The Beaches of Malibu, Without the Hype
Maybe you just moved to the Los Angeles area, and you want to go to the beach without looking like a tourist. Maybe you actually are a tourist, but you don’t want to fight the crowds just to see hang out beside the Pacific Ocean. Maybe you are a Southern California native, but you have found yourself stuck in a rut, going to the same beach all the time. No matter what your personal situation is, there are definitely benefits to discovering some of Malibu’s lesser known beaches.
If you are a frequent Malibu beachgoer, you have probably seen that Diet Coke commercial filmed at Zuma Beach and thought to yourself, “Yeah right, as if you could ever actually roller skate in that parking lot!” I certainly know I have. As someone who has spent every summer of her life at the beaches of Northern Los Angeles County, I must admit, I really just don’t like Zuma. If you do not know what Zuma is, it is the extremely long beach that falls somewhere between Trancas and Kanan Road on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH); you cannot miss it. It looks like the beach from the show “Beverly Hills 90210.” It has volleyball courts, and multiple snack bars. It also has a million people and a $10.00 charge for parking. Sometimes you can find street parking, but it is not an easy task. To be completely fair, the surf is pretty good, and the water is not as rocky as some of the other beaches. On the other hand, honestly, when I think of the peacefulness of the sand, sun, and sea, Zuma just does not live up to that image. All I see is people.
For this reason, my friends and I have spent the past few years experimenting with all the beaches of our local coastline, and I’d like to share some of our findings with you in the hopes that you too can enjoy Malibu without the crowds. Of course, by writing this I run the risk that everyone finds my beautiful “secret” beaches, but I suppose I am willing to take that chance.
For starters, there are a few beaches just a few miles north of Zuma that are my absolute favorite. They are the three state beaches called El Matador, El Pescador, and La Piedra. To get to these state beaches, head north from Kanan Road on PCH. Shortly after passing Zuma, you will see a sign that gives you the mileage to each of these three beaches. The first of the three that you will come upon is El Matador.
The other two beaches are nice as well, but since it is my favorite, we will focus on El Matador. Keep an eye out for the sign on the right, and you will turn into a small driveway on the left. It’s easy to miss, so pay attention to the signs. It is a very small parking lot, but there is usually at least a few spaces open. It may seem like free parking at first, since there is no cashier or anything, but do not be fooled. There is a small box in the parking lot where you can drop your $3.00 and take a “self-registration envelope.” While you may think that you can probably get away without paying, it is not worth it. Even if you may never see a ranger while you are there, they do stop by periodically, and it is an expensive ticket (trust me from experience on this one), so just pay the three bucks. Once you have paid your parking, you will start down the dirt trail towards the beach. It may look like a long hike, but it really is not that bad. I have done it with little kids before, and carrying an ice chest. You only have to hike the first portion, and then there are stairs.
The greatest part about this beach is the scenery. It is absolutely gorgeous. The hike to get down to the sand is worth the view. You will probably find yourself stopping to take pictures. Once you get to the bottom of the stairs, you can set up camp right there, you can turn to the right if you want a bit more privacy, or you can go further straight ahead if you want a better swimming place. It is a good beach for kids, but there is no lifeguard on duty, so remember to keep a close eye on your little ones and don’t let them go too deep; the waves get pretty rough sometimes.
There is just something about relaxing at a beach where you don’t hear the sounds of cars on the highway or see any city buildings or shops that is so refreshing and rejuvenating. Lying on my blanket on the sand, I can look up at the hillside and almost completely forget that there is even a city behind all the rocks.
My other favorite part about this beach is taking long walks. My friends and I love to walk along the beach as far as you can go. When you get to the end of the sand, there is a big rocky area where there are the neatest tide pools. It is easy to be alone on this beach, so if you want a peaceful place to go, this is it. It is a great place to take a date!
The only thing major downsides to El Matador and the other two of these state beaches is that it is a somewhat primitive area. There is a portable toilet up at the top of each, but you will need to hike all the way up if you need to use the toilet. It is not a flush toilet, and there are no showers, so if you are not okay with “roughing it” a little for a day at the beach, then this is not the beach for you.
If you are really low on the cash and don’t want to pay anything to park, then there is one nice beach that I can recommend. If you go south from Kanan, there is a beach between Kanan and Las Virgenes that is just a single lifeguard tower next to a little strip on the sand. To my knowledge, it does not have a name, and it is very small, so don’t miss it. It is right before you hit the curve that leads up to Pepperdine University.
You can park along the highway, which doesn’t cost a penny, and then climb down a short flight of stairs (or just carefully walk down the small hillside) to the beach. It is a small strip of sand, but the beach is beautiful. The water is so refreshing, and the waves are great. I wouldn’t really recommend it for surfing, but it is a super fun place for body boarding. There are usually less people here than at Zuma, but it definitely does not offer the seclusion of El Matador. On the plus side, there is a lifeguard on duty most of the time, so you don’t have to worry so much about the kids. May I offer you fair warning that the toilets at this beach are also just portables.
Finally, if you are willing to drive a bit further north, past the Los Angeles County line and into Ventura County, then there are some lesser known treasures where you can even camp overnight. Both Leo Carrillo (which is actually within LA County) and Sycamore Canyon/Cove offer camping across the highway from the beach, and there is a walkway underneath the highway with easy access to the beach. Both the Leo Carrillo and Sycamore Cove beaches are beautiful beaches that are seldom super crowded. You can visit these beaches just for the day too, but there is a parking fee. Sycamore Cove has a really nice barbecue picnic area underneath the trees.
If you want to camp right on the beach, just a few yards from the roar of the waves, there is a great beach just a bit further up PCH. It is called Thornhill Broom. There are not a lot of spots, and the spots are not very large, but they do each come with a picnic table and a fire pit. It is a wonderful experience to fall asleep listening to the crashing of the waves, and I personally recommend tent camping for this reason. Book early, as the campground fills up quickly. Camping at Thornhill Broom, as well as Sycamore Canyon and Leo Carrillo, can be booked through Point Mugu State Park, and is very reasonable; I believe it is only around $10-$15 a night.
For whatever reason you chose to explore the Malibu area beaches this summer, I hope you have an absolutely wonderful time. Bring lots of water, pack yummy food, lather on the sunscreen, and prepare to fully appreciate what Southern California is really all about, the beautiful beaches!
