LOL- I used to live about three small blocks from Muscle Beach . . . maybe half a kilometer, if that.
My favorite part was always the street performers, everyone from guitarists to comedians to magicians, and we even had a guy about a block from us that performed sword-swallowing feats with flaming swords!
And of course your requisite soap box preachers heralding the coming doomsday. You just never know what you'll see on Venice Beach.
I went walking one day with my Newfoundland when there was a Hari Krishna parade, complete with highly decorated elephants, and Ebony was fascinated with the elephants, as she had never seen anything living that dwarfed her before. She and one of the elephants made friends while others went by in the parade.
It was a great place to live when I was there, though it has changed a lot, but still fun to visit. And you can't beat the weather, most of the time, anyway.
And yes, the German forest is gorgeous. No argument there. But a heck of a lot colder than Venice Beach.
I was surprised the creek wasn't frozen when I was in the forest 2 days ago.
Muscle beach sounds like a central point where people meet.
Pretty much just the guys that work out, and the tourists watching them.
But all of Venice Beach along the Boardwalk (which is actually asphalt) is one big meeting place. There are a lot of outdoor cafes, and covered pavilions by the sand, so you have a lot of options.