Aerial view of the Venice Skatepark in Venice Beach, Los Angeles

© Ingus Kruklitis/Getty Image

Sand, sun, and sk8ers

Walk the busy boardwalk of Venice Beach, in Los Angeles, and you'll see more sailing past than distant yachts – like an endless stream of skateboarders whizzing by within inches, always seeming to dodge you and your snow cone at the last second. Wanna bet they're headed to this world-famous skatepark right on the beach?

First poured in 2009 and serving locals, tourists, and pros alike ever since, Venice Skatepark's three bowls are usually brimming with skilled skaters – and visitors crowding the railings hoping to spy sick tricks. It's an appropriate setting for a top-notch skate spot – Bustling SoCal beaches like Venice were the birthplace of skateboarding, invented by bored surfers who wanted to cruise the land on days when waves were weak.