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Photo Diary of Venice Canals: LA's Hidden Gem

7/16/2017

32 Comments

 
by Gino Evangelista
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I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Venice Beach as it’s one of the most popular beaches in Los Angeles, but do you know about Venice Canals? It’s a peaceful and charming neighborhood about 15 miles East of Downtown LA. Whenever you want to take a break from the activities at the beach or just want to get away from all the craziness of Los Angeles, I highly recommend taking a morning or afternoon stroll in Venice Canals.​
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A friend of mine from out of state sent me a message and asked about Venice Canals because he’ll be staying in Venice and he’s looking for things to do around that area. I started to research and I was quite surprised that I never knew about it considering I am in LA at least once a month.
 
My wife and I already planned to go to Anaheim last weekend so we decided to check out what’s this thing about the Venice Canals. I checked my GPS and it was actually quite easy to get to the area. The first thing I noticed was that it felt I was in a completely different place… nothing about it reminds me of Los Angeles. The canals made it feel like I was in some kind of European city, like I was transported. The lawns and bushes are also well maintained which contributed a lot to the overall nice feel of the neighborhood. Maybe it’s summertime but the flowers are so vibrant here, there's a lot to see and I wasn’t expecting that.
 
But the best thing about it I think are the houses.
 
You know when people ask you, “What kind of neighborhood is it?” Usually you can give them a nice picture by describing the houses like, oh that area has tract homes, they have Colonial houses, etc. Not in this area though; each and every house in Venice Canals is unique. I’ve never seen a neighborhood that includes all kinds of houses design-wise. There are a lot of traditional houses, Colonial homes, Spanish style, glass houses, contemporary homes, Arabic-style home, you name it, you’ll find it here. And that’s the real beauty of it. When you think you’ve found a very distinct house, you’ll walk several meters out, and there’s another house that will tickle your fancy.
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If you’re a tourist, I want to let you know that this is not some kind of an adventure trip. It’s a peaceful and nice stroll I recommend including at the end of your LA itinerary. The houses are beautiful but not in a grand way. Most are cute and charming and very modest, but keep in mind that the smallest and oldest houses can still cost you around two million US Dollars --- and that’s the cheaper end of the price spectrum. After all, this is Venice and staying here means high-end living.
 
Also, I just want to note that it was pretty hot last weekend. It was 98 degrees F (37 C) in Los Angeles but when we were in Venice Canals, the temperature was just in the mid 70’s F (24 C) so it was a pleasant day. I’m not sure if it’s because of the canals itself or maybe because the neighborhood is in walking distance from the beach. Either way, the experience made it really delightful.
 
It is summer in the US right now, which means all tourists attractions are packed. Just to prove my point, my wife and I tried to stop by in Malibu to catch the sunset before heading home but we didn’t find any parking spot after spending a long time stuck in traffic. I understand it is summer time and it’s a Saturday and everyone is at the beach, but there’s barely any tourist when we were in Venice Canals. There were maybe about two families we saw and about three couples, and that’s about it. Most of the people we saw were residents. We have the place pretty much to ourselves so we had an easy time taking pictures.
 
So, what do you think of Venice Canals, would you come visit here? If you’re going to LA, I highly recommend checking out this area. It’s a breath of fresh air if you’re staying in or around Los Angeles and it’s free! I am positive that Venice Canals is the only place in Southern California where you can be transported to experience the charm of Europe without spending big bucks on a plane ticket.
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32 Comments
Julie Torres link
7/17/2017 05:14:20 pm

Your photos are just stunning. You don't hear or see much of these canals but they are super cool and I wish I would get out there to see them. Paddle boarding would be a must.

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My Next Flight Home
8/27/2017 08:06:28 am

Yes paddle boarding looks fun!

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Cynthia link
7/17/2017 11:00:35 pm

What a great find! It is awesome to discover this sort of hidden gems in places you usually visit! I love that the houses are all different, I hate the new architectural trend where all houses look like boxes. Great photo skills too!

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My Next Flight Home
8/27/2017 08:08:49 am

Thanks Cynthia! I really enjoyed the different houses in this neighborhood.

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Chava Mazal Stark link
7/18/2017 10:42:12 am

What a gorgeous collection of photos! I really would love to see Venice. I have a love for canals.

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My Next Flight Home
8/29/2017 09:49:15 am

Thank you Chava. This area in LA should be visited more. I would also love to see Venice in Italy one day.

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Eloise link
7/18/2017 12:12:01 pm

Looks like true paradise... I could use a spot like this to escape the everyday hustle! I need a break where I can relax and enjoy the scenic views of the Venice canals.

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My Next Flight Home
8/29/2017 09:50:13 am

This is the perfect area to escape the city. Thank you Eloise for stopping by.

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Krysti
7/18/2017 07:46:05 pm

What gorgeous photography! You have great eye for detail. It looks like such a beautiful place and I sure hope to visit someday :)

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/1/2017 10:29:04 am

Thank you Krysti, I appreciate it. :)

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David Elliott link
7/18/2017 11:21:02 pm

This does look like it was a lot of fun. I know we have several places out here like that in Long Beach and Newport Beach as well. I love these little canal areas in the back of homes. They are pretty awesome.

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/1/2017 10:30:44 am

I didn't know they have canals in Long Beach and Newport Beach. Thanks for the tip David, I'll check those out.

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Nati link
7/19/2017 01:55:44 am

I'm a total geography fail and I have no idea there was a Venice in LA ! This place looks amazing,, your photos are really good and I am thankful for learning something new today!!

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/12/2017 07:36:04 am

It also took me a while to discover this Los Angeles gem. :)

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Andrea link
7/19/2017 05:00:26 am

Oh my, such a wonderful place, makes me want to visit LA even more! I really love all your pictures too!

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/12/2017 07:36:54 am

Thank you Andrea, I'm glad you like them. :)

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Candy Rachelle link
7/19/2017 08:56:50 am

My fiance and I stayed in the Long Beach area while looking at wedding venues in the surrounding areas in May. I knew VB had canals but had never actually seen them before until then. It is such a beautiful scenic area. I loved it!

www.keepingupwithcandy.com

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/20/2017 09:47:45 am

Yes it's a beautiful and quiet area. :)

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Elena
7/19/2017 09:47:53 am

Gosh, I have seen this place in so many movies, I didn`t know that it is an actual place that you can visit.

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
9/20/2017 09:48:35 am

Yes, it's a great area for a nice, peaceful walk. :)

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Mia Voss link
7/19/2017 12:08:17 pm

These photos make me feel like I'm there! Love the boat shot with the bird (egret? heron?) and the duckies as well. :) great story on a fun hidden in Cali!

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
2/1/2018 10:45:50 am

Hi Mia, I'm not sure what that bird is, but he looks so proud like he owns the place, I just had to take its photo. Haha

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Krystal// The Krystal Diaries link
7/19/2017 06:11:49 pm

Your photos are amazing! These canals are so cute. I have to travel there one day!

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MY NEXT FLIGHT HOME
2/1/2018 10:46:11 am

Thanks Krystal, hope you make it here. :)

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Candace link
7/19/2017 07:20:55 pm

You took stunning photos! Such a summery looking place! Love the review!

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Tom link
7/21/2017 06:28:34 pm

I've walked through here several times and I think it's brilliant. I'm not a fan of L.A. in general--the only place I've ever liked was Vencie, for the crazy people on the beach and uh, the fish tacos. But the back streets, the canals, of Venice are wonderful too. This is the only place in L.A. I hang out.

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David link
7/21/2017 06:31:23 pm

Nice find! Looks like it's worth a visit when we make it to LA one day.

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Ketki link
7/22/2017 01:26:37 am

Venice canal looks as beautiful and stunning as the actual Venice in Europe. Gorgeous photography.

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Sherrie Fabrizi Allbritten link
7/22/2017 01:02:32 pm

I have seen this area in different moves, just glimpses. But your photo's get to show us so much more! Thank you very much, great job!!

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Carla Durham link
7/23/2017 08:23:27 pm

I've never heard of Venice Canals. It looks like a charming getaway. I loved your photo diary.

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Eva
7/31/2017 03:17:58 pm

Wow! Your photos are stunning! Have never seen Venice like that. Very cool.

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Lindsay Higginbotham link
8/30/2017 01:42:48 pm

These pictures are awesome! I just went this May and loved the unique houses too and how it was much less crowded. Thanks for sharing! I'd planned a post about this too pretty soon, but your pictures are just blowing mine out of the water!

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