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 enjoy a nice glass of California wine and fresh seafood with one of the most desirable views in the world before you. Malibu has a certain magic that is undeniable.
A nature lovers paradise, Malibu is accessible to all, despite its ultra luxury aura. You can surf, swim, sun, paddle board, or simply walk the beaches and hiking trails.
Pro tip: Before visiting Malibu, always check current road conditions. Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu is occasionally affected by mudslides, sinkholes, and storm damage. A quick check on Google Maps or Caltrans before you leave saves a lot of frustration
Here’s my list of things I like to do in Malibu no matter the time of year.
Westward Beach, west side of Point Dume
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Where is Malibu?
Malibu is part of Los Angeles County, located just northwest of downtown LA on Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). I had so much fun discovering Malibu’s beaches that I made the drive from west San Fernando Valley every day (about 40 minutes), for a week. The drive through Malibu Canyon is scenic, too.
22 Miles Of Beautiful Beaches
Some beaches are good for walking, others for surfing or watching the surfers while enjoying the California sunshine. I like to walk and check out the tide pools. These are a few of the beaches I like to frequent.
Malibu Surfrider Beach
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 California 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
We used to go to Zuma a lot because it is one of the best beaches for surfing, sunning, and walking, as it slopes slightly downward. Zuma is also 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
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. 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.
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
I love Point Dume Nature Preserve for many reasons. It’s small but lovely California state park where you’ll find coastal bluffs and ancient dunes. In the spring the dunes are covered in gorgeous yellow coreopsis that seems to glow at sunset. I was lucky and was there during a full moon. I saw the sun setting and the moon rising at the same time. Magical!
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.
Pro tip: Parking is an issue here. I found out the hard way and it set me back $72! There are not enough spots so time your visit well. The City of Malibu is relentless in writing tickets.
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.
I haven’t always been into hiking in the mountains but I discovered that there are hikes for all levels of fitness and that gave me confidence to start exploring the Santa Monica Mountain trails. It’s also an excellent way to spend time in nature. There are over 500 miles of trails, some with coastal views.
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 recently 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, not exactly a wild flower but beautiful none-the-less.
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.
photo by Penny Sadler
Visit Malibu Creek State Park
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*
Malibu Creek State Park
Wine Tasting in Malibu, California
Summer Somewhere
People visit California for wine tasting but don’t realize that the Los Angeles area has great wine tasting, too. There are several wine tasting options at Malibu Village. 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
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 at Strange or Fred Segal, 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-inspired 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, it’s my traditional stop when I visit friends in the area. 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.
Where to stay in Malibu
Would you like to have your morning coffee overlooking the Pacific or walk straight out of your accommodation onto the beach? Have a look at available options along this iconic stretch of the California coast.
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