I grew up in Southern California and have seen my fair share of weirdness. But never have I seen a wilder, more vibrant assortment of creativity and craziness congregated as densely in one place as I have seen at Venice Beach. Kids will find plenty to do, but this is an urban environment. Parents should accompany younger kids. The water is cold but clean.
Riptides can be dangerous, especially for children.
The clean sand offers lots of space for sunning and gaming. With this much atmosphere, you might think you are on another planet.