Venice used to be the epicentre of skateboarding and grunge beside the sea. Over the last decade, this village-like Southern California paradise has boomed into a health-conscious shopping beacon for bourgeois bohemians. But the town itself has a heartbeat as steady as the waves, and it's a wonderful place to be. Rent a surfboard or beach cruiser at Jays on Ocean Front Walk to explore the water and boardwalk best. Stop in for a midday beer and burger at one of the last surviving staples, a beachside dive bar called Hinanos, just steps from the ocean, where you'll find locals fishing off the pier.