How To Enjoy Malibu, California On A Budget

Malibu was originally part of a Spanish land grant known as Rancho Malibu. In 1892, there were 13,000 plus acres purchased by Frederick Rindge and his wife May, with the dream of turning it into a private hacienda and beachfront playground. Frederick Rindge did indeed build a ranch house and raised cattle and grains. The house burned in a fire in 1903. In 1905, Frederick Rindge died, leaving the estate to his wife May, to manage.

 

 

May Rindge worked hard to keep this stretch of California coast private and pristine. She spent her entire fortune fighting legal battles to stop development and encroachment on the land. But, as modern history shows, she lost the battle. Still, the story of the Rindge family is fascinating. If you’d like to learn more of the history read this article.

 

 

 

You can do a self-guided tour and enjoy the unparalleled views, the rose gardens, and the architecture. The grounds are open daily from 11:00 am to sunset. Follow the markers along the path for self-guided tours. Entrance to the grounds and gardens is free.

 

Docent-led tours are Thursday through Sunday only, 12 – 3 pm. It’s on my list of what to do in Malibu for next time. Visit the website and take a virtual tour.

Next walk down to the Malibu Pier, which you can see from the house.

The Malibu Pier was originally built in 1905 to service the Adamson’s beach house. It’s been the site of many surf movies, TV shows, and was a World War II lookout post. Later, it became a fishing pier and remains so today.

Malibu Pier 

Unlike other California piers, Malibu Pier is a nice place for a conversation and a stroll without all the crowds, noise, and chaos of say, Santa Monica Pier. You can walk to the end of the pier and gaze at an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean. That’s not easy to find, and it costs nothing.

There’s a trendy restaurant called Malibu Farm, and a gift shop that markets the Malibu lifestyle. Everything there is good quality and very well done. And expensive. But you don’t need money to browse. Do not miss the black and white photograph of Malibu from the 1940s.