Beaches in Malibu

Amarillo Beach is a public county beach located along the eastern end of Malibu Road below Malibu Bluffs Park, accessible via Webb Way. The beach is a popular spot for surfing, scuba diving, sunbathing, and beachwalking, with hiking trails connecting the beach to nearby Malibu Bluffs Park at the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Zone Parkland trailhead.

Local travel tip: The beach's eastern end is very rocky, though its western stretch offers beautiful narrow sandy areas.

Good to know: During high tide conditions, little to no accessible beachfront area is available for visitor use.

Must know: Visitors should exercise caution not to enter the beach's waters when its storm drain area is flowing and should be respectful of area homeowners' private lands, including driveway access points.

24436 Malibu Road, Malibu, CA 90265

Amarillo Beach is less than an hour from Downtown LA.

Big Rock Beach is a narrow rocky beach in Malibu, named in honor of a large offshore rock at the beach that serves as a popular resting spot for migratory and shorebirds. The public beach is accessible via a gate along the Pacific Coast Highway and is operated by Los Angeles County, serving as a popular spot for swimming, scuba diving, birdwatching, and fishing.

Can I see seals on a beach in Malibu? You can observe seals sunning along a number of rocks along the beach's shoreline, with ample space for beachwalking and viewing beautiful waterfront homes in the area.

Pro tip: During high tide times, the beach is almost entirely underwater, though expansive sandy stretches are exposed during low tide.

Is there parking? Limited public parking is available at the beach. Street parking is offered across the highway, though visitors should exercise caution in crossing the highway.

20000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

You can reach the Big Rock Beach in 45 minutes from Los Angeles.

Broad Beach , also known as Trancas Beach, is a narrow public beach located along Broad Beach Road, accessible via public stairs along the road or from the parking lot at nearby Zuma Beach. The beach offers ample opportunities for surfing, windsurfing, diving, bodyboarding, and fishing, with a number of tide pools exposed at low tide along the beach's northern end near Lechuza Beach making for great wading and beachcombing spots for families.

Good to know: During high tide conditions, the beach is almost entirely covered in water, though low tide conditions make for great beachwalking conditions due to the beachfront's gently sloping sands.

Is there parking at Malibu's Broad Beach? Limited free parking is offered along Broad Beach Road near the beach's entrance.

Where to find it: Broad Beach, 31200 Broad Beach Road, Malibu, CA 90265

Broad Beach is one hour from LA.

Dan Blocker County Beach is a public beach operated by Los Angeles County, located near Malibu's Latigo Shores neighborhood below the Pacific Coast Highway. The beach, which was formerly known as Corral State Beach, is a popular spot for swimmers, snorkelers, scuba divers, surfers, fishers, and sunbathers, with lifeguards staffed on duty at the site during the summer months. A 2.5-mile hiking loop trail embarks from the beach's parking lot.

Is there parking at Dan Blocker County Beach? Parking areas for the beach are offered across the highway, connected via a pedestrian underpass, and nearby at Corral Canyon Park, a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Are there restrooms on Dan Blocker County Beach? Public amenities include restrooms, picnic tables, and the Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market and Patio Cafe.

Stay here: Overnight tent and RV camping sites and rental cottages offered across the highway at (Malibu Beach RV Park.)

Where to find it: 26000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

El Matador State Beach is one of three public beaches located within Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, which is located within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area between nearby Point Dume and Leo Carrillo State Beaches. As the closest beach within the state beach area to Malibu, the beach is accessible via the Pacific Coast Highway and offers a public parking area with day-use picnic sites overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

What is there to do at El Matador State Beach? Swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing are popular activities during the summer months, with a hiking trail offered to explore the region's unique eroded bluff formations.

What is a good Malibu beach for photos? Striking scenery at El Matador State Beach makes it a popular spot for professional and amateur photography.

Pro tip: Caves located along the beach's northern end that are available for exploration.

What's nearby? Trails also connect the beach to nearby La Piedra State Beach and Lechuza Beach.

Where to find it: El Matador State Beach, 32200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

El Pescador State Beach is the westernmost beach within Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, located within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near La Piedra and El Matador State Beaches.

Can I park near the beach? El Pescador State Beach is accessible via the Pacific Coast Highway within Malibu's western end, offering a private parking lot for beach visitors with an access hiking trail provided to the beach.

What is a good beach in Malibu for tide pools? The lovely sandy cove beach is home to tide pools on both ends, with ample space for sunbathing, beachcombing, and birdwatching offered along the beachfront.

Local travel tip: The county-operated El Sol Beach is directly connected to the beach, only accessible from the beach's western end.

Where to find it: 32900 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

El Sol Beach is a county-operated public beach within Malibu that was originally purchased by Los Angeles County in 1976, serving as one of the region's best-kept secrets.

What is this Malibu beach famous for? The beach has been the source of regional controversy since the late 20th century, as a number of wealthy landowners within the area, including former Disney president Michael Eisner, have opposed the construction of public beach access stairways, preferring to keep the beach hidden away from tourist crowds.

Today, the beach is commonly known by the nickname "Disney Overlook" due to its association with Eisner, only accessible via trails from adjacents Nicholas Canyon County and El Pescador State Beaches.

Romantic trip idea: Both trails are best accessed at low tide, with opportunities for secluded beachwalking and beachcombing provided for visitors.

Where to find it: 33550 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

Escondido Beach is a county-operated beach in Malibu that faces the Pacific Ocean coast to the south, located just east of Point Dume. The beach is accessible via a public gate and bridge at Escondido Creek along the Pacific Coast Highway, along with a public access stairway located near the Geoffrey's Malibu restaurant. Visitors should note that public parking at the beach is extremely limited, with street parking spaces located near Malibu Cove Colony Drive and Geoffrey's.

Is there a good spot to kayak and scuba dive in Malibu? Though limited beachfront area is offered at high tide, the beach is a popular spot for scuba divers, kayakers, and beachcombers during low tide conditions, with enough beachfront sand area available to walk to adjacent Paradise Cove.

Must know: Visitors should note that no public facilities are offered at the beach and that dogs are not permitted on the beachfront area.

27420 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265, (website link)

La Piedra State Beach is one of three beaches within Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, located within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area between El Matador and El Pescador State Beaches. The beach is accessible via a paid visitor parking lot near the Pacific Coast Highway, which offers a hiking trail and public stairway for beach access. Though many multimillion-dollar homes are located just off the beachfront, the beach's terrain keeps its sandy areas fairly private.

What is popular at La Piedra State Beach? Sunbathing, birdwatching, and beachcombing are popular activities, with tide pools exposed during low tide conditions.

Good to know: Public restrooms are offered at the site, along with day-use picnic tables.

Where to find it: La Piedra State Beach, 32700 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265, (website link)

Las Flores Beach is a charming sandy beach located at the eastern end of Las Flores Creek near the Pacific Coast Highway and Las Flores Canyon Road. Though a parking lot is offered near the Duke's Malibu restaurant, the beach is no longer accessible from the parking lot, though visitors can walk to the beach from nearby Big Rock Beach at low tide times.

Local travel tip: Several other unofficial access points are offered, though visitors should note that alternate access points are frequently unofficially closed by area homeowners.

Pro tip: Approximately 2.7 miles of beachfront make for great beachwalking conditions during low tide times.

20466 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265