67. Best Sight L.A. for Canal Kayaking

In L.A. it is currently award season.  In honor of award season, your CaliforniVacation SoCal Gal has created an award for "Best Sight L.A. for Canal Kayaking".  And the award goes to the Venice Canals.

If you have been following the award blog posts, you know there is a method to my madness with the sights I've chosen to honor.  All awards relate to what I've dubbed, "The Hotel California Tour".  The Hotel California in Santa Monica, a staircase walk away from the beach, is an award winner in this series and less than a mile and a half from the north end of the Venice Ocean Front Walk.

If you are willing to walk another mile down the ocean front walk, you will reach South Venice Boulevard.  Take a left.  In less than two blocks you reach the north end of the Venice canal (runs to Washington Boulevard).  As you walk along the canal, note most homes have kayaks, paddle boats or something similar.  You may be tempted to borrow one of them for your kayaking pleasure.  Probably not the best way to win friends and influence people.

Maybe kayaking isn't your thing.  The canal is also a great sight for mallard ducks, white herons and other wildlife sightings.  I had not noticed how orange a mallards webbed feet are until I saw them as up close and personal as I did at the canals.

I almost forgot about including the Venice canals as a sight for the "Hotel California Tour" until seeing the canals in the movie, "Valentine's Day" reminded me.  In seeing the location sights in the movie, I feel the canal shots must have been from a while ago when the water level was higher.  If you are a kayaking enthusiast, I'd be sure to check the water levels first before choosing this location.

One of the things I love about the canals is the peaceful energy of this area which is just about the opposite of the eclectic and frenetic energy of Venice's Ocean Front Walk, while being less than three blocks from each other in location.

Ahhh!  It feels good to celebrate the sights of L.A.

P.S.  For most it probably goes without saying, but just in case...please remember, if you walk the canals you are basically on the edge of someone's yard.  I'm sure they would appreciate you following the golden rule.  As a reminder, the golden rule is not "he who has the most gold...rules!"  The golden rule is "treat others and their property with the same respect you would prefer".  Thank you.