Visiting the Piers of Los Angeles

After our amazing two-night stay on Catalina Island (seriously, it’s a must-visit), we hopped on the ferry back towards Long Beach. We had the most adorable AirBnB waiting for us in Santa Monica & we couldn’t wait to hop on scooters & explore the pier. Our destinations included all three piers of Los Angeles (and beaches) spread up the coast – Venice, Santa Monica, and Malibu.

I was most looking forward to this part of the trip. I imagined watching surfers in Malibu, biking along Venice beach and marveling at the ferris wheel in Santa Monica. All of which we did and none of it disappointed. Actually, it surpassed all expectations. Not that we had high ones, but man… we walked away saying ‘California is just really, really freaking cool’.

Santa Monica

The second we found a public parking ramp in Santa Monica, we went on the hunt for a couple Lime scooters. In our opinion, it’s the best way to see the piers of Los Angeles. You cover so much ground, and even though I hear they’re a bit controversial (safety things), I’m all about the convenience. Anyway… we really loved Santa Monica. The pier was lively and vibrant. We grabbed lunch and a brew to enjoy the sights and lazily walked along watching people ride the ferris wheel & jump into the water. The beach was busy for a week day – and for it being October – so I asked T if he thought they were tourists or locals. He said tourists. But I’m going to believe it’s at least half locals, because in California, that’s what you do. Right? That’s the reality I choose to believe anyway.

Besides the pier, we found Santa Monica to be completely enjoyable. Such a beautiful area and easy to get around. We spent a considerable amount of time strolling the Third Street Promenade, a pedestrian-only area full of shopping, restaurants and bars. It’s within blocks of the beach so it’s easy to do both.

Venice

Ah, Venice. A strange mix of high-end beachside abodes, graffiti murals and great restaurants. The pier honestly isn’t much – pretty dirty and desolate. But the beach, bike path, skate park & boardwalk are the opposite. Giving off those colorful California vibes we had been searching for. We honestly simply enjoyed scooting around the boardwalk, taking in the sights and colorful street art, seeing Muscle Beach and soaking up the culture. But, I promise we made time for a little more than that.

Besides the boardwalk, we made it to the one restaurant T requested the whole trip – James’ Beach. If you’re a Paul Rudd fan like we are, you’d recognize it from his movie, I Love You, Man. Basically the whole movie happens in Venice, but there’s a key scene where they eat and talk about the infamous tacos at James’ Beach. So, we went and we ate tacos. And yes, they’re amazing. And it’s such a fun place! We also made our way over to Abbott Kinney for coffee one morning and pizza one night. Talk about a fun street – it’s a must go if you’re in the area!

We had no expectations going into Venice, but it lived up to all the ones we could have had and more. It felt like we were getting the true California experience with surfers in the water, wide beach views and those iconic lifeguard stations. We can’t wait to go back someday.

Malibu

The Malibu Pier itself is pretty small. Much better than Venice, definitely cleaner. But much smaller than Santa Monica. There’s a couple restaurants and shops, but the best part is the view of Malibu Point and Surfrider Beach. We spent about an hour on the pier, browsing and watching the surfers, then ventured into town to visit the Malibu Country Mart. We had lunch there an explored a few shops, then headed up into the hills to drive back into the city. Yes, it was a quick little trip up to Malibu, but we found it a little quieter than expected. I think that’s part of the Malibu charm, but we weren’t quite ready to be done with that Los Angeles vibe. I think it’d be a great escape sometime – I mean, who doesn’t want to disappear to one of those over-the-water houses – but back to the city we went.

 

Overall, all of the piers of Los Angeles are worth seeing. We ended up seeing everything in about a day and a half. Just depending on your interests, you could spend as much or as little time as you prefer at each.

Have you ever been to any of the piers?

xoxo. B