Los Angeles family guide
Things to Do in Venice with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Venice on the map
📍 Where Venice is
Venice sits in Los Angeles, Southern California. Nearest major airport: LAX (Los Angeles Intl) (~5 mi / 7 km). It's roughly 14 mi (22 km) from Downtown LA and 116 mi (186 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
Things to do in Venice
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Famous oceanfront boardwalk with street performers, the skate park, Muscle Beach, and bike paths. The boardwalk dates to 1905 and now draws an estimated 28,000-30,000 visitors a day, making it one of the most-visited attractions in Southern California. Muscle Beach, the outdoor gym that's operated here continuously since the 1950s, helped launch bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and is considered the birthplace of outdoor gym culture.
Free; paid parking
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Trendy walkable street named for Abbot Kinney, the developer who built the original "Venice of America" — canals and all — starting in 1905. Today's boutiques, ice-cream shops, and weekend food stalls line what was once a working commercial strip in his planned beach town.
Free to strollFamily attractions near Venice
The closest kid-friendly attractions in neighboring towns — with driving distance from Venice.
Marina del Rey / Mother's Beach
Calm, lifeguarded harbor beach ideal for young kids, with kayak, paddleboard, and pedal-boat rentals. Tucked into a 12-acre lagoon inside the marina, it's been a family favorite since it was dedicated in 1965 — the fully enclosed setting means no ocean surf, which is exactly what earned it the "Mother's Beach" nickname.
Free; paid parking; rentals vary
Santa Monica Pier & Pacific Park
Iconic oceanfront pier with a solar-powered Ferris wheel, roller coaster, midway games, and an aquarium.
Pier free; ride wristbands ~$40
Heal the Bay Aquarium
A small, 4,500-square-foot aquarium tucked beneath the Santa Monica Pier, run since 2003 by the nonprofit Heal the Bay (founded in 1985 to protect LA's coastal waters). Around 100 local species live here, and hands-on touch tanks let kids handle sea stars, urchins, and hermit crabs.
~$5 suggested; kids under 12 free
Cayton Children's Museum
This 21,000-square-foot museum on the third level of Santa Monica Place packs in more than 20 hands-on exhibits for ages 0-8, including a full-size helicopter, a Coast Guard rescue boat, and a vintage fire truck kids can climb through. It opened in 2019 as the successor to the longtime Zimmer Children's Museum, carrying forward 30+ years of values-based, imaginative play.
~$20 per person
Third Street Promenade
Pedestrian shopping street built as the Santa Monica Mall in 1965 and reborn as the Third Street Promenade after a 1989 redesign. Its signature dinosaur-shaped topiary fountains — stainless-steel and copper sculptures up to 15 feet tall, with water spouting from their mouths — light up at night alongside street performers and shops.
Free to stroll
Annenberg Community Beach House
A restored 1920s Hearst-era beach estate turned public beach house — splash pad, playground, a historic pool, and the Marion Davies Guest House, funded by a $27.5 million Annenberg Foundation grant. Architect Julia Morgan designed the original oceanfront compound for Hearst and actress Marion Davies, whose 1930s-era parties drew guests like Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin. The site reopened to the public in 2009 after decades as a private beach club.
Free grounds, splash pad & playground; pool has separate paid admissionFestivals & annual events in Venice
What Venice is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Venice Pride Block Party
A free all-ages street party at the Venice Sign with DJs, food trucks, a queer market, and community booths.
Abbot Kinney Festival
A one-day street festival closing Abbot Kinney Boulevard for three music stages, food and artisan vendors, and a kids' area. Run by a nonprofit that funds Venice youth and arts groups.
Local restaurants in Venice
Taqueria Chihuahua
Old-school neighborhood taqueria, a low-key Venice institution.
Ospi
Lively Italian trattoria channeling a Brooklyn red-sauce joint, great for family brunch and pasta.
Local shops in Venice
Small World Books
General indie bookstore on the Venice boardwalk since 1969, a quiet cultural landmark.
Tortoise General Store
Wife-and-husband shop of imported Japanese crafts, ceramics, and housewares in a wabi-sabi setting.
Mystic Journey Bookstore
Spiritual shop and crystal gallery on Abbot Kinney with crystals, tarot, and incense.
Burro
Curated stationery, local-artisan jewelry, and whimsical home goods on Abbot Kinney since 1999.
Skylark
Independently owned boutique of vintage and reworked-vintage women's clothing and art.
Strange Invisible Perfumes
Organic, hand-blended botanical fragrance house and apothecary made on Abbot Kinney.
Waraku USA
Tokyo street-style shop importing limited sneakers and Japanese designer apparel.
Aviator Nation
California-made, 1970s-surf-inspired clothing; the Abbot Kinney flagship feels like a time capsule.
LCD
Shopkeep-helmed indie-designer boutique on Abbot Kinney with a minimalist, avant-garde bent.
Seasonal & outdoors near Venice
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Venice.
More Los Angeles family guides
Venice family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Venice with kids?
Family favorites in and around Venice include Venice Beach Boardwalk and Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Our guide lists 2 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Venice?
Yes — free family spots near Venice include Venice Beach Boardwalk and Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
Where can families eat in Venice?
Local, family-friendly spots in Venice include Taqueria Chihuahua and Ospi — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Venice guide cover?
Our Venice family guide includes 2 things to do, 2 local eats and 10 local shops — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Venice
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Venice on one map — then book on your favorite site.