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When I get to Los Angeles, known as the first city in California, the first thing that reminds me of East and West is a plot from a Hollywood movie. Los Angeles means angel in Spanish, so Los Angeles is also called “City of Angels.” Especially those who are familiar with the Grand Theft Auto series of Predators, who must have driven yachts in Santa Monica Beach. The two adjoining beaches are famous for their views and activities. So we decided to walk from Venice Beach to Santa Monica Beach on the first day of our trip.
📍 Venice beach
💡 Location: 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291 (map requestClick here)
💡 Official website:https://www.venicebeach.com
💡 Opening hours: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM (Mon - Sat)/10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Sun)
We arrived at Venice Beach after 7 a.m., and most of the stores were still open. So we first ordered breakfast at Starbucks, which included Chocolate Brownies ($2.75), Ham & Cheese Egg Bites ($4.45), and Bagel ($1.75). Americans are in high demand for Starbucks, so everyone around you can see their followers. When it's time to order Bagel, you can try adding cream cheese. This is an American way to eat it on a daily basis, and after trying it, I discovered that it definitely goes well with this one!
After breakfast, we started strolling along the seaside. Because of the morning, there is little traffic on the beach, so you can enjoy the blue sky and white clouds better. Although there are no shops along the way, the graffiti on the street is also worth admiring.
The high price of Venice Beach, which is famous in Los Angeles, made us expect too much. In fact, the view of the beach is quite normal, and there are no water activities nearby, so there is no need to stay too long. Also, be careful to pay attention to people we have talked to in the past. We met a black man who introduced us to nearby attractions. At first they seemed friendly, but then they took out a very old piece of paper saying that they were helping children raise money, with more emphasis on not accepting coins.
It takes time to walk along the Venice Beach Boardwalk to Santa Monica BeachHalf an hour You can also rent an electric scooter or bike for transportation. Along the way, you can see seaside and parks, as well as seaside houses. Once you have seen Pacific Park, there are plenty of amusement facilities nearby, such as scaffolding and hanging rings. We looked at the beach while cuddling, which was very picturesque.
📍 Santa Monica Pier
💡 Location: 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map requestClick here)
💡 Official website:https://santamonicapier.org
Arriving at Santa Monica Pier, we found a unique file to help guests write their names in Chinese style. We ordered a total of 7 works, English characters $1/letter, Chinese characters $5/word, frame $5. I made up my grandfather's name and asked for elements of dragons and eagles, and the frame was only $10. I never thought I'd be able to see such a unique Chinese-style work in the US, so it's perfect as a souvenir or to buy home decor!
🍴 Rusty's Surf Ranch
💡 Location: 256 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map requestClick here)
💡 Official website:https://www.rustyssurfranch.com
💡 Opening hours: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM (Mon - Thu)/12:00 AM (Fri - Sun)
🍴 Chicken Wings ($12) & Vegetarian Burger ($14) & Salmon ($16) & Swordfish ($18)
Afterwards, we arrived at Rusty's Surf Ranch, a restaurant on the bridge, where hanging plants made the environment more beautiful. For fish meals, you can choose the sauce and two side dishes of your choice. Overall, the restaurant is good, and I personally think the eggplant in the grilled vegetables here is delicious. However, the seasoning of the fish is not good, so you need to add some seasoning.
📍 Santa Monica Veterans Memorial
💡 Location: 1339 CA-1, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map requestClick here)
If you go up the Santa Monica Pier bridge, you will reach the park promenade on the left. This park is a great photo spot, and you can see Santa Monica Beach and Pacific Park at the same time. There are also chairs in the park for people to rest and look down at the seaside.
📍 Third Street Promenade
💡 Location: 1351 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map requestClick here)
It takes about 5 minutes to walk to the Third Street Promenade 3rd Street Pedestrian Area, which has a variety of retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment options, so people who want to shop can spend their time here.
📍 The Gallery Food Hall
💡 Location: 1315 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map requestClick here)
💡 Official website:https://galleryfoodhall.com
💡 Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM (Mon - Thu)/12:00 AM (Fri - Sat)
Tired of shopping, we went to The Gallery Food Hall and ordered a Super Thick Milkshake ($7). We were able to choose our own three flavors of ice cream and blend it into a milkshake. As the name suggests, the taste is very mellow.
As the second-largest city in the US, Los Angeles has severe traffic congestion. If you want to get back to Downtown from the beach, it is recommended to avoid busy hours around 5 o'clock. All in all, compared to Santa Monica Beach, there are more activities, and the atmosphere is quite lively, so I can spend more than half a day relaxing here. If you are a friend who is on a tight schedule, a half-day reservation is enough time.
