Los Angeles has some great beaches ; some very famous and others, not so much. Some are extremely touristy while others are more quiet and peaceful. I happened to visit two of the famous beaches at Los Angeles to which I take you today.
Starting from the smaller to the bigger, let me take you to Venice Beach first.
Venice Beach….some insights:
This place has its own history and make no mistake; it is named after the city of Venice which had fascinated Abbott Kinney, the millionaire who wanted to recreate his favourite European city , Venice, in the US. In 1905 Kinney made his dream come true by digging several miles of canals and lining it with structures in Venetian architectural style. He also brought in gondolas and gondoliers from Venice and had it running very much like Venice. It came to be known as “Venice of America”. In addition to that, it was developed into a beach resort town with an amusement park and an ocean walk promenade.
However, a canal system of this nature needs continous maintanence and upkeep to prevent water stagnation and it’s perils . Unfortunately after the death of Kinney, his family tried to keep it going but it soon lost its glory. In 1926, the area was annexed into Los Angeles and some of the canals were paved in . By 1950, the area came to be known as the “Slum by the Sea”. Besides the neglect in infrastructure terms, gangs and drug cartels thrived here and it was a while before the area got back to normalcy.
Today Venice is a fun beach destination apart from being a popular film shooting venue. The piers, the boardwalk, the skating rink, canals and restaurants have featured in several TV shows and films.
Our Trip
As we were driving to Venice beach itself, our guide gave us a sneak peek of the canal system and what remains of it today. He mentioned that there are some very small houses near the canals which are very expensive property.
Some pictures…
What remains of the canals….
A gondola preserved at a roundabout and one of those expensive houses!!
Driving along, we reached the beach area . A large mural on the wall of one of the buildings attracted us. It was a black and white mural named “Touch of Venice”. This mural captures the essence of the 1958 film “Touch of Evil”and is dedicated to the history and culture of this place.
The “Touch of Venice” mural
From here on , we walked along the streets to the beach . One of the signs that welcomes you to the beach is a huge sign of the alphabet “V”.
At Venice beach and the” V “sign
Along the beach were trees painted in multiple colours adding to the funky look ….
The typical funky appearance of the area
Venice beach also has a skating rink and many competitions are held here…
The famous skating rink
Another peculiarity of the beach is what is reffered to as Muscle Beach. Venice beach is supposed to be where Arnold Schwarzenegger pumped muscle in a gym. Our guide showed us that gym enroute!! Venice Beach also has an outdoor gym for working out.
Some pictures…
Muscle beach and a shop display near it !!
Walking along, we finally reached the Boardwalk area lined with shops on one side. The whole place had a Bohemian look with all kinds of shops and graffiti displayed outside. Must be a fun place specially in the evenings.
Some pictures…
The Walkway and the shops
Interesting displays !!!
So , to sum it up Venice is a place famous for quirky happenings on it’s boardwalk where mimes, jugglers musicians and street performers create an ever changing ambience. One can sit around and enjoy the bohemian character of the place while savouring local dishes at the several restaurants along the boardwalk. All in all, a fun place…..
Moving on to a more upmarket beach; Santa Monica….
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a city in Los Angeles with views of the Pacific Ocean which has long been admired. Apart from a beach, a pier called Santa Monica pier was built here and then on developed into an entertainment venue . It contains the Pacific Park which is an amusement park, a solar powered ferris wheel which is brightly lit in the evenings, an aquarium and a hippodrome with a carousel. Besides these, there are innumerable restaurants, bars,souvenier shops and whatever you can think of! Entertainers,video games,concerts and such other activities also take place here.
Within walking distance from downtown Santa Monica, this place was abuzz with revellers when we reached there one evening. Close to the pier is a small garden which is located at a slight elevation and offers great views of the ocean and the pier. Across the road are luxury hotels which have ocean and pier views and charge exorbitantly for them!!
Some pictures…
The park opposite the pier and the homeless…luxury and poverty!!
Santa Monica beach and pier
Entrance to the pier
Restaurants on the pier
Gift shops and Video game arcades on the pier
The Pacific Park and Ferris Wheel
The pier has also another landmark, the end of route 66, the famous highway from Chicago to California…
End point of Route 66
The pier ends with great views of the Pacific Ocean.
End of the pier and the Pacific Ocean behind
Evenings see the lighting up of the pier and the Ferris wheel…
The lit up pier, ferris wheel and the crowds….
With this I have covered two of the most famous beaches in Los Angeles. There are many more of course. Hope you enjoyed the beach views. Do give your comments and feedback.
See you next week from Hollywood, Los Angeles….
Travel-along.in 