Venice Beach
Venice Beach

When my mom and I finished touring Hollywood and Beverly Hills, we knew we wanted to have a beach day. After all, the 25C (75F) degree weather was one of the main reasons we escaped to sunny LA during the bitter Canadian winter. Even though it was January, we spent a full day under the sun, hopping from Venice Beach, to the Santa Monica Pier, to the Malibu Beaches. I don’t think I’ve ever been to anywhere with softer sand!

Although the crowds were dying down in January, the beaches were far from empty – there were still surfers chasing waves, people tanning on the beach, children playing in the water, and joggers exercising on the boardwalk. Having grown up in Vancouver, I love outdoor cities where people live active lifestyles – LA was right up my alley.

Venice Canal
Venice Canal

From the Santa Monica Pier
From the Santa Monica Pier
Malibu beach
Malibu beach
Malibu
Malibu Beach
Leaving Malibu
Leaving Malibu

This article originally appeared on Just-In-Time Travels. Get in touch with the author @tracyzhangphoto.