The 12 Best Beaches in Los Angeles

It’s no hyperbole to suggest that Los Angeles showcases one of the most instantly recognizable cityscapes—and high-profile cultural scenes—of any metro area on the planet, given the long-time influence of Hollywood. From Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard to the iconic “Hollywood” sign in the Santa Monica Mountains, the City of Angels presents a plethora of attractions as well as some genuinely iconic geography.

Another large factor in the appeal is the coastline forming Los Angeles County’s Pacific margin, strung with cliffs, bluffs, sea stacks and some of the most celebrated beaches anywhere. Read on for a roundup of the 12 best beaches in Los Angeles, from the celebrity haven of Malibu to the nonstop hustle-and-bustle of Venice.

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In the western reaches of Malibu near Encinal Canyon Road, Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach encompasses a wonderful trio of cliff-backed, south-facing pocket beaches serving up gorgeous Pacific scenery and abundant opportunities for both R&R and recreation. Each beach claims its own clearly marked bluff-top parking area (open 8 AM to sunset) along Pacific Coast Highway, with paths dropping down steeply to reach the sand and surf. There’s a small fee to park; facilities are limited.

Of the three beaches, El Matador is probably the best-known: a lovely tableau of escarpment, sea stacks and sand, with sea caves and tidepools accessible at low tide. El Matador Beach has the largest of the three parking lots here, but, even so, it tends to fill up — so come early, especially on weekends. Low tide allows you to walk westward from El Matador to the center of Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach’s strands: La Piedra Beach, which has its own tidepools as well as nearshore kelp forests divers like to explore.

Beyond, about a half mile west of Encinal Canyon Road, the westernmost of the state park’s beaches, El Pescador, forms a nice swath of sand and is often comparatively less crowded.

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Carbon Beach gets its nickname of Millionaire’s Beach from the luxury residences flanking it, but, despite initial appearances, this is a publicly accessible Malibu seashore with lots of inviting sand and typically excellent conditions for taking a dip. The milky-white, mile-long beach offers three entrances off Pacific Coast Highway.: Zonker Harris Access, the West Access, also the central access point and the East Access, at the far end of the shoreline. Compared to many LA-area beaches, Carbon Beach is also on the quiet and uncrowded side of things: a wonderful place to stroll along the Pacific swash.

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Malibu’s Zuma Beach easily ranks among the signature shores in Southern California, serving up nearly two miles of beachfront and a stone’s throw from some palatial retreats of the rich and famous. Offering multiple parking lots with several thousand parking spaces, Zuma Beach has plenty of amenities: from restrooms and showers to beach wheelchairs, volleyball nets and eateries.

This Los Angeles County-run lifeguarded beach is a popular place to swim, though the sometimes-rough, cold and rip-current-roiled waters demand caution. Top-tier surfing and bodyboarding go down here (including in annual competitions). In the winter/early spring, you might spot Northeast Pacific gray whales on southbound and northbound legs of their migration. The views southeastward toward the mighty headland of Point Dume, meanwhile, are a year-round pleasure.

Movie and TV buffs will likely also get a thrill from the big- and small-screen credentials that this no-brainer contender for one of the best beaches in Los Angeles lays claim to: This has been a filming location for everything from Planet of the Apes to Baywatch.

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The south-pointing Point Dume headland forms the northern gate of Santa Monica Bay and a defining Malibu landmark. It’s also a precious protected area, with Point Dume State Beach, the Point Dume Nature Preserve and a state marine reserve and state marine conservation area safeguarding both topside and underwater habitat. Westward Beach (which adjoins Zuma Beach) is a popular sunbathing hangout, while more vigorous activities at Point Dume range from surfing to diving and rock-climbing.

Watch for gray whales on the move between about November and April and sea lions, harbor seals and dolphins any time of year. The vistas are spectacular, including those far-reaching ones from Point Dume Nature Preserve, where sightlines sweep over Santa Monica Bay, inland to the Santa Monica Mountains and offshore to Catalina Island.

For free two-hour parking, head to the top of Point Dume or try the Westward Beach paid parking area, which is much larger.

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Another Malibu beach that’s shown up extensively in movies and television shows, Leo Carrillo State Beach, is part of a roughly 2,500-acre state park notable for its large, sycamore-graced campground, which is connected by trail to the 1.5-mile beachfront. Sea caves, arches and tidepools (not to mention the canyons and slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains) create a dramatic context for the extensive sands, with abundant swimming, surfing and surf-casting opportunities at hand.

The beach/park is named after Leo Carrillo, an avid conservationist and actor, best known for his role as "Pancho" in the popular 1950s television show, “The Cisco Kid.” You'll find his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, awarded for his role in motion pictures.

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Malibu Lagoon State Beach is equally known for its immense ecological value—the estuary formed here at the mouth of Malibu Creek is a hotspot for birds, including Pacific Coast Flyway migrants — and for its big-time surfing reputation. Its Malibu “Surfrider” Beach was declared the first World Surfing Reserve in 2010 in recognition for the internationally renowned point-break here, which helped shape the modern sport in Southern California.

Surfers worldwide credit this beach as the “gold standard” for summer point-break surfing. You'll find three excellent surfing spots: First Point, with perfect waves for long and shortboarders when the Pacific Ocean sends in its larger swells; Second Point, great for skilled surfers; and Third Point, with left and right sides that offer a smooth ride to the pier late August into September.

Besides surfing, you can also get a taste for this fabled nearshore in a stand-up paddleboard or kayak or just kick back and watch the watermen and women at work. The Malibu Pier here, meanwhile, is awesome for angling. It all adds up to another of the top Los Angeles beaches.

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The expansive and readily accessible sands of Dockweiler State Beach encompass close to 300 acres and more than 3.5 miles of surf. The size, plus lots of facilities (restrooms, showers, etc.), an RV campground and dozens of much-coveted beach fire rings — not to mention close proximity to the Los Angeles International Airport — help explain its popularity among the top Los Angeles beaches.

Bird lovers can catch a glimpse of the federally protected Western Snowy Plover. Because these small, sand-colored shorebirds make well-disguised (but easily disturbed) nests on beaches along this coastline, they are protected in a sectioned-off enclosure. 

For a scenic bike ride, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail runs along the beachfront or if fishing is more your style, you’ll find excellent saltwater fishing in the jetties.

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Also flanked by the Marvin Braude Bike Trail and linked to Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach — another of Los Angeles’s best beaches — draws both locals and vacationers with its roughly two-mile stretch of Santa Monica Bay sands. Beach volleyball is a popular activity here, with some real pros showing off their prowess on any given day (and competing in such events as the AVP Manhattan Beach Open).

The 900-foot pier shooting off from the beach at the terminus of Manhattan Beach Boulevard makes a popular fishing perch and is also worth walking just for the sightseeing. The north end of the beach, El Porto, is another LA-area surfing hotspot and a good place to take a lesson in wave-riding.

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When it comes to the top beaches in Los Angeles for tourists, it’s hard to put anything other than Venice Beach in the uppermost slot. Some of LA’s quintessential sights flank these thronged sands, not least the Venice Beach Boardwalk with its Muscle Beach bodybuilders, Venice Skatepark daredevils and plentiful buskers. Work in some beach volleyball at one of the most iconic locations for the sport in the world — or eyeball the basketball courts that figured so prominently in White Men Can’t Jump. The Santa Monica Pier with its amusement rides, anglers and sightseeing is just a hop, skip and a jump away as well.

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Hermosa Beach, which shares a stretch of soft white sand with Manhattan Beach, is a vibrant, almost two-mile-long beach with an incredible pier spanning 1,140 feet out over Santa Monica Bay. At the entrance to the pier (Pier Plaza at “The Strand”), you’ll find several popular shops and restaurants or stroll along this renowned pier, originally built in 1904, for more dining options.

First opening in 1940, the pier's Lighthouse Café remains a hotbed for live jazz, once hosting such greats as Miles Davis. The pier’s unmatched vibes and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and LA skyline make Hermosa Beach a best-beach contender.

This wide beach makes it a prime setting for volleyball and the host to regular tournaments. If you prefer biking, the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail sits just behind Hermosa Beach, offering a 22-mile paved trail with unparalleled views.

Jim Helvey / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

For a more secluded beach experience with tidepools and extraordinary views of Catalina Island from the bluff-tops of Abalone Cove Reserve, you won’t want to miss Abalone Cove Beach in Rancho Palos Verdes. The beach sits just below the parking area for Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and if you make your way to the east end of Abalone Cove to Portuguese Point, you’ll find stunning caves at its base, which you can explore at low tide.

Paula Borowska / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

Named after actor Will Rogers, who owned much of the beachfront land in the Pacific Palisades in the 1920s, this three-mile beach is another Hollywood favorite film site. With a wide sandy area at its southernmost end, the beach offers several volleyball courts. The gentler, rolling waves and clean swells here are great for new and experienced surfers alike.

The beach's north end (Sunset Point Beach) is narrower and ends where the Pacific Coast Highway meets Sunset Boulevard. This beach sits at the northernmost end of the 22-mile-long Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail, which makes for an unforgettable tour around Santa Monica Bay and the best beaches in Los Angeles.

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