Venice Beach Boardwalk

On our list of the best activities in Los Angeles.

A two-mile stretch of paved path runs along the sand, and the boardwalk nickname stuck a century ago even though it was never built of wood. Muscle Beach's outdoor platforms and free weights have pulled bodybuilders onto the sand since the 1950s, a few blocks from a 16,000-square-foot skate park of concrete bowls and a street course. Vendor stalls along the way are permanent fixtures run by local artists and craftspeople, not weekend pop-ups, and performers work the crowd for tips — one magician has held the same spot for twenty years.