Venice Pier

"Venice is a fabulous place to make discoveries," declares Tim Rudnick, director of the Venice Oceanarium on Venice Pier. The Venice Oceanarium is a free outdoor exhibit set up on the pier most Sundays that showcases an ever-changing presentation of 25 years worth of collected ocean specimens.

Spend an afternoon discovering the diversity of sea life at the Venice Pier, a duplicate of the original pier that was built in 1965 but was damaged beyond repair by the El Niño storms of 1983.

The concrete pier also offers some of the best fishing opportunities in Venice. Haul your bait and tackle to special outcroppings on the pier where you can set up your equipment and enjoy the day as you fish for sand-shore species and rock-dwelling creatures that live amongst the artificial quarry rock reef that surrounds the pier. If fishing isn't your game, then perhaps just take in the breathtaking ocean views and solitude of the sea on the benches at the end of the pier. For dinner, head to the Venice Whaler at the end of Washington Blvd. for drinks and watch the sunset from the beach-side patio.

STARTING POINT
Begin at the end of Washington Blvd at Ocean Front Walk.

DIRECTIONS TO THE START
Transit: From the Temple and Spring St. stop in Downtown LA take the Commuter Express 437 towards Washington & Pacific. Disembark at Washington and Pacific.

Car: From the 10 Freeway West merge onto the 405 Freeway South toward LAX/Long Beach. After about 4 miles merge onto the 90 Freeway West. After 3 miles turn right onto Lincoln Blvd. Then after a 0.5 miles turn left onto Washiton Blvd. After about 1 miles you will reach the end of Washington Blvd.