24 Hours in Venice…The Beach Not Italy
I landed in LA before most people had finished their morning coffee, and somehow by late morning I was already in Venice Beach with a Sakura Houjicha latte in hand — feeling like I had already blown my diet. Worth it.
Our first stop was Menotti's Coffee Stop, and if you haven't heard of it, now you have. Named after Caesar Menotti who opened a saloon here in 1915 and hid it beneath a grocery store during Prohibition, the place still carries that same slightly rebellious Venice spirit. Vinyl records playing, baristas who clearly love what they do, and my latte was absolutely worth every sip. Three locations in the world — Venice, Culver City, and Tokyo. We felt lucky to be at the original.
Venice is one of those places that pulls you in immediately — but not in a way you expect. It's colorful, a little chaotic, a little gritty, a little brassy... and honestly kind of bad-ass. Muscle Beach will do that to you. Fun fact I didn't fully appreciate until I was standing there — this whole area was originally designed in 1905 to look and feel like Venice, Italy. Canals, gondolas, the whole vision. And honestly? It feels nothing like Italy. I'm just being honest, y'all. But the canals do still exist — just a short walk from the beach — and that contrast is somehow part of the charm. (Note we found Cadiz Ct. right there off Venice Beach - again nothing like the real thing)
The boardwalk is exactly what you think it is, but more. Street performers, skaters, people at Muscle Beach working out like it's their full time job and the rest of us are just visiting their gym. It's loud and colorful and kind of impossible to look away from. Apparently it's also a designated free speech zone, which explains why everyone seems to be performing something. You don't walk through Venice Beach. You experience it.
We strolled down Abbot Kinney Boulevard — often called the coolest block in America — and stopped for lunch at Gjelina. We shared the wood fired mushroom pizza with truffle tremor, fontina and thyme. One of their best sellers apparently, and I completely understand why. It's the kind of dish where you keep going back for just one more bite until suddenly it's gone and nobody is sorry.
Later I wandered a few blocks inland to the Venice Canals and it was like someone turned the volume all the way down. Quiet, a little reflective, honestly kind of beautiful. Most of the original canals were filled in years ago but what remains feels like a hidden gem — the kind of thing you stumble onto and feel like you discovered it yourself.
Back near the beach I stopped at the skatepark and stayed longer than I planned. That seems to be a theme in Venice. Knowing this is where modern skate culture really took root makes it even more fun to watch — you feel like you're seeing history still playing out in real time.
By sunset I made my way up to the rooftop at Hotel Erwin with an olive oil washed martini — which is not as strange as it sounds if your “on” your cocktail game and it was actually amazing. Sitting there looking out over the ocean with palm trees silhouetted against the sky it just hit me. Venice is gritty and beautiful and completely unforgettable all at the same time.
What a fun 24 hours. Honestly this might be one of my favorite kinds of trips. Next Denver!
