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Venice Canals
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39 reviews for Venice Canals
Do not bring your Dutch or Italian guests to see the Venice canals.
Avoid this mistake.
Bring American out-of-town-guests to the canals. Absolutely do.
Opt for midweek. Only the dog-walkers and obsessive excercisers are out. Those women with the pinched drawn faces who cannot afford to lose another ounce. I love them. They take up very little room on the narrow paths.
Your American guests will oooh & aaahh, wishing they could purchase one of the lovingly renovated '20's homes, or even better, one of the early 2000's flush with cash, modern 'look at me through my huge picture window' homes.
They will ask you to estimate the price of each home for them. Do I look like your Coldwell Banker Agent? Their faces will fall with disappointment when they realize that even in this depressed market, they will never be able to afford to have curious strangers peer into their window, watching them eat an array of smoked fish, and artisanal loaves, washed down with Intelligensia coffee.
Their simple American faces will once again pick up with joy, knowing that they can indeed afford to purchase the low-tech, one-gear, pink beach cruiser that's propped by the side of the house.
Not so with your Amsterdam guests. They will roll their eyes. They already have one speed bikes galore, and they're up to their necks in canals.
The Venicians ... the real ones, will shrug their shoulders and turn up their palms. They will not understand why you've wasted their precious vacation time bringing them here.
"I dohna get it. What am I supposed to be looking at?" I've sometimes been asked.
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Beyond the cramped streets of this cute neighborhood lies a surprising discovery - a hidden waterway with colorful rowboats docked along a row of homes. http://www.yelp.com/bi... A couple of white bridges connect one backyard into another, creating a perfect backdrop for a nice peaceful stroll and photo opps. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Imagine a piece of Italia in your backyard! Come here to retreat from the traffic and city hustle and bustle.
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Who doesn't love something that's beautiful, out of the ordinary, and free? I somehow stumbled upon the Venice Canals reviews a while back and decided on a cool Sunday morning that I needed to see these babies for myself. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of other pedestrians, which upped the cool factor of these canals. A lot of the homes had canoes docked on their own personal ports, which added to the quaint and unique feel of the whole neighborhood.
Good luck finding parking around here! My advice is to arrive early (pre-10AM) if you are going to visit on a weekend.
I wonder what it's like to have strangers walking around your front yard all the time? I'll have to ask one of the residents here someday b/c I am really dying to know.
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Definitely go here for a picturesque walk. So beautiful by the water and the quaint footbridges. People are also friendly and will say hello even if they don't know you.
#7 in http://365losangeles.b.../
Contrary to that Missing Persons' song, I do like to walk in L.A.. And one advantage to living on the west side is that I can walk anytime I want to. At midnight. At 2 am. No one's gonna bother me. (Couldn't do that at my old stomping grounds on the east side..)
The Venice canals are my favorite walking spot in WLA. The houses are just stunning, with a mix of old and new architecture. The picturesque water system creates an atmosphere of tranquility, and the smells of home cooking drifting out people's open doors makes you feel oh so warm inside. Ah, what I would give to live here!
The trickiest part of visiting the canals is the parking, especially on the weekend. I was fortunate finding a spot right at the entrance. Good luck!
*See pics*
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I've had two exceptionally epic "canal" moments. One involved a former child actor and throwing his oversized bird house into the canal while drunk. The other involved a Labor Day bender where I went crazy and pissed in a trash can. Yea, do not use the trash cans near the canals. Also, if you were the man walking his dog that stopped to watch me hold myself over the trash can like it was a pommel horse and I was an Olympic pissing gymnast. You're welcome. That was probably the most exciting thing to happen in your life.
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Lucky Mee! I walk through the canals daily and I never tire of witnessing how peaceful and relaxed my surroundings are. The community is friendly with birds of all feather, locals and tourists. designing architects and budding wonders of nature. This is a wonderful free thing to do that children, adults and dogs love to do!
P.S....don't feed the ducks unless you get the food from the pet store, It can be harmful to them.
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A nice little stroll with your S.O. Intimate and peaceful, especially at dusk. It's nice to see it at least once, but really, it's more of a locals' hang-out spot, like how you or I would go to our neighborhood park to enjoy a quiet moment or two.
I took my boyfriend here as a surprise, and after almost killing us while looking for parking in the surrounding neighborhoods, I finally parked on Ocean Ave. After rounding a corner, we were welcomed with a distinctly un-LA-like view of calm waters, fluffy little ducklings, row boats, and lush gardens. And yet, it looked very LA-like at the same time because of the extravagant houses, all packed side-by-side like sardines. We spent a good hour wandering the narrow walkways of the Canals, admiring the homes that we would probably never be able to afford and wishing we had brought some bread to feed the ducks with.
How I would love to be a duck living in the Venice Canals, or one of the many cats we saw curled up on a front step. Could there be a more peaceful existence?
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This is a real gem in the City of Angels. I've been to and around LA a bunch of times over the years, but I never made it to the Canals in Venice. Quite honestly, it's a real travesty that my life was without this experience until this past weekend.
Other than Malibu Colony, I really felt a strong connection to this part of LA. I found a few homes that I'd like to buy and renovate, two of which are right next to each other, why not combine them or atleast create a nice little courtyard area between the them? Such unique architecture and design on these homes. I hope the owners realize how fortunate they are living there....
I just love the vibe here; great pace and quality of life in the canals, wonderful gardens, a short walk to the beach and not too far from Abbot Kinney either. I now have something to work for, to save up enough money to one day buy something on the Canal.
Btw, I saw the coolest Tuxedo Cat just chillin' on a lounge chair overlooking the Canal, licking his paws, just relaxing and taking in the scenery. Such a great life....
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Mi piace la Venice canals! They have to be one of the most beautiful spots in LA. They are nice to stroll through and see the wildlife (Venice Beach ducks with ducklings in tow) as well as the gorgeous homes. A lot of people living on the Canals have canoes, and I always thought that they were a great, yet forgotten, mode of transportation. If you can visit them I highly recommend it. Mr Kinney really left Venice something special.
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My sister told me about the Venice Canals a while ago, but if not for Yelp's corroboration, I might have thought them an urban legend.
I came here with three friends, two of which are students in LA and none of us had seen the canals before. We found them with the help of google maps and were impressed by the beauty and calm of this neighborhood, especially in contrast with wacky and trashy Venice just across Pacific. The houses have so many different personalities, from villa to voodoo. There are beautiful flowers, interesting birds, and it's just so peaceful. Definitely worth a trip for tourists or locals.
Wow! Absolutely stunning. Someone told my boyfriend and I about this place a couple of weeks ago, we did some research, and decided we had to see it in person! I wasn't expecting it to be so big. I imagined maybe one large strip or two, but it goes on for quite a ways. The houses are lovely. The architecture, the landscaping; it's all so unique and tastefully done. My boyfriend and I spent the whole evening strolling around, just admiring these homes. A lot of the homes have strung lights, so at night it just looks terrific. I'd love to save up, and spend a summer in a home on the Venice Canals. Someday!
I highly recommend visiting this place (especially at night), despite what other people are saying about the narrow walkways and "the stink". I didn't find it to be smelly at all! The Venice Canals are definitely something to check out. It truly is marvelous!
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A hidden LA treasure (not really hidden) one of the VERY shocking things you find out about residents of LA is a shocking number of them have never been there and/or don't even know it exists.
It's a nice bit of history underfoot, a GREAT place to take tourists (who DEFINITELY don't know it's there) after the sometimes gross-out of the the Venice Beach Boardwalk Carnival of the Damned.
It it's just so damn peaceful on a warm day, best a couple of hours before dusk, when the shadows are long and the ducks at their most active.
One of the few MUST SEES of LA.
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Sooooo beautiful. I suggest parking and walking through here if you get the chance. I saw a scene from the L-Word that was shot here and decided to drive by on my way through LA. Wow. What I would give to live here!!
Yes, its unique and pretty, but I don't know why there are so many 5 stars. Yelpers and non-yelpers alike.... its quite boring.... and smelly.
It is peaceful and a good place to take pictures, but its not all that great. Its just the same as Bridgeport in Valencia, but its sortof connected to the ocean. Abbot Kinney wanted to make the city resemble Venice, Italy and he did a pretty good Californianized job.... but still.
I wouldn't mind living here, but its too close to all the crazy Cali Venetians.
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Nothing too special. I mean, it is very nice atmosphere and kind of a hidden treasure, but it is not a five star place.
I don't know why I got the impression that you could ride in boats here... but when I went there that is what I expected. Considering everybody on here was raving about how great this place I just kind of assumed.
All it is really is just a nice canal in between million dollar homes. Kind of felt weird being there because you're pretty much in somebody's backyard.
It's like a ten minute tourist attraction.
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I really liked walking around this little development.
A short history: The canals were dug sometime in the 1920 and were lined with little bungalow houses. Over the years, the area declined and faded from most people's mind. Over time, several of the canals were filled in as streets and some of the houses were torn down. In the 1990s the area's value started to rise and some of the canals were restored and many modern houses took place of the bungalows. (Kind of a shame, the bungalows are cute, but a few of the modern houses are cool.)
Anyway, this area is still not that well known around LA. I asked many locals how to get there and they had no idea it even existed. My friends from LA hadn't heard of it either and I introduced them to it. We walked around enjoying the ambiance, lush greenery, and interesting houses. Venice is a great section of greater LA, and this is just another interesting part of it. Check it out, it's worth it!
I didn't think it smelled at all, BTW.
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Relaxing. Peaceful. Different.
Probably the best thing about this is that it doesn't feel like LA. Nice find in quiet area.
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I just got engaged here! It's really the perfect spot, not too crowded, but with just the right amt of ppl who are willing to pause their stroll to take pics for you. :) Parking can be a bit of an issue, so you just have to keep going up and down the small side streets until you get lucky. But it is well worth it considering that on an everyday basis we prolly all have to hunt for parking in LA anyway. So if you're looking to impress your sig other or entertain OOT guests, this hidden gem is for you!
It was a shock to find a place like this in the middle of LA, very quiet and peaceful.
I had dinner with a friend there recently on an outside patio. It felt kinda weird when tourists went by looking at us, us looking at them, them looking at our food, us looking at their touristing... I was told that one gets used to that.
Nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there.
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What? this place is not at all appealing- first of all there is no water and then it is all surrounded by private homes so you are walking in front of someone's living room or deck the whole time you are there. Weird place to want to live with all these people looking in on you all day. Then there are many ducks there so it has a not so clean odor- I love nature and ducks for that matter but don't want them in a too small amount of water that is mostly stagnant out side my back door.
Definitely a big disappointment!
Ken's review of the canals is awesome, just perfect. No surprise that he got today's ROTD! (but for a different review)
This review of mine, along with being a tribute to one of LA's coolest Yelpers, is also a tribute to perhaps my most favorite place in all LA. I got several fave places though, so it's a tough call.
It's amazing that many long-time LA residents have never even heard of the canals, which are one of the few areas of original Venice left intact. Yes, Venice, CA was patterned after that other Venice, and the Canal district rocks because it's so unusual, so unexpected, the first time you lay eyes on it.
Kellee's great review tells some of the area's history. A bit of additional history here, in my Abbot Kinney review
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
It's a popular spot for film shoots. "The Truth About Cats & Dogs" comes to mind. I think there was a sunset scene shot on a canal, on one of the curved bridges. So beautiful.
I have a short list of places where I take my out-of-town visitors. Venice Canals is, hands down, the #1 favorite spot of all my guests. Most want to live there, are ready to leave their lives and move!
The photos tell all. I posted 21. This is a very special place.
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Peaceful, lovely, like wandering through a cinematographer's dream.
Picturebook cottages overrun with climbing roses . . . .cool gardens vibrant with leafy greens and bursting with color . . . .fat white ducks nipping at each other . . . .trickling fountains . . . .rustic boats tied up to picturesque little docks . . . .tiny little crabs and turtles . . . .the occasional couple paddling by in a boat built for two.
Truly one of the loveliest places to talk a walk in Los Angeles, with the ability to make you feel as though you were miles and miles away from the nearest city.
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A Los Angeles hidden gem. I have been to Venice for YEARS but never really went up through the canals. These are great. Its really nice to walk through this area because if makes you feel like you're not in LA. Its peaceful and quiet. The homes that line the canals are pretty spectacular also. The only downside is that there is nowhere to just kind of hang out. It would be awesome if there were a park or some grassy area that you could relax and enjoy the scenery.
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Great place to stroll and light up a j. I used to drive down it during the day when I was in college and smoke my brains out. :)
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finally found this spot!!! if you cant find it, the canal starts on north venice st.
i love how it's very quiet & is a totally different scene from the beach. there is a lot more elegance to the overall feeling of the canal. a perfect spot for a walk.
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I want to live here! A canal house would be amazing! This is such a cool part of LA and is really nice to walk through on a nice day when you're not in the mood for being on the beach. There are some AWESOME houses in the area. The ducks are pretty cute too!
Spanning about 9 square blocks near Venice beach, a series of canals weave through a unique neighborhood. Instead of traditional asphalt streets, houses are separated by waterways with pedestrian paths on either side. Various footbridges make navigation easy and fun.
Each house is unique and interesting. The waterways are picturesque, serene, calm and inhabited by ducks and other water birds. Be sure to visit this beautiful LA gem!
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One of my absolute favorite areas of Los Angeles, and a must-see for visitors and residents alike.
Quite a historical area of Venice, there used to be a series of canals that were later filled, leaving the four remaining. The Venice Beat Poets hung out here, Jim Morrison grew up here, and although now it is an extremely expensive area of town in which to purchase property, you can still feel the energy of the artistic community that has always managed to thrive here. Now, gorgeous homes line these serene canals. It's a beautiful area to just walk around, and watch the ducks swim on by.
The community puts on a number of events over the year, including the Christmas Boat Parade (a must see!!) and their own version of the annual Boat Show that occurs in the Marina. I looooooove the Venice Canals!
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I've been through the canals for a while now and they've always been the right place to get my solace and my solitude, especially by the end of the canal where it lets out into the marina. Sunset's are amazing, and looking down the canal, you could swear that you weren't in L.A. for a while, but somewhere else, somewhere where it's normal and you don't have to worry about everything else, everything that doesn't matter. Along the banks and the thick grass and thistle, comes the sound of calm as the wind sweeps through, the birds take flight creating a disturbance in what was calm waters. To think, for those folks that can call this place their back yard, they must be the luckiest people in the world.
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I finally got to check out the canals after a nice brunch in venice. I think it's so adorable and cool. A great place to go for a walk. Some time I'd love to cruise the canals in tiny boat.
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When I hear the word picnic, I go hanna-barbera style crazy. I am asked to one of these quaint little get togethers on a lazy Sunday afternoon. What better place to go than Venice. Perhaps the Venice Canals. I had heard about them before and in all my years of being born and raised in LA I had never been. The first time I had heard about these canals I thought to myself, "Venice Canals...um. yeah *right*" because who would expect anything even remotely pretty in such a questionable area for a beach town.
I had accidently stumbled upon the canals on my way to meeting up with my friend. I stopped short and remember thinking nothing but "wow" ... the canals are lined with quaint houses and boats, the water rushes through over thousands of river rocks. There are paved sidewalks so passersby can walk alongside the canals and see it up close and personal. There is also a kid's/dog park halfway up the canals where you can sit and picnic if you like.
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Truly one of the best things about Venice!!! I have walked along here many times over the years, as I have a friend that lives on the canal...cute, yet small, house. One of the few that have not been torn down to build a zero lot line home on. Regardless, beautiful homes, lovely walk. If you have the opportunity...this should not be missed!
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I thought I knew everything about the Los Angeles and Santa Monica areas. Well I had missed this little gem in my 29 years. My uncle took us on a tour of this area and explained the history of Abbott Kinney. It was neat seeing how they tried to imitate Venice, Italy. Truly a cool place to see.
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What I find strange is that the Venice canals aren't more well known, as they are such a unique part of LA. As we walked around taking silly amounts of pictures, there were very few other people walking with us, and it was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. Weirdly, the people who live in the adorable little homes lining the canals were nowhere to be seen either. Apparently their tasteful and whimsical little palaces really are just for show. Well, no matter. This is an undulterated feast for the eyes and I'm glad this lovely little slice of LA hasn't been eaten up by tourists.
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I used to come here with my parents when I was a little girl. We would eat at C&O and walk off the garlic rolls strolling through the canals. I remember looking into all the big houses and wishing I lived in them, petting random cats, and chasing ducks around! I still go with my mom, and I used to go with my ex. It's definitely relaxing and a nice little walk. Most people just walk the boardwalk over to Venice, but the canals are a nice change.
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Ah, the Canals of Venice, California!
There's nothing to buy here, nothing to do here, except walk, enjoy the pastoral setting, the ducks, the geese, and to truly immerse yourself in the experience of LOOKING UNABASHEDLY INTO PEOPLE'S HOUSES! This has always been a great walk, with a lot of funky charm (if you define "funky" as "geese shit all over"), but now, after an astronomical jump in real estate values, accompanied by an incredible building boom that has turned tiny cottages on postage stamp-sized lots into towering monoliths to post-modern architecture on postage stamp-sized lots, it's even more fun! I'm thinking that the people living here don't really mind you looking into their homes, because most of them have glass, glass, glass everywhere, and an amazing portion of them never close their blinds. So you can see what look like model homes of the future, with all their shiny, Euro-kitchens, and open architecture and high-vaulted ceilings, sometimes with the people right there, watching something interesting on their 60" plasma TVs.
Seriously, the homes are beautiful, and so are the gardens, and the setting can't be beat (though you still have to look out for the geese shit). You can spend an easy hour down here, just strolling along the paved paths, nodding at the other looky-lous, and it's a great place for a quiet outing for out-of-town guests who are tired of running around and wouldn't mind a mellow walk in an only-in-LA kind of setting. I've never seen any of the celebrities who have bought into the area recently (though I did talk to Anjelica Huston on the Venice Boardwalk just a few blocks away not too long ago), but really, it's the kooky canals that are the real stars. They're green and shallow and there's never anybody in them, but they've acquired a kind of personality all their own, like anyone who can survive in LA as long as they have might.
Day time is a nice time for those who like to admire gardens, and admire the ducks (you're not supposed to feed them, but who can resist? Except be prepared to be mugged by roving mallard gangs if you stick around in one spot for too long); night time is the best time to smell the night-blooming jasmine, be enchanted by the tiny lights that people have hung in their trees, and most importantly, to peer unabashedly into people's houses.
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Que romantico! Beautiful, serene, natural. Best thing about Venice...Period.
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locals only
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