LAUSD is on
summer break. So let me tell you about my favorite beach. Abbot
Kinney, a land developer, founded Venice Beach in 1905. The area became a
magnet for tourists worldwide. Arnold Schwarzenegger got discovered at Muscle
Beach and modern skateboarding was born there. As you stroll along the 3-mile
boardwalk, expect to see the weird and unexpected. Numerous sidewalk cafes
boarder the way accompanied by Henna tattoos, boutiques and Jamaican crafts.
Need medical marijuana? You came to the right place.

Here are just a
few of the things you can do on the Venice Beach Boardwalk:

Fishing:

Venice Fishing Pier is 1,310 feet long with a 120 feet
diameter circular end providing plenty of room for fishermen. The fishing pier
offers a few innovations, too. There are double railings at the end of the
pier. The bottom railing is for anglers to rest their slimy bait, while the top
is for visitors to rest their arms.

  Paddle Tennis:

The nine Paddle Tennis Courts are well known to top paddle
tennis players. Extremely busy on weekends, you may find it easier to get a
court during the weekday. This year, the US Open Doubles Championship will be held September 15-16.

Weight Training:

Muscle Beach Venice was
established in 1951. During its early days it was called “The Pen”. By the
1970s it became known as Muscle Beach because few people remembered the
earlier Santa Monica location two miles north of this site near the Santa
Monica Pier. The gym’s focus is on weight training, so plan on building those
biceps, triceps, and quads.

 Basketball:

Venice
Basketball Courts is the place to shoot some hoops. The courts are renowned
across the country for their high level of street ball where many NBA players
developed their craft and were recruited. There are three full courts, six
hoops for daytime games. The movie, “White Men Can’t Jump,” was filmed here.

Skateboarding:

The
Venice Beach Skate Park is a 16,000-square-foot facility that cost $2.4
million. The skate park has four main sections: a deep pool, street terrain
course, a snake run and a flow pool. The unique design brings together street
and vertical skating. This permits skateboarders to flow in and out of the
different styles. The deep pool provides a maximum differential of 9 feet so
a skater can pick up lots of speed in a single entry/exit run. The street
terrain course simulates the traditional street environment where
skateboarding first evolved.

Venice Beach Gawk and Walk Tour is an app you can download to your iPhone that will give
you more history and information about this exciting beach day experience.
You can also keep up with upcoming events on the Venice Beach Events Calendar.

Learn more about Michael Thal on his website.