Venice Beach California & Search for “Muck Rock”

Welcome to the iconic neighborhood of Venice Beach, the jewel of the City of Los Angeles that has been captivating visitors from all over the world for decades. Whether you’re a local looking for a fun day out or a tourist in search of an unforgettable experience, Venice Beach has it all. Immerse yourself in the quirky ambiance and bohemian spirit of this eclectic neighborhood, where street performers, artists, and vendors create a vibrant and colorful atmosphere. Stroll along the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk, soak up the sun on the golden sands, or take a dip in the refreshing Pacific Ocean. From unique shops and restaurants to art galleries and music venues, Venice Beach is a cultural melting pot that never ceases to amaze.

My own recent interest in Venice was triggered when I saw a mural painted on a panel van at Aliso Beach in southern Orange County. The van was totally covered by a camouflage type pattern with a huge macaw painted across the back third of the van. The detail and colors were amazing and there was a mysterious signature,”Muck Rock” on the wings of the macaw. I spoke to the owner of the van, who told me that the van was painted by an artist in Venice Beach and she was known as “Muck Rock”.

I took some photos of the van and when I got home I did some research on the Internet and found that Muck Rock was actually Jules Muck, a prolific graffiti/street artist living in Venice who was locally famous for the murals she painted all over Venice Beach . At first her murals were considered graffiti, but soon people approached her to paint murals on their fences, garage doors, walls, any flat surface. Over the next couple of years I occasionally checked into her Instagram site and followed her as she traveled around the country leaving a trail of fantastic murals. Her style is humorous, whimsical, topical, sometimes edgy, and almost always brings a smile of recognition.

We set out for an afternoon in Venice Beach with the goal of finding some Muck Rock murals. Venice is about 60 miles from our home via the I-5 and I-405. Even before we got to downtown Venice we saw the first Muck Rock mural, a two-story tall shaggy dog with a hair drier, and a doggy smile while being groomed. After that, we saw Muck Rock murals everywhere on residences, fences, garage doors, and walls of every sort of business. Check out the photos of Muck Rock murals below.

Before going down to the beach area we spent about an hour walking around Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which is one of the main streets in Venice. This is kind of a foodie hotspot with stylish boutiques and coffee bars.

In the 1950’s Venice Beach became famous as a seaside center for acrobatics and bodybuilding, gaining the nickname “Muscle Beach”. Visitors are reminded of the bodybuilding history of Muscle Beach by the numerous T-shirt vendors along the boardwalk, who have every possible version of images of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his 1970’s prime when he was winning Mr. Universe contests. The bodybuilding era faded and Venice became better known as the “Roller Skate Capital of the World”, today evidenced by a continuous need to weave and dodge “retro” roller skates, in-line skates, skateboards, and electric offspring of these and other wheeled vehicles.

The wide beach and sand between the ocean and the funky shops on the Venice Beach boardwalk has basketball and pickle-ball courts, volleyball nets, exercise equipment, and similar amenities. To me, the most impressive sport facility is the huge Venice Beach skatepark where skateboarders try out their skills and entertain crowds of people who are drawn away from the boardwalk.

Parking in Venice Beach seems to be at a premium on weekends whether you’re several blocks away from the ocean or very close to the boardwalk area. We were able to find a parking space after cruising around several blocks near Abbott Kinney Boulevard. When we went for our walk on the boardwalk we had to pay for parking, 15 bucks for all day. If you’re lucky, you can park in city parking lot which is actually on the sand area for less, but it’s frequently sold out.

This was a fun road trip in our own “Hometown“, we really enjoyed the Boardwalk at Venice Beach. Please Contact Us and let us know if there is a destination that you think we should visit and we’ll try to make plans.

EV Trivia for our “Hometown” Road Trip: Round Trip= 135 miles, Energy Use= 35 kWh, Efficiency= 3.85 mi/kWh

Muck Rock Murals in Venice Beach, CA