Venice Beach

Known for its Bohemian feel and popularity among artists and creatives, Venice Beach became fashionable in the 50s and 60s, and today continues to be a vibrant area that attracts more and more visitors every day.

Venice Beach is best known for its promenade full of food stalls, fortune-tellers, massage parlours, souvenir shops, bicycle rental stands, and even the "medical marijuana" shops that shock visitors.

History

The Venice Beach area was founded in 1905 by Abbott Kinney, who attempted to recreate Venice by building a system of canals, of which unfortunately only some of the originals have survived.

Venice Beach quickly became a fashionable, creative and culturally diverse area that over the years has been home to many actors, singers and other celebrities including Julia Roberts, Kate Beckinsale, Angelica Huston, Nicolas Cage, Jim Morrison, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Hulk Hogan, Dennis Hopper, or the creator of the Simpsons, Matt Groening.

Venice Beach Today

The most interesting and well-known area of Venice Beach is Muscle Beach, a unique outdoor gym with a rate of US$ 10 per day, where people go to enjoy a workout under the Californian sun.

Next to Muscle Beach is a large sports area with volleyball courts, a bike trail and several basketball courts where many NBA players were recruited.

Venice Beach is also known for its Bohemian residential area where you can find unique shops, especially on Abbot Kinney Boulevard.