Venice

Originally founded in 1905 as a seaside resort town, and later known as “Bohemia-by-the-Beach,” Venice is eclectic, design-oriented, and artsy. It’s easily the Westside’s hottest neighborhood, with Abbot Kinney Boulevard (named for the city’s founder) acting as its downtown. Try Gjelina’s fennel salami pizza, organic gelato at N’ice Cream, and the croque madame at The Tasting Kitchen and thank us later. Shop for modern jewelry at Alexis Bittar, find cult skincare products at Aesop, and witness the thriving art scene during the Venice Art Crawl. On the home front, you’ll find cozy bungalows and cottages alongside modern masterpieces from Brian Murphy, David Hertz, Glen Irani, Marmol Radziner, and Frank Gehry (and don’t miss the idyllic canals). Property values continue to increase thanks to the presence of tech companies like Google Inc., which moved into Gehry’s famed Binoculars Building back in 2011.

79 Walkability Score