L.A Locals Love: Venice Beach, California

Staycations are the best. It gives you an opportunity to explore places you normally wouldn’t go to and gives you the time to actually appreciate the place. I didn’t have plans on doing this staycation but had the opportunity to be out there for a few days and decided to make it one!

Venice Beach is a beautiful and quirky place. If you’ve been there before, I think you know what I mean. Even though it’s connected to the iconic Santa Monica beach, it’s completely different. The vibe, the people, the shops, just everything. I’ve never really stayed in Venice long enough to scope it out and I’m glad I did!

Dudley Market – I visited this restaurant for dinner so I can’t speak for their morning or lunch vibes but I can only imagine it’s great! This New American eatery is only a block from the boardwalk with an adorable, welcoming set-up. Even though their Carbonara was probably one of the best dishes I’ve had in a while but the clear winner was their ice cream sandwich. I’m still dreaming about it.

Venice Beach Boardwalk –You can spend hours here just people-watching as I do. But of course, you can shop through the various stores and stands for some Venice Beachy paraphernalia. It’s actually quite inspirational since all the creatives have such unique pieces that they sell. If you’re into cheap, food-cart type eats, this is the place to be. Hot dogs, tacos, juices, all the works! Oh, if you find yourself on Muscle Beach – now that’s a sight to be seen (good or bad, you decide!).

Flowerboy Project – One of my Instagram friends Wendy is an expert when it comes to coffee shops in the Los Angeles area and this was one of her recommendations. It’s about a mile from the boardwalk; you could probably walk but I drove since I was on my way home. As their name suggests, they’re a flower and coffee shop combo. Their Matcha Peppermint Latte along with the Apple Butter & Bee Pollen toast was the perfect breakfast. Even brought some beautiful flowers home!

Leona – When Leona first opened, you couldn’t get a reservation to save your life, mostly because their chef is a celebrity chef, Nyesha Arrington. They serve seasonal food, label themselves “Californian Cuisine” and a bit pricey. The location is fantastic, only about a block from the beach. They certainly have interesting food (lamb wontons, chocolate lavender bar) but my favorite thing about them is their cocktails; fun, quirky and delicious. If you can snag outdoor seating, do it!

Venice Breeze Suites –I didn’t expect to love or discuss this hotel at all but it’s such a hidden gem, I decided to share. I’m terrible about staying at cookie-cutter hotels (I used to work for them) but at that time, all those hotels were sold out or were selling their last rooms at $500+! I never use third party sites but didn’t have much of a choice and ended up here. The reviews weren’t all that great and only a couple of stars so I would be lying if I said I was excited to stay here.

Other than the parking situation which is over 6 blocks away from the actual property, the location couldn’t be better. It’s right on the boardwalk, somewhat unassuming in this beautiful red-brick building. I would almost go to the point of calling them a boutique hotel but they label themselves as an extended stay property. Each room has a full kitchen, making it perfect for the long term guests. For the price, I was expecting much worse but turns out, it’s beautiful! My room was the type of room I imagine myself living in if I was in Manhattan or an expensive beach studio.

As much as I loved the room, the best part is irrefutably the rooftop. Oh my goodness this rooftop. I had it all to myself during sunset, sunrise and during the day while I worked. The view is stunning and you can’t help but smile and fall in love with Venice Beach when you’re up there. If you want something unique and on the beach, I highly recommend this place!

I hope you enjoyed this round of the L.A Locals Love series! Click here if you haven’t read my previous post. Let me know if you’ve been to any of these places or if you have any favorites in Venice!

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I was not paid nor received gratis from any of these locations. All opinions are my own.