Guidebook for Los Angeles
Shopping
Voted the "Coolest Street in America" 2x, it's got great shops, bars, and restaurants. And (Food Truck) First Fridays!
1065 locals recommend
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney BoulevardVoted the "Coolest Street in America" 2x, it's got great shops, bars, and restaurants. And (Food Truck) First Fridays!
There are so many shops with everything you could possibly want along this street! Clothing, jewelry, accessories, artwork, home decor, sculptures, you name it... they've got it!
225 locals recommend
Abbot Kinney BLVD Shopping
Navarre CourtThere are so many shops with everything you could possibly want along this street! Clothing, jewelry, accessories, artwork, home decor, sculptures, you name it... they've got it!
3 level mall with indoor/outdoor open space. You can find everything you would want to buy here and on the promenade
178 locals recommend
Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica Place3 level mall with indoor/outdoor open space. You can find everything you would want to buy here and on the promenade
Food Scene
More shops and restaurants on Main Street between Venice and Santa Monica. It gets pretty lively on the weekends!
105 locals recommend
Main Street Santa Monica
Main StreetMore shops and restaurants on Main Street between Venice and Santa Monica. It gets pretty lively on the weekends!
Washington Boulevard
Washington BoulevardBars and restaurants all along Washington Blvd, starting from the Venice Pier.
The stretch between the beach and Lincoln Blvd has restaurants that are local favorites (try the Venice Ale House and Oscar's)
20 locals recommend
Rose Avenue
Rose AvenueThe stretch between the beach and Lincoln Blvd has restaurants that are local favorites (try the Venice Ale House and Oscar's)
Great healthy menu options that are ready-made. Fast casual setting sums up the LA fit and active lifestyle!
516 locals recommend
Lemonade
1661 Abbot Kinney BlvdGreat healthy menu options that are ready-made. Fast casual setting sums up the LA fit and active lifestyle!
Ceviche is clean and fresh and the 3peppers one is the way to go for a little heat. The Lomos saltada was delicious and the fries at the bottom get soaked in the sauce, yum! Fried yucca, yum! Love it every time and their aji sauce for the yucca is to be hoarded.
When you're in Venice, go here.
17 locals recommend
El Huarique
1301 Ocean Front WalkCeviche is clean and fresh and the 3peppers one is the way to go for a little heat. The Lomos saltada was delicious and the fries at the bottom get soaked in the sauce, yum! Fried yucca, yum! Love it every time and their aji sauce for the yucca is to be hoarded.
When you're in Venice, go here.
The restaurant is beautiful. The wood furnishing and details, and the outside patio with all its greenery is gorgeous.
All of the food is beautifully presented and the ingredients are fresh and delicious. I recommend the smoked salmon with goat cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and sprouts served with some toast, panini with prosciutto and a gruyere, and the wood roasted cauliflower!
It's a little pricey, but well worth it.
1062 locals recommend
Gjelina Take Away
1427 Abbot Kinney BlvdThe restaurant is beautiful. The wood furnishing and details, and the outside patio with all its greenery is gorgeous.
All of the food is beautifully presented and the ingredients are fresh and delicious. I recommend the smoked salmon with goat cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and sprouts served with some toast, panini with prosciutto and a gruyere, and the wood roasted cauliflower!
It's a little pricey, but well worth it.
The garlic knots are absolutely delicious, but sinfully addictive! At dinner time the waitstaff and patrons break out in song (brush up on your That's Amore)! Family friendly and date worthy. It's a can't miss.
181 locals recommend
C&O Trattoria
3016 Washington BoulevardThe garlic knots are absolutely delicious, but sinfully addictive! At dinner time the waitstaff and patrons break out in song (brush up on your That's Amore)! Family friendly and date worthy. It's a can't miss.
Sightseeing
There is always something going on at the famous Muscle Beach
234 locals recommend
Venice Muscle Beach
1800 Ocean Front WalkThere is always something going on at the famous Muscle Beach
Artists selling their fare, and oceanfront restaurants all along the boardwalk
815 locals recommend
Venice Beach Boardwalk
517 Ocean Front WalkArtists selling their fare, and oceanfront restaurants all along the boardwalk
I love Santa Monica pier. Although it can be busy with crowds, it never gets too crowded that you're unable to have fun.
You'll have random people entertaining you throughout the pier, from talented musicians to weird people singing or dancing shirtless; it's always hilarious to watch. There are also very talented painters / artists; some sculpt your face into a 3D clay frame, some do cartoon drawings of you- all priced pretty cheap and unique things. to get as tourists.
There's also Pacific Park, the mini rollercoaster theme park with arcade games and rides for a few dollars. They have a separate arcade game spot for the kids on the pier with race car games and gun shooting fun.
2744 locals recommend
Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica PierI love Santa Monica pier. Although it can be busy with crowds, it never gets too crowded that you're unable to have fun.
You'll have random people entertaining you throughout the pier, from talented musicians to weird people singing or dancing shirtless; it's always hilarious to watch. There are also very talented painters / artists; some sculpt your face into a 3D clay frame, some do cartoon drawings of you- all priced pretty cheap and unique things. to get as tourists.
There's also Pacific Park, the mini rollercoaster theme park with arcade games and rides for a few dollars. They have a separate arcade game spot for the kids on the pier with race car games and gun shooting fun.
This street has everything from people watching to eats, drinks, dresses, suits, baubles, bathing suits, movie theaters, and whatever else is under the sun!
1595 locals recommend
Apple Third Street Promenade
1415 3rd Street PromenadeThis street has everything from people watching to eats, drinks, dresses, suits, baubles, bathing suits, movie theaters, and whatever else is under the sun!
Essentials
Ralphs
910 Lincoln Blvd
Whole Foods Market
225 Lincoln BlvdErewhon Market
585 Venice Blvd.Great healthy market a half block from Abbot Kinney
Drinks & Nightlife
Intimate wine and beer bar (no hard alcohol) on Abbot Kinney.
Quite lovely, quieter place perfect for low key evenings and a chat whether you're with friends or on a date in little sitting areas. Very intimate. Great selection and ambiance with lighting. I haven't seen it too crowded and its never rowdy.
262 locals recommend
the otheroom Venice Beach
Intimate wine and beer bar (no hard alcohol) on Abbot Kinney.
Quite lovely, quieter place perfect for low key evenings and a chat whether you're with friends or on a date in little sitting areas. Very intimate. Great selection and ambiance with lighting. I haven't seen it too crowded and its never rowdy.
The Lincoln is an awesome place to catch up, grab drinks, and enjoy a nice vibe. Located behind a facade reminiscent of a 1960s-era factory warehouse with tin sidings, the Lincoln offers a clean, rustic, hip feel, both indoors and out. Perhaps more importantly, its awesome bartenders serve up delicious, potent drinks with ease.
The indoor area is distinguished by its wooden floors, soft mood lighting, and posh seating alongside wooden tables. The outdoor area is especially nice, with plenty of seating and lovely overhanging lights. Could be a great spot for a date or just to catch up with some drinks.
74 locals recommend
The Lincoln
2536 Lincoln BlvdThe Lincoln is an awesome place to catch up, grab drinks, and enjoy a nice vibe. Located behind a facade reminiscent of a 1960s-era factory warehouse with tin sidings, the Lincoln offers a clean, rustic, hip feel, both indoors and out. Perhaps more importantly, its awesome bartenders serve up delicious, potent drinks with ease.
The indoor area is distinguished by its wooden floors, soft mood lighting, and posh seating alongside wooden tables. The outdoor area is especially nice, with plenty of seating and lovely overhanging lights. Could be a great spot for a date or just to catch up with some drinks.
Local bar near the MDR/Venice pier with some of the tastiest margaritas ever! They use fresh lime juice and agave. Ask for a splash of cranberry too!
Casual vibe with ocean front views and beach breeze. Upstairs bar is scenic and chill, except when they have a DJ ...then it gets loud.
FYI -- Parking is scarce.
*** 10% discount if you show them your Uber/Lyft receipt ***
282 locals recommend
VENICE WHALER BAR & GRILL
10 Washington BoulevardLocal bar near the MDR/Venice pier with some of the tastiest margaritas ever! They use fresh lime juice and agave. Ask for a splash of cranberry too!
Casual vibe with ocean front views and beach breeze. Upstairs bar is scenic and chill, except when they have a DJ ...then it gets loud.
FYI -- Parking is scarce.
*** 10% discount if you show them your Uber/Lyft receipt ***
Parks & Nature
Beautiful and a little bit outside of the crowds of Venice and Santa Monica perfect for a relaxing day on the sand!
127 locals recommend
Will Rogers State Beach
17580 CA-1Beautiful and a little bit outside of the crowds of Venice and Santa Monica perfect for a relaxing day on the sand!
A great place for hiking and the get lost in some trees so near to the beach!
277 locals recommend
Topanga State Park
20828 Entrada RdA great place for hiking and the get lost in some trees so near to the beach!
Arts & Culture
A great place to walk around, people watch, see local artists' shops, eat, drink, be merry!
11 locals recommend
Abbot Kinney Marketplace
1010 Abbot Kinney BlvdA great place to walk around, people watch, see local artists' shops, eat, drink, be merry!
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire BlvdThe Getty Center, in Los Angeles, California, is a campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust. The Getty is well known for its architecture, gardens, and views overlooking Los Angeles. The Center sits atop a hill connected to a visitors' parking garage at the bottom of the hill by a three-car, cable-pulled hovertrain funicular.
Located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Center is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum and draws 1.3 million visitors annually. (The other location is the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.)
The Center branch of the Museum features pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American, Asian, and European photographs.[3] In addition, the Museum’s collection at the Center includes outdoor sculpture displayed on terraces and in gardens and the large Central Garden designed by Robert Irwin. Among the artworks on display is the Vincent Van Gogh painting Irises.
Designed by architect Richard Meier, the campus also houses the Getty Research Institute (GRI), the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Center's design included special provisions to address concerns regarding earthquakes and fires.
2309 locals recommend
The Getty
1200 Getty Center DrThe Getty Center, in Los Angeles, California, is a campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust. The Getty is well known for its architecture, gardens, and views overlooking Los Angeles. The Center sits atop a hill connected to a visitors' parking garage at the bottom of the hill by a three-car, cable-pulled hovertrain funicular.
Located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, the Center is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum and draws 1.3 million visitors annually. (The other location is the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.)
The Center branch of the Museum features pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and 19th- and 20th-century American, Asian, and European photographs.[3] In addition, the Museum’s collection at the Center includes outdoor sculpture displayed on terraces and in gardens and the large Central Garden designed by Robert Irwin. Among the artworks on display is the Vincent Van Gogh painting Irises.
Designed by architect Richard Meier, the campus also houses the Getty Research Institute (GRI), the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Center's design included special provisions to address concerns regarding earthquakes and fires.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum).
LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. It attracts nearly a million visitors annually. It holds more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. In addition to art exhibits, the museum features film and concert series.
3162 locals recommend
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire BlvdThe Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum).
LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. It attracts nearly a million visitors annually. It holds more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. In addition to art exhibits, the museum features film and concert series.