CULVER CITY
The Venice and Culver City neighborhoods are on the southwest side of Los Angeles. Venice is located along the coast, just south of Santa Monica, while Culver City is its neighbor inland.
While the two neighborhoods are distinct in feel—Venice’s surfer culture and Culver City’s comfortable urban residences—they have one thing in common: their lively arts scene. Venice is home to the free spirits of Los Angeles, and that includes many artists and artists-turned- entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Culver City is dense with quality local art galleries.
Venice was originally conceived as a beach resort, but today it has an edgy bent, with skater, surfer, and artist communities living life on their own terms. Yet, there are all the trappings of wealth as well, like artisanal coffee shops and tech company headquarters.
Culver City was once part of MGM Studios, and there are still a number of movie studios and media companies headquartered there. Beneath the surface, delightful surprises await, like the artful furniture designers housed in the old Helms Bakery complex and the buzzing arts scene.
- The residential crowd is made up of… the beachy cottages (with luxury renovations) of Venice and the traditional or craftsman-style houses of Culver City.
- The lifestyle offered is… Hip, artsy, and beach-centric. Explore art galleries, pop into a new gastropub, or bike down to Venice Beach for an afternoon of surfing.
- The most popular building type you’ll find is… residential single-family homes. Compared to other LA neighborhoods, you’ll find fewer commercial and office spaces.
- The average home price is… $1.9 million (Venice) and $1.1 million (Culver City).
- The area’s best driving distance getaway is… anywhere on the coast! You can drive up to Santa Monica or Malibu for the afternoon. (LAX is also very close, connecting you to anywhere in the world…)
- The best spot to dine fancy is… Felix Trattoria in Venice. This upscale Italian restaurant categorizes the authentically prepared meals into regional cuisines within Italy.
- The best spot to find entertainment is… the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Though touristy, you’ll never be bored people watching, shopping, or grabbing a quick beachside bite.
- The best spot to go shopping is… Abbot Kinney Boulevard. This long street is lined with high-end indie boutiques featuring apparel, accessories, home goods and more.