Eclectic Venice Beach Los Angeles California
February 6, 2026
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Two visits to Venice Beach in my lifetime are enough. In 2024, I took my uncle to Venice for the first time. It was a weekday during the day, so the people were very subdued. It was cool to see the incredible street artists selling their designs. While it was cool to share with my uncle, I have no need to every return to Venice.
My Los Angeles Beach Home Away From Home
In a city of millions, I feel right at home on the beach of neighboring Manhattan Beach LA. As a travel photographer, the mainly locals-only beach is not overcrowded. I am able to beautiful sunrise and sunset photos at the Manhattan Beach Pier without the distracting tourists in the photos.
Los Angeles Beaches
Manhattan Beach and Venice Beach show two sides of Southern California’s coastal vibe—different stories from the same ocean. Manhattan Beach has a calm, polished energy: wide golden sand, a pier that glows at sunset, and a laid-back rhythm. Early mornings here are magic—surfers in glassy waves, joggers along the shore, and the soft hum of life waking under Pacific light. Every shot feels intentional, from the clean lifeguard towers to the volleyball nets silhouetted against a pink sky.
Venice Beach, on the other hand, bursts with raw creative energy—colorful, unpredictable, and full of texture. The light hits murals, performers, and the crowd’s rhythm in ways that always inspire me. Shooting here means embracing imperfection and motion. The skate park in ocean mist, street musicians chasing sunset light, and the stories painted on every wall all blend into a chaotic harmony that just works.
Together, these beaches show the dual personality of Los Angeles: refined yet restless, classic yet evolving. Manhattan Beach LA invites quiet reflection and symmetry, while Venice Beach demands spontaneity and emotion. As a photographer, I love capturing how both places respond to the same light in completely different ways — calm versus chaos, serenity versus spirit. Whether it’s a perfectly timed wave crashing beneath the Manhattan Beach Pier or a candid laugh from a street performer in Venice, both beaches remind me why I chase natural light, real moments, and the beauty that unfolds when California meets the Pacific.
