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eryn
01-22-2006, 12:14 AM
We'll be in DL feb 28 - Mar7. Kids age 6,9,11. Is this an OK beach for kids? Is this a swimming beach? Is there a shuttle from somewhere? How far to drive or cab? Is the entertainment still big this time of year? If anyone has a great site with info a link would be great. Thanks very much.

The Mouse Is Back
01-22-2006, 01:13 AM
Hi Eryn, here are a couple of good places to start:

http://www.laparks.org/venice/venice.htm

http://www.westland.net/venice/

I personally love Venice, although unfortunately, just like everywhere else, it has changed a lot since I hung out there as a teen (*mumblemumble* years ago).

It is one of the most fun places I know of, and yes, it's okay for the kids. There are a lot of "unusual" kinds of people there, but mostly in an entertaining kind of way. The atmosphere is very California, eclectic, and laid back.

Hope you get a chance to go to Venice for a day. You'll come back feeling like you've really seen a special "only in California" place.

Enjoy your vacation!


-Allegra-

keschy
01-22-2006, 09:06 AM
I lived in LA for 10 years and we would go to Venice beach with our out of town guests. It can be a little seedy in my opinion. I think if you go earlier in the day it is better. Weekdays will be less crowded too. Venice beach is very close to alot of really nice shops and restaurants. You could always do that if you didn't like the beach.
For swimming we would go to Marina Del Rey which is about 20 minutes away from Venice beach. I just liked the atmosphere there better for relaxing and swimming. There is also a breakwater you can walk out to which is nice. I guess the downside of that beach is that you can see the planes coming and going from LAX if you are facing that direction.
If you have a car and feel like a drive there are many gorgeous beaches in Malibu just of Pacific Coast Highway too.
Santa Monica Pier is really nice and there is a swimming beach there but it can get crowded in the summer.There is a carousel there and it has rides and boardwalk games etc.

eryn
01-22-2006, 09:23 AM
A person in our party wants to go there because hes heard about all the cool performers. It would be an added bonus if we can swim! We were planning on going at around lunch and would probebly leave around supper. On a sunday. Is there still any entertainment around on a sunday?

teach
01-22-2006, 11:27 AM
My Family and I (wife, two daughters ages 10 and 12) went to Venice beach for an afternoon this December. Definitely an experience. Go during the day time. Buy some cheap souvenir t-shirts. Get some slices of pizza and people watch. Have fun with the atmosphere. For actual swimming and a more family oriented atmosphere go north to the Santa Monica pier area, or choose a beach closer to the resort, such as Newport. We had a rental car and I figure Venice is about an hours drive.

The Mouse Is Back
01-22-2006, 11:46 AM
Yes, there's usually the same entertainment on Sundays as on Saturdays.

Just so you know, you'll probably have to drive around for a while to find a parking space (only if you drive there, obviously :)).

I'm not sure what keschy means by "seedy"...the residents and business owners in Venice are very proud of the community. We've spent a lot of time walking on the beach there and swimming - there's nothing wrong with it.

It's always been known as a place for counterculture and some of that can be too much for anyone expecting a real family-type beach or "upscale" like Malibu or some of the OC beach areas.

Depends on what you're looking for. If your friend specifically requested a trip to Venice, they'd probably be bored at those other places. :p


-Allegra-

donaldquackers
01-22-2006, 12:08 PM
Venice beach is great. Sunday will be fine, but leave before dark. It's a good swimming beach.We have lots of memories from there. Be sure and walk around all the shops. That is where most of the enertainment will be. We also like Huntington state beach. It's very near Disneyland. We like to go to Disney in the morning, head to the beach at lunch, and go back to the park in the evening.

DorisZ
01-22-2006, 07:08 PM
Just a thought, but isn't the water cold for swimming in Feb/Mar?

Venice Beach surely is an experience, but we also like the beaches closer to Disneyland.

millionairegirl
01-23-2006, 06:17 AM
I personally can't stand Venice beach. The beach is dirty and gross (and don't get me started on the bathrooms) and is not impressive compared to other beaches in SoCal. If you take children there be prepared to answer questions about the homeless people and drug references at the shops.

I would recommend Laguna, Huntington, or Newport beach all in Orange County, or Manhattan or Hermosa in LA. Laguna is more artsy, and is just gorgeous. Even if the water is too cold for swimming the walk along the shore is very nice. There are also tidepools which most children find fascinating. (you may want to wear water socks).

stan4d_steph
01-23-2006, 06:20 AM
That's going to be a very expensive cab ride. As stated previously, you're better off hitting a beach that's closer to DL if you just want to go to the beach during your trip.

pisces
01-23-2006, 06:39 AM
I personally can't stand Venice beach. The beach is dirty and gross (and don't get me started on the bathrooms) and is not impressive compared to other beaches in SoCal. If you take children there be prepared to answer questions about the homeless people and drug references at the shops.

I would recommend Laguna, Huntington, or Newport beach all in Orange County, or Manhattan or Hermosa in LA. Laguna is more artsy, and is just gorgeous. Even if the water is too cold for swimming the walk along the shore is very nice. There are also tidepools which most children find fascinating. (you may want to wear water socks).


Malibu or Newport. Bolsa Chica is nice; you can walk across the street and explore the wetlands. King Harbor at Redondo Beach is nice and has a lot of shops on the pier.

Shoreline Village at Long Beach.

eryn
01-23-2006, 08:30 AM
We arent going for the beach. We live on a beach here and the only reason I was even looking into it was because my freind had heard about Venice beach and wanted to see it. I really appreciate all the other ideas but Im actually not looking for ideas on any other beach, only info and opinions on Venice beach. Thanks

MsYumiBr
01-23-2006, 09:11 AM
For goodness sakes, DO NOT GO AFTER DARK. If you want great night beach activities, Newport Beach in the summer has bonfires.

cfrith
01-23-2006, 12:23 PM
when we were there a few years ago I remember an "Anti-Circumcision" guy (with pamphlets etc.) and some amazing sculptures of animals being made in the sand. Thats just what sticks out in my head from our trip.

The Mouse Is Back
01-23-2006, 12:58 PM
We were just there about a month ago and took about a three-mile walk on the beach. It wasn't dirty or gross. Venice has a far less serious homeless "problem" than Santa Monica and some other beach communities, and I've got news for you - Malibu and the Palisades have homeless people, too.

I think eryn has clarified at least four or five times that her friend wants to see Venice and that's why she asked for information.

Obviously some people can't tolerate being around anything that offends their superior senses of morality and aesthetics. ;)


-Allegra-

MsYumiBr
01-23-2006, 01:26 PM
Here's a link about Venice Beach
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/California/Los_Angeles-753836/Things_To_Do-Los_Angeles-Venice_Beach-R-1.html

The Mouse Is Back
01-23-2006, 01:37 PM
MsYumiBr, that's a great link! It's so good, I bookmarked it.

:)


-Allegra-

eryn
01-23-2006, 05:48 PM
Thank you Mouse. Thanks to everyone for info but yes, I ONLY want info on Venice. Peoples experiences, likes, dislikes, that kind of stuff. IF we can swim thats a bonus(and were from Northern BC so youre cold is usually our warm!) And great link MsYumiBr! That was exactly what I was looking for! I personally wasnt to interested cause Ive been to interesting places like that already(victoria warf, granville island/vancouver, Sanfrancisco) but my freind is a hick farmer and gets excited seeing tatoos or body peircings!!!(hehe Mark!) Anyway, thanks again. I cant wait!!

pisces
01-23-2006, 05:56 PM
I know Venice very well. When I worked for the County, as a health inspector.... I was assigned to that area.

All I can say is: Be careful.

Note where it says in the link below: "Inland a few blocks"------That's very misleading. Blocks in Venice are very short. They are mostly walk-streets. They don't have broad boulevards, with medians to act as a dividing line, which keeps out crime somewhat.....like in other areas.

There's none of that in Venice---buffer zones. What that means, is that, even in the Tourist areas/Waterfront.... you are nearly on top of a gang neighborhood. Rose Avenue is dangerous, even down near Ocean Front Walk.

There are characters down there that prey on tourists, and as I said, you walk a few paces off of Ocean Front Walk------you are into gangland territory. Get well out of there before nightfall, but broad daylight is just as risky.

"The Oakwood neighborhood of Venice, which lies inland a few blocks from the tourist areas, is one of the few historically African-American areas of the West Side (although since about 1980 Latinos have considerably outnumbered other groups there). During the age of restrictive covenants that enforced racial segregation, Oakwood was set aside as a settlement area for blacks, who came by the hundreds to Venice to work in the oil fields during the 1930s and 1940s. A housing project, Lincoln Place, was built in the area by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, housing many black families who were denied housing by white landlords. (Lincoln Place has since been converted into senior housing; in 2003, the city sold it to a private developer who has since announced plans to demolish it and build market-rate housing on the site.)

Since the 1970s, Oakwood has been notorious for crime, particularly associated with the drug trade controlled by the Venice Shoreline crew of the Crips gang. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, gunfire was heard in Oakwood on a nearly nightly basis. As with many areas, though, gentrification caused by the Southern California real estate boom of the 2000s has resulted in a significant decrease in gang activity, and the LAPD Pacific Division considers the Shorelines to be in rapid decline.----Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice,_California

The Mouse Is Back
01-23-2006, 06:38 PM
Well, that was a nice cheerful post.

Bottom line, during the day on weekends, tourists at Venice have little to worry about. Probably 99.9% will never wander away from the Boardwalk area or the adjacent shopping/dining streets

The piece from Wikipedia was gratuitous, IMO. It would have been just as easy to say "be careful, leave before dark, and steer clear of A, B and C streets."

I live in Toluca Lake, which is considered one of the nicest neighborhoods in the SFV. Within a mile away, there is spray-painted gang graffiti on the walls of businesses. Three blocks away there is a major street where I nor anyone else would walk late at night. The same can be said of just about every city and town in the country.

I'm sure Eryn will have a nice time and is perfectly capable of using common sense.

pisces
01-23-2006, 07:00 PM
More bad news:

http://www.earth911.org/waterquality/default.asp?beach_id=1074&station_id=1334&cluster=6081

Remember, State Standards are just a minimum. I've never seen either Venice, or Santa Monica Beaches without water that was all brown and bubbly. And Venice is right near a major flood control/storm drain----the very dirty Ballona Creek which dumps all kinds of sewage and gunk into the oceans.

www.healthebay.org

"Heal the Bay’s 2005 Summer Beach Report Card shows L.A. County had the worst beach water quality in California"---heal the bay (from above)

Me? When I want to go swimming, I find a good private pool, with lots of chlorine. You couldn't pay me enough to set foot in Los Angeles County beach water, ever---no matter what grade they are given. But it's pretty to look at and live near!

The Mouse Is Back
01-23-2006, 07:25 PM
Like I said...I'm sure Eryn is capable of using common sense, at Venice Beach, and in reading *through* your posts.

:)


-Allegra-

eryn
01-24-2006, 06:03 AM
Thank you, pices, for that very disgusting info. Here in BC, in the city of Victoria, the sewage is also dumped into the ocean, on purpose. I really dont think we'll have much time to swim anyway, if we get there at 12:30 or 1 then we'll have to leave by 4 or 5 anyway. We're staying at Hojo's so I'm sure we can get our swimming fix there. The only problem I still have is getting there. Sarah doesnt have a drivers license, Mark and I live in a town without even one stoplight and he said theres no WAY he's driving anywhere down there! That leaves me and I've driven all the way to DL from here before plus to Vancouver many a time. But I hate downtown. Trying to find my exit or turn off, missing them, getting lost. Those things are definatly not for me! Cabbing sounds expensive, and I havent found a shuttle from DL hotels yet. But I guess a shuttle for 6 people might cost more than splitting a cab 3 ways. So, help on getting there? If its easy to drive, I might consider it!

stan4d_steph
01-24-2006, 06:37 AM
Pretty much all sewage ends up in the ocean, though in the US, it is treated first.

CrazyTrain
01-24-2006, 11:42 AM
Not quite sure if it's an easy drive... haven't driven there from DL. Do a Yahoo Map searh and see :)

I love Venice Beach. It's my favorite of the 6 or so I've been to. It's a lot of fun, and I've never felt too unsafe there, either. But I agree about the bathrooms - nasty. Otherwise, it's tons of fun :)