Here's everything you need to know about Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
Elevate your stay in Venice Beach with sunset drinks at the High Rooftop Lounge, located within Hotel Erwin. PHOTO COURTESY OF HOTEL ERWIN
When tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney founded Venice Beach in 1905, it was nothing but marshland. Now, the area is one of Los Angeles’ most frequented seaside neighborhoods. With a bustling boardwalk, independent shops and one-of-a-kind dining, Venice’s high-low locale has something to offer for just about anyone. Stay in a boutique hotel steps from the water, recharge at a holistic wellness retreat, dine in a nationally-recognized eatery and cap it all off with craft cocktails at one of the many nightlife destinations. Welcome to Venice Beach.
STAY:
Conveniently located on Pacific Ave., Hotel Erwin is within walking distance of the area’s trendiest businesses and, of course, the beach. The hotel houses the High Rooftop Lounge—perfect for grabbing cocktails with scenic views, and Barlo Kitchen + Cocktail, where locally sourced dishes and gourmet pies in pink boxes from Pizza Girl preside.
Originally created by Warren Wilson in 1911, this unique estate now houses travelers within its nine guest rooms. Each room has its own personality so you can’t go wrong—though the spacious Pier Suite has incredible ocean views. Fun fact: it was once a lifeguard lookout!
Decorated with the same pared-down interiors as Gjelina, the residential-style accommodations feel reminiscent of a European countryside escape, from quaint queen-sized rooms to spacious apartment suites with Smeg refrigerators, locally sourced ceramics, custom artwork and bespoke furnishings.
Venice V Beach House is a quaint getaway with easy access to all the city’s amenities. PHOTO BY PAIGE OWEN
Situated in a 1915-reimagined landmark, this beachfront hotel is bursting with personality. Some rooms lean more bohemian, while others feature bright colorways, velvet accents and animal print. Staying here guarantees close proximity to the best of the city, plus the oceanfront views we all know and love.
DINE:
As it continues to expand across the country, the original 2008 location in Venice still garners a crowd, day or night. The dark and moody space is known for its modification-free menu of locally sourced vegetable dishes, creative salads, crisp-crust pizza and even a few exclusive-to-Gjelina wines.
From casting lines to pouring your wine, the team at Dudley Market does things a little differently. Inside its discreet locale on Dudley Ave., the restaurant feels like an intimate dinner party complete with fresh-caught seafood and an eye-catching wine wall.
Ospi’s “Feed Me Pasta and Tell Me I’m Pretty” LED sign adds a playful touch. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND
With openings popping up along the California coast, Ospi’s Italian eats continue to draw in diners beyond its original Venice outpost. While chef Jackson Kalb has many signature dishes, we recommend the crispy provolone, spicy rigatoni and chicken parm saturated with cultured brown butter.
This authentic Florentine-style sandwich shop by the Mazzanti family has been a hit since it opened. Choose from a curated selection of delicacies, including the combination that put them on the map: the “La Favolosa,” topped with Salame Toscana, spicy eggplant and slathered in pecorino and artichoke cream.
Pay homage to 1960s Palm Springs over inventive pasta, raw bar selections, seasonal salads and house cocktails in this midcentury-modern gem right off Abbot Kinney.
Chef Jose Carles’ Si! Mon brings his Panama roots to the Venice scene with a menu of delicacies such as thinly spread tuna carpaccio atop a yuca tostada and crispy jerk-rubbed baby back ribs.
Stop in at any time of day for blue algae smoothie bowls, vegan chickpea scrambles, market chop salads, poké bowls and more at this chic seaside eatery right in the heart of the action.
Great White's Tulum-inspired interiors in Venice Beach. PHOTO BY BRECHT VAN'T OF
Steaks are the star of the show at this Rose Ave. restaurant. Each cut, from Santa Carota to Creekstone Farms, is beautifully grilled over an almond wood fire and topped with butter and salt.
The Gjelina group extends its reach with Gjusta, a rustic hideaway for lattes and market-driven lunches out on the sun-soaked patio. Take a miso date cookie to go, and thank us later.
RVR is the community’s latest fixation, revamping the beloved MTN restaurant. The izakaya-based eatery from chef Travis Lett makes the experience as special or as easygoing as you please, from a multi-course journey through premier meat and seafood to a warm bowl of homemade noodles.
HIT THE TOWN:
Come for Hawaiian-style eats in a retro 1970s beach atmosphere, and stay for handcraft cocktails and a high-energy crowd at this Wish You Were Here Group concept.
The iconic, palm tree-lined Venice Beach. PHOTO BY MAX MILLA
Why wait until the evening to hit the bar scene? The Waterfront’s desirable location, named rightfully for its close proximity to Venice Beach, makes for an all-day party.
The City of Love is found at this chic bar-restaurant in one of L.A.’s premier beach neighborhoods. Top off a great night out with a picture-perfect martini or our personal recommendation, the pisco and passionfruit Coucou Sour.
From picture-perfect sips to French-inspired eats, feel miles away at Coucou in Venice. PHOTO BY PAULINE CHETLAN
Going out on the golf course? We’re in! Sunset Sessions have already kicked off, where attendees can grab a blanket and settle in for a relaxing live music performance on select evenings.
Great White’s hip cousin, located just across the street, is simultaneously a delicious dining destination and an effortlessly cool spot to settle in for lychee martinis and hibiscus spritzes.
What began as a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community now welcomes all to its quirky locale for beachy-inspired sips and daily happy hour.
SHOP:
Shop this mile-long stretch featuring some of Venice Beach’s best dining and shopping hot spots. Need a place to start? Heist boutique offers gorgeous designer pieces, and the Scandinavian haven Huset features a fill-your-own-bag Swedish candy station.
Bring a vintage piece back to life at this all-encompassing antique home store, with over 100 dealers in a 16,000-square-foot space.
Deus Ex Machina’s bike and surf-inspired locale has drawn a crowd for over a decade. PHOTO BY @MIGUELPERALES
From sleek surfboards to slick motorcycles, Deus Ex Machina celebrates Southern Californian activity culture at this modern storefront on Venice Blvd.
BEAUTY & WELLNESS:
Escape to a holistic wellness sanctuary that feels miles away from Venice Beach. Den Mother transforms a 1930s bungalow into an indoor-outdoor oasis offering bodywork, facial rituals and functional medicine, plus detoxifying saunas and cold plunges.
Refresh your skincare and aesthetics this summer with a trip to The Things We Do on Abbot Kinney Blvd. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE THINGS WE DO
Committed to restoring facial harmony, Vanessa Lee’s Venice-based studio—with its own skincare brand—welcomes clients for cutting-edge facials, injectables, microneedling, and more.
A hidden gem for advanced skin and body care, enjoy facials with clean, organic ingredients, or explore energy healing and plasma treatments.
Beauty and wellness unite at co-founders Kadi Lee and Myka Harris’s IYKYK spot, a favorite of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Julia Roberts. Book a haircut or highlights, shop the curated selection of highly vetted products or just take in the good vibes at this hidden gem.
Get summer-ready with the help of Ellie and Sass, established in 2017 by Elizabeth Hendrickson and Sarah Sluder. Whether you need a lash lift or a brow tint, this is the place to call.
The famed vegan skincare brings its clean ingredients and masterful techniques to Venice Beach. Tone up with the sculpt and lift gua sha treatment, or firm and transform with the deep sea age-defying facial.
