Venice Beach, United States

Don’t expect gondolas or much Renaissance art in this version of Venice: here, it’s all about surfboards, swaying palms and hippy-punk style. A seaside stretch of LA famous for its bustling Boardwalk, Venice Beach has earned an anything-goes reputation for its vibrant social scene and clutch of out-there shops; you’ll come across marijuana dispensaries next to tie-dye fashion boutiques, and heavily tattooed street artists rubbing shoulders with glossy Hollywood-types. Check out Muscle Beach (the 1930s birthplace of the pumped-up workout generation), test your credit limit at the mad-as-a-hatter stores on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and take a stroll along the canals – this eccentric neighbourhood’s one nod to its Italian namesake.
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When to go

Typical of the Sunshine State, temperatures are roasting in July and August. Visit in early spring or just before Christmas for balmy weather in the mid-teens, ideal for sightseeing.

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Getting there

  • Planes

    Most international and local airlines (including British Airways; www.britishairways.com) operate direct flights to LAX, a 15-minute drive from Venice Beach’s bustling Boardwalk.

  • Trains

    Downtown Santa Monica light rail station on Colorado Avenue is a few minutes’ walk from the famous Santa Monica Pier. Expo Line trams arrive here frequently from LA, Long Beach and Pasadena.

  • Automobiles

    A car will be useful if you plan on exploring the surrounding area – hire a vintage Mustang (or something more quotidian) from a booth at the airport and follow Lincoln Boulevard north to Venice Beach.