - Okay
69
" "3 - Okay 14.935064935064934%
2 - Disappointing
18
" "2 - Disappointing 3.896103896103896%
1 - Terrible
6
" "1 - Terrible 1.2987012987012987%

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveller
Mar. 16, 2020

Venice beach has so much potential to be a great location and place. However the homeless people is off putting and a sore eye. It is sad to see a good location and potential wasted like that.

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveller
Mar. 10, 2020

Muscle Beach was closed down for reno's. Lots of homeless. Smelled of feces and pot. Quite nasty! But that was on the boardwalk. The beach itself was gorgeous.

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveller
Sep. 13, 2019

Weather was a bit cool that day. Water is dirty, smelly and cold. Stayed a bit and left. Went around but souvenirs are very expensive. Restrooms are dark, filthy and smelly. Sad to see so many homeless people there and all over L.A.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
Aug. 31, 2019

Pretty trippy. Neat to see all the scooters. A bit too crowd for me. Talked to some great artists. And a very nice guy at the tshirt place.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
Aug. 6, 2019

Interesting to go there (in the day time) but pretty gross actually and a pain in the butt to find parking.

1/5 - Terrible

Verified traveller
Jun. 20, 2019

Dirty and full of drunks and crack heads. LA is going downhill it seems...or is it America? Not sure as we live in Canada. Coming to the US is starting to feel like going to a third world country.

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Best Lodging Options Near Venice Beach

Hotel Erwin Venice Beach
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4 out of 5
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Air Venice on the Beach
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Venice on the Beach Hotel
Venice on the Beach Hotel
3.5 out of 5
2819 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
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Boutique 444
Boutique 444
3 out of 5
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Venice Suites
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3 out of 5
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The Inn at Venice Beach
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3 out of 5
327 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA
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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.