With a natural coastline that stretches for 21 miles, Malibu is one of Los Angeles’ most prized beach towns. It’s the place where bronzed surfers flock to catch the perfect wave, Hollywood directors capture Oscar-worthy beach shots and the wealthy build their multimillion-dollar oceanfront homes.
You may be familiar with Malibu’s popular beaches, including Zuma, Surfrider and Topanga, but what about the ones that aren’t clearly visible when you’re driving along the Pacific Coast Highway?
Many of Malibu’s most breathtaking beaches are hiding in plain sight, tucked below luxurious homes often dotted with security cameras and caution signs that indicate private property. For years, affluent homeowners also posted illegal “no trespassing” and “private beach” signs, and hired security guards to shoo people away. All that could make a visitor question whether they could legally access these treasured spots. But the general rule is that if you’re on wet sand at a beach in California, you can absolutely be there.
The California Coastal Commission and its partner agency, the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA) — which have been fighting to maximize public access at Malibu beaches over the years — have installed access ways along the coast and spooked those trying to deter beachgoers from exploring Malibu by enforcing hefty fines of $11,250 per day. Even so, officials say it’s an ongoing fight.
“I am not surprised by the misperception that beyond Zuma, there really aren’t any public beaches in Malibu,” says Linda Locklin, who has served as the commission’s coastal access program manager for nearly four decades. She notes that increased signage — blue-and-yellow round placards — for these hidden pathways has started to change that.
Visitors can look for the signs that say “Beach Access” and know they’re in the right spot — even if a security patrol car drives by or a landscaper stares at them while they’re walking in between tightly packed houses to reach a beach.
Still, many aren’t hip to the various low-key spots like Escondido Beach, which has an access point on the side of a popular restaurant.
Luisa Virgen, 24, took her 20-year-old sister to Lechuza Beach on a recent Sunday morning — a spot she’s been frequenting since one of her college friends showed her the “secret beach” about six years ago.
When “he brought us, we thought the gate was closed, so we were like, ‘Do we have to jump the gate?’” she recalls. She was grateful that they didn’t have to do anything felonious to get to the little-known spot. Instead, they pushed open the pedestrian gate and walked through a residential neighborhood before reaching a staircase that led to the azure water and warm sand.
Virgen’s sister, Olivia, tried visiting Lechuza Beach on her own last summer but was unsuccessful, given the poor instructions she received from a friend.
“I like that it’s secluded,” Virgen says. “It feels like a private beach, so there’s not too many people. … If you know, you know.”
Below is a guide to Malibu’s off-the-beaten path beaches that appear private but aren’t. To locate them, I used the free Our Malibu Beaches smartphone app, which provides detailed instructions on how to find elusive access ways, where you can plop your towel on the dry sand and which “no parking” signs are legit. I also confirmed beach details with various public agencies, including state parks, the California Coastal Commission, MRCA and Los Angeles County, and visited the sites; the ones featured here were my favorites.
The app was created by environmental writer Jenny Price, journalist and entrepreneur Ben Adair and web and mobile developer John Adair. The California Coastal Commission also has its own free app, along with a physical guidebook, which is available for purchase.
“You need a lot of information to find and use these beaches,” says Price, noting that the app, which launched in 2013, has been downloaded more than 100,000 times. “You can see it really making actual change on the ground.”
Before we tackle the list, keep in mind:
- Some of these beaches offer multiple access points. Use the Our Malibu Beaches app to decide which is best for you.
- Although these beaches are open to the public — as long as you remain on the wet sand — you may still encounter someone who tries to tell you otherwise. If that happens, you can explain to them that you are indeed allowed on the beach and report the incident to the California Coastal Commission. (Note: I thankfully didn’t have any negative encounters while visiting these beaches.)
- Always check the local tide times for the entire day before heading off to the beach — especially for the smaller ones — as it’s safest to visit during low tide.
- Try to get to your beach of choice during daylight hours to avoid coming across a locked gate. (I experienced this at one of the Malibu Road Beach access points before sundown, when the gates are automatically set to close.)
- Dogs are technically not allowed on any of the beaches included on this list, though you may still see some. However, there is an exception for service animals.
- Although some of these beaches don’t have lifeguard towers, Los Angeles County Fire Department lifeguards — which offer 24/7 operations — will respond via rescue boats.
Grab your beach day essentials — a lounge chair, towels, your favorite snacks and a juicy summer read — and don’t forget sunscreen. We’re headed to Malibu.
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