The best beaches in Los Angeles, California, worth visiting. From Malibu to Long Beach. Brief descriptions, photos, locations, and addresses. How to get there, map.
Memories of California’s beaches make you want to buy a plane ticket again. Today, I will tell you and show photos of the best urban beaches in Los Angeles that we visited. Each beach has its own charm, and you’ll want to return to each one, spending a few hours watching birds, people, sipping something cold and delicious at a local bar, or rollerblading or biking.
The beach descriptions are conveniently arranged from north to south or top to bottom on the map.
Leo Carrillo Beach
This beach is the best place to escape the metropolis that is Los Angeles. Leo Carrillo is located in Malibu, just 50 km north of Santa Monica, and can be reached via the scenic Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 1.
Picturesque cliffs, a beautiful coastline – the beach is perfect for walks. There are campsites, picnic areas, and fire pits.
Address: 35000 W Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA
El Matador Beach
El Matador Beach, located 17 km north of Malibu, is the most romantic beach in Los Angeles. A large cove of picturesque rocks, with the cleanest water and the fewest crowds. Naturally, there are no tourists at all. It’s the perfect place for a sunset dinner in one of the rocky coves.
Address: 32100 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA
Zuma Beach
Zuma Beach is in Malibu, behind the hills with celebrity homes, and the beach itself is exactly what we imagine when we talk about Malibu. A relaxed summer atmosphere, sand, nature, and an ocean that is especially beautiful at sunset.
Zuma Beach is 3 km of light yellow sand, and like most other beaches, it’s popular with surfers. In winter, gray whales migrate past this beach, and if you’re lucky, you can see them.
The beach has several food stands, restrooms, and other necessary facilities for a relaxing time. The beach is suitable for families and those who want to enjoy a beach holiday. There are areas with calm water and a gentle slope into the water. There is parking and picnic spots, restrooms. You can play volleyball, walk, swim, surf, or rent a kayak.
Address: 300000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA
Distance to downtown Los Angeles is 60 km.
Malibu Beach
This is the very beach where they filmed “Baywatch,” a true surfer’s spot in Los Angeles. We were guests at this surfing celebration, so we went to watch the birds instead. The real open ocean, wind, a place that all Los Angeles visitors must see. Next to Malibu Beach are residential houses on stilts right on the shore, often seen in movies.
Address: 23050 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 90265
Santa Monica Beach
A Californian classic, the most popular beach located in the most fun area of Los Angeles – Santa Monica. Beach volleyball, swimming, surfing, and even chess – Santa Monica Beach is a haven for those looking for an outdoor activity spot.
Bring money for parking – it’s not cheap here. Also, don’t forget sunscreen. The sun, light yellow sand, and surf will take care of the rest. Spend half the day on the beach, then shop on Santa Monica’s 100-meter stretch and dine in the nearby areas.
Address: 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
Venice Beach
Snobs frown and avoid this beach, while backpackers and independent travelers love it and see nothing worthy in Los Angeles except Venice Beach – just read the forums. Both are extremes. I recommend visiting Venice Beach and forming your own opinion.
Venice Beach is more about people than surf, waves, and classic beach romance. It’s an excellent bohemian spot in Los Angeles. Tourists come here to be amazed – bodybuilders, chainsaw jugglers, artists, musicians, drug addicts, and loafers of all kinds.
The highlight of Venice Beach is the famous boardwalk often seen in Hollywood movies – Ocean Front Walk. There’s even a fishing pier at the end of Washington Boulevard.
Address: 3100-2700 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291, USA
Recently, the homeless have been cleared from the Venice Beach area, and there are a few decent and affordable hotels:
- Samesun Venice Beach – stylish and affordable hostel, the best value for money.
- AIR Venice on the Beach – budget option right on the ocean, less than $100 a night – a rarity in Los Angeles; previously, there were homeless tents here – now they are gone, and the area is much nicer.
Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach is loved by those who dislike Venice Beach. Big sunglasses, small dogs on laps, beautiful homes along the shore – expensive, clean, and pleasant. There is surfing too, but it’s limited to the south side of the pier. A path along the sea, volleyball, and minimal crowds – the beach is very similar to the neighboring Redondo Beach.
Address: 400-500 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, USA
Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach is near Manhattan Beach. Besides the standard beach strip, Hermosa Beach has a pier and Pier Avenue with shops, cafes, and restaurants. It’s a great place to rollerblade, bike, and then enjoy a cold beer with an ocean view, watching the sun set on its daily final journey.
Along the beach, there’s also a path that connects Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, used by pedestrians, cyclists, and rollerbladers – a few kilometers along the ocean. Dreaming of something like that would be bad for your nervous system.
Address: Hermosa Ave. and 33rd St., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, USA
Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach is a family-friendly beach that stretches south from the Redondo Pier to Torrance Beach. The beach is over 2 km long. It’s considered the birthplace of surfing, and locals are very proud of this title. For children, there’s a shallow lagoon with calm water and plenty of family entertainment.
The beach’s focal point is the pier with restaurants and cafes, fishing spots, and walking areas. There’s free parking. You can bike, walk along the shore, swim, surf, and play volleyball. There are also picnic areas – you can bring your own food and drinks.
Address: 400–1700 Esplanade, Redondo Beach, CA
Distance to downtown Los Angeles is 35 km.
Cabrillo Beach
Popular among travelers and families, Cabrillo Beach is in a quiet location near the town of San Pedro on the narrow Fermin Park Peninsula. The beach is divided into two parts by a breakwater. One part is for daredevil surfers, and the other for families, happy American retirees, and tourists. Like many beaches, there are picnic areas, and you can bring your own food and beer, saving on restaurant costs. Near the beach is the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
The beach’s main feature is that from the high bluff, you can conveniently watch whales passing along the shore; whale season is early fall. We were there in early August, and the whales were probably somewhere off the coast of Canada.
Address: 3720 Steven M. White Dr., San Pedro, CA 90731, USA
Laguna Main Beach
This is probably the best beach in the Los Angeles area. It’s located 50 km from downtown Los Angeles, easily accessible via the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), although many roads lead to it. Laguna Beach is a resort area with many hotels, guesthouses, and entertainment options for every budget.
You can easily spend a few days here, especially if you’re traveling south to San Diego. It’s on the way.
This beach can be considered one of the most famous in the world, as it often appears in movies and TV shows. A landmark spot is the lifeguard tower, which looks very picturesque against the backdrop of the sunset sky and beach.
The best activities here are swimming in the calm local waters and walking along the very beautiful boardwalk. For swimming, this is one of the best places on the coast, as there are many lagoons with calm waters that warm up well as early as May. The best place to stay is the Casa Loma Beach Hotel.
Address: Broadway & Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA
Useful links:
- Hotel Booking — Booking.com
- Flight tickets — Aviasales
- Car rental — Local Rent
- Travel insurance — Hotline Finance
