The last stop on our road trip is Venice Beach. It is essentially a coastal area of Los Angeles that took its name from the canals, which are reminiscent of Venice, Italy. Along with Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and Santa Monica, they are perhaps the most beautiful coastal neighborhoods in LA. Venice Beach may have become known to all of us from the series “Baywatch”, but many know it for its bohemian atmosphere, the artistic culture of the people of the area and the dynamic surf community. It is certain that once you visit the area, you travel mentally to the 60s, still seeing hippies, VW beetles, Citroen 2CVs, but also in general the trend of the era that left its own unique mark.
Our day started with a delicious brunch at “Superba Food and Bread” which focuses on eating local delicacies and organic products. The hipster hangout in the area impressed us and we visited it again and again! In general, what we noticed is that in the Venice Beach area, unlike the rest of LA, people were more careful about their diet, while you could find shops with healthy options everywhere.
The best way to explore the area is to rent a bike, in this case the well-known beach cruisers to match the style of the area. That's what we did and we started our tour from the its channels Venice beachThe area is considered one of the best places to live in Los Angeles, with beautiful and well-maintained homes with yards, gardens and…boats!
Our walk continued to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which is one of the central avenues of the area where there are department stores, restaurants, bars, pedestrian streets, bike paths, which at the end leads you to….
Venice beach boardwalk. This is the most famous point of the area which is none other than the 5-kilometer long coastal road on which cars are of course prohibited. There you will meet a series of musicians, painters, dancers, mimes, jugglers, a motley flock that is so fitting with the whole style of the area. With our bikes we crossed this beautiful coastal section, which we have all encountered in Hollywood movies. Along the entire length of the route there were various piers where people were fishing, walking and enjoying the view.
There we saw the Muscle beach, an outdoor gym made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Trejo, the Skate park where many talents of the world skateboarding emerged and the open basketball courts where one will see high-level streetballThere are still many in the area. surfing shop and surf schools, but unfortunately the days we were there the sea was calmer than ever!
After a while we arrived at Santa Monica Pier a landmark for the area that has been there since 1909. It is a pier on which there is an amusement park, souvenir shops, restaurants and an aquarium. It is a favorite place for residents and visitors to the area, especially for young children. The historic street ends here Route 66, which starts on the east coast of the U.S. and ends on the west. The view from the pier towards Venice Beach and Santa Monica captivated us and we let our senses enjoy the company of seagulls and the sounds of the ocean.
On our way back, we made a stop at Hotel Erwin, where on the top floor the High Rooftop Lounge offers the most beautiful view of Venice Beach and a magical sunset with the Pacific Ocean in the background.
However, as our stay in the area coincided with the time change, we headed to Marina Del Rey to see the fireworks. The spectacle was breathtaking! Thousands of sparklers lit up the sky while one of the boats that had gone out to sea was just getting started! The evening continued with dinner at the Italian restaurant C & O Trattoria, where we tasted seafood spaghetti and ended with a stop for dessert at the Cheesecake Factory….
The next day was our last in the U.S. as it was time to return. A trip of a lifetime had come to an end… The truth is that we never wanted to go back because wherever we went there was always something else we wanted to see or do. But that’s exactly what travel is. A selection-collection of images of experiences, which you will definitely never have time to see all. Maybe to have an excuse to return…
If you want to see the preparation of our trip and the program we followed, go here. here.
