Venice Beach Boardwalk

There's no other beach scene in Southern California quite like the one you will find on Venice Beach. Starting with the fact that it's the only place that we have a boardwalk right along the sand, where shops are selling everything from beach basics like surfboards, boogie boards, wetsuits, bathing suits, sunscreen and flip flops to hippie jewelry, incense and stoner paraphernalia. Add in the chance to see the famous Muscle Beach outdoor workout area, the running-chainsaw jugglers, the drum-circle bangers and all the gorgeous bikini-clad gals and ripped guys who cycle by on the bike path and there's no question that the Venice Beach Boardwalk is a must-visit L.A. shopping area. Make a fuel stop at On the Waterfront, where they've been serving up Erdinger beer, frozen cocktails, terrific California-style eats and beachfront views of the sand and sun for decades.