Venice

Abbot Kinney opened Venice of America in 1905 with canals, gondolas and a pier, modeled on the Italian city. Most of the canals were filled in 1929 after the town was annexed to Los Angeles, but six survive as the Venice Canals historic district. Oil drilling, the beat scene of the 1950s and 1960s and the boardwalk culture that followed gave the neighborhood its reputation, and the tech companies of the 2010s brought a new wave of money.

Venice runs from the Santa Monica line at Navy Street south to the Marina del Rey channel and east to Lincoln Boulevard. Its sections include the walk streets near the beach, the Canals, Oakwood in the interior, the Abbot Kinney and Rose Avenue commercial streets, and the Marina Peninsula and Silver Strand at the south end, which are part of Venice though they sit next to the harbor.

The walk streets between Pacific Avenue and the beach, the Canals and the Silver Strand carry the highest prices, with modern architect-designed homes alongside original cottages on small lots. The interior blocks of Oakwood and east Venice have 1920s to 1950s houses, duplexes and small-lot new construction at lower prices, and values vary sharply block by block.

Condos and apartments line Lincoln Boulevard, Washington Boulevard and the boardwalk. Venice has more variability in condition, noise and street character than any other Westside neighborhood, so the specific block matters more than the neighborhood average.

Los Angeles Unified School District serves the neighborhood, with Broadway, Coeur d’Alene and Westminster Avenue elementary schools inside Venice, Mark Twain Middle School and Venice High School. Boundaries follow streets, so check a specific address with the district.

Lincoln Boulevard runs the length of the neighborhood to Santa Monica and the 10 to the north and to the 90 and LAX to the south, and Venice and Washington boulevards lead east to Culver City and the 405. The Expo Line’s downtown Santa Monica station is a short ride north. The beach bike path runs the full length of Venice, and Abbot Kinney and the boardwalk are walkable from most of the neighborhood.