Words by Lulu
Our girl Lisa captured travelling by Jamie Green
First things first, LA is huge and while we have so many tips for all over the city and all over Cali, we spent most of our time hanging out in Venice during our Pop Up Boutique on Abbot Kinney – so this guide is very much places you’ll find in walking distance of Venice and the beach.
One of the best ways to see a new place is on foot, so we walked as much as possible. For slightly further distances you can jump on a Bird – you’ll see these electronic scooters all over the place, simply download the app and off you go. I felt like my 10 year old self cruising around on a JD razor!
Venice feels a little bit Bondi, a little bit Byron, and while it’s so different to Australia it’s easy to feel at home amongst the laid back beach lifestyle and coffee shops sprawling out onto the streets. We hope you love it as much as we did!
Coffee
Hole in the wall style café serving ‘Australian style’ coffee – this was our go-to spot for a morning caffeine fix. Friendly baristas and the best coffee in town (in our opinion – but maybe we’re biased?!)
Intelligentsia
Prepare to wait in line amongst the hippest people in town, but so worth it for a delicious brew.
Groundworks
If you’re working on the road and looking for a spot to connect to WIFI and delve into your emails for a while – this is it. Open late for night owls.
Deus Ex Machina
Great place to grab a coffee and have a browse (especially if you’re traveling with your boyfriend or husband). Featuring walls of surfing and motorbike memorabilia it’s easy to stay for a while.
Eat
You’ve probably already seen this vegetarian hotspot all over your Instagram feed, and if not prepared to the wowed. One of the most beautifully designed cafes we’ve ever been to, with a menu full of delicious meals that you wouldn’t even know are plant based. The Breakfast Burrito, Best Egg Sandwich and elixir shots are a must for first timers. They also do dinner, but we only ever made it there for brunch!
Gjelina
There’s two sides to this restaurant – both equally deserving of inclusion on this list. From the street you can pick up gourmet pizza by the slice, and grab and go salads served from their takeaway bar (a great pit stop to fuel a busy day shopping Abbot Kinney). Then there’s the restaurant that is booked out every night of the week – and rightly so, the share plates and pizzas are irresistible.
MTN (Mountain)
Fancy takes on Japanese dishes served in a dark, moody, and intimate setting.
Kreation
Great for cold pressed juices, acai bowls, breakfast burritos and salads – stop in for a meal or sign up for juice cleanse through the café.
Salt + Straw
For the best ice cream you will probably ever eat outside of Italy. My personal favourite was the White Chocolate and Salted Caramel. The line moves really quickly and is so worth the wait.
Neighbor
A beautiful sunny courtyard with a healthy menu right through breakfast to dinner. Great for a catch up with girlfriends and long lunches.
Food trucks
There’s always food trucks parked up and down the street – you never know what you’re going to get! Eat like a local, try the food truck – I heard the taco truck serves some of the best Mexican around.
Cocktails
Great vibe, instagrammable décor and delicious cocktails. No wonder this is where the locals go!
Rooftop at Hotel Erwin
As the only rooftop bar in Venice, this is definitely the best place to watch the sunset while sipping on a cocktail. The view is incredible and there’s usually a local DJ spinning some tunes. Perfect if you’re staying in the hotel too!
Shop
Abbot Kinney
You can’t really go wrong, and we’d we suggest you spend some time to walk right up and down the street stopping into boutiques along the way, but here are some of our highlights:
The Piece Collective
For all your homewares and local goods. Obsessed with the soft white interiors of this space!
Stone Cold Fox
Right behind The Piece Collective you’ll find one of our favourite places to pick up an outfit.
Pretties
The most gorgeous French inspired sleepwear & lingerie.
General Store
After years of following these guys on Instagram it was such a dream to set in store and see all the beautiful curated ceramics and homewares.
Bassike
A fellow Australian brand that’s favoured by LA locals for their clean cut, every day styles in beautiful fabrics and silhouettes.
Late Sunday Afternoon
An eclectic mix of books, homewares, clothes and plants. Such a beautiful space to stay and browse for a while.
Animal House
Curated vintage finds just two blocks back from the beach.
Stay
Airbnb
During this trip I stayed in the cutest little guest house in Venice on Walk Street because I was in the area for a couple of weeks so wanted to be able to cook and have room to work. The location was ideal – right between Abbot Kinney and Lincoln Boulevard and I felt safe walking home after sunset. It’s also just a couple of minute walk to Erewhon which was my go-to for groceries, juices and dinners most nights when working. The house itself was beautiful, clean, light and airy – perfect for solo travellers or couples, with a little kitchen, and sunroom.
Rose Hotel
Set just a stones throw back from Venice Beach, this hotel has a minimalist surf shack vibe and the balconies overlooking the Pacific Ocean are the perfect place to kick back at the end of the day.
If you happen to visit, or already know the area we’d love for you to share your tips in the comments below – we’re always looking for cool new please to eat/drink/stay! x
–
Lisa wears the Poinciana Playdress
Wild Thing Strappy Maxi Dress
Byron Is For Lovers Tee
Poinciana Duster
Jungle Mini Dress