Venice Beach info
Venice Beach
When many people think of California, they think of the beautiful, sandy beaches against the blue ocean on a warm, sunny day. Venice Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Southern California, located on the west side of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and not far from the famous Santa Monica pier. The beautiful landscape, vibrant community, and myriad of activities make this a popular tourist destination for travelers around the world. Perhaps the most prominent feature of Venice Beach today is the Ocean Front Walk, which is a boardwalk that runs parallel to the shoreline and holds a number of carnival tents and fun attractions throughout the year. Frequently, there will be various performers, food venders, and even fortune-tellers to see especially during the summer months. It is also a popular place for people to bike or walk, especially in the morning when many people like to do their morning jogs. The northern side of the town houses the famous Muscle Beach, which used to hold many muscle-building and aerobatic exhibitions. While these competitions are not held anymore, it is still a popular place for the ladies watch bodybuilders pump iron under the hot sun. The area also has numerous basketball and tennis courts, and it is renowned across the country for producing many NBA players who had practiced and grown up around these courts. Street ball is popular amongst the residents, as well as beach volleyball and handball. While many tourists could spend an entire day walking along the Ocean Front Walk or shopping in one of the several downtown districts, Venice Beach is, after all, known for the beach itself. The breakwaters provide a popular spot for surfing, and the Venice Fishing Pier allows people to walk far out into the ocean. The hot, humid climate of Southern California makes the beach experience best during the summer, as that is when the ocean is at the perfect temperature and it is relaxing to go for a swim. Venice Beach also has an interesting history, as it was founded by a tobacco millionaire in 1905. Abbot Kinney and his friend, Francis Ryan, bought about 2 miles of beautiful waterfront property just south of Santa Monica, aiming to create a tourist-friendly beach resort town called Ocean Park. In July, Kinney drained the marshland for residential development by digging several canals, which are still present in Venice Beach to this day. These canals are modeled after the ones in Italy’s Venice, hence the name Venice Beach. Kinney then built numerous attractions to entertain the tourists in the area, including an auditorium, a ship restaurant, a hot salt-water plunge, a dance hall, and a row of arcades with beautiful Venetian architecture. In 1911, the population boomed in Ocean Park, and the name was changed to Venice Beach. Development increased along the Kinney Pier, including a scenic railway, an aquarium, and more. While this pier caught fire and burned down in 1920, it was quickly rebuilt bigger and better than ever. Today, Venice Beach is one of the most popular beach destinations for tourists visiting the Lost Angeles area.
