Today’s post if the first of several posts about my California adventures. Venice Beach definitely stole my heart. It was a complete contrast to other places I stayed in LA, and I was drawn to the colours, unique buildings and non-stop vibrancy. While in Venice Beach I stayed at The Kinney, which turned out to be a really great choice.

Venice Beach Sights to See

The skateboard park in Venice is right on the beach, surrounded by palm trees (which I heart so much) and it is huge!  It was packed every time that I went by…day and night.

It is kind of a must to get a photo at the Venice sign!  Next time I want to get one at sunset.

I already know I am a total goof,  so you don’t need to tell me, but I couldn’t resist. Muscle Beach is an iconic Venice landmark. I picked up some t-shirts from my dad and brother here, which they loved.

The Venice Pier (at Washington Boulevard) is one of many piers you will see in LA. There were a lot of people surfing here, which was fun to watch because it isn’t something that I can see at home. I was here in October and the beach area (which is expansive) was completely deserted. I am told in the summer it is very busy.

All along the beach there are lifeguard stands…which although they say to stay off, I decided it made a great photo opportunity.

The Venice Canals are also another iconic must-see. There are endless options for walking or biking through this area and it makes a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Kinney Hotel

During my visit in Venice Beach I stayed at The Kinney. I can’t begin to explain how adorable and fun this hotel is. First of all the colour everywhere made me swoon. It was like they decorated it for me.  🙂 Even the bed on the pillow is freakin’ cute!

Can we talk about how awesome these rooms are?  The telephone!! I wanted to pack it in my bag and take it home with me.  The bedside tables were a comic book print. Love!!

So Much Cute at The Kinney!

My room was a Crash Pad Suite, which had a separate bedroom and a living room with a couch, table and chairs and small fridge. It was perfect for me.

The Kinney has these fabulous red bikes with baskets that you can borrow. I rode them several times to the beach along the boardwalk and along Abbott Kinney Boulevard. From Venice Beach it is an easy bike ride to Marina del Rey or north to Santa Monica.  I found the perfect mural to take a photo in front of with the bike.

When you stay at The Kinney, breakfast is included. Gotta love that!?!  There are waffles, eggs, bacon, and lots of other options. Best of all, the breakfast room has the most amazing colourful wall. You can’t help but be happy in there.

After breakfast, you can use the room to play games or just bring your computer to work.

The lobby is so stinking cute with two record players, with records that you can play. There is also this neon wanderlust sign that is a photo op just waiting to happen.  🙂

The Kinney Hotel Quad

The quad is in the middle area of the hotel. There is a pool and a great area for sunbathing, and relaxing alone or with your group. There is a great bar, which I can see a lot of fun activities happening at. I bet this hotel is a blast for a girls weekend or bachelorette party.

There are many cozy seating options and they are all cute and colourful…imagine that!

If you are super competitive like me, you will want to play a game of ping pong ( or beer pong?).

You might also like my stay at the Beverly Hills & Hollywood | Sofitel Los Angeles, the Georgian Hotel or the Carlyle Inn.

In the evening they have a fire pit and cozy couches for lounging outside. It is the perfect way to end an evening.

Even the do not disturb signs are unique! Love it! I really enjoyed The Kinney and hope to make it back there again one day.

Places to Eat | Abbott Kinney

Lemonade was on my list of places to check out while I was in California, and I am so glad I made it there. I will have to go back many times to try all the food that I wanted to try. Everything looked so good. There is one in Venice on Abbott Kinney Boulevard.

The Butcher’s Daughter is on Abbott Kinney Boulevard and is an adorable juice bar and cafe. I wish there was one close to me…I would be there all the time. It was on my list of places to visit in NYC but I never made it there.

I remembered seeing Leah Bergman (aka Freut Cake) post about going to Sunny Spot on her blog a way back. I made a mental note that it looked like a place I would love and I forgot all about it until I saw it right across the street from my hotel. 🙂 Lucn at the Sunny Spot was so good.  I didn’t have my camera with me, so I grabbed this image from Freut Cake’s blog post.

Shopping!

I walked and rode by bike down Abbott Kinney Boulevard a few times and popped into so many great shops. You could literally make a day of it. They buildings are all unique and colourful, which totally makes me swoon. The Piece Collective with the unique yellow triangle was my favourite.

Venice Beach Murals

You all know that I love murals and well…Venice is the mecca for murals. They are everywhere you look!

All of these were within walking or bike ride distance from my hotel. I could probably write a whole separate post about the Venice Beach murals that I loved.

Don’t forget to bring a camera to grab some great photos!

A super special shout-out to Jenny Megenney for these photos in Venice Beach!  I can’t wait to take more soon!

Sunset

My favourite thing each day was always the sunset. Each day I was in California, I tried to get to a great location to capture some sunset photos. This one, which is in Santa Monica, is a favourite. You can ride your bike down the boardwalk to Santa Monica or take a quick Uber ($5) ride from Venice.

Thank you to the The Kinney Venice Beach for hosting me during my visit and allowing me to experience Venice Beach.