Malibu is an iconic southern California destination, with miles of beautiful coastline, accessible beaches, and hiking in the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. You can also enjoy a nice glass of California wine and fresh seafood with a priceless view…and the view on its own makes Malibu one of the most desirable places in the world.
Though Malibu has a reputation for being expensive, it is a nature lovers paradise, accessible to all. You can surf, swim, sun, paddleboard, or simply walk the beaches and hiking trails.
These are my 5 top reasons to visit Malibu any time of year.
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22 Miles Of Beautiful Beaches
I had so much fun discovering Malibu beaches that I made the drive from the west San Fernando Valley every day for a week. The drive through Malibu Canyon is scenic, too.
Malibu Surfrider Beach
Without a doubt, people travel from around the world to visit Malibu’s famous Surfrider Beach. Located just north of the Malibu Pier it is part of the Malibu Lagoon State Beach and Park. Surfrider beach became famous in the late 50s when Hollywood filmed beach party movies here. It was the first beach designated a World Surf Reserve.
Zuma Beach
One of the best beaches is Zuma, a great beach for surfing, sunning, and walking, as it slopes slightly downward. Zuma is one of the few beaches that doesn’t have a row of expensive housing between the beach and Pacific Coast Highway.
Pro tip: The parking lot is huge but in the summer you will need to get there early or look for parking on the street.
Latigo Beach
Latigo Beach, just a little east of Zuma, is a nice beach for walking or just hanging out. It’s quite rocky so I don’t think it’s a good beach for surfing, though I did see one surfer.
I had a great time exploring the tide pools and the interesting rock formations at Latigo. Beds of mussels and barnacles covered the rocks, and sea anemones were everywhere. I also saw a small crab.
Leo Carrillo State Beach is another great spot to explore tide pools at low tide.
Pro Tip: Be sure to park on Pacific Coast Highway and walk toward the coastal access sign. You’ll have to navigate some stairs but there are not too many and they are not steep.
photo by Penny Sadler
Point Dume State Beach
Point Dume is another famous Malibu beach. Also known as Westward Beach, the location is sheltered by tall cliffs making it feel very isolated. This beach was used to film the final scenes of the 1968 film, Planet of the Apes. If you’re not familiar with the movie or the scene filmed at Point Dume, well, it isn’t the greatest movie of all time. But the beach is fantastic!
Point Dume Nature Preserve
Point Dume Nature Preserve is a small but lovely state park where you’ll find coastal bluffs and ancient dunes. In the spring the dunes are covered in gorgeous yellow coreopsis. Be sure to hike to the top of the dunes for an incredible view of the Santa Monica Bay. On a clear day you can see all the way to Catalina Island. This is also a good spot for seasonal whale watching.
If you happen to be there during a full moon go in time to see the sun set and the moon rising at the same time. Magic!
Parking is an issue here. There are not enough spots so time your visit well. The City of Malibu is relentless in writing tickets. I found out the hard way and it set me back $72!
Pro tip: I used an app called Our Malibu Beaches which I wish I had discovered a long time ago. The app is very informative and includes directions, parking, and details such as what kind of activities are best for each beach.
PIN IT FOR TRAVEL PLANNING
Hiking In The Canyons
Did you know that there is a huge wilderness area just a stone’s throw from Los Angeles? The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area includes hiking trails in the canyons, camping, and beaches.
Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains is an excellent way to spend time in nature. There are over 500 miles of trails, some with coastal views. You will find hikes for all levels of fitness so don’t think you need to be in great shape.
Pro Tip: Be sure to check advisories for landslides after heavy rain and fires during extreme dry weather. Lightening can set off fires, too.
Solstice Canyon Hike
I did the Solstice Canyon Hike which had three trail options of varying difficulty. Since I had never hiked there before I chose the scenic trail which also offered the most shade. The total distance in and out is only about two miles.
The Solstice trail includes the ruins of two homes that burned in two different fires. Signs explain the history of each house. The bigger ruins are the Robert’s Ranch House, designed by architect Paul Williams. There is also a small waterfall and abundant greenery including Birds of Paradise.
Ruins of the Keller house, built in the 1920s. photo by Penny Sadler
Pro Tip: Turn off of Pacific Coast Highway at Corral Canyon Rd. The entrance is off to the left before a curve in the road. There are a few parking spots at the entrance to the canyon but they fill up early. Drive on back to a larger lot. You’ll come to a small crossing that may make you wonder if you should keep going…you should.
This is a popular spot and it does get busy. Always be sure to check for the possibility of wildfires in the area before you hike into the hills.
Malibu Creek State Park
Hike The Ruins Of Famous Movie Sets
If visiting film sets is your jam, you’ve hit the jackpot in Malibu. One of the best places to visit is Malibu Creek State Park. Over the years hundreds of movies and TV shows have been filmed here. The first was in 1919.
20th Century Fox used to own 2000 acres exclusively for shooting films. How Green Was My Valley was Foxes’ Academy Award winner and was filmed there. Pleasantville, With Toby McGuire and Reese Witherspoon, was the last production filmed at Malibu Creek State Park. More recently the location was used to film the outdoor scenes for the television series MASH*
Wine Tasting in Malibu
Summer Somewhere
If you’re not feeling especially athletic check out the wine tasting options at Malibu Village. Located inside the iconic Fred Segal boutique, Summer Somewhere’s flagship wine is a Provencal-style rosé. A blend of Grenache and Cinsault, it’s dry and crisp, and will remind you of summer.
Summer Somewhere sources fruit from winegrowers in Santa Ynez and other Central Coast wine regions. They focus on vineyard sites that advocate organic growing practices. They also produce a Grenache, Pinot, Viognier, and Gruner Veltliner. There are options for shipping wine via a wine club membership if you don’t live in the area, but want to be reminded, that it’s always summer somewhere.
Strange Family Vineyards Malibu Tasting Room
Strange Family Vineyards
Across the street from Fred Segal is the Strange Family Vineyards tasting room. Strange wines are made with fruit from their estate vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. They produce pinot noir and chardonnay plus sparkling wines. There is seating both indoors and outside. In addition to wine, they have a lot of fun merchandise for sale. Who doesn’t want a shirt that says Strange Malibu on it?
Pro Tip: There’s free parking at Malibu Village.
Eat Delicious Food
After wine tasting walk over to Broadstreet Oyster Company. They don’t have ocean views but they serve one of the best lobster rolls anywhere. At the time I was there all the food was to go, but there were picnic tables outside.
photo by Penny Sadler
Malibu Ranch
Malibu Ranch serves fresh farm-to-market food in a casual setting on the Malibu Pier. There are two restaurants, the Malibu Farm Cafe (at the end of the pier) open for counter service, and the Malibu Farm Restaurant close to the entrance.
The menu includes some very California-esque items like tofu tacos and green avocado quesadillas, salmon nicoise salad, and roasted chicken. Overall the menu is fresh and healthy and the atmosphere can’t be beat.
Prices are comparable to other similar restaurants in Malibu but here you also get an ocean view!
Duke’s Malibu
When in doubt, head to Duke’s Malibu. Duke’s is named in honor of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and also highlights the surfing history of Malibu. Duke’s serves good food for a reasonable price and has some of the best views of the Pacific Ocean. Duke’s is a traditional stop when I visit friends in the area.
If your California travels include driving the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, you’ll want to read my article, Top Tips For Driving Highway One.
5 comments
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Would love any updates on spots along Pacific Coast Highway between now and Sept 10
Hello Arlene,
This article covers most of the things I did in the spring of 2021 so it’s pretty current. The Malibu area hasn’t changed a lot. I do have a new article I wrote about wineries in the Los Angeles area but aside from these that are near the highway, the others are in downtown Los Angeles. If you care to read it it is on Matador Network, 6 Los Angeles Wine Tasting Experiences. Thanks
Planning on a drive from San Diego to San Francisco in a few weeks. Thoroughly enjoyed your articles on Malibu and other stops along the way. Would love any updates