Venice Beach is one of those L.A. neighborhoods that hits differently in person. The boardwalk energy, the street art, the smell of salt air mixing with food vendors, it all creates something you can’t replicate anywhere else in the city. But with so many venice beach things to do, it’s easy to waste half your day wandering without a plan or stuck in spots that aren’t worth the hype.
We’ve spent years guiding visitors through Los Angeles at Another Side Tours, and Venice Beach is consistently one of the most requested stops on our itineraries. Our local guides know which corners of Venice deliver genuine L.A. culture and which ones you can skip entirely. That firsthand knowledge is exactly what shaped this list.
Below, you’ll find eight things to do in Venice Beach that make for a full, satisfying day, from iconic must-sees to spots most visitors walk right past. Whether you’re planning a solo afternoon or mapping out a group trip, this guide will help you spend your time where it actually counts.
1. Take a guided Venice tour with Another Side Tours
If you want to get the most out of your time in Venice, starting with a guided tour is the smartest move you can make. Venice Beach has layers of history and street culture that most visitors never reach because they’re navigating on their own. A local guide cuts through the noise and puts you exactly where the real character of the neighborhood lives.
What you see and why a guided tour helps in Venice
Venice Beach rewards people who know where to look. On a guided tour with Another Side Tours, you cover the Boardwalk, the Canals, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard with context that transforms each stop from a quick photo into a genuine experience. Our guides explain why Venice was built the way it was, which murals carry cultural weight, and which corners of the neighborhood most visitors walk past entirely.
A guide who knows Venice personally changes how you read every single street you walk down.
Self-guided exploration works fine in some neighborhoods, but Venice moves fast and crowds can disorient first-time visitors quickly. Having a guide means you spend zero time second-guessing your route and all your energy actually absorbing the place.
Which tour style fits your day
Another Side Tours offers private and semi-private options so you can match the experience to your group size and travel style. Private tours keep the focus entirely on your group and let the guide adjust pace and stops based on what you care about most. For solo travelers or couples, the semi-private format connects you with a small group while still delivering the same depth of local knowledge.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what each option gives you:
- Private tour: fully customized pace, your group only, guide adapts to your specific interests
- Semi-private tour: small shared group, lower per-person cost, same local expertise
Duration, meeting details, and pricing
Tours of Venice typically run between two and four hours depending on the option you book. Pickup from your hotel or accommodation in the Los Angeles area is included on applicable tours, so you don’t need to sort out parking or public transit on your own.
Pricing starts around $75 per person for smaller group formats, with private options scaling based on group size. Book directly through anothersideoflosangelestours.com to check current availability and confirm your preferred date before you arrive.
2. Walk the Venice Beach Boardwalk and people-watch
The Venice Beach Boardwalk, officially called Ocean Front Walk, is one of the most distinctive stretches of pavement in the country. No list of venice beach things to do is complete without it. The energy here is completely unlike anything you’ll find on the rest of the California coast.
What to expect on Ocean Front Walk
Ocean Front Walk runs roughly 1.5 miles along the beachfront and packs in street performers, local artists, vendors, fortune tellers, and musicians all operating simultaneously. You’ll see acrobats, portrait painters, and live bands competing for attention within a single city block. The density of characters is the whole point, so slow down and let it unfold rather than rushing through.
This is one of the few places in L.A. where slowing down actually gives you more.
How to stay safe and comfortable while you explore
Wear comfortable shoes since the path shifts between concrete, pavement, and packed sand near the water. Keep your bag closed and in front of you in the busiest stretches near the main vendor stalls. The boardwalk is generally safe during daylight hours, but staying aware of your surroundings makes the whole experience smoother.
How much it costs and how long to plan
Walking Ocean Front Walk is completely free. Budget 45 to 90 minutes to cover the full stretch at a relaxed pace with room to stop and watch performers. Weekends bring larger crowds, so arriving before 11 a.m. keeps the experience more manageable.
3. Stop at Muscle Beach and the outdoor gym scene
Muscle Beach is one of the most recognizable venice beach things to do, and it earns that reputation. The outdoor weight training area sits right along the boardwalk and draws serious athletes alongside curious visitors every single day of the week.
What Muscle Beach is known for
Muscle Beach Venice has been part of Southern California fitness culture since the 1950s, and its reputation as a training ground for serious lifters still holds today. The open-air gym features free weights, pull-up bars, and platforms where athletes train in full view of the public. Watching someone deadlift twice their bodyweight on a concrete pad next to the Pacific Ocean is a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience.
This is one of the few places in the world where competitive strength training became its own form of street performance.
The best times to go and what to bring
The gym sees its heaviest activity between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., especially on weekends when athletes come out to train and perform. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses since you’ll be standing in open sun with no shade overhead. If you want to use the equipment yourself rather than just observe, bring a valid ID since day pass purchases require one at the front counter.
Costs, access, and nearby facilities
A day pass to use the gym costs around $10 for adults. Spectating from outside the fenced area is completely free. Restrooms and water fountains are available nearby along the boardwalk, and the facility sits within a short walk of the main vendor stretch.
4. Watch skaters at the Venice Skatepark
The Venice Skatepark is one of the most photographed venice beach things to do, and once you see it in person, you’ll understand why. Sitting right at the edge of the sand with the Pacific as its backdrop, this park draws some of the most technically skilled skaters in the country on any given day.
What makes this skatepark worth the stop
Opened in 2009, the Venice Skatepark covers roughly 16,000 square feet of concrete and features bowls, rails, and transition ramps designed for a range of skill levels. The talent level here runs genuinely high, and on any given afternoon you can watch skaters pull off tricks that take years to land.
The combination of world-class skating and an ocean backdrop makes this one of the most visually striking spots in all of Los Angeles.
Where to stand for the best views and photos
The elevated concrete ledge on the north side of the park gives you a clean sightline into the main bowl without putting you in anyone’s path. Bring your camera in the late afternoon when the golden hour light hits the concrete and the ocean simultaneously for the best results.
Costs, rules, and timing tips
Entry as a spectator is completely free. Skaters must wear helmets and pads, and pedestrians should stay behind the marked barriers at all times. The park is open daily from sunrise to 10 p.m., with peak activity on weekend afternoons between noon and 4 p.m.
5. Stroll the Venice Canals for a calm reset
A few blocks from the boardwalk, the Venice Canals feel like a completely different city. This is one of those venice beach things to do that most first-time visitors skip entirely, and that’s exactly why it’s worth your time.
A quick backstory that makes the canals make sense
Abbot Kinney built these canals in 1905 as part of his vision to recreate Venice, Italy in Southern California. The original network stretched much farther, but most of the canals were paved over in the 1920s. The six remaining canals survived and are now a protected historic district, lined with private homes, arched footbridges, and resident ducks that treat the waterways like their personal territory.
Walking the canals gives you a version of Los Angeles that most visitors never find on their own.
The best walking route and entry points
Enter from Dell Avenue between Venice Boulevard and Washington Boulevard for the most complete loop. You can cover the entire canal network in 30 to 45 minutes at a relaxed pace. The footbridges crossing each canal give you the best vantage points for photos, so cross as many as possible rather than staying locked to one side.
Etiquette, timing, and accessibility notes
The canals run through a residential neighborhood, so keep noise low and stay on the public footpaths at all times. Morning visits before 10 a.m. offer the quietest experience and the best natural light for photography. The paths are flat and paved throughout, making the loop accessible for strollers and wheelchairs without any obstacles.
6. Shop and snack along Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney Boulevard sits about ten minutes’ walk from the boardwalk, and the contrast is immediate. Where the boardwalk runs loud and chaotic, Abbot Kinney delivers independent boutiques, serious restaurants, and local coffee shops in a format that actually lets you slow down. This is one of the most satisfying venice beach things to do when you want a break from the sensory overload closer to the water.
What the street does best and what to skip
Abbot Kinney runs roughly one mile and specializes in local independent retail with genuine character. Skip the chain options tucked at the far edges of the strip and focus on the middle stretch between Westminster Avenue and Main Street, where the independent shops and food spots are most concentrated. A few reliable highlights to look for:
- Independent clothing and home goods boutiques
- Specialty coffee shops with strong espresso programs
- Local art galleries with rotating exhibitions
A simple walk plan with smart food stops
Start at the Venice Boulevard end and walk north at a relaxed pace. Stop for coffee early at one of the small independent cafes on the first few blocks, then let the boutiques set your rhythm from there. Salt & Straw ice cream and several well-regarded taco counters sit mid-strip and work as natural rest points without eating much of your time.
The food quality on Abbot Kinney runs consistently higher than anything near the main boardwalk strip.
What it costs and when crowds peak
Browsing the street is completely free, and most shops welcome walk-ins without pressure. Budget $15 to $30 if you plan to eat. Friday evenings draw the heaviest foot traffic, so a weekday visit or an early Saturday arrival keeps the experience noticeably calmer.
7. Bike the Strand to Santa Monica and back
The Marvin Braude Bike Trail, known locally as The Strand, runs 22 miles along the California coastline and connects Venice Beach directly to Santa Monica. This is one of the most rewarding venice beach things to do when you want to cover more ground without burning half your day on transit or parking.
Why this ride belongs in a one-day Venice plan
Riding The Strand gives you unobstructed Pacific views the entire way north to Santa Monica Pier, with almost no car traffic crossing your path. The round trip covers roughly 6 to 8 miles, a distance most casual riders handle comfortably in under two hours.
This ride fits cleanly into a one-day Venice itinerary without eating up the time you need for everything else on this list.
Where to rent, route options, and safety basics
Bike rental shops cluster along the Venice Boardwalk and offer several options by the hour. Stick to the dedicated bike lane throughout the ride and keep your speed manageable when the path gets congested near the pier area. Most rental counters include helmets.
- Cruiser bikes: ideal for flat, relaxed riding along the coast
- E-bikes: useful if you want to cover more ground with less effort
- Hybrids: a middle option for riders who want a bit more speed
Rental costs, ride time, and best hours
Standard cruisers run roughly $10 to $15 per hour, with e-bikes closer to $20 to $25 per hour. Plan 60 to 90 minutes for the full round trip at a comfortable pace. Weekday mornings before 11 a.m. give you the lightest traffic on the path.
8. Find Venice’s hidden gems off the main drag
The boardwalk gets all the attention, but Venice’s residential streets and artistic corners hold some of the best venice beach things to do for visitors who want something beyond the obvious. A few short blocks inland, the neighborhood shifts into something quieter and genuinely surprising, and that contrast is worth building into your day.
Walk streets, Mosaic Tile House, and small surprises
The Mosaic Tile House on Cochran Avenue ranks as one of the most visually striking private art projects in Los Angeles. Owners Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran have covered every surface in hand-laid tile over several decades, building something that looks completely unlike anything else in the city. Beyond that, Windward Avenue’s colonnaded facades near the main canal entrance carry original architectural details from Abbot Kinney’s 1905 development that most visitors walk past without a second look.
These details reward anyone willing to step off the main path for even twenty minutes.
A compact route you can do in under two hours
Start on Windward Avenue, spend a few minutes with the colonnade facades, then head south toward the Mosaic Tile House. From there, loop back through the Venice Canals entry on Dell Avenue to close the circle. The full walk stays well under two miles and fits into 90 minutes without any rushing. Here’s a simple sequence to follow:
- Windward Avenue colonnade facades
- Mosaic Tile House on Cochran Avenue
- Venice Canals loop via Dell Avenue
What to know about hours, access, and costs
The Mosaic Tile House accepts visitors on scheduled tours only, typically on weekend afternoons for a small fee around $15 per person. All street-level exteriors are visible at any hour for free, and the public walk streets remain open throughout the day.
Quick recap and next step
Venice Beach delivers eight distinct ways to spend your time without doubling back or wasting hours on spots that don’t hold up in person. This list covers the full range of venice beach things to do, from the boardwalk’s raw energy to the calm of the canals, the skating, the cycling, and the residential streets most visitors never find on their own.
Your best move before arriving is to book a guided tour so a local expert handles the routing while you focus entirely on the experience. Another Side Tours runs private and semi-private options that fit cleanly into a one-day Venice plan and leave you with the kind of neighborhood knowledge that takes locals years to build.
Head over to our Los Angeles sightseeing tours page to check availability and lock in your date before you land in the city.
