With just a few short hours to explore Los Angeles before my flight back to the east coast, I had to decide where in the city – preferably not too far from the airport – to head to get a taste of the town. Having heard about Venice Beach’s bohemian spirit and boardwalk, I decided to head there.

After paying a wallet-friendly $6 for all day parking right in front of the Venice Fishing Pier (this girl loves a bargain!), I strolled along the pier, taking in the expanse of the beach behind me and admiring the successes of fisherman out for the day.

After, I walked along the beach and the line of palm trees. Surfers were riding waves, while bikers and walkers roamed the boardwalk.

So much of what I’ve always pictured of southern California is based off my teenage years’ favorite show, The OC, and the lifeguard towers were no exception.

After exploring the beachfront, it was time to walk a few streets back from the boardwalk to the Venice Canals. The idea of the charming Venice Canals area, when built over a century ago, was to be the “Venice of America”. The gondolas may have never happened, but the canals still remain.

I loved the quirky homes in the Venice Canals area, a mix of architecture styles with manicured lawns to take advantage of southern California’s sunny days.

Rowboats and kayaks docked to the homes’ piers gave it even more of a “Venice of America” feel. Several footbridges allow you to cross over and explore the area.

In the end, I was so glad I dedicated a few hours to explore Venice Beach – and would love to see more!

Have you been to Venice Beach? What’s your favorite area of Los Angeles?