Venice Beach

This beach, located south of Santa Monica Beach, is primarily most known for its Ocean Front Walk. We were there late Saturday afternoon. It was quite a cool breezy day so we probably did not see all the activity that is usually along the board walk. Despite the cool day many homeless people were hanging out there wrapped up in their blankets. A few had small tents. Some were selling stuff like small plastic skulls painted in garish colors. One young man offered two jokes for a dollar. And then there were about 6 shops where salesmen outside of the buildings claimed that "the doctor is in". If we had anything from cancer to insomnia we supposedly could be examined and approved for a marijuana use. Occasionally we could smell the drug in the air as we walked along the board walk. In the picture below is one of the medical shops- "evaluations" mean medical examinations. There are also shops for body piercings and tattoos. Quite a colorful beach front area. Not surprisingly, Venice Beach has served as a back drop for movies and some television series.

Venice Beach is known for its muscle builders who work out on the beach. Los Angeles parks department has an outdoor gym on the beach with body building equipment.  Had it been a warmer day I am sure we would have seen those athletes in action. A variety of entertainers were around playing on drums and guitars. One young lady was twirling around with a hula hoop under a park sculpture. It was getting dark by the time we noticed her.

Venice Beach is also popular for its wall art. Permission from the city is required to do this public art.

We ended our afternoon on the beach at a small restaurant which offered Mediterranean food. The food was delicious and the service was awesome. There seems to be no shortage of good eating places in the area. We took is one last look at the beach before leaving. Unlike Santa Monica beach, this one has a  rocky shoreline.