Return to main article10 Best City Beaches in the World
Venice Beach
Los Angeles, California
What to Expect: All walks of life flock to this 500-foot-deep golden-sand beach, which stretches over seven miles between Marina del Rey and Pacific Palisades. The seven-acre seaside park-full of palm trees, green lawns, basketball courts, and roller dancers-is also a draw, but most head straight to the Ocean Front Walk. Lined with festively painted galleries, cafés, ice cream parlors, and surf shops, it bustles with an eclectic group of beach boardwalk veterans; bunnies and surfers rub tanned elbows with rollerbladers, skateboarders, jugglers, stilt-walkers, guitarists, and palm-readers. It’s a people-watcher’s paradise. What to Do: Rent some wheels—bicycle ($18/day) or Rollerblades ($15/day)—from Venice Bikes & Skates and zoom seven miles north on the smooth, flat, and car-free Venice Bike Path to Will Rogers State Beach. Want to update your swimwear? Check out the smart selection at Venice Beach Bikini.
