Most people think of Venice Beach when they think of Venice, Calif., but this city, which sits just to the south of Santa Monica, is actually modeled after Venice, Italy. You could say its man-made canals are one of the best-kept secrets of Los Angeles; while plenty of locals know about them, they don’t attract a lot of visitors. Still, they are easy enough to access, right in the heart of this small oceanfront town, and they offer a great window into the laid-back lifestyle here, where homes are less manicured than those of Beverly Hills, but luxurious in a totally different way, opening out onto waterways that some people still navigate by canoe. The canals are connected by a series of paths that run alongside them and bridges that cross over them. And because they don’t attract many outside visitors, no one is bothered by the presence of an occasional tourist. Wander around and enjoy!