I grew up in Venice so I would definitely recommend putting Venice Beach a the top of your list for your boardwalk. Since you are in the area I would also suggest Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and also Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice. You can actually dive down Abbot Kinney Blvd to determine if you want to stop and check out the boutique shops, artists, and restaurants.