I saw in the article about the mayor of LA a piece where it compared LA's beaches to New Jersey. I don't think that was an overstatement.

I took a friend who was visiting from the east coast to Hermosa and Venice beach and we were terrified. The 2 beaches looked like a a trashy version of Altantic City overrun with homeless and crazy people :eek2: .

We tried to go to Malibu some 2hr later in traffic the beaches and surrounding town were completely dead!

Did we just pick the bad beaches? What are your picks as LA's top beaches? Are there any similiar to Miami's South Beach or Palm Beach.

Does the city have any plans for the beachfront revitalization?

Venice Beach


http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/venice-beach.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/vb2.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/vb5.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/vb3.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/vb4.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/wanchtography/LA/venice%20beach/vb6.jpg

Homeless and crazy people? Do you mean street vendors/performers? I've been to both Hermosa and Venice and I don't remember seeing armies of hobos and psychotics traipsing around, but that would possibly liven up my beach visits...

Malibu has always been a laid-back town, as far as the beach, IDK, beaches are like theme parks, the freeways, or the tides, they change depending on season, time of day, weather, current events, peoples moods etc...so its hard to say why it was empty.

I dont know about BEACHfront revitalization, as far as SHOREline, Marina Del Rey is having some new towers built on the shoreline, but thats a marina and not a swimming beach. Also I think there is some effort to clean up the water around the Snta Monica pier and other areas where the water gets dirty.

I dont think there are any beaches like Miami's beaches, you'd probably want to go to Orange County for that one ;).

you have to wait till 1o pm then all the beaches look like that... but why would you be at the beach at 1o pm anyhow? nothing there you cant get in the desert

The better beachs are in Orange County and San Diego. LA has great beaches IMO but they do need some work. I think if we perhaps plant more palm trees, spruce up the Santa Monica Pier, and maybe do something with Ocean Ave. then we would have a more attractive waterfront.

overrun with homeless and crazy people :eek2:

Venice is absoluely trashed and filled with nut jobs and weirdos and thats why i love it. Mind you, i dont go the everyday, but live just a 15 or 20 minute bike ride away and go there atleast once or twice a month.

^^^ yeah its prety fun to see all the weridos walking around. their is always something going on their like some guy performing and people sculpting sand its fun place to go

Haha, I feel the same way, I love the crazy/awesome ambience at Venice Beach. Life & Times Tonight (a show on KCET 28) had a show the other day on how some of the business owners tried to change the way vendors/performers are allowed to take up space on the boardwalk. I think the only outcome was that they have to go to some weekly lottery spot and have certain restrictions on the size of their stall or whatever, but the great part was they asked this crazy white rapper named 'Zuma Dogg' who performs on the boardwalk to represent them at some Venice City Council meeting. It was great, the video is up somewhere online, basically if you can imagine a white dude "thugged out" yelling stuff like "HOOODY HOO, ZUMA DOGG IN THA HOUSE" at some suits on the City Council in front of a bunch of Venice residents and a TV crew. :)

thanks everyone for the thoughts. It helps. We just didn't realize the ambiance was so... eclectic :shocked:. I think my friend would have probably liked the OC better (she's a Miami type). The weather wasn't particularly hot out so that might have affected things too.

I almost got hit by some girl on a gyroscopic scooter with a plasma TV strapped to it @ Venice?! Don't know what that was all about.

Gyroscopic scooter? You mean a Segway? With a Plasma TV on it? O_O "Pimp My Segway"

To quote a popular comedian: "VENICE BEACH IS LIKE NYC'S TIMES SQUARE WITH SAND!" I think that says it all. But here in LA, we love our beaches in all it's variety and eclecticism. That's what makes it unique. I live in the beach area of LA and love it! LA beaches are pretty "urban", lots of people and commerce. If you want seclusion and exclusivity, go to Malibu----although there are many "private" enclaves in the area that is difficult to access. Also, check out Manahattan Beach (quite tony), Redondo Beach, Newport Beach, Balboa Island, Huntington Beach, Zuma Beach (Malibu), there's lots and lots of things to do and see and each one has its own personality. I love Hermosa Beach. It's a party town with lots of good restaurants and clubs. So, as a visitor, it would be great if you would be able to experience the SoCal Beach Culture quite unique from what you're accustomed to.

i've been to Redondo, Manhattan, and Newport Beach and i loved all of them. the only bad thing is that the water is cold but then again that is the reason why California has cooler summers than the east coast.:)