Venice has always been a place defined by exaggerated, sweeping generalizations: A funky artists’ enclave, a tacky tourist trap, a food-lover’s paradise, a scene for skaters, an ever-gentrifying playground for the newly moneyed.

The truth is, Venice has been all of these things at one time or another -- and for better or worse, it's still a mix of ‘em. You can still find local artists (though not as many these days) creating one-of-a-kind works along the boardwalk, watch impressive ollies at the oceanside skatepark, and get chased down the boardwalk by a guy who wants to sell you his CD (yes, in 2019). You can gawk at behemoth dream homes sitting next to century-old bungalows on the canals. You can get a greasy taco off a truck or an astronomically priced plate of truffle tagliatelle, and find yourself sharing a beachfront bench with a guy who’s been surfing here since the ‘70s and used to hang out with Dennis Hopper.



Still, there’s no denying Venice looks a lot different today than it did even five years ago. Where once you would have found decades-old restaurants and vintage furniture sellers, now stand gleaming outposts of corporate chains like Adidas, rag & bone, and Warby Parker. But that’s not to say the offbeat spirit of Venice is completely gone. You just have to know where to look.