We’ve scoured the coastline of LA to bring you the ultimate guide to its stretches of sand.
Who wouldn’t want to embrace the sun and surf of Cali’s beaches? Where the days are long, the summers sizzle and diversity, kook and creativity thrive. Smooth on the suncream and slip on your shades. It’s time for some serious California dreamin’.
Beach life in LA
What to expect
LA might conjure scenes of wealth and health and Hollywood. But away from the screen icons and glossy razzmatazz of the city, there are breathtaking sweeps of sand rippling along its vast and wild coastline. And in some ways, it’s here, close to the ocean swells, you’ll feel the diversity and individuality of its people most profoundly. Free spirits and frat boys. Creatives and collars. Surfers and sorority girls. They’re all here. If you really want to get a hold of LA, to see where the fun and action and characters come out to play, it’s time to head to the beach.
When to book your trip to LA
To truly make the most of your trip to LA, you might want to think about booking from June to August. It’s high season for a reason: the sun is perpetually shining and the SoCal beach scenes we all dream about are unfolding with boundless energy. Bring sunscreen, water and a parasol as temperatures can hover around 30°C. There are also plenty of events in summer when you’re not on the beach, from LA Pride in June to July’s Independence Day, plus a whole roster of outdoor cinema events, summer gigs and festivals.
Alternatively, March to May brings balmy temperatures of around 24°C, thinner crowds. And you might even spot whales breaching offshore as they migrate from the Arctic via LA to their breeding and calving waters in Baja California, Mexico. If you’re keen to take a dip in the sea, only do so where lifeguards are on duty and pay attention to hazards such as large surf, pounding shore breaks and dangerous rip currents. And naturally, leave no trace.
LA’s top beaches
Beach vibes only
From the iconic Santa Monica Beach to the ruggedly good-looking El Matador, here we round up the best beaches in LA for the ultimate SoCal sand-in-your-toes getaway.
Santa Monica Beach
Iconic
Distance from central LA: approximately 25km
A vast stretch of golden sand, backed by palms and tempered by blue waters teeming with surfers and swimmers. And that’s why you come to Santa Monica. To stare at the legendary cast of beach bums, ageing eccentrics, surfers dripping in salt, and influencers strutting along the shore. And then there’s the iconic pier, rollercoasters, arcade, and a whole collection of cool Cali restaurants.
Venice Beach
Kooky and utopian
Distance from central LA: approximately 27km
Back in the sixties, scores of long-haired hippies landed in this boho town, searching for love, peace, and a life more extraordinary. Today, this kooky and utopian spirit still defines Venice Beach. Just take a walk along the boardwalk – amid the clear whiff of incense – to gawp at the poets, painters, and street performers, pulling a surfboard on their back and slurping green juices. Don’t miss a quick nosey of the bodybuilders on Muscle Beach.
Malibu Beach
Legendary
Distance from central LA: approximately 58km
Revelling in its legendary status, Malibu is the hideaway of rock stars, Hollywood elite and international glitterati. And life really is a beach here, with a coastline stretching for 43km and dozens of beaches. You might just spot a pod of dolphins as you crest a wave, or the canyons and cliffs shimmering in the haze of the morning.
Manhattan Beach
Pretty seaside town
Distance from central LA: approximately 35km
We guarantee you’ll come away from this impossibly pretty seaside town dreaming of buying your own sandy seaside cottage just steps away from the blue murmuring ocean. Expect amethyst sunsets, distant surfers, golden sands, and clouds of bougainvillea colouring in the well-healed streets just behind the beach. Manhattan is the serene and sceney Cali stretch you need on your (LA) bucket list.
Hermosa Beach
Colourful nightlife
Distance from central LA: approximately 32km
Join the throngs of flip-flop wearing, tan-flaunting locals at this beachy town that revels in trashy charm and colourful nightlife. The beach itself is long and dotted with palm trees and dozens of volleyball nets. Plus, thundering waves crash offshore and host international surf competitions. The best entertainment is the rotating mix of locals: the surfers, the long-haired dreamers, and the barely dressed rollerbladers.
Zuma Beach
Wide and wild
Distance from central LA: approximately 60km
Turn off the Pacific Coast Highway, some 45 minutes north of Santa Monica, and you’ll arrive at this wide and wild beach, where the blonde sandy shore is so vast you’ll easily find your own little patch, even on sweltering summer days. Novices can sign up to surf lessons or there are options to hire gear. And as the sun goes down, order fried shrimp at one of the seafood hangouts.
El Matador Beach
Ruggedly good-looking
Distance from central LA: approximately 63km
The only way to land on the shores of El Matador is down a steep staircase carved into the orangey rocks. For the best spot, unravel your towel in the shade of the cliffs and grab your phone to capture the starfish and anemones clinging to the rocks of the tidal pools. El Matador is a tricky one for swimming thanks to the hulking rocks by the caves.
Dockweiler State Beach
Dancing at dusk
Distance from central LA: approximately 32km
Hire a bike to scour the horizon behind this beach along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail before cooling off with a dip in the ocean that ripples for almost four miles. There are volleyball nets, picnic tables, and jetties for shore fishing. But Dockweiler really comes into its own at dusk, when free-spirited funsters dance and chat and giggle around its fire pits, beneath a swelling moon.
Top tips:
Use ride-sharing services or public transport to avoid limited beach parking.
Plan your beach visit during weekdays to avoid weekend crowds.
Check local weather and surf conditions before heading out.
Pounding surf. Buttery sands. Moonlit beach bonfires. And eccentric, wild and fascinating Angelenos every way you turn. Book a beach trip to LA for the ultimate sea, sun, and surf getaway.
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