Venice Beach: Past and Present Tour

Spanning across Windward Avenue at Pacific, the VENICE Sign in lights is a modern day replica of the one originally installed in 1905 by the legendary Abbot Kinney.

It is a defining symbol of Venice, past and present.

In 2007, the Venice Sign Restoration Project recreated and installed the contemporary version of this historic sign. Since that time the Venice Chamber has been responsible for the sign and for protecting its trademark.

Join the global club of folks who have a photo with Venice’s most recognizable back drop, The Venice Sign.

Visitors are invited to photograph the sign for their personal use and enjoyment.

Wait at the traffic light until the walk signal appears, then run out in front of the sign and strike a pose! You have about a 30 second window to get your shot before the cars start coming.

Come and see why Venice became an artist hub in the 1970s & 1980s!

The Venice Beach Boardwalk is one of the top tourist destinations in Los Angeles. Part of the Ocean Front Walk, it's a long stretch of concrete paths hugging the beaches along the Pacific Ocean. But the surf and sand aren't the crowd-puller here. Instead, it's the vibrant beachside sidewalks, loaded with delightful characters. As a cultural mecca, people-watching here is incomparable to anywhere else in LA.

Along the Venice Beach Boardwalk, you'll find fortune tellers, eccentric artists, chanting Hare Krishnas, and bikini-clad roller-skaters. You’ll also come across everyone else wanting to experience Southern California's eclectic beachfront neighbourhood. Skateboarding fans can watch pros at the skatepark, while surf enthusiasts can hang ten near the pier. Head to one of the bars or restaurants and watch the boardwalk action unfold in front of you. The boardwalk is also a great place to shop for gifts and souvenirs.

Venice V Hotel, the only beachfront lifestyle hotel in Venice. Designed in a soulfully reimagined 1915 landmark that was once a hangout for the Hollywood elite, the V is in the heart of it all — Venice's legendary skate park, surf, iconic Boardwalk, shopping, entertainment, and Abbot Kinney’s eclectic dining are just steps away.

The legendary Venice Skate Park, where the greatest skaters have come from.

The iconic Venice Beach Basketball Courts are on Southern California's Venice Beach and are some of the most known basketball courts in the world. Between the beach, shops, sunshine, and body builders, the legendary courts got an even higher profile when featured in the movie White Men Can't Jump. Plenty of pick-up games.

Muscle Beach Venice is the “Home of Bodybuilding”, nestled right in the heart of Venice Beach since 1963. Some of the biggest names in bodybuilding and film including Franco Columbu, Lou Ferrigno, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane have all called Muscle Beach Venice home. Bodybuilders and bodybuilding enthusiasts flock to this outdoor gym to work out and be a part of the bodybuilding tradition. Muscle Beach Venice is open 7 days a week except for major holidays, city holidays, rainy days and annual fitness events. Gym hours vary based on the time of year.

The Venice Canals in Los Angeles County are one of the most unique things you can do during a day at the beach. The canals are located right off 25th street in Venice Beach, and if you didn’t know they were there, you would easily walk right by them. The area is primarily a neighborhood of houses that line four canals about a quarter-mile long each. Along these channels are sidewalks and bridges you can walk to take in the views of this beautiful area

A mile long strip of the latest fashion, art and food
just minutes from Venice Beach, California.