On the Boardwalk : Sand, Surf and Bargain Shopping (Would You Believe Nothing Over $23?) on Venice Beach

Getting here is simple: Drive west on Venice Boulevard until it ends at the beach parking lot. If you’re early, say, before 10 a.m., you’ll get a spot almost directly in front of the famed Jody Maroni’s Sausage Kingdom (keep this in mind for lunchtime). Across the white sand, wily sea gulls pluck at trash cans and sailboats glide toward Malibu. But for the moment, a dedicated shopper passes up beach life: The boardwalk’s many stalls are already open and loaded with neon T-shirts, zany cotton pants (bodybuilders from Gold’s Gym choose the ones with Velcro waist closures), straw hats, plastic sunglasses, jewelry, even tasteful Guatemalan fashions. Expect few dressing rooms or full-length mirrors. But prices are low, and you can bargain to boot. Just start walking north; the stalls play out a little past Market Street.