Vacations Blog

It’s not just a cute place for a romantic encounter, a la “The Truth About Cats and Dogs.“  The canals of Venice Beach , California are eye candy for anyone, especially architecture or  style enthusiasts who just love to ogle a uniquely designed home.

View of Venice, CA canals

At one time the city of Venice, CA consisted of a network of canals created by the developer Abbott Kinney as a tribute to the Italian city.  Over the years many of them were filled in and paved, but a small enclave of the original grid was allowed to remain and eventually took its place among the priciest real estate in the area.  The canals are best viewed on foot.

The Truth About Canals and Babies

Located a few blocks inland from the beach between Washington Blvd. and Venice Blvd, the canals can be reached by parking on Ocean or Dell Street, but pay attention to the signs, because with Los Angeles’ budget deficit reaching up to $1 billion, every nickel and dime the parking attendants can squeeze out of your error counts.

Great place to take a baby

Walking through the canal neighborhood you might forget that you are in Los Angeles at all.  The noise and bustle of the crowds at the boardwalk seem worlds away from this tranquil and colorful area.

Foot bridge over Venice canal

It takes a special kind of person to live in a thin, tall house whose front yard is a sidewalk and a duck-filled waterway, and that kind of person also often has a quirky eye for design.  A stroll through the canals at sunset allows you to peer into the front windows and see what they live like inside.  During the holidays the residents dress up their little boats and canoes for a holiday boat parade.

Funky homes line the canals

When you are hungry head to a restaurant instead

If you work up an appetite some good local spots to visit are House of Teriyaki Too on Ocean if you are gritty and sweaty or if you clean up a bit they might let you into Hal’s Bar and Grill on Abbott Kinney.

If you live in central Florida, you know that it is not 90 degrees for 12 months out of the year.  However, if you live anywhere else in the world, you’ll mistakenly assume that the “Welcome To The Sunshine State” signs are sincere and equates to tropical paradise even in the dead of winter.

You have only to visit Florida’s famed Daytona Beach between October and March to realize the error of your thinking.

While even northern tourists will find it much too cold to swim in the Atlantic during the colder months, the beach is still a great place to find fun and relaxation.

How can you possibly enjoy coastal Daytona Beach with all of your clothes on?

Take A Walk Along Daytona Beach

Take a walk.

Sure, it sounds cliche.  But kick off your shoes, roll up your pants, and stroll along the edge where the tide changes its mind over and over again and you’ll soon understand how long walks on the beach became a romance movie staple.

It feels good.  It’s relaxing.  It’s cheap and easy entertainment for the kids that makes for very impressive pictures to take home.  Time flies by and before you know it’s time for everyone to head to bed, the sun and wind having sapped your children’s will to argue.

If you get tired of staring at the endless stretch of white sand, rolling waves and disturbingly unaware birds, Daytona Beach pier and boardwalk area offers slightly more commercial attractions as well.

A small amusement park provides the opportunity to have yourself shot into the air at a freakishly fast speed via The Slingshot for $25 per person, per ride.  A two story strip mall (it is still Florida) offers tourist style shopping and Starbucks as well as several themed restaurants.

But perhaps the most unique experience at Daytona Beach that can be enjoyed year round is the sea chairs ride out over the pier and the water.

Daytona Beach Sea Chairs

It’s an old, rustic attraction that scares the crap out of some people.  But if you’re a fan of nostalgia and old fashioned charm, a tour along the skyline trolley is a true can’t miss.

And if you ride in December, for Pete’s sake, bring a jacket!

All pictures taken by Britt Reints.