Venice Beach Reviews

We were at this beach yesterday and noted that this is amongst the best beaches for swimmers. It also offers an opportunity to new surfers to learn the sport as the waves are not that high.

While the beach was pleasant, the area around the beach looked run down. At times some people directly approach visitors with their wares, especially CDs (that I was told are often fake).

One also smells marijuana here and this is because there are many homeless people on the beach. The open air Muscle Beach has a sitting stand for those interested in watching people train.

I would avoid the shops because they often charge unreasonable tourist prices. We bought mangoes with chilly flakes as a snack and were charged $10 per cup of mangoes. At nearby Santa Monica Beach, the price would probably be $5. The mangoes we bought were however delicious.

At this beach one needs to be down to earth. Tourists who like to be ostentatious could be the target of pick pockets. I was told to avoid the public washrooms and therefore I kept away from these.

Do visit this beach with minimum valuables and avoid interaction with any strangers. There seemed to be a fair number of crazy people out there.

During our visit we saw shooting of a ‘Barbie’ movie to be released next year. The shot involved Ryan Gosling, a Canadian actor.

Munir D.

The heart of Venice is the Skate Park, which offers a daily and free show. In my opinion Venice is an excellent base for visiting Los Angeles

I grew up in Santa Monica and used to ride my bike down the bike path thru Venice. I have lived out of state for years. We came to visit our aging parents this month, abd took a walk in Venice and on the beach. OMG!! The smell of 40 old piss was all over the streets... The shops and restaurants I remember as a young person are replaced by carnival hawkers and fried food stands... There are a couple decent restaurants, but the colorful hip street performers and bohemian artist culture is gone... So sad. I have my memories of better days in the past.

Simply one of a kind.
Mandatory walk.
Before you leave you have to let your mind travel.
Where can you see a bodybuilder training bare-chested and getting advice on how to improve his body from a 150kg homeless man?
Of course only on Venice beach.

Interesting walk along the promenade seeing the eclectic shops and residents. A LOT of homeless people though and smells bad but personally didn’t feel unsafe. Not quite what you would expect though.

If you're looking for something luxurious in LA, Venice Beach will not satisfy you. On that note, Venice Beach I would say is still one of the most icon places to visit especially if you're into a more chill vibe. It is still cool and worth stopping by.

Just TERRIBLE, nothing to do with Santa Monica beach or Manhattan beach (super exclusive).
We went there for a walk in the early afternoon?with my baby and my husband , we ran into a surreal situation .. homeless everywhere many of whose (poor) delirious, degrade people who were doing drugs in the sunlight in front of everyone, fights between skaters and much more .. decadent shops, a terrible lace of pee and all really dirty .. shame because the seafront is really beautiful... I do not recommend

Nasty filthy beach smelled like urine homeless evrywhere and teash public retroom disgusting dont go no good clean restaurants

Boardwalk is really nice place to just walk and enjoy ice cream. Really chill place but when going with children You really need to explain the smell as the weed´s smell is everywhere. Also sad to see all these homeless people living there.

Perfect and clean beach with large width of sand. Make sure to discover all parts of Venice Beach (also the green parts).

We stayed 15 minutes, not terrible.. tramps and junkies. Shop boui boui, there is nothing bohemian.m in Venice Beach anymore. It smells like cannabis everywhere.
To flee

A disgusting and filthy beach. Had not been for a long while and was so disappointed. The ocean water is brown obviously unfit to swim. Lots of creepy characters walking around with their pitbulls!! Junky looking shops. Nothing to see. I plan on not returning. I went over to Redondo Beach as well. Not as many creepy ppl but the water is brown as well.

Visiting Venice Beach felt like stepping into a movie scene. We visited the beach in the morning before it got busy. We checked out surrounding areas and the street performers to the roller skaters and skateboarders were showing off their skills. It was a good idea to check them out before heading to the Santa Monica Pier

I kinda just went to say I had been. We first went to muscle beach which was not that great but interesting to see. The skate park was kinda cool. The was nice but you have to pass the homeless and other disgusting things to get there

Aside from homeless and smell, did not feel safe walking with my young family. The locals are rude and do not like foreigners. We were followed, called names yelled to go back home.

A very wide beach and the sand is beautiful!
In October, however, the water is cold and lots of algae. Swimming is not very pleasant, you should not go for it

Location that for sports lovers can only be LIFE!!!! There is everything from weightlifting to basketball courts from beach volleyball to skate park etc etc. but the real gem are the surf lessons that are done here!
Also street food souvenir box offices and stalls along the way!
The only flaw is the constant smell of ‘grass’

Nice stroll. You can find many souvenir shops, if you like smoking you can also find shops where to buy weed. ATM in every corner.

ALIVE. This place is definitely alive. It was full of vendors and storefronts. Definitely a place to see. I love the rental bikes (through Lyft and other services) and the bike lanes. We were able to bike from Venice Beach to Santa Monica pier!

it was pretty chill and the water is cold but nice also the stores close are nice and is nice to go there and walk around pretty good

We visited on the 4th of July. The beach was clean, some Characters as you would expect. That’s the charm. No one was scary or aggressive. We loved the weight lifters and there was a bodybuilder contest that was fun. Teens loved their run
On the beach path. We also walked the canals which where beautiful. Great dining options and fun street of shops to see. My teens loved the Venice shops a few blocks away.

My daughter and I had fun hanging out here for a few hours - it was just as we imagined it - skateboarders, stores, weird people and places to eat and drink. Cool vibe - we had fun!

The several times I have visited LA I had never been to Venice Beach. Funky area but interesting to me as you see all walks of life parading along this area. Skate park was captivating as talented people were doing their skateboard tricks. There are homeless people around but they didn't bother anyone. I went in the day time with my teen daughter. Some arts and crafts and the usual tourist stuff but with an edge.

This is a nice beach, but not great. The pier was closed likely due to COVID. No public rest rooms were available so you have to go to a local restaurant, a hotel (if you have a room) or take a dip in the ocean. Lifeguard was on duty until 8pm. Very close to bars and restaurants, which was great, but I’d come for the nearby boardwalk to stroll vs the beach!

Homelessness has overrun this once eclectic fun Southern California hot spot. The second you arrive you will see it, hear it and smell it. Urine is one thing but watching people actually urinate is a whole other level. Granted I’m showing my friends from San Francisco around and they’re very used to it but we travel to get away from it all. I’d generally say the experience is inherently safe but you definitely will NOT feel
safe. Whackos screaming out loud, erratic behavior and frankly being afraid to touch anything will take you out of vacation mode. Take Venice Beach off your So Cal Go-To list. It really isn’t worth it. Orange County is waaaaaaay safer and cleaner! Yes, the OC may have less culture than Venice but at least you won’t have to hop over feces and needles.

It is quite a vibrant and colorful beach, where it often combines amateur athletes, skiers, bikers, gymnasts, tourists, a blend of Mexican and European atmosphere, Mexican restaurants, outlets, and hostels. Famous movies were filmed there.

We walked from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach in late November. The sun was shining and it was great to walk alongside people skating, riding bikes, runners and all sorts passing by on that very famous route towards Venice Beach. The route is totally flat on a smooth surface.
On arrival at Venice Beach it becomes pedestrianised and the shops and restaurants begin. You can definitely smell cannabis but it is legally sold here. Some homeless people were evident but no one gave us cause for concern. The shops and restaurants, like all towns vary in quality. The skateboarding area was cool to watch people doing tricks. Venice ‘Muscle Beach’ was also amusing to see!
Overall, for a first time visit, we enjoyed the walk and time at Venice Beach.

Well, it is still a dump and dangerous. I used to love Venice Beach. I went there as a kid every summer. We live nearby. Now, there are some nice places to eat and there are things to buy. There are also thieves, junkies, meth heads, people sleeping in tents and you will be asked for money. It is just not worth it. I don't need to be looking over my shoulder all the time to make sure my purse is not going to get ripped right off me. I have seen this happen.

You wallet will be in your front pocket at all times. Be carful with your back pack. Set nothing down and even walk a foot away to grab a photo.

The water is not clean, so don't swim there. Be careful what you step on if you are on the sand.

There is one thing great about this place and that is the skateboarding area. You can watch or skate yourself. It is fun.

The boardwalk is usually crowded and unless you just must have a corn dog, there is no reason to be there.

I loved this place growing up and now it is just scary.

This was a stop on a standard tour of Los Angeles. Why anyone would stop here is beyond me, we all huddled together and we afraid to walk around alone. We were greater by a sickening pot smell and peddlers trying to pawn junk. The music was loud and the profanity was extreme. There were no law enforcement anywhere. The prices were expensive hkudy like all of Los Angeles. I would never want to live there, ever.

Beautiful beach very near downtown LA.

When visiting you are brought back to where Arnold Schwarzenegger got hid start and who could forget Muscle Beach Party.

I was surprised to see that Venice Beach is kind of just like one long boardwalk. There are places to eat, people peddling their music and art, and shops all along the way. The beach was nice and I made sure to also check out the skate park.

Beach resort characterized by a wide beach. Along the road that precedes the beach there are very special shops and clothing shops...

Filthy, smells of weed, profanity on most of the products displayed in the shops. The air in LA is so polluted there are no pretty views up or down the beach. The bathrooms are beyond disgusting with urine and grime everywhere. This is NOT a place for families. Skip it and go check out the La Jolla Tide Pools instead.

Worth a walk to or from santa Monica to see the shops etc, muscle beach, skate boarders, ball courts

Stunning location : but filthy streets, sidewalks broken uneven a mess . A Desperate number of Homeless drug addicts on every single street corner and beach front . Tents pitched on the side of the roads …. Poor folks lying on the sidewalks. Yet properties worth millions….. Supermarkets charging £12 for litre of milk !! £25 for one piece fish ! Just immoral obscene …. Humanity gone bad

Don't go. Homeless are everywhere. Police have their hands tied. I've been spit on and there is human feces everywhere. If you want to be accosted by a homeless person without any retribution or consequences, come to Santa Monica. If you defend yourself, you probably will have to pay bail. Homeless are released immediately. Disgusting beach. Congratulations liberals.

The area, including the beach, I Is now a homeless community. It is sad, dirty, and not a healthy place to be… such a change from four years ago!

a beautiful sandy beach and a very wide beach, a very pleasant walk. a large paid parking that allows easy access to the beach. Some Things to do outdoors. Many public toilets that are in a dismal state but still do a service...

We visited Venice Beach on a Saturday. There were to be honest alot of very interesting and colourful people there, unfortunately many were high on marijuana. There were many homeless people around and although we needed to use the toilets, they were so filthy that we probably would have needed a hepatitis shot afterwards, so we held on.

There were nice areas and there were unclean areas. There were plenty off people selling things (some beautiful, some that a 2 year old could have done better) in the area where the shops were.

For parking - park in the parks on the beach, not inland as the beach parking is $8 - $9 per day. The 'parking places' further inland are a rip off charging well over $10.

If you're walking - stick to the beach or footpath, not the bike / scooter / Rollerblade path and you will be safe.

An iconic beach with lots of the same souvenir shops and a few restaurants. There are several small parking lots in the area, street parking is challenging.

We visited on a weekday morning in September when the beach was largely empty. We enjoyed the wide, spacious beach. It was not a particularly picturesque beach, but a nice place to escape from the bustling city.

We came here early on a Sunday afternoon and it was very crowded (likely because it was during spring break time) but we found a paid spot to park. It's basically a long walk with lots of shops and a few areas of folks having fun (kite flyers, roller skaters, surfers) and a few trashy items (sketchy people, undesirable smells). This was a quick
"must-do" tourist visit but otherwise wouldn't recommend hanging out here.

It's not the Venice Beach you see in the movies, although a visit is worth it!
We stayed on the seafront to see the sunset and it was wonderful!
We took a walk but it is full of homeless people sleeping on the beach and close to the shops and clubs that there are.
Internal parking is very expensive, but it is also located outside the bars.

I lived in the Los Angeles area for 16 years. During that time family would go to Venice Beach. I enjoyed the eclectic Oceanside shops and the “muscle men” pumping iron! I enjoyed watching the skaters and skateboarding antics! I got free food from the Hare Krishnas serving on the beach! I watched people from all walks of life hanging out on the beach.

It’s been a few years since I had returned to the LA area and my daughter and I decided to visit several beaches.

We parked more than 8 blocks away and walked! When we walked a wonderful thing happened! We discovered that there are canals to meander through! There are these quaint canals that allow for a good walk!

We walked, visited open houses for homes selling between $3 to 6 million dollars!! My! We met cool people and found a rainbow walkway too!

I’m thrilled to have discovered these canals at long last! We discovered that “Cold Stone” ice cream 🍨 now has a vegan option on the menu!! We visited restaurants, shopped with a vendor from Senegal 🇸🇳 and listened to music 🎶 coming from some establishments.

We had a funky good time!

This place is total garbage. There were no interesting stores or restaurants. There is now just a huge homeless tent city on the beach. Many intoxicated persons. Every book I read said to go here, I say stay away. We walked on an off immediately. Did not feel we were in a safe space.

We walked to Venice Beach from the Santa Monica Pier and when we arrived, it's like the entire atmosphere changed. The beach was super crowded. Less families. More panhandlers. We left the beach to see the Venice Canals, and the whole area feels off. Sketchy. Lots of run down alleys where you can't see what's going on until you get there. We didn't see anyone else walking around - in fact, all the people from the Beach vanished. It was like a ghost town but with large black vans parked every quarter mile. I'm glad we saw the Beach and the Canals once but I would have felt more comfortable if we drove through instead. We ended up getting an Uber back to the Pier because we didn't want to keep walking through Venice.

Visited Venice beach on the last day of LA trip. Beautiful beach, peir, long walkway and adjacent bike path, plenty of food and souvenir outlets. Also recreational areas for skate boarding, basketball, gym and beach volleyball. Canals also nearby. Unfortunately the whole place is overrun by a huge homeless population which spoils the otherwise beautiful location.

DO NOT VISIT -- IT IS TOO UNSAFE!! This beach used to be iconic, but it is now a super dangerous area for crime and homeless camps. We visited in late May 2021 to walk the boardwalk and were immediately greeted with large camps of homeless people, tents, and trash lining the boardwalk, as well as artists hawking their CDs onto you and then harassing you for a "donation." We made it about a 10 min walk down the boardwalk before we felt so unsafe, we had to turn around. The police presence was decent, but unfortunately, the Venice Beach residents were unkind and harassed them relentlessly. Later, we read several articles about the significant rise in homelessness and subsequent violence and crimes in Venice Beach since COVID (arson to tents, theft, and murders, to be specific). We will not be back anytime soon.

Love this place. Parking for $9 a day and you can walk around the beach. Bicycle rental are available and restaurants are accessible.

Beaufitude in all its splendor. If you are looking for the party atmosphere in Neuneu, the crowded beaches with loud music, souvenir shops made in China, waffle and coke snacks: go there. I can't share photos, I didn't take any because it was so horrible. Huge disappointment

Best place if you are looking for homeless, junkies and urine smell. "nice" marijuana and tattoos shops everywhere with inspiring people inside.

Here you can breathe the air of California! Huge beach on the ocean, beautiful promenade even if the sea is very far away. Rich in sports facilities and frequented by people of all kinds: locals and tourists, workers and people on vacation, some on foot, some on skates, some on bikes. Many places to drink and eat and many super tourist shops

I've been to LA several times but never made it to Venice Beach before. To be clear, this review is for the Venice Beach Boardwalk, the canals, Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey are all beautiful and much nicer, in my opinion.

I'm glad I went to check it out but the Boardwalk is not my kind of place. Cheesey shops selling the same things, obnoxious performers who spend more time asking the audience for money that actually performing and just a general air of desperation and poverty. I knew there would be a vibe about the place but I thought it would be charming, instead I just wanted to get out.

Do yourself a favour and walk inland to enjoy the amazing canals and some great shops in Venice. And the boardwalk gets a lot nicer as you approach Santa Monica. We loved watching the acrobat's practicing best the Santa Monica Pier

Well it's not like it is in the movies... Largely deserted, dirty , a hang out for individuals high on drugs ( one set fire to Santa Monica pier whilst we were standing there ). Horrible place.

Very beautiful beach. As we were there in Oct 2019, it wasn´t too busy either. It´s everything you´ve seen in films and/or TV :)
(the trip was made in Oct 2019, not 2020)

Access to the site by metro. Beautiful environment, we spent a pleasant day, it was sunny but not too hot (winter), my son and nephews paid $10 to train at the local gym, outdoors and the place also has basketball courts, you can rent scooters and bikes for stroll along the shore. There are no meal options there, just treats. The public bathroom is very dirty.

Worth the walk. Bars, entertainment as well as locals make this for a very diverse and interesting stroll down by the beach.

Kids and I had fun building sandcastles and walking along the beach. We went shortly after Christmas and it was cooler (water was frigid) but we still had a very fun time watching the surf and surfers as well. The city keeps/kept the sand smoothed for the morning. Pretty clean, which was very nice. Pier was nice to walk out on and get a closer look at the surfers getting up.

We went there for enjoying the sun and rent bicycle.
There was no free parking around.the price for bicycle rent was fix and reasonable . They ask for id and creditcard. Very good place for bicycle riding.
And stop eat , drink , take good photos .

Walk along venice beach a lot of fairly busy beaches shops along the promenade I was surprised by the number of drugs we met it's disappointing a lot of people do sports

During the height of COVID, I visited Venice Beach and I have to admit it was a bit scary as with many other areas of Los Angeles. However, I visited again the other day and it seems like a completely different place in a very good way. I was so pleasantly surprised to see such a fantastic improvement in a relatively short period of time. It is so great to see Venice Beach is once again one of the best beaches in the LA area. If you are trying to decide whether you should visit or not, please take my word for it, you should absolutely go! You will love it!!!

Not quite what I expected, Its full of cheap shops, people thrusting items at you to buy and a little grubby . Quite a few homeless, lots of noisy wrap type music, was an American surfy icon in the passed but has lost it way.. Not all negative >> Nice beach and board walk - plenty of restaurants..

I have seen Venice in the 80's, always a bit weird but it seemed like the best people-watching place on earth. I just went back for few days this year, it's gone down the sewer big time. There is nothing fun left about it. Mostly bums and clouds of marijuana smoke. Yes its sunny and the beach is still beautiful. But I just wanted to run away. The icing on the cake was that in one of the public toilets, all the compartments were occupied by dirty clothes and beds of homeless people. The city has totally lost control of the situation.

I liked the beach and the vibe and a lot of people were nice but as a Solo traveler I didn’t feel very safe. Too many homeless and crazy people around.

Gross bathrooms, not a whole lot to see or that’s very unique. The pier is just that (nothing to do on it) and lots of homeless and sketchy people. Definitely don’t recommend bringing your family here, but mediocre for spring breakers

A bit of a naïve place. Slightly ambiguous characters, certainly a place to avoid after a certain time, however the few places that are there close at 10.00pm

Absolute hell hole. Homeless people starting fights with me for nothing, calling me a catholic nazi?
The shops are all the same. It’s just not what it’s hyped up to be on the television.

We expected this to be a nicer area like the photos show. The skate park was cool. The beach is ok but the boardwalk area is really gross. Very dirty and aggressive vendors. I avoided the Unisex bathrooms at my husbands warning.

We enjoyed a walk down to Venice from Santa Monica on a beautiful sunny day and everything feels fine. There is a different world to see here along the Venice Boardwalk. It has become a large community of folks living and sleeping rough, many of who turn thier talents to entertaing the many tourists as well as selling some unusual art alongside the usual souvenier shops. Almost everone seems happy to be here. In the mix are various people just passing through, exercising, socialising - often there to be seen - so a great place to sit back and watch the world go by in one of the many bars or restaurants.

Came with a tour on a Sunday morning, there was a lowrider show going on. Venice Beach is a grimmer, grittier cousin to Santa Monica, but that’s what gives it its charm. Only bad part was the lack of benches or places to sit, which might be to keep the homeless folks out…But it also keeps people from really enjoying the Venice Beach Boardwalk. I liked watching the people and seeing the cars

We should have just stayed walking up and down Abbott Kinney instead of heading over to the beach area. Too many homeless asking for money and I was uncomfortable with the people that were hanging out there. Definitely not my scene.

Great Beach, Boardwalk was a bit seedy/carnival like. Tons of people walking around forcing CD's on you and the shops didn't seem very appealing to stop and even take a look.

Passage required when visiting LA.
Walk along the shopping street, and take a break at skate park. Do not forget to take the time to make a detour through the canals of Venice.

This beach smells and is sketchy. Everything is expensive and it's nothing like mtv. Skip it there are better beaches.

It's not like the movies. It is run down, dirty, homeless living on the beach and overall disgusting place to visit. It has a lot of people doing side Hussle and trying to rip you off.

Muscle beach is closed, run down and in ruins. The shops are old dirty flea markets which are over priced. I was looking forward to visiting the beach but it was a total let down and disappointment.

Oh yeah, on four occasions we were almost robbed in the 30 minutes we were there. Thank you to the police. It's nothing short of a ghetto these days. All travelers stay clear of the area. Just my advice.

I would never visit the place again. Such a shame it was a must see tourist hot spot and now a junk yard.

Amazing beach with many street food options. "Famous" location. Tasty food. But be aware of many homeless people especially during night hours

Honestly don't know why people keep hating on it. If you live in a bubble without grit, then sure — you may not like this place. But it is hard to argue that this place isn't iconic and alive, even today.

Bathrooms — I mean sure, they're public bathrooms, i.e. not terribly clean.

Shops — Avoid, they're a tourist transaction at most.

Skate Park — Amazing, real people enjoying the culture, doing tricks.

Bicycle Path — Amazing, rent one and cruise around like in the movies.

Beach — Well we're not a beach people, but it's iconic and makes for lots of pictures.

Canals — Pretty and work a walk for sure (if you find parking).

Parking — Lots of free and (more likely) paid options available.

Set your expectations straight: this isn't a Disney wonderland. It's Venice freaking Beach. Go there, don't be a dumb tourist flashing your wealth, don't get pickpocketed like anywhere else in the world, and avoid the straight up crazy.

Don't miss it when in LA.

Having flown over from Manchester England and drove the entire route from Chicago to Santa Monica Pier we decided to stay for four nights at Marina Del Rey and visited Venice Beach a couple of times. What a great place, full of different types of people all doing there own thing and getting on with their life's. We saw a bit of poverty, we saw opulence, we smelt some weed...all part of life's rich tapestry and nothing to get hung up about. The beach looked great, the pier was nice to walk on and fisherman and surfers were all relaxing and enjoying themselves. We love to travel, we don't want to see everything sanitised to suit the tourists, you want a bit of gritiness and real life, our home City Manchester is famous for that. We thought Venice Beach was excellent and had no problems from any of the locals. Live and let live👍

We have visited before when the beach was packed and all of the stores were opened. We came here during the winter season and most shops are closed and the beach is populated by mostly homeless people. Many are aggressive and one even threatened my son.

As positives, there is a skate park, muscle beach which was closed, basketball courts and a decent boardwalk which is mostly closed. Come during the warmer months or pick another beach.

I’m glad we walked from Santa Monica to Venice beach. Two places could not be more different. Venice Beach is an interesting place to visit and I’m sure that lots of people will love it - I’m just not one of them.

Scary!Scary! Never go here without security guards or police escort or the rock by your side many weird and shady characters

The world famous Venice Ocean Front Walk.The boardwalk is one of the best places in L.A. for people watching—everyone from colorful locals to visitors from around the globe.

There’s something for everyone on the concrete boardwalk: on one side there are specialty shops, restaurants and uniquely designed residences, and on the other a myriad of street performers, artists, fortune tellers and much more. 

Stop by the outdoor weight room at Muscle Beach Gym, once the home turf of bodybuilder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger , who later went on to become California’s governor. 

Or head on over to check out the skate park and watch some very talented board riders doing their stuff.

Don't forget to check out the amazing murals around Venice, you won't be disappointed.

Nice walk along the sea front to Santa Monica pier , very crowed near muscle beach and full of crappy tourist shops.
Loads of homeless and smack heads about but didn’t bother anyone.
It’s One to tick off the list but won’t return

I put this beach on my "must see" list when visiting the Los Angeles area and it was a huge disappointment. This beach is terribly overrated from a visitor's perspective based on movie hype. I expected a nice park along the ocean with cute shops and I found almost the exact opposite. The shops were not attractive, a lot of junk, and the park generally was not well maintained. If there were public restrooms, they were impossible to find. I was glad we just visited for a short time and hadn't planned to spend the day because it was disappointing. The upside, there were a large group of skilled skateboarders who were putting on a nice show. But if it was just walking through the park you had to watch yourself from being hit by electric bikes and people just walking everywhere because the sidewalks don't seem to take you on a comprehendible path.

Super busy and very crowded it’s is beautiful but suffers with crime and to much tourists I would recommend coming but at less peak hours like between 12-2 anything after 2 and it’s a hell hole

Super authentic and really frequented by the lucky inhabitants of LA. Seeing skaters at sunset at the skate park, the immense beach and the endless avenue of palm trees was truly a daydream. I preferred Venice to Santa Monica, I found it more authentic and real. No addicts or smells around, I never felt in danger.

A great place to visit during daylight hours. As soon as the sun went down the atmosphere changed and we didn’t feel particularly safe. Definitely not somewhere I’d bring small children. Looking somewhat run down, too.

The beach itself is beautiful, large, and well-kept. The bike path, skate park, and various sports courts are also great. The boardwalk is dirty, distasteful, and disgustingly sexist.

Venice Beach is touted as a great tourist destination. It is not. Rather it is full of druggies spaced out, homeless and beggars. Beach itself was disappointing. Cannot take pictures of some stuff as people ask for money. One of my friends almost mugged in public restrooms.

First, you can't really park anywhere. Second, the amount of begging homeless was off the charts. We've been here before without issue. Not this time. Didn't even park. Changed our minds and headed north to the Santa Monica Pier to waste our time.

Gritty and if you like the smell of weed constantly, this is for you. There is a lot of humanity here, that’s for sure. I saw nothing worth seeing again. Santa Monica is much nicer if you want a boardwalk beach experience.

Take the time to walk along the beach, and depending on the time, the atmosphere is very different. We meet all kinds of people.

Very hip atmosphere with lots of cool shops. The graffiti is even well done. Beautiful beaches and felt safe. Absolutely worth the stop, my teenager loved it

Venice Beach certainly offers excitement. Maybe just not the kind everyone is looking for. A big sandy beach, well used skatepark, tons of people, etc.. But also blocks long homeless camp, lots of pushy guys selling homemade music cds, run down souvenir shops with no prices listed ($8 for 4 postcards not known till rung up) and a lot of people with mental health issues (yelling, cursing, talking to themselves). I have no issue or fear of any of it, but wouldn't want my wife or family there out of a sense of constantly needing to be aware of surroundings.

Fantastic bike ride from Santa Monica Pier to Venice beach. I am 60 and my daughter is 25. We rode for hours on rented bikes on a beautiful pristine paved bike trail along the ocean. Heaven! Blue skies and deep sandy beaches. Lots of souvenir shops and eateries. We stopped to watch surfers and then skate boarders. Blue skies and pure fun all day. Toured the Abbot Kinney area where we stopped for smoothies. Rode back to Santa Monica and returned the bikes (rentals are very affordable) and had a nice meal on the pier. Fantastic day.

Enjoy a walk along the shops/restaurants, and ignore the weird people. The best time for this beach is certainly the sunset: magnificent.

We went on a california roadtrip in september, never been to ca or the states before.
Loved ca but Venice was a bit disappointing.
We knew before that it‘s not this glamorized, pretty, funky 80s beach walk but in reality it‘s somehow a sad place.
Boardwalk: very dirty, lots (!!) of homeless people, which is very sad to see and dozens of gift shops. It’s okay by daylight but we made the mistake to walk here at 7pm, would not recommend but well, could have thought about this before.
Muscle Beach is nice to see, my boyfriend enjoyed it but also, it‘s prime is long gone.
Venice Beach is definitely not like ,in the movies‘ BUT still kind of worth visiting for around 1 day.
We ate at the ,Great white‘ and loved this restaurant, had good pizza in a small shop, kind people and overall still an okay place.

This beach is so cool. Its really unique. The waves were nice and the water was clear...unlike beaches in Texas. The sand was soft too. My kids had so much fun. Go all the way to the beach to park. Its closer and was cheaper than the parking garages. I found a cheap tshirt shop with a really nice owner and got shirts for the whole family. Yeah there are weirdos and homeless people out there but I never felt unsafe. It gave the place character. Plus there is a police station on the beach.. There were people playing basketball on the courts and surfers walking by to go surf. It's a cool place to go hang out and see all sorts of things.

Venice Beach is such a vibe! The boardwalk is packed with street performers, quirky shops, and awesome food spots. The skate park and graffiti walls are so cool to check out, and the beach itself is gorgeous. It’s the perfect mix of chill and energy.

To expect anything other than to see something you maybe haven't seen before is not to come to Venice Beach, have been here before but there is a live cam from here .. great to watch a sunset and during the last three years spent hours working form home with this cam on. The cam has sound and have seen and heard some interesting things but love the views and was so excited to finally come back here to be at this very location. and it's still fun, love the stores, and always find something unique going on here. Fun for a short stay then go to some other beach lol.

The new h access right at the end of Washington blvd is easy and relatively clean. Parking is not too expensive, the pier is right there as well as a lifeguard stand. There are bathrooms and a wash shower nearby

I was there a few times, in full sunlight and also at dusk. In both cases, although there are many positive things to highlight, the negative takes on more weight and unfortunately makes me take away several stars. At both times of the day where I went, I found it quite dirty and full of scary characters. Public bathrooms are a gathering place for urban characters that are best avoided.
Beyond that, the sunsets are UNIQUE. The palm trees, the colors of the sky and the landscape with the mountains in the background, an unforgettable experience. Just for that reason I recommend giving it a chance at sunset time.

It was good to tick off the list but it was filthy and full of what we thought as undesirable people
Do make the walk to the canals though it was great to see

Between the homeless and the smell of skunk weed everywhere, not at all appealing. Each to their own I suppose, but this was not the beach vibe I was looking for. Newport Beach is much better!

We couldn't say anything negative. It was a nice walk along the promenade.
I read the other reviews, but I can't actually confirm that. Maybe we were there at the right time. It wasn't crowded or dirty or anything. We had a relaxing time with a bit of shopping and watched the hustle and bustle.

Beach is very nice away from the boardwalk and the pier is a nice feature. Along the boardwalk, however, it feels like the worst of any third world country. Ubiquitous panhandlers, cheesy shops selling worthless bobbles. Two steps below the carney row at any county fair you might have attended, with the added bonus of open-air drug use. What a waste.

I like Venice beach but it’s not what it used to be , a lot of homeless and people on drugs trashy people . I should probably move to Ventura county !

Wow. This is an embarrassment of our a city's poorly run government. I live in Orange County and have taken friends that visit from out of state here. It's been about 4 years since I was last there and used to enjoy the fun and wacky art scene and performers. Went there a few weeks ago and it was like skid row on the beach. I almost stepped on a hypodermic needle AND human poop. Saw two homeless people seemingly on meth get into a physical fight. There's tents and homeless everywhere. I can't believe Mike Bonin would let his district turn into this. Heard that the LA sheriff was going to start enforcing camping laws and GOOD. Why would you let people camp/live on the beach like this and trash it?!?! These homeless people are dying there...that's not compassion. Make them leave and offer services to get the help they need at nearby shelter. It's just so sad that it got this bad. I feel sorry for the businesses that are losing customers and homeowners whose BEACHFRONT properties are decreasing...I would stay far away from this beach until LA actually does something about this.

How dare you recommend anything in Venice . It is one the scariest places I've every been, including 3rd world countries. Needles, feces, homeless ranting up and down the sidewalks and bike paths. We took our kids and ran from the area.

Hadn’t visited Venice Beach for 20 years and surprised what it’s like now. Lots of homeless people setup along the foreshore and side streets. Area just generally felt unsafe.
Beach itself is nice but won’t be coming back.

It was beautiful but too crowded for us. Parking is crazy. You have to be careful where you park, how you park, and make sure your parking meter works.

Venice Beach is a unique place! The seafront is colorful and full of street performers, shops and cafes. Especially impressive are the legendary beach gym and basketball hoops, which always provide action and sporting entertainment. The beach itself invites you to walk, sunbathe or play sports – a must for anyone who wants to experience the creative, laid-back flair of Los Angeles.

The atmosphere, the seafront promenade, skateboarders, lifeguard huts and the beach. It's a must-see. However, like many sectors, there is a significant presence of homeless people and drug addicts. During the day it passes but in the evening the atmosphere can turn.

They prepare a very wide beach with comfortable sands. It's the freaking ocean, people, that's five stars. There's stuff to do and places to buy, but it's the freaking ocean, people, and the sunny warm climate of Southern California. If you're a strong walker, you can walk for miles and miles and miles of ocean front either on the beach or on paved paths.

I love Venice Beach. We live in walking distance. Always something different going on. We try to go with as little as possible to feel as comfortable as possible.

Find a spot in the sand, or find a spot in the grass. Be aware of your surroundings, it is a touristy spot that will attract nefarious characters, just be on the lookout.

Wonderful authentic place! Yes, a lot of homeless people, and stuck, but this place is worth visiting!! Lots of graffiti, lots to see, it's both a skate park and a roller rink, and it's the old-timer's bums who have taken root. Constantly some car shows, bodybuilder contests, etc. You can meet celebrities, I met Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa !!!

I've been coming here for 10 years and unfortunately within the last two this place has tanked, very dangerous, terrible smells, and still unbelievably high prices to stay here and buy things. Spend your time and money elsewhere.

Don't bring children to this place!, full of drugs, alcohol, homeless, mentally ills, human poop, needles and bottles of urine on the walk way.
This city is a health hazard to live in! disgusting!

🌴☀️ Venice Beach in California is an iconic destination, from the colorful murals to the street performers and everything in between!

Disappointing Venice beach experience! Loads of homeless people everywhere! Strange place strange people! Expensive for food and drink. Not the experience that you see on bay watch.

Shops along the seafront remind me of Camden Market in London, all pretty rough and there are lots of cannabis smokers around and of course everything is overpriced. Beach in itself is really nice, but bring a sun umbrella with you if you don't want to roast. The world famous outdoor gym costs 10 dollars per day. You can also play beach volleyball. Sea is great for surfing. Strong waves, water is cool. The lifeguards and boats guarding swimmers are everywhere. We felt safe. Beach is huge and there are bins everywhere! Never seen this before. Access to the beach via special walkable paths. You can rent scotters and bikes everywhere.

We came to Venice on our tour with Tallawah and spent an hour walking up and down the boardwalk. Saw the famous muscle beach and the skateboarders (very cool). Our guide suggested an empanada stand that would be a quick bite because the restaurants were super crowded. the empanads were delicious! I don't remember the name. It's around the basketball court. Venice beach is really entertaining with all of the colorful people. I've seen it in so many movies that it was crazy to be there in person.

Beautiful view, but very heavy environment, a lot of people on the street and using drugs, hearing loud sound. Medium dirty and not very well filled. Few choices of good places to eat. I would not go again.

I grew up in California in the late 70’s and early 80’s and wanted to show my adult daughter some of the beaches me and my friends used to go to “back in the day”.

I was last here when my younger brother was at UCLA in the 90’s and WOW what a change.

I was embarrased that I even brought her here two weeks ago.

It was dirty, broken down, and with homeless everywhere - either in tents or roaming around.

Gone are the days of shopping, outdoor cafes, bands and roller skating/roller blading.

Life and cities change and evolve, for sure, but all of the city leaders in Venice Beach should be fired for what happened here.

I feel sorry for the business owners and the home owners who pay taxes in a city completely ruined.

The City of Venice Beach is is horrible place to visit!
NEVER go to Venice Beach, do not support the city with your $$$.
So poorly run, they let filth lay in the streets with vagrants who use the gutters to relieve themselves and it all runs into the beach water!! Yuk!
Fights in public, dug dealing, addicts shooting up and police do nothing.
Do not vacation here!

been going to Venice Beach for many years, at times it was unpleasant. Yesterday it was horrible! We walked from Santa Monica pier (it was closed) down to Venice, upon arriving at the beginning of the north walkway it smelled like an open sewer! fecal matter, and urine stains throughout the sidewalk. Homeless people in tents, with all their junk half a block long. If I were a local taxpayer (home or business owner)
I would be so angry with the local politicians letting this happen. what a shame!

This has to be the Beach Boys' hangout - California at its best if not wildest. I hear there are some other places like this around the world. Goa in India and Blackpool in England. Next on my to-do list haha!

Homeless everywhere absolutely disgusting smell walking by tents. We even saw a tent on fire! Police would walk right by homeless swearing at people for no reason, and not do a thing. That was the last time we have a family vacation to California, this place has changed so much, we would come here every year with the kids from South Dakota. Looks like Florida will be the next years vacation spot. If you're thinking of visiting Venice Beach I highly discourage it not a good place for you're family.

I was very curious about Venice.When i went to venice i found peace with natural beauties.I was particularly interested in the history of Venice.

This beach is not appropriate for families. Very rough place with legalized pot stores. Loud, no places to park and an anything goes attitude. Sketchy at best in the daytime, dangerous at night.

The Venice Beach pier is awesome, beautiful scenery, restaurants and bars. And if you want to see lots Beautiful ladies , it's a place that u meet one.The homeless people are a one of the biggest problems at Venice Beach

The pulse of a big city can still be felt here. Beach life, strange people, luxury and misery.

All on one strip of beach, delivered free of charge to the camera. It's fun to watch the skateboarders and skaters. Muscle Beach is where professionals and those who want to become professionals meet.

Personneally I did not see much that made me happy or like Venice beitch but I think it is better to go to Venice in Venice more. Honesly just go to Hawai better. And surf the watiti haya big kahuna canoe. I did NOT enjoy all absolutly ALL of the deranged flower, they look at you it is not enjoyable. I HATE IT!!!

Please refrains form visingi VENICE BEACH LOS ANGELS AMERICAN UNITED STATES CALIFORINA, CA.

Thnak you,

Yore welcome.

All I can say is wow. There is absolutely no reason to come to Venice beach unless you like to be bothered or get drugs. No one in my family felt safe or be able to enjoy what once was a vital part of CA.

Parking was expensive but what a beautiful beach. We walked half the area and got to see the skate park, graffiti area, shops and beach.

Although filled with more tourists than locals, Venice Beach remains a unique place to visit and provides a look at the laid-back funky Southern California beach scene. People watching is a highlight of a visit here and along the boardwalk you will find street performers, guys pumping iron at the outdoor gym or playing hoops on the basketball courts, and skateboarders doing their thing at the skate park. Early morning is a good time to visit as crowds are less, surfers will be out catching some waves, and the views of the Pacific Ocean are beautiful. The nearby shops and restaurants are also worth exploring.

Shocked at what a dump this place is and how expensive it is. Why would you come here? I thought where I live is going down hill. I am looking forward to going home.

You gave to do this! We walked probably 2 miles from Santa Monica down to Venice. Santa Monica is nothing you’ve not seen before, fairground rides etc. but Venice beach is something you would not if experienced before, food, music, skaters, the skate park you’ll see as you walk along is fun to watch as it the skateboard area. We walked the whole way along it was something I’d not seen before or likely to again

It was nice to get the LA cultural experience of this beach. It's one referenced so very often, so it was nice to experience first hand myself. Plenty of food and commercial shops along the boardwalk. There are sidewalk performers, skate boarders and music. It was also fun parking a bit far away and then riding a scooter down to the beach.
The beach itself was dirty though. Lots of trash in the sand, which is something I am not used to and did not like. The water was warm enough to swim in, but it was very crowded. Not sure I would want to go back.

Roller, bike, music etc the Californian vibe is there, this is the place to do if you are in Los Angeles
A huge beach full of life

Venice Beach is where the tourist has the most choice of walking on the promenade and to enjoy the beach. Right near the Paredão where is the image of the Schwazeneger has a large public parking lot $18.00 dollars a day. Next to this one is the gym where he trained, it's very well equipped. The beach is large, plenty of space to spend the day. The Calçadão has all kinds of rental and sale of everything that is thing, also has small markets that give a good support for you to stay there. In my opinion, if you choose where to stay, you prefer Venice Beach.

Venice is a hidden GEM. Real people beautiful sunsets. I had dinner at High on the rooftop of Hotel Erwin every night because it was perfect and in the hotel. Muscle beach and people watching were really cool to see in person. All and all a good time.

I arrived at the place, and asked for a table that had a socket so I could charge my cell phone, since today we even pay for our cell phone! And as a social media person, I love posting photos and tagging the place, just like many people do, but he didn't even bother to look for it, I said no! I went to sit in the restaurant next door, eat and drink and they were so helpful. There was only one table in Venice, so take a look and why!!?
Please customers even more when you have several competitors next door!!!!!!!
😉

Definitely one of the most "American" places in Los Angeles, a must-see together with Santa Monica. Colorful, lively, among skate basketball courts, mini tennis, gym and tourist shops set in particular and colorful buildings.

Venice Beach and the walk to Santa Monica Pier were interesting and the path is nice. You need to ensure that you stay off the bike path if you are walking. There are nice clean areas and there are unclean areas where the homeless people hang out. DO NOT USE THE TOILETS IN THIS AREA as they are filthy. There are alot of homeless people at Venice beach and area where they live are full of rubbish and offensive smells from urine and alcohol.

There were many interesting people at Venice Beach and unfortunately alot of cannabis was also being smoked and this stench hung in the air in many places, particularly where people were selling things. Unfortunately Venice Beach is not as pretty as it is seen in films and pictures.
I would not recommend visiting Venice Beach after dark.
When parking, use the car parks on the beach that charge $8 - $9 per day rather than car parks further back that rip you off.

Went for a walk from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach early in the day, which took forever - allocate a few hours if you choose to do the same! There were many homeless people, which took me by surprise. I also wanted to get a breakfast or coffee or something, and there was only one place that was open. It was very good though, but not what I was expecting of the area.

It was fun to see the area, but I have no need to return.

Very long walk between Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach.
It can be done on foot, by bike, role-playing...
The waterfront is lined with small shops and boutiques for eating
A skate park, volleyball courts lit at night and an open-air weight room are also present.
The beach is clean, it’s nice.
Lots of people at sunset and in some places the smell is not very pleasant due to smokers of all kinds..

Simply one of a kind.
Mandatory walk.
Before you leave you have to let your mind travel.
Where can you see a bodybuilder training bare-chested and getting advice on how to improve his body from a 150kg homeless man?
Of course only on Venice beach.

Lots of us grew up in LA, and avoid Venice Beach like the plague. It's full of crime and druggies, and panhandlers. Only tourists and those who don't know better go and/or live there. Much better beaches can be found just up the road in Santa Monica and Malibu.

Venice Beach was a stop on a full day tour of Los Angeles. I would not recommend this destination, especially if there are children present. The entire area was run down and filthy. The public restrooms were disgustingly dirty portholes. There were many aggressive, harassing people scamming tourists with fake CDs and other items, and you couldn't walk ten feet without running into a cloud of marijuana smoke.

Don't expect much.
No glamour at all. Everything seems run down, looks cheap.
Pot smokers, homeless, dirty ......
There are other places to visit before Venice.

Been here before but not in May. It was gloomy and dull, cool and gloomy. Walked miles like usual. Rented ebikes. Toured around. Bought from local boardwalk shops. Dined in a dive restaurant on the sidewalk while watching freaky people doing freaky things. Hit up the sk8park.

Great day walking the strip at Venice beach. Seeing the famous muscle beach was cool and the basketball courts. Lots of neat little shops and eateries. Walked between Venice and Santa Monica peir was relaxing. Also can rent scooters, bikes etc..

What can I say? What a cacophony of tacky souvenirs, noise, weed fumes and people trying to sell me their album…. Never again

Venice Beach may be the only place worse than Hell. Feared for my family and thought to myself we might get killed. Weed and piss everywhere. Only people at muscle beach were those going drugs. Got to meet the crips gang when walking by 20 gangsters wearing navy blue. People beating themselves in the head and dancing on top of cars STAY AWAY!

Very pleasant setting, lovely waitress and listening to the customer, delicious meal. Good value for money. I recommend

There is a certain chill vibe to this beach that is different from its neighbor Santa Monica beach to the north. Still at daytime it felt safe. Lots of people exercising or strolling, just doing their own thing. This beach is about acceptance and tolerance, as long as you go in thinking that way, you’ll enjoy it. For example, there’s a scent of cannabis lingering always. The retail stores (many of them renting bikes or motorized vehicles, incense, tattoo, etc) are eclectic and fun to see but not necessarily to buy. Funny that this is where Barbie and Ken arrived in the movie. The skate park is fun to watch the skills and creativeness in front of you especially when the sun sets. Within a block from the beach there are private parking lots - we paid $10 for 3 hour - but we prob could have found the public parking.

40 years ago I lived a few miles away from Venice Beach, I was looking forward to revisiting with my family - what a mistake.

The once wonderfully eclectic gathering of artists, musicians and performers has taken a deep dive into the depths of nastiness, countless shopfronts selling the smutiest, bordering on disgusting clothing. Stoned 'painters' and people seling the type of tat usually found in nasty British seaside towns.

We gave up, stopped for a coffee and headed back to the car, my memories of beautiful times in tatters, I would never go back, nor would I ever recommend anyone else go there.

A must-see place, a lot of beach smell. People with good vibes. Places to take good photos and excellent restaurants. Recommended.

Venice Beach is well known and offers plenty of beach with interesting shops. I visited during the middle of the day on a Friday and it wasn't too crowded. It can get busy quick not just the shops, but also just the general walking crowd. There are plenty of places to walk around, as well as activities on the beach, not to mention was eclectic stores to pop in and out of. It's worth a visit to say that you have walked Venice Beach. I'd plan to spend about a half day there.

Parking is a con!! Do not use any parking except the ones ON the beach, they try to stop you before you get to the beach and direct you down side streets where the will change you 30 dollars for all day parking BUT parking on the beach front is only 9 dollars for all day parking Please don’t let these con artist won,

Disgusting place. Stinks of weed and all sorts of other horrible things. One of those places that you hear about and want to visit but soon realise you should have gone elsewhere.

You can certainly find some interesting characters here so I could understand the hesitancy of some locals going to this beach continuously but for a tourist I feel like the beach is perfectly fine. The skateboarding ramps near the area are pretty neat and it's fun to see people utilizing them. We found a decent pizza place, hung out by the beach, and were completely unbothered.

Venice Beach was scary. It is populated by homeless people and filled with encampments, vendors selling tat and hawkers. So disappointing.

Sidewalk cafe on Venice boardwalk is fantastic, great food & service. Lovely walkway to Santa Monica. Muscle beach on sand area nice to see.

Too much of a hippy vibe for me. It was very busy as Presidents day but that aside was the only place of our holiday I felt a bit uneasy.
Parking wasn't easy but we managed to park for free off of Buccaneer st near the front and by one of the not so nice canals, was near a manned pay car park if you prefer.
We walked to front and up pier and a short walk around the nicer canals but moved on fairly quickly

Visited in November 2022, expecting to find a lovely, pleasant seaside resort! What a disappointment!
The promenade was full of cannabis smokers and homeless people, most with severe mental issues!
It felt unsafe during the day. God only knows what it must be like at night!
Not a police officer in sight!
Nothing nice at all about it!
Avoid at all costs.
I would like to say Santa Monica is much better, but it felt like it is just a few years behind Venice Beach and heading in the same direction!
Very disappointing!

We went here to rent e-bikes to ride along the beach and ocean to Santa Monica. It is a lively area with shops, food stands, music and people. We enjoyed our time here. Parking is plentiful, but you must pay. We had a beautiful afternoon, an$ I would return and rent bikes again.

Love this place. Parking for $9 a day and you can walk around the beach. Bicycle rental are available and restaurants are accessible.

I really enjoyed skating from Venice to Santa Monica on the ocean walk, that part was excellent. But venice beach itself is kind of disgusting. There is trash and homeless people smoking meth everywhere. I definitely would not recommend visiting as a family, if you have kids go to Santa Monica instead. The pier has security so there is less overt drug use and you can actually use the public bathroom without disturbing someone who lives inside the stall.

I absolutely love to walk along Venice Beach and see all the Artists and fascinating people. I did ity twice this month but nevefr at night (for safety reasons). There is a Skatepark where you can watfh Skateboarders. The whold Beach side of the walk is filled with unique and fun Artistry and some musicians. It is all Free and worth it. I always find a free parking spot but it may take you a few blocks from the Beach. The stores are unique and fun. There are several eateries along the way. I want to add two photos that are very special.

My wife and I came here to unwind from life and had a wonderful time. I'll come back later.
Having raised three children and now having three grandchildren, I was able to spend many happy days with such a wonderful family. I still have to work hard with my wife to watch our grandson grow up. Aiming for an even better family

Not a great beach ,lot of homeless ,really nothing special about that place...
Even the shop are lame

Pretty cool. Alit to see and take in. Would recommend for all ages. There was a mix of locals and tourists. Good vibe. Would recommend

Venice Beach definitely has a vibe to it. Plenty of shops and food vendors. The beach is nice with some cool artwork. It was nice to see muscle Beach and all of the restaurants. You do see the homeless population there but it's not overbearing. Definitely should stop by

Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon strolling the boardwalk, pier, and nearby eateries. Finding parking can be difficult and expensive, but still nice for beach therapy.

Gym, basketball court, tennis court, roller rink, bikes for rent, street performers, restaurants, shops, street vendors, artists trying to sell you their CDs (in a rather aggressive way), surfers, music, dancing, marijuana smell everywhere... here you can find everything you can imagine!
Here is the place you can feel the California vibe and free spirit and you can't help but charge yourself with positive energy! I miss this place!!!

My daughter and I enjoyed the eclectic beach vibe. Interesting characters and artists. Musicians, painters, and athletes fill the boardwalk

This is very sad to see in America, this is scum,keep your kids close and watch if they touch anything ,im sorry your family can't even relax there you need to pay attention always ,they should tear it down and kick the homeless out forever,I know all the beaches from the 70,s to 80,s from imperial beach all the way to Manhattan Beach, its going to get so bad if they don't take it seriously, people leaving trash buried in sand ,and feces,dont visit California beaches,leave the country and go somewhere else where the laws are strictly enforced and backed by their government ,really its better to have strict rules it makes everyone feel better,I didn't even get my phone out to take picture was worried it would get bumped out of my hand,nobody cares they just want to bum money from you and I don't have any,lol

Venice Beach was always quirky but now it's just outright disgusting. A gigantic homeless encampment, screaming lunatics, graffiti (and not the artistic kind you see in New York City), the lots of garbage everywhere. What happened? Why did the people who live there let their beach get this way?

A must place to visit when in Los Angles stroll along the ocean front from Santa Monica busy place lots of interesting people about take a dip in the Pacific Ocean, visit the canals a few hundred yards inland

The freak show with dirt and trash everywhere. Cannabis smell everywhere. Please stay away if you are not looking to her high, serf or drink with homeless.

Beautiful beach, very quiet and the water is cold in August.
So the best thing is to keep running and you'll be in the water.
There are all kinds of sports on certain parts of the beach.
A fitness, flat roller skating rink, a real skateboard rink, boxing, kickboxing, tennis and beach volleyball. Enough to do.
If you want to cycle along the beach, there is a whole track with curves along the beach and the boulevard.
Parking is not cheap, but nowhere in Los Angeles. Sometimes if you're lucky, it's free somewhere, but not at the hotspots.
But usually only park for a maximum number of hours on the roads.
There is also a whole boulevard along the beach with beautiful drawings on the walls, restaurants, bars, shops and beautiful houses.
Enough to do.

Visited this place on May 16th 2023 as it was close to the hotel Shutters on the beach in LA in USA 🇺🇸. Today's Venice, though, is more famous for quirky happenings on its iconic beachfront boardwalk and pier, where mimes, jugglers, musicians, and street performers of all kinds inhabit an ever-changing and unforgettable bohemian subculture. I found it to be quite beach as an ardent and a travel enthusiast,beaches always fascinate me and happened to visit this place in LA before dusk.
Dr. Javed Rasheed

You can't not go to Los Angeles and not go to Venice beach. Just like in the American movie, huge beach with equipment for any sport you want to practice. We happened on the day of celebration and there were a lot of people despite it being winter. Ice water, lots of baths and showers everywhere

I came to Venice Beach especially hearing my friends have visited this spot. However, I can see why it appeals to them, but not me as a person.

The beach is very nice, we even saw a beautiful sunset. However, leading to the shops, it smelled more like weed, feces, and so on that I didn't feel comfortable enough to proceed further or see the Venice Beach sign. This is totally different than Santa Monica and I can see why. Loud music, loud folks and very SoCal loose culture. Not much of my style.

If I had to pick the beaches, Malibu and Santa Monica would be my only picks. Maybe Long Beach too, but I don't know. It's good to go in the Summer when you have a lot of daylight.

Despite all the news, Venice Beach feels amplified, authentic and really cool. Lots of new restaurants are open and hopping, skate park packed, paddle tennis busy, surfers everywhere! Beach was clean and the bike path busy - bikes, roller skates and joggers. Can’t wait to see Muscle Beach open up again!

Filthy!! People, garbage and disease line the entire boardwalk. The tide line at the beach was piles of plastic, broken sunglasses, food wrappers, needles and used condoms. We could not get in a hot shower fast enough and left our shoes outside our house for two weeks. The desire to burn the clothing we were wearing was overwhelming. Gross

Nice vibes, beautiful views and weather. If you don't like the smell of weed, this place isn't for you! lol

Well it’s loads of homeless people, people who are high and somehow doesn’t give you the impression of a safe place. Yes it’s ok during the day and you get loads of people around but wouldn’t go by myself at night..

Venice Beach is a place full of life, with lots of entertainment and various shops. We had the chance to attend a basketball tournament that day, a real show! The shops are a little expensive but offer a lot of choices, and street arts are present everywhere, adding to the charm of the neighborhood. The beach is huge and nice, the place is clean and the parking spaces nearby are reasonable. Must visit to enjoy the unique Mood of Venice Beach.

This beach was filthy. Pay to park in a garbage lot. Trash everywhere and homeless wanting hand outs and being hateful. Don't recommend.

This place is totally disgusting. The only positives are the beach and homeless are gone. Restaurants and shops that are open look filthy. We stayed about a half hour. Tons of millennials that have no jobs and play all day.

Venice is a pit of despair. There are literally thousands of homeless people living in tents Un disturbed by zoning, policing or social work. If you want to see the breakdown of modern society go to Venice where well to do residents live behind 15 foot fences and the homeless go to the bathroom on the streets

I was disappointed to see so many homeless people along the boardwalk area adjacent to the beach. The smell made dining outdoors unwelcoming but we managed to snag a table on the side of the Venice Beach Ale House for lunch.

TIP: Do not follow the man holding the sign to park down Speedway St. Keep driving straight towards the beach and park for $7 instead of $15 that we paid following the man with the ‘Public Parking’ sign.

A horrible place to avoid at all costs. $18 to park to walk thru strung out homeless people, aggressive scammers trying to push their fake cds, and marijuana smoke so thick you’ll get a contact high. Just dirty, nasty and unsafe. Save your time and money and head to Santa Monica instead.

This is odd... Several reviewers reported squalid conditions, but we did not see a single homeless, not even traces of them. The beach felt safe, it was clean and lifeguards were on duty.
Maybe it has to do with the the section; we were at the Venice fishing pier and did not walk up north, but the beach looked just as fine southwards. Maybe it's because it was Monday morning.
The were some people around, and they all looked normal beach people (with some more surfers than usual, since they have a dedicated section of the beach just south of the pier); no weirdos, drunkards, junkies or other disturbing elements.
The restaurants in the area as are a bit pricey, but not obscenely so.
We walked around in some streets and alleys, and they all felt safe and were well tended to.

So either the other reviewers are local residents who want to keep tourists away, or the authorities have done one hell of a clean-up in the last few weeks!

If you like cantankerous homeless people, a lot of stank and things looking super run down with the random homeless fire to avoid then this is the place for you.

Very dirty. Graffiti everywhere. Not at all what it used to be. I would pass and go to the Santa Monica pier area instead

Interesting LA experience for tourists though far from essential. Cheaper stores and food outlets compared to Santa Monica Pier, and more of a funky vibe and atmosphere. Interesting to see the painted murals on the walls in the area. Has a slightly gritty edge to it which may not appeal to everyone.

I first became aware of Venice Beach in California in the 1950s when it became home to the Beat Generation. Then the Hippies arrived in the 1960s and the New Agers in the 1970s and 1980s. Venice has always attracted whichever the counterculture of the decade was. Today, it's a retired 85-year-old Chicagoan who is just looking to see what all the hoopla is about. Located between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, on the Pacific Coast Highway, "Venice of America" was founded in 1905 by tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney as a Los Angeles beach resort town. It paid homage to its Italian namesake with canals, piazzas, a lagoon, pedestrian bridges and a colonnaded business district. It includes a bike trail, breakwater, recreation center, fishing pier, world renowned roller skating plaza, two children's playground areas and a 2 1/2-mile pedestrian promenade that features street performers, fortune tellers, street artists, street vendors, jugglers, mimes, musicians, palm readers and belly dancers. Surfers gather around the Venice Breakwater while body builders flock to the open-air gym on Muscle Beach. Other activities include basketball, paddle tennis, handball, beach volleyball, swimming and windsurfing. Not to mention dining, shopping and people-watching. Between 28,000 and 30,000 people visit the Venice Beach Boardwalk or Ocean Front Walk daily. It is the second most visited destination in southern California with 10 million visitors a year. What has been called "the roller skating capital of the world" features three miles of coastline, 238 acres of beach, three parking lots with over 1,200 spaces and countless cafes and souvenir shops. You can bike along the four-mile boardwalk that runs from the north end of Venice Beach to neighboring Santa Monica Beach. And a mile-long stretch of Abbot Kinney Boulevard features trendy restaurants, posh galleries and chic boutiques. Stop to eat at Hinano Cafe, a popular hangout since 1962, Ospi, Cafe Gratitude, Gjelina, Pizza Girl, Butcher's Daughter or De Buena Planta. Shop for furnishings or fashion at Strange Invisible Perfumes, Aviator Nation or Urbanic Paper Boutique. It's all Bohemian and romantic and affordable.

Venice Beach has been on my bucket list forever, so I was really excited to be able to visit. I shouldn't have been surprised, since I read reviews before I visited. Still, I had high expectations. First of all, it is dirty and some parts even smelled like urine. There are a bunch of stores that sell the usual touristy items (t-shirts, magnets, etc.) I didn't stay very long, because it was not great. I didn’t feel that safe as I was there by myself. I did overhear people asking another person if they had drugs on them. But drugs seem to be common in LA, so it wasn't too terribly shocking. I also saw dirty needles on the ground. The women’s bathroom was absolutely disgusting, so I would plan on going somewhere else before you visit. I also don’t suggest taking kids.

Such a cool place if you enjoy art and some iconic American things. Amazing to see places you've only ever seen on a screen!

Interesting place to see but … crowded … live performances nothing special … overpriced places to eat… shops all selling similar things …
We did enjoy skaters but were happy to get out of there.

so exhilarating and enterprising that in venice you will find everything.... from sportsmen who do gym on the beach or rolllerblade to docks or shops or bars for drinking or lunch....... unique.......

One of the must visit stops in LA. Live music, skateboards, basketball, beach, food, drinks. It has it all. Lot of travelers and locals

Great palce for an afternoon walk. The vibe is great and there is plenty to do, so long as you don't mind the stench of weed. The beach is very clean. The skate park is worth a visit to watch some folks doing thier tricks.
The toilets are in serious need of doing up. Half broken / doors won't lock, no light, no paper or water etc. Basically stay clear of the public toilets. They are disgusting.

Man this place has gone DOWNHILL. We stayed at an AIRBNB on the beach but the homeless tents and piles of trash were EVERYWHERE, I mean EVERYWHERE. Streets were lined with tents, the sidewalks were lined with tents. I've been to Venice several times in the past, but will not be going back. It was dirty and unsafe.

The beachwalk was incredibly versatile and varied, as there was something new to see every day! Breakdance festival, skateboarding stunts or chilled rollerblades riders of all ages. We were there 3 days and would have stayed even longer because the people there were very interesting and friendly!

Terrible , dirty and disgusting place.
I would never go here but the tour brought us in. Was very disappointing. Dirty and would not eat here if I was paid! Bathrooms looked horrendous and we didn’t use them. Homeless and questionable looking people loitering everywhere. Don’t recommend this to anyone

Hippies are still alive and kicking apparently, at least some of them, and they are all in Venice beach. Interesting mix of people, good for a walk.

Don’t worry about getting the ‘rona here - it’s like the 10th scariest things about this place. Angry vagrants and drug addicted beggars live at the beach. They’re occasionally violent but always scary.

Always wanted to come here and it was unlike anything I’ve seen. Unfortunately the weather was dull and slightly cold so no going in the sea for us but that didn’t matter as everything else kept us very occupied. The atmosphere there is wild, so much to see, street performers, muscle beach, vendors, souvenir shops. Very fun, would like to go back with better weather. BUT AVOID THE PUBLIC TOILETS AT ALL COSTS LOL

Venice Beach was definitely on the to do list for our trip to LA. The pedestrian route which is separated from the skating/cycle path so it makes it nice and easy to navigate. Didn’t quite live up to my expectations, dirty, some of the toilets less than inviting, constant whiff of weed in the air and at times intimidating. Navigated our way to the canals and were happy to walk back towards the pier.

Do not go to Venice Beach! One of the most scary places in the USA! Highly overrated and an embarrassment to California. Homeless people make you feel scared

We went there in the afternoon before dinner. It's not a dangerous place, at least during the day. It’s a nice promenade on a huge beach,’ where you can see teens and adults doing tricks on skates, fancy bikes and the “famous” bodybuilders in the Muscle beach part.
Definitely also great for an aperitif or aperitif, if you are not looking for something romantic of course.

I wanted to come here to see their version of muscle beach and street sellers, but all you see (and smell!) is the street sellers and homeless on dope. I'm not against weed being smoked here and there but this was all the time!

The other annoyance is the con artists selling their cd's, they basically line up across the street and stop/offer you a cd of their work, which naively I thought they were just handing out. Then the request for money comes, ok a few dollars, no a few dollars more then requests for 20 dollars. The problem is exacerbated when all these cd sellers descend and try the same scam with increasing requests for money. I didn't like this as it can be intimidating when you're being surrounded, so eventually after buying what are likely blank cds that I didn't want for a few dollars, moved on.

Unless you really want to come here, I'd stay away as Santa Monica beaches are way nicer.

My family of two adults and two teenagers rented bikes and rode from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach. The goal in Venice was to hang at the skate park for an hour. The homeless encampment sites are everywhere once you get to Venice Beach. We witnessed multiple people passed out or strung out in the sand. Literally tents are everywhere. Both my son and I were spit on by a man in a wheelchair, about 5 minutes apart. It was a learning experience for my kids for sure. Don't do drug's kids!

The tour brought us here and even the guide told us they wanted to drop it from the tour but people keep wanting to go so they had to leave it in.

The beach it’s self is fine , a beach is a beach!

The boardwalk is just a little hippy dippy for me with hash shops , tattoo places and lots of tourist rubbish with some Interesting things written on t-shirts.

There is some cool graffiti and altho I didn’t see any but there is meant to be some banksy art here too which is cool.

It was interesting to see but the hour we spend here was enough

If you’re up for strolling while people watching, take a trip to Venice Beach. Our party of four meandered around the side streets, canals and along the beach itself. We paused to watch the muscle builders and skate boarders; both were a source of entertainment. Many shops including Tarot and Psychic Readings, Henna Tattoos, sunglasses and souvenirs provided beach goers with many options for remembering their visit. Since we spent an afternoon during early April there, it was not “beach
weather”. No sunning or dipping in the ocean for us! There was no love lost there, as the time there was worthwhile in and of itself. We got a slice of a different part of L.A. culture.

Every now and then, my friends and I make the trip out to Venice Beach, and it's always a fun little escape. The people watching is wild, and there's a pretty "anything goes" vibe. I like getting iced coffee and walking the boardwalk, seeing the street performers, and sometimes those bodybuilders!

It can get a little too crowded, but it's a great spot for an offbeat day.

I basically wrote the same review for Santa Monica Pier but I felt the same way about both Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier.....Sometimes when you stay in a major city there are tourist attractions and locations you go to simply to know you've been and to know what it looks like in person. Venice Beach was one of those locations for me. It was exactly like I thought it would be - busy with tourists (like us), tacky souvenir stalls, stores and food venues but fun people watching and seeing different people trying to earn money with various performances. I'm glad to know I've now been but I wouldn't ever feel the need to return to Venice Beach when traveling again to LA. Would recommend going purely for the reason of saying you've been there and done it while in LA.

Very cool area, amazing art everywhere and a awesome vibe. Just to be in an area I've seen on so many movies etc. So worth it.

Venice Beach is definitely an experience. Right on the beach itself, in the sand, it’s clean, and the ocean is beautiful – perfect for a quick swim or just enjoying the waves. Once you move further back, you notice the typical Venice vibe: colorful, lively, sometimes a bit chaotic, and not always spotless. But that’s also what gives this place its unique character. If you’re looking for authentic LA vibes, this is the spot; if you prefer something quieter and more polished, you might want to check out another beach.
Overall, it’s an interesting mix – not perfect, but charming in its own way.

Such a amazing place to visit beach lovers will enjoy this place must visit this place once just love it

It was very pleasant! All that hype about how dangerous it is was way over the top! I know the City did clean up the encampments and there are still homeless, they are trying to make a dollar by selling stuff or by creating sand scapes.
Loved the skatepark, people are friendly and no body bothers you…

The beach itself is vast with beautiful find sand. The boardwalk is a bit tacky in parts but good fun nevertheless. Not as many bars and restaurants as you might think.

Very funny shops.
Gym machines, skate tracks and pretty beach
This place has many tourists
There a lots of art shops

This is about a 25 min beach walk from Santa Monica pier. It’s a beautiful beach with small pier and plenty of beach shops. We hired bikes for an hour which cost $10 which was good fun. However the number of homeless people spoilt it as it didn’t feel safe. Recommended but be careful.

This place is a crap 💩 hole, don't bring your kids here. It smells like marijuana, and urine There are homeless everywhere and druggies, staggering around. Depressing. I don't know how the people of California put up with this!! It was once a Beautiful place .

On the way to the airport we stopped to see Venice. Parked in a pay lot and walked up and down the disgusting 3rd world boardwalk. On the way back to the car a guy started following us talking nonsense so we walked faster. We all jumped in the car and locked the door and he stood in front of the car trying to block us from leaving. I backed out and as I was he ran around to the back of the car and he slammed his hands down on the trunk. I threw the car in drive and gave him a one finger salute as we drove off. This is what you get in liberal Venice where this behavior goes totally unchecked. Never ever again. Oh and this was 9 am on a Sunday morning.

I was there 2 yrs ago .not bad ..but went back .this aud 2020. Well let me tell you the truth. This is not a good area any longer . Many homeless camping along the west side of boardwalk ..bringing in trash and blue tarps . Very sad to see that venice and Santa monica is doing nothing about the problem. Crazy people that need help too . And the the thugs .and riff raff that goes there are trouble some too . Dont take your kids to the board walk . Parts of venice ok .but be careful.. we found that newport beach was family oriented. But cost is more . .but you are safe ......but avoid the davy Jones locker whale tour . Its a scam . Especially the last 6 o'clock tour . They said it was to ruff of seas. But instead of a refund they gave us just ehough of a ride to not have to give us our money back . I would stay clear of davy Jones locker .

The nearby beach (Santa Monica) is more interesting. I did not really like the atmosphere of the place and the beach has nothing too much. Well full of tourists and camel

Loved it! You can walk around, buy different things, eat, and watch people do crazy things. A bit dirty, but other than that it was a good experience

People watching, eclectic styles, southern Cali eats. Venice never fails and is always a vibe! I can't wait to get back.

I was expecting to visit an American cultural icon.
I did not expect to see a beach lined in cheap junk and boarded up shops, full of drug addicts on streets that smell of piss.

A great place to visit if you are looking for some booty shorts with an obscene statement printed on them.

Honestly I’m surprised the government hasn’t done anything about this.

Venice Beach offers miles of beaches, walking trails, and shops. You’ll enjoy gorgeous views of the pacific, as well as cliffs in the distance. Beware that marijuana is very popular here.

I was a bit sad after our visit today. Venice beach is decayed and look like it needs a revival. Loved the skatepark and watching the skaters but Muscle beach and the rest is so old and tired. I prefered the walk on the Santa Monica part. The beach is still lovely. Consider to take the bike - Nice snd Easy ride.

The beach is beautiful and the building murals were amazing, but the walkway has become a sad carnival. Public facilities--restrooms, benches, green spaces--were filthy and home to homeless souls.

I mean there is no place like Venice beach in the world ... so funky and freaky and still clean and fun ... you can really have a good time here with lots of good eats too.

Beautiful sandy beach that goes a long way and has lots of shops and food options right on the boardwalk. Can walk it to Santa Monica Pier as well.

Dirty and full of the literal dregs of society. The surrounding streets are full of rubbish and faeces. Don't bother visiting here. It's scummy, trashy and over hyped. Homeless people lying in the sand, drug dealers walking around, wierdos everywhere. The sand is full of rubbish.

Eclectic to say the least. A lot of souvenir shops, lots of marijuana for sale and in the air, no decent food but an interesting walk nevertheless.

I cannot express my disappointment and really sadness for what I experienced here. It is a homeless encampment full of unstable addicts. Very unsafe and scary. Smells of urine and feces and it is completely littered with trash. Very very sad. Avoid this beach.

This area is skate board and hippie culture. It is a little sketchy and the bathrooms are dirty with doors that do not all lock. An older "hippie" man offered me a package of cookies he said were fine - he just didn't like all the sugar. Hmm. No thanks. Who knows what was in those cookies. This is not an area that I felt comfortable now can I recommend. Nothing of interest here.

We had a great time at the beach and walking around expecting that Venice Beach is “different” than any other beaches in Southern California. Definitely out for the parking scans and the T-shirt shops where they tell you one price for a shirt and ring up your credit card for double! Venice T-shirt shop did this and charged my daughter $175 for two t-shirts and had the audacity to tell my daughter it was California taxes. I have filled a complaint with the BBB. So watch out to not get scammed on the beach but other than that we had a great time!

Love the sandy beach, waves, water, ocean, sunsets, weather, everything.
Venice beach us in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.
Pay for the parking and you'll be good.
I always visit this beach when in LA

Dirty everywhere, cheap junk in the shops, an extremely high number of homeless people - some of whom are quite aggressive, and so on and so forth. Today it is only a shadow of its former self. Years ago it was still worth a visit, but today people prefer to go to Malibu.

Well an impromptu trip to Venice Beach was eventful. I dipped my feet in the Pacific Ocean. Took photos of lovers in embraced in a moment and interesting plaques on the pier. Walked down the boardwalk and got those feet tattooed at the House of Ink and swapped out my nose piercing. Shout out to Ben, Felipe and Nicole!!! Best beach day ever!

Cool atmosphere to see. It's a different place for sure.

Not a lot to do, and definitely some touristy stuff. We enjoyed a bike ride around here, and would do that again.

Clearly, Trip Advisor needs to evaluate their overall rating of "4" of Venice Beach. As I scrolled through many reviews, the higher ratings were not made in that last year or two.

We were "greeted" by Venice Beach as we drove into the city and witnessed a full out brawl in the middle of the a four lane street. Police drove by with a blind eye and I am sure they just have to pick their battles as there is so much crime and despair in Venice Beach.

It's a great place to take a walk, as Santa Monica is, where more locals spend their time without many tourists. There are many restaurants and so on, and you can have fun

Very beautiful, wide beach. Lots of palm trees and lovely sand. There are lots of restaurants along the way. Souvenir shops too. The beautiful view of the sea is unfortunately somewhat spoiled by the real America, lots of homeless people and stoners along the side of the road. We still found it interesting to watch the hustle and bustle...

Strand is downtrodden funky with pop up art (and junk) vendors, skateboarders, families, homeless, and enough 2nd hand ganja smoke to fail your next urine test. Options to eat were limited at Santa Monica end but the Ale House was good for lite fare (great staff). Mix of new and dated hotels and despite having a dedicated bike-blade-board route on the beach, kamikaze electric scooter bombing runs abound on the strand (Ocean Front Walk). Plenty of prison grade bathroom stalls and outside showers along the beach.

There's a fine line between honkey-tonk fun and desperate sleaziness, and Venice crosses that line. There's nothing redeeming about this place, and there are plenty of other coastal destinations to visit that are wonderful.

This beach was on my 9 year olds bucket list. We stayed ten minutes. Why, because as soon as we got out of our car a lady was screaming the “f” word at the top of her lungs. We didn’t really notice the homeless camp when we arrived because we were focused on the beach. We kind of brushed it off as a one time. There are crazy people everywhere. Then we Just got out onto the sand and We saw an obviously drugged out lady walked by us muttering with a broom dragging behind her that was somehow attached to her bottom side under her mini skirt. Ewww so we started back to our car and noticed all the tents and druggies wondering around. We decided to leave Immediately. It was 4pm on Sunday, a waisted parking fee, and trip.

Just visited Venice beach last weekend and I was very impressed by how much improvement the city has made about the area. Great location for some fun in the sun, with great restaurants and bars, and of course, great people watching :-)

A beach and a promenade not to be missed. Take the whole day to rent a bike or even walk and visit all this beauty. Admire the stalls on the sides, skaters performing or restaurants nearby. The legendary Venice Beach deserves to be photographed at every corner and time of the day.

I live 2.5 miles from Venice Beach. Venice beach used to be just a cool, funky place to visit, however no more. Venice beach and the boardwalk are filled with homeless people, drug addicts and some very mentally ill people, some of which are violent and dangerous. I would not recommend visiting this area until city leadership has changed, covid 19 is behind us and the city has cleaned this area. It’s just gross and not safe for visitors.

Venice Beach is a trip. A slice of SoCal life that shows the weird, wacky and wild side of the golden state. The skate park was great - a colorful medley of genders, races, ages, and skating styles. Pro-level skaters mixing it up with little kids in a supportive environment. Go for an afternoon of people-watching, tchotchke-buying, contact highs, and sunbathing (if the June gloom ever dissipates).

We were very disappointed with Venice Beach.
Generally the coastline is beautiful and the beach is clean and looked after but the promenade is pretty shabby. The shops and cafes look grubby. There is a lot of graffiti, on the trees as well as everywhere else.
We were pestered by people trying to sell their CD's constantly and the whole place smelt of weed.
I would definitely not go back.

The reviews on here are really divided. Some people love the vibe and the sheer madness of it, and fair enough some don't. Think Camden Market in the sun and by the beach. It definitley is not for everyone.

However, we satyed here for 5 days and loved it. The beach is great. Surprisingly very clean, plenty of space, nobody hassling you to buy anything adn it felt safe. We left our towels and bags for a couple of hours whislt we surfed.

You can hire surfbaords and bikes, roller baldes and wetsuits practically anywhere, we used the hire shop on the Venice pier. Be prepared to show ID and leave a deposit on your Credit Card.

The baordwalk itself is weird and wonderful although the prices in the shops are well over the top even for California. I have got home and found cheaper prices on Amazon for the same things (Now proud owner of a muscle beach t-shirt for 50% less!). Muscle beach is sadly slightly run down but great to have a workout with my son there.

We walked the 2 miles to Santa Monica pier in the evening sun and it was lovely. Very chilled and relaxing.

As far as the "Safety" was concerned, its the same as any busy tourist place - flash you money, wallet, phone about and you can become a target. Treat people with respect and politely decline their offer of a CD and no one will hassle you.
Granted I wouldn't let my wife or daughter walk through the boardwalk alone at night but the same goes for most towns in England!
It did smell of weed and there a lot of homeless but in the 5 days i only saw some trouble once and that was quashed very quickly by the shop keeprs and police, so again, only the same as you get anywhere else.

Go there, enjoy the beach, walk the boardwalk and have ag reat time.

Bellissimo. As you can see on TV, it seemed a must and in fact it was worth Recommendation to everyone to stop

The beach was fine, not busy on a Friday afternoon. The skate park was cool to see, some talented skaters. Got lots of walking in. Some very interesting people watching. My 9 year old made the comment that it was an experience for her eyes and nose. 😂

Famous beach that's definitely a fun walk along the coast with tons of food options to grab and go with a snack. More than enough cool spots for a picture.

The area around this beach is like something from a horror movie. It’s trashy looking and the smell of marijuana permeates the air. During my tour, I became aware that the Google headquarters is here. Of course, I’m thinking, “Shouldn’t these rich elitists demand fresh air to breathe?” You see, I am old enough to remember when cigarette smoking in public was acceptable. Then, I saw a shift when it started to be banned for health reasons. It’s like young people today don’t see the hypocrisy in their world. Cigarette smoking is banned but marijuana is perfectly acceptable? I guess they have smoked so much that it has damaged their brain cells. Very disappointed with the California beaches I have been to for this reason….the smell of marijuana gives me a headache, and it should NOT be in public places, especially if cigarettes are banned.

I Came here as a solo traveler and booked with Viator, but the trip was worth it,
Venice Beach was a must, I would come back again !

Great beach, very spacious, sadly the Baywatch glamour is gone. De shops, de outdoor fitness center and the sidewalk look cheap and nothing we had imagined. We really don't understand why the municipality does not intervene. So sad te see what place has become.

The beach itself is nice. It is very large and this time of the year not crowded at all. Good place to watch sunsets. However, the surroundings are not that great with a lot of homeless people staying permanently it seems.

This isn't any longer the Venice Beach old from of the 1980's - 2000's. On a whim my family and my I decided to visit Venice Beach (VB) from Santa Monica, and that was a huge mistake. The place reeked of fumes from smoked marijuana, illicit narcotics, old urine, feces, and vomit. As mentioned by others who posted recently, the place is filled with the homeless, those suffering from serious mental disorders, illicit hustlers selling anything that's illegal, and the junkies. VB city police or any level of security presence to maintain some level of control is completely absent, as it appears that anything goes here (as we saw some crazed person defecate publicly in VB along the boardwalk - and that didn't seem faze anyone nearby as somewhat abnormal personal behavior).

This is NOT a place that's good or safe to bring a family or young children who are under 10 - unless a dystopian vacation environment is your family thing. Parking is abundant and the beach was empty when I visited and for good reason, people are avoiding this place like it's infected by the plague. The skateboarding and weight-lifting parks are both big draws, but to me they're hardly worth visiting due to the additional nonsense you have to encounter just to get there.

If you are not from LA you have to visit the iconic Venice Beach. You have the legendary basketball courts, skate park and Muscle Beach, along with the colorful cast of street performers that always keep it interesting. Nice beach as well..

We visited a few weeks ago, was really surprised to see so many homeless people and people smoking cannabis. I didn’t feel safe at all! People trying to sell you their music cd’s trying to force them in to your hand. This place is definitely not what I expected… run down and I imagine when it’s dark a pretty scary place to be!

Theres a lot happening over here. Many characters and not the safest place, but very iconic and can be a bit relaxing by the shore. Best to leave right after the sunset!

From Santa Monica Pier on foot to the Venice Canals.
Nice walk.
Everything you see in the movies you really see, from Muscle Beach to Beach Volleyball, Skateboarders, Surfers....
Have a beer in the Beach Bar, with very loud music and surfer dudes.
Venice Canals very cozy.
Ate at the Venice Whaler, super busy and had to wait a bit.
Food very good and beautifully presented, but the drinks, especially the white wine, were not tasty.

Fun place to visit. The beach is large with space to do most anything. The skate park is fun to watch along with the basketball and pickle ball courts. Bring your skate board, bike, or roller skates when you come to this beach.

We're early risers and visited the beach early before all the activitiy. Checked out mussel beach and it's surronding area and have to agree with other reviews that the place is getting seedy. As it was early, we didn't see much of that actiity but it was gearing up. The T-shirt shops are well stocked and reasonable so be sure to buy before heading over to the Santa Monica Pier (pricey).

The endless beach, the beautiful cycle paths, original full of tourist shops and beautiful and very expensive villas to visit

So many vendors! It's a cheesy tourist area for the most part, but it was fun to walk around and check out all of the vendors and the murals. Venice Beach is huge and had a nice bike path. Lifeguards were on duty. There were some renovations taking place at Muscle Beach when we were there, so there weren't many people working out. There are lots of homeless people at the beach and on nearby streets. I don't think there was any free parking around; we paid $10 at the lot we parked in.

The first day after arriving in L.A. we picked up our rental car and drove to Venice Beach. It was a cloudy day and it drizzled slightly and therefore there was not too much going on. Nevertheless, we went for an extensive walk and sniffed sea air. Venice Beach, like many things in L.A., is beautiful but also terrible. Beautiful was the sea and the endless beach and atmosphere. Terrible was the dirt, the homeless and the cheap junk shops. But you should see Venice Beach.

Venice Beach has a unique culture to it, and attracts a lot of free spirits and artists. The beach is an option or you can rent a bike and go around the boardwal.

Area is full of shows and street artists, it is not for everyone.

Parking $9 for the day, huge beach with lots of space for whatever you want to do. Gorgeous views and soft sand - highly recommended.

Very touristy. Beaches are nice. Lots of shops selling stuff. Expensive restaurants. Lots of homeless people. You can see the contrasts of LA here.

The truth is a very bustling place, busy and where you find everything; it is a good walk not even on the beach because you don’t see people enjoying the sand (I really think it’s the least people enjoy in that place), but you can enjoy the street artists, shops, restaurants and many more things. Recommended only for knowing...

Horrible, full of homeless encampments. The city doesn’t seem to enforce anything if you appear homeless, on drugs or mentally ill. I don’t think it’s safe and it’s certainly not clean.

Venice Beach is fun, quirky and creative. We enjoyed the beach which is wide and beautiful. The walk and markets were touristy and fun. We walked around the neighbor hood with the canals, very beautiful houses, a stark contrast to the homelessness. If homeless people bother you then this isn't the place for you. The housing crisis in the US and Cali have created a huge amount of homeless people, there seems to be some invisible infrastructure that supports them here in Venice Beach. The big street a couple of blocks down from our Air B&B was lined with tents every night. People would show up around sunset, set up their tents, get inside and stay inside. I never felt unsafe but I did feel very sad and it made me reflect on the state of our country. The level of income inequality is so crazy. Children go hungry and people who are working full time have to sleep on the street.

The beach itself is pretty nice. Only downside for the beach itself is that it is having to walk through 50 yards of soft sand to get to the water! There was also a lot of homeless on the beach and crazies. Saw a guy in his red dress literally screaming at everyone that rode by on a bike. Walking the boardwalk got approached 10 times by someone wanting to "give away" their CD. Most the shops were nasty, junkie and just simply not appealing. So simply compared to many other beaches, that I have seen, around the country overall this one just isnt anything special

Tacky and full of homeless people which is extremely sad to see. We cycled through and ended up at Santa Monica pier which is far more appealing.

It’s a bit weird honestly. You get this beautiful beach with gorgeous palm trees, and random homeless people walking around. Not exactly a comfortable experience, but at the same time it is very cool as well. The Venice canals are also pretty neat but also ran into some uncomfortable situations there too.

We went to the Venice boardwalk on a nice Saturday afternoon in December. It’s very festive. It’s rather shabby, but that’s part of the charm. It’s fun to watch the skateboarders. We had a good lunch in a sit-down restaurant but it’s more a place for walk-up food stands. We never felt even the slightest bit unsafe. Parking was easy but I imagine it could be tough in summer. Saw only two homeless people. The canals are worth a look, too.

Venice can be described as "free-spirited" with funky shops, street performers and colorful murals.

Venice beach is a popular destination, attracting travellers from around the globe. Ideal for people watching, it is really worth taking your time to relax and look around.

There are a myriad of shops to pick up some quirky souvenirs for a reasonable price.

Once home to bodybuilder and former California Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the outdoor weight room at Muscle Beach is popular among visitors and locals alike.

You can also watch on as some talented skaters take on the popular beach skate park.

Once you've finished exploring the Venice Boardwalk, I highly recommend taking the ocean front to the infamous Santa Monica Pier.

Coming from the UK it’s one of those places that for years I really wanted to see. Not sure in my head what I thought it was going to be like, however it’s quite possibly one of the worst places I’ve been to. It’s basically full of weed smoking freaks. Though we didn’t feel unsafe as it was during the day, we were glad to get back to Santa Monica.

It’s an iconic place to visit. The beach itself has nothing special about it, but the walking path is really interesting, with its shops and performers.

BEACH WITH A WIDE STRIPE OF SAND AND BEAUTIFUL, BUT WITH WEAK SHOPS AND LOTS OF MARIJUANA AROUND. SOME BEGGARS AND STREET RESIDENTS LYING ON THE GRASS. IT'S NOT WORTH GOING BACK.

Great beach, don t think of going for a swin in march... Very quiet during the day for walking, and biking

Nice beach, pretty clean, but public washrooms are to be a dark spot on the beach.. shame of the public authorities which do not do enough to keep these areas clean.. smelly, full of homeless around, showers broken..
the pier is also full of dirt, the so call drinking water fountain not being clean in years maybe..
l will tey next time somewhere else, maybe Santa Monica.

Marijuana smell (if not urine), homeless people, gang members, tacky shops, loud music, and the people of Walmart all combined.
Not a good place to visit if you have a baby (or even if you don't). What are the elected officials doing???

This is one of the places to discover, if you are in California, beautiful bike ride or walk along the beach and canals of Venice , be careful the water is cool there are quite a few waves and it is the cool life relaxed so music a bit everywhere , bike , roller , scooter, skate , atypical look everyone does what he wants either by making fun of the eyes of others or to be seen.
You have to come to discover this way of life not hoping to find a piece of paradise lost.
food is mostly burger and some nice restaurant and bar of course much more expensive than in Europe do not be surprised it is the US....
We have as in all major cities crossed a few sdf but often alone and not aggressive ignore and pass your way we do not feel insecure.
Finally, I would say it is the best place to reside. If you come to visit Los Angeles for a few days.
On the other hand, it is more of an adult world, children are likely to get bored quickly.

Please understand I lived in Venice Beach from 1968 - 1984. It is so much fun just to walk down the Boardwalk and see all the shops and see specialty Vendors on the Beach side of the Boardwalk. There is also a Skateboard Park with great skaters, a Muscle Beach workout spot. Often there are roving Musicians some great places to shop and eat. Just a short walk East (still in Venice) are the great Venice Canals, fun for walking. Enjoy!

A must, especially if you have never been here before. Lots of people watching at this place. Lots of typical souvenir shops. Must check out the skate park.

This is a people watching spot, muscle beach lots of little shops and interesting characters. Be sure and watch some skate boarding