Venice

This is a coastal city just south of Santa Monica where Bohemian rhapsody meets hipster swag. The name Venice comes from its canals similar to that of its Italian counterpart found in only a few parts of the city. The man-made canals were built by developer Abbot Kinney in 1905.

Fast forward to the 2000s, the re-gentrification of this area was spurred on by tech companies making Venice the epicenter of “Silicon Beach.” Snapchat, Google, Facebook, Twitter and many other tech companies have offices and real estate in Venice.

Venice beach and the boardwalk has been world-famous. Incense wafts in the air as passersby watch street dancers, art vendors lining the boardwalk, skaters in the skate park, muscle beach, paddleboard and much more. After the sun sets, the street of Abbot Kinney lights up with some of the region’s hippest nightlife and restaurants.

At the same time, Venice has award winning schools such as Broadway Elementary, Coeur d’Alene Avenue, and Animo Venice Charter High School. This makes it a great family area and can be felt especially in areas like the walk-streets.

This diverse city has something for everyone, but its consistent theme is the cool, chill vibe that is so unique only to Venice. If you know about Venice, look further.