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I have heard many untruths about Venice, California so I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.  The saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” really applies to this small beach town.  Venice draws a very different type of crowd because there is something for everyone.  Many tourists are frightened by patrons with Mohawks, facial piercings, gothic attire, sleeved tattoos, and brightly colored hair because it is different than what they are used to.  Let me assure that while Venice may take some open mindedness, it is a perfectly safe town that offers a rich artistic culture that should be embraced, not feared.

Whether you are young or old, rich or homeless, gothic or preppy, punk rock or hip hop, liberal or conservative, this town brings everyone together.  There is a certain free spirit in Venice you won’t find anywhere else.  Graffiti in certain places is encouraged as a form of art and adds local color to an otherwise boring concrete wall.  Skateboarding and rollerblading are the preferred modes of transportation.  Free speech is abundantly apparent with protesters and a section of white boards with opinion based writings on all political hot topics.  While I don’t agree with pretty much anything that is written on those boards, I appreciate hearing the intellectual opinions of others and enjoy reading them.

There are several things to do on this Southern California beach vacation.  Street entertainers perform on weekends and have amazing shows such as fire eating, walking on glass, singing, break dancing, comics, and acrobatics.  Take a serene stroll around the world famous canals or eat at one of the casual side walk cafes.  The sunsets in Venice are like none other.  Beautiful golden rays over gentle rolling hills that silhouettes numerous palm trees with the vast sparkling ocean in the background. 

When it comes to your Southern California beach vacation try and do something out of the ordinary.  Open your mind to new things.  The art and culture in Venice is truly unique and the free spirit essence of the city epitomizes what Southern California beach towns are all about.  So embrace this eccentric town and you are sure to have a unique experience.

Tags: art, beach vacation, Venice

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 25th, 2009 at 1:30 am and is filed under Adult Getaways, FREE Things to Do, Sun & Sand. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.