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Home›United States›Los Angeles›Beaches›Venice, Los Angeles

Venice, Los AngelesLos Angeles, United States

Located in Los Angeles, Venice Beach features a gently sloping shore, legendary surf breakwaters, and a bustling 2.5-mile pedestrian oceanfront promenade.

TypeOcean beach Length1 mile Best forSurfing, walking, streetball, people-watching Nearest townLos Angeles

Founded in 1905 as an Italian-inspired seaside resort 14 miles west of Los Angeles and south of Santa Monica, Venice, Los Angeles is a famed coastal neighborhood. Visitors reach the area via regional roadways in West Los Angeles, situated just two miles from the nearest freeway, or through nearby transportation corridors like Lincoln Boulevard near Santa Monica Airport.

Venice Beach is renowned for its 1-mile-long gently sloping sandy shoreline along the Pacific Ocean, accompanied by the acclaimed Venice Breakwater surf spot. The surrounding scene centers around Ocean Front Walk, a 2.5-mile pedestrian promenade filled with performers, vendors, fortune-tellers, and the famed Muscle Beach recreation area.

The vibrant atmosphere caters to broad interests, including surfers heading to the breakwater, sports enthusiasts enjoying streetball, paddle tennis, and handball courts, and sightseers exploring historic canals and coastal walk streets. Venice Beach is also set to host triathlon, marathon, and cycling events for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

01 Highlights & things to do

What makes this stretch of coast worth the trip — from the water to the walks, wildlife and the views.

Walk
Ocean Front Walk
Stroll along this 2.5-mile pedestrian promenade lined with unique street performers, fortune-tellers, vendors, and local businesses.
Surf
Venice Breakwater
Catch waves at this acclaimed local surf spot sheltered by a sand bar, piping, and large rocks north of the lifeguard headquarters.
View
Venice Fishing Pier
Walk out on this 1,310-foot concrete pier located at the end of Washington Boulevard for sweeping ocean vistas.
Family
Venice Beach Recreation Center
Enjoy public outdoor sports facilities including famous basketball courts, paddle tennis courts, handball courts, and a skate dancing plaza.
Walk
Venice Canals
Explore the historic residential waterways originally dug in 1905 to create an American resort modeled after Venice, Italy.
Walk
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Discover a bustling commercial strip packed with local restaurants, bars, retail shops, and art galleries.

Compiled from Wikipedia · conditions vary with weather, tides and the season.

Beach map & the area

The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the beach and its surroundings — the coastline, access roads, nearby towns and where to park. Zoom in for detail, or open it live in a full map.

33.990833333333 · -118.45916666667
Open live OSM map › Open in Google Maps ›

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free).

02 Getting there

OptionDetail
RoadAccessible via local Westside arterial roads including Lincoln Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, and Washington Boulevard.
AirportLocated adjacent to the southern boundary of Santa Monica Airport.

Getting there · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · always double-check access & ferries

03 Nearby & around

Other beaches, coves, towns and sights within easy reach — worth stringing together into a coastal day.

Santa MonicaOcean ParkMarina del ReyMarina PeninsulaMar Vista

Good to know

  • Ocean Front Walk features high pedestrian traffic, performers, and outdoor vendors.
  • The Venice Breakwater surf area is structured with rocks, piping, and an extending sandbar.
  • Parking near narrow historic walk streets and Pacific Avenue can be limited due to high traffic density.