The canals themselves go for about as long as you would like to walk. We walked for about 45 minutes, and there was still a lot to see. It is a beautiful place for a leisurely stroll and to take in the serene area that seems almost out of place in the chaos of Venice Beach.

You cannot "walk through" the Venice canals in the sense of walking on the canal bed, as the water is several feet deep and the bottom is covered in thick, silty mud and debris. However, you can effectively "walk through" the city during a phenomenon called Acqua Alta (High Water). During these seasonal floods—typically between October and January—the tide rises and pushes sea water up through the drains and over the canal edges, covering low-lying areas like St. Mark's Square. During these times, the city sets up "passerelle" (elevated wooden walkways) so people can walk through the flooded streets without getting wet. If the water is shallow enough, many tourists and locals wear rubber boots and wade through the water-covered squares. While it looks picturesque, the water is a mix of sea water and city runoff, so it is not recommended to walk through it barefoot or submerge yourself in it.