Venice Beach [1800 Ocean Front Walk Venice, CA 90291] is a famously weird world all its own, and a major LA attraction worth visiting. A fun and free activity here is strolling along the boardwalk and people watching. Street performers, weight lifters, kite flyers, caricature artists are just of few of sights you may run into. Back in the day you would have found the govenator flexing out here on muscle beach. Watch where you’re going though, so you don’t smack right into a skateboarder on the crowded path! There is a great street art scene here with tons of colorful murals to view around every corner.
You’ll find no shortage of shops to pop in and out of and get souvenirs.
You can always find fun on the pier’s amusement park.
And don’t forget of course it’s a beach! Swimming and sun tanning on a nice day is a great activity.
A visit to the Los Angeles City Hall Observation Deck [200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012] will give you a new perspective on the city, from way up high.
Enter and the security guards will give you direction. Follow them up, up, and away to the open-air deck. It was completely empty when I visited on a glorious sunny day. I felt like the city was mine as I circled around and took in the view.
I reached a tiny teal door and wondered what it was for?
Exit out the beautiful 3rd floor and look at the beautiful design of the rotunda, feeling good without spending a dime.
Nearby you can grab lunch at the Grand Central Market, and extend your time downtown.
A bizarre combination of store and art exhibit, the Wacko Soap Plant [4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027] is a fun place to look around.
Wander the aisles of the maze-like store and sort through all of the odds and ends. Find something you don’t need for your house, or for a friend. When you finally reach the back there are some fantastical and seriously unique creations, free to view.
What a gem! You can’t get much odder than this. Stay weird :).