Venice Beach

Travelers love strolling Venice Beach to take in the bohemian boardwalk and its brightly colored murals, funky shops, and street performers, including the Sunday afternoon drum circle. A hop-on hop-off bus tour is a great way to explore Venice Beach on your own schedule, while renting bikes or roller skates enables you to cover more ground—and blend in with the locals. This sandy spot is typically visited on Los Angeles city sightseeing tours and is sometimes paired with a stop in Santa Monica.

• Venice Beach is a must-see for sun worshippers looking to experience Southern California’s beach scene.

• Venice Beach offers a number of shops, restaurants, and cafes for travelers interested in souvenirs and dining.

• Accessible parking, picnic tables, and restrooms are available; visit a lifeguard stand to inquire about beach wheelchair rentals.

Venice Beach is located southeast of Santa Monica, along California’s famous Pacific Coast Highway. Street parking can be found along the beach and on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and there are also a few parking lots.

Venice Beach is a public outdoor beach, open 365 days a year. It’s busiest on Sundays and less crowded on weekdays. Temperatures can reach up to 100°F (38°C) in summer, while average winter temperatures are about 60°F (15°C).

Notable Venice homeowners include Hollywood stars Julia Roberts, Viggo Mortensen, Kate Beckinsale, Rutger Hauer, Anjelica Huston, and Elijah Wood. Actor Robert Downey Jr. kept an apartment on the boardwalk during the 1990s, and decades before, musician Jim Morrison met Ray Manzarek and formed the Doors while living in Venice. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s acting career began after he became a regular bodybuilder at Venice’s famous Gold’s Gym. And restaurateur Wolfgang Puck has owned and operated restaurants here since the 1990s.

Yes, visitors can swim at Venice Beach in Los Angeles throughout the year. The sandy beach is about 3 miles (5 kilometers) long with plenty of space for swimming, and it has warm waters during much of the year. The beach typically has lifeguards on duty during daylight hours.

Other than swimming, Venice Beach in Los Angeles is a great spot for other beach activities, such as beach volleyball, fishing, and surfing with Venice Breakwater being a prominent surf spot. The beach also has a walking and biking path that’s popular with runners, bikers, and skaters.

Yes, there are rental shops for bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, longboards, surfboards, paddleboards, and various other outdoor equipment at Los Angeles’ Venice Beach, with many on Ocean Front Walk and Speedway Street right in front of the beach. These shops typically offer hourly, daily, and weekly rental options for convenience.

Yes, there’s plenty of parking near Venice Beach, although it can fill up quickly. The Los Angeles Department of Beaches and Harbors runs three paid parking lots: two on Ocean Front Walk and a third on Washington Boulevard. There’s also street parking on Abbot Kinney Boulevard and the surrounding streets.

No, dogs aren’t allowed on Venice Beach in Los Angeles. However, dogs are allowed on the Venice Beach Boardwalk (outside of 11am to 8pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays between Memorial Day and Labor Day) as long as they’re on a leash, and their owners pick up after them.

Yes, there are public restrooms and facilities at Venice Beach in LA. You can find numerous public restrooms with outdoor showers along the Ocean Front Walk. There are also other public restrooms on the Venice Pier, Main Beach, and Rose Avenue parking lots, and in Windward Plaza.