Welcome to Venice
The legends are true. Venice oozes with cool, whether one is standing in the middle of the boardwalk or shopping along Abbot Kinney Boulevard. This eccentric neighborhood is full of character, making it one of Los Angeles’ most popular destinations and places to live.
Scroll down to learn more about Venice
The location
Venice is a Westside gem in Los Angeles County, bounded by Ocean Park, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Marina Del Rey, and the Santa Monica Bay.
From Venice, it’s an easy drive to LAX, which is located about 15 minutes away. Meanwhile, it takes approximately 30 minutes to reach Downtown Los Angeles by car.
Los Angeles’ most free-spirited daughter
Venice traces its origins back to the early 1900s, when it was established by Abbot Kinney as the “Venice of America,” a resort town. Much of the development in the early 20th century in Venice were entertainment-oriented, mostly to compete with the pleasure pier in nearby Ocean Park.
Things became rather crazy in the 1920s to the point that Venice could no longer support itself. In 1926, after an election held among the board of trustees, Venice officially became a part of Los Angeles. The road to the Venice people enjoy today, however, wasn’t a straight line.
In the 1950s, Venice continued to be on the wayside of development, so much so that it was called “Slum by the Sea.” Due to the low rent, people from all over settled in Venice, including counterculture artists, the Beat Generation, and Holocaust survivers. They all called Venice home. This paved the way for Venice to become one of Los Angeles’ coolest neighborhoods.
The real estate market
Venice LA real estate is one of the best places in the city to find beachfront and waterfront properties. The options range from newer homes in an array of architectural styles to vintage Californian bungalows that date back to the neighborhood’s earlier days.
Lots in Venice tend to be relatively smaller than in other parts of Los Angeles. Property values are also on the higher end of the spectrum. All things considered, home buyers and residents get what they pay for: amazing location, a hyper-local sense of community, and the thrill and absolute pleasure of living in one of Los Angeles’ best beach communities.
The Venice lifestyle
Dining in Venice
- Hinano Cafe is popular for their world-famous Hinano cheeseburger, and it’s easy to see why this place is Jim Morrison’s favorite spot in Venice.
- Scopa Italian Roots is a trendy gastropub serving American Italian fare alongside creative craft cocktails, all made with fresh ingredients.
- Felix takes diners deeper into regional Italian culinary traditions with their fine selection of antipasti, pizza, with ingredients locally grown and sourced.
- Gjusta is one of the best places to go in Venice for freshly baked artisan breads, all made on-site in their sprawling bakery.
- La Isla Bonita remains Venice’s best taco food truck, and has been so since 1987. Lines are made just for people to get their hands on favorites such as ceviche tostadas and carnitas tacos.
Shopping in Venice
Abbot Kinney Boulevard is the prime shopping destination in Venice. The entire length of this thoroughfare is lined with an impressive variety of shops selling anything from clothing to specialty products.
Stores at Abbot Kinney Boulevard to check out include Burro for everything distinctly Venice and California, Caudalie Boutique Spa for tried-and-tested French skin care, Ilan Dei Venice for locally made furniture, Sofia Kaman Fine Jewels for vintage jewelry (some date back to the 18th and 19th centuries), and Sweaty Betty for the latest in activewear and athleisure.
Schools in Venice
Venice is zoned within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Some of the public schools in the neighborhood include Broadway Elementary School, Venice Skills Center, Westminster Avenue Elementary School, and Coeur d’Alene Avenue School. For high school, local students are zoned to Venice High School.
Animo Venice Charter High School, which is managed by Green Dot Public Schools, is also located in the community.
There are also a handful of private schools located in and around Venice, such as Venice Lutheran School and Saint Mark School.
Live in Venice
Venice’s beach town vibe and surf-and-skate culture are unbeatable in Los Angeles. Come and explore Venice LA real estate and homes for sale. Contact Florence today at 310.927.2777 or estates(at)FlorenceMattar(dotted)com to learn more.