Legendary frontman of the Doors looms in this giant mural by famed Venice muralist, Rip Cronk.

The real faces of Venice beach captured on Romanesque columns.

The short oil boom of Venice Beach, and its swift removal from the tourism-laden landscape.

Two men, two visionaries of Venice Beach, one little hotel that smells like cookies.

After starting as a whimsical tourist attraction that eventually found its way to ruin, these renovated canals offer a lush and exotic locale on the Pacific Coast.

Founded by a high school teacher, this poetry magazine became a center for all things literary.

A gift from Abbot Kinney and a little bit of piece of Black history in Venice Beach.

In a city filled with Frank Gehry buildings, one stands out as one of the architect's weirder works.

A three-story, three-dimensional hobo clown in a tutu welcomes CVS shoppers.

Legendary prop shop filled with one man's collection of scientific curiosities.

The diverse and sometimes odd cultural heritage of the Golden State is collected, examined, and displayed in this proud museum.

Santa Monica's oldest restaurant, decorated with set pieces from the Mutiny on the Bounty.

Grab a latte at the birthplace of modern American skateboarding.

In one Santa Monica parking lot a mushroom cloud made of chains heralds a message of peace.

A treasure hunter's tiny bar, harboring celebrities since 1959.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

This well-traveled chess park offers scenic views of the pacific and a colorful, eclectic clientele.

A second generation sun-powered marvel lights up the night.

A sign at the end of the Santa Monica Pier marks the traditional end of the legendary American highway.

A Looff creation in Santa Monica best described as “a California-Byzantine-Moorish-style fantasy.”

An offbeat angle on the ocean viewed through an antiquated lens.

Giant origami crease patterns engraved in Santa Monica intersections may even be visible from space.

One of the first skyscrapers in Santa Monica, and a famous getaway for the Hollywood elite of then and now.

A few iconic structures are all that remain of America’s first outdoor shopping mall.