There's tons to do in and around west LA if you feel like exploring during your stay! Here are some of our favorite spots and activities nearby.

BEACHes

MOTHERS BEACH (<1 mile away)

While not the cleanest beach in LA, Mothers does offer a couple of waterfront restaurants (Cheesecake Factory and Jamaica Bay Inn), as well as vendors renting kayaks, paddleboards and peddle boats. You'll be sure to spot sea lions and birds, and if you're lucky you might see dolphins, rays, starfish and octopus. 

VENICE BEACH (<1 mile away)

If you want to see Muscle Beach, the boardwalk, street vendors, skaters and great people watching head north of the Venice Pier. If you want a more relaxed locals vibe and slower pace (with admittedly fewer facilities and food options), head to our favorite stretch of beach south the of the Venice Pier.

hiking

LA is known for its endless hiking trails. Marina Del Rey boasts the Marvin Broade Bike Path (also pedestrian friendly), which provides a gateway from the Marina to the beach towns of the south bay. Some of our other favorite urban hikes include:

BALLONA LAGOON TRAIL (<1 mile away)

This easy stroll is flat, filled with flowers and follows the Ballona Lagoon, which feeds the historic Venice Canals to the north. This quiet pedestrian getaway escapes the bustle of the LA traffic. On your walk you'll spot birds, historic century old villas and an inviting pedestrian bridge diverting you straight to a quiet "locals" beach (end of Lighthouse St). The two separate trail entries are public and located behind 137 Roma Ct (north entry) and 5519 Via Donte (south entry).

BLUFF TRAIL (3.5 miles away)

This is a short paved pedestrian path extending from Bluff Trail Park at One Westbluff, a local neighborhood park. It follows a natural bluff that overlooks Ballona Wetlands Ecological Preserve and Marina Del Rey with the ocean and Santa Monica mountains in the backdrop. This spot is gorgeous at any time of day, but visit during sunset for a truly stunning view! The access point is 7407 W Costal View Drive.

Restaurants

THE VENICE WHALER

Right on the beach and a one minute walk to the Venice Pier, this is a great spot for a quick bite and a local beach hang. We recommend trying to get seating on the upper level for the best beach/pier view, or sit street-side for people watching. Depending on what day you arrive, they have a great Monday-Friday happy hour!

BAJA CANTINA

Awesome Mexican food, great margaritas. The waiters are not joking when they say the shrimp tacos are spicy. However, they are so delicious it is worth the sweat. The spicy jalapeno margarita also comes correct.

BRIZO BAR & RESTAURANT

Beautiful, outdoor restaurant located right on the water in the marina. This is probably our most frequented restaurant due to it being a 3 minute walk from our place. If Nate happens to be your server, tell him Bobby & Patrick say “hi”!

local events

VENICE WEST (DEAD BRUNCH) : SATURDAY 4/25 @ 11:00 AM

Dead Brunch at Venice West is a weekly event where you can listen to live music from one of several rotating bands covering, you guessed it, The Grateful Dead. For those of you who may not be die-hard Dead Heads (we aren’t either - yet), it is still a great time with good food and a full bar if you want to get the party started early. There is a chance the drummer, key board player, or any number of the band members may be on the wedding cruise later in the day!

MORE TO BE ADDED!