Summer Travel Issue Destination of the Week, Destinations, LowFares Summer Issue
The Best of Los Angeles Beaches
Summer is here, and while Los Angeles is blessed with near-perfect weather year-round, now, especially, is the perfect time to plot an unforgettable LA beach vacation. With over 30 miles of shoreline and over 20 beaches, there are plenty of spots to catch a few waves, watch spectacular sunsets and soak up gorgeous scenery.
Graced by miles of well-kept sandy beaches and high mountains, Santa Monica is home to family-friendly surroundings and a historic pier. Once a playground for well-heeled Angelenos, Santa Monica is now a lively beach community with a varied mix of restaurants, shops, bars and art galleries. From performance artists entertaining along shopping haven Third Street Promenade to the iconic ferris wheel on the pier, Santa Monica offers surf, sand and fun for kids and adults.
A historic landmark (and featured in countless movies), the Santa Monica Pier was built in 1908. Dare to ride a roller coaster over the ocean or ride in bumper cars and an old carousel with 44 hand-carved wooden horses. A block away, the pedestrian-only Promenade has dozens of popular chain and local stores to shop at – on Wednesday and Saturday mornings is the Santa Monica Farmers Market, an open-air market where locals buy fruits, vegetables, flowers and more.
Tourists tired of Disneyland and Hollywood have an offbeat alternative in Venice, the funky beach town sandwiched between Santa Monica to the north and Marina Del Rey to the south. Street performers, religious zealots, eccentric artists and palm and tarot card readers can all be found along the Venice Boardwalk. It has also been a free market for people with something to sell, including cheap t-shirts, sunglasses and snow cones.
A low fence encloses Muscle Beach, where brawny men and women pose and admire themselves between bench presses and pull-ups.
Tobacco tycoon Abbot Kinney founded Venice Beach at the turn of the 20th century and sought to make it the Western version of its Italian namesake. As a result, the city built canals and carnival rides, plus a dance hall and roller skating rink. In 1925, the city lost its independence and became a part of Los Angeles – during the 1950s, it became a home for the beat generation. By the 1960s, it was a center for hippies, and today it maintains its bohemian charm. Wander down Abbot Kinney Boulevard, a stylish stretch populated by fine dining restaurants, boutiques and coffee shops, among other quintessentially Venice outposts.
Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach
Just south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), between Venice and Long Beach, there is a cluster of popular, easy to get to beaches including Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach. The trio’s wide sandy beaches are edged by the Strand, where bicyclists, joggers and skaters perfect their form. After the sun sets, bright neon lights from the Redondo Beach pier illuminate the sky, and nightlife heats up alongside oceanfront views.
Laguna Beach is one of the most charming beach towns in LA, a bohemian arts enclave tucked between ocean and canyons. In the early 1900s, artists moved to the city to paint in the style of the Impressionists. Today, Laguna has dozens of galleries, several summer art festivals and the popular world-renowned Pageant of the Masters, where famous paintings are recreated by posing humans. The Laguna Playhouse is the oldest continually-operating theater on the West Coast and provides seasonal plays in an intimate theater setting.
With summertime around the corner, we want you to share a photo of your favorite summer travel memory with us. You might win a free $250 (USD) Visa gift card which you could use for any upcoming travel plans. Click here and find out how to enter.
__________________
