Los Angeles, California
LA is breathtakingly beautiful and I now understand the appeal to travelers worldwide. The diversity of beaches is impressive Despite visiting in the winter, I was able to sit comfortably on the beach for hours. Sitting near the ocean gives me a sense of peace that I find few other places. Being near the ocean is therapeutic and heals my soul when I am experiencing difficult times.
Beaches
Topanga Beach
Topanga Beach Surfer riding a wave
Topanga beach is surrounded by lush green mountains. The road to the beach is peppered with cute boutique shops and cafes. The vibe of the surrounding area is reminiscent of Berkeley and Haight-Ashbury in SF. It feels hippie esque and I love the aesthetic. The beach itself is surrounded by mountains and has a lagoon where children often play. It is a popular destination for locals and their adorable dogs. There are decent sized waves and many surfers can be seen catching waves. It is amazing to watch them in action. If you are looking for a beach that is not overcrowded in the winter months and enjoy a mellow vibe, Topanga is the place!
Malibu Beach
Malibu home overlooking the beach
The road to Malibu beach is lined with beautiful homes and massive mansions with fantastic architecture that are built on mountain tops overlooking ocean views. The homes have such unique character. I stopped by Malibu Village on my way to the beach. The shopping center was a trendy assortment of unique clothing stores and popular brands with an assortment of restaurants to enjoy. This is a great place to shop when visiting Malibu. The beach is located just across the street from the shops. The walk to the beach is scenic and felt like walking along a pretty trail. Malibu beach is more expansive than Topanga and has more foot traffic but was still relatively quiet when I visited probably due to it being winter time. This beach is perfect for people that like to relax in beautiful scenery and still be close to a lively bustling city.
Venice Beach
Venice beach home with unique garden artwork attached Venice Beach skate park
Venice is so vibrant and visually stimulating. I loved every minute of it when I visited. The homes along the beach have so much character and some unique features like plants and artwork growing out of the home itself (see pic above). The path to the beach has cute clothing shops and restaurants on one side and street vendors and performers on the other. The vibe is very bohemian. There is a famous skate park along the beach that has some of the best skateboarders I have ever seen. The tricks and skills displayed by these skaters were incredible. Also, the diversity of the skaters was nice to see providing an inclusive environment that included men, women and children. The skate park is one of the coolest feats that of Venice beach. There was an incredible band that was present when I visited so watching the skaters with the backdrop of the ocean and listening to amazing music was satisfying in ways that I can't fully explain. I have visited beaches around the world and there is nowhere else quite like Venice.
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