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BeachesSOUTHERN CALIFORNIAULTIMATE BEACH GUIDE
Last Updated: August 21, 2026
Los Angeles County is home to some of the most iconic beaches in California, each with its own personality. Santa Monica Beach is perfect for families and tourists, with its wide sandy shore and the famous Santa Monica Pier. Venice Beach attracts artists and free spirits with its lively boardwalk, street performers, and Muscle Beach gym. Malibu's Zuma Beach is known for its scenic coastline, excellent surf, and a more relaxed, upscale atmosphere. El Matador State Beach offers dramatic sea caves and cliffside views for a quieter escape. Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach pair volleyball culture with lively pier-front dining, while Redondo Beach, the birthplace of California surfing, and Torrance Beach round out the South Bay. Further south, Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and Long Beach close out the county's 70-plus miles of coastline. Below, we break down all 33 LA beaches city by city, with exact addresses, parking notes, amenities, and the best activities at each stop.
North Beach at Leo Carrillo State Park offers a wide expanse of family and dog-friendly sand in western Malibu, with easy beach access from a large linear day-use parking lot right on the shore. Nestled between North Beach and Leo Carrillo's South Beach, the rocky wonder of Sequit Point unveils tide pools and sea caves best explored at low tide — an ideal natural playground for children and parents alike. With activities ranging from hiking and biking to scuba diving, whale watching, and swimming, plus a campground, lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, and picnic tables, Leo Carrillo State Park is a multifaceted coastal haven for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.
South Beach at Leo Carrillo State Park, cradled at the convergence of Arroyo Sequit in western Malibu, beckons adventurers with a unique blend of activities. Popular for hiking, camping, surfing, and tidepooling, this stretch of coastline offers a narrower but dynamic sandy expanse framed by the scenic Sequit Point. With a campground, lifeguard services, sea caves, and accessible features, South Beach invites exploration and coastal delights in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains.
El Matador Beach, part of Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, is one of the most photographed beaches on the Southern California coast. The clifftop vantage point offers panoramic views over the kelp forest, deep blue sea, and occasional migrating whales. A favorite for weddings and photography, El Matador's shoreline is adorned with massive rocks and secret sea caves waiting to be explored. The bluff-top parking lot has picnic tables and a staircase down to the sand. While amenities are limited, the natural beauty, sea stacks, and caves make El Matador ideal for snorkeling, swimming, cave exploration, and birdwatching.
Zuma Beach, a sprawling Los Angeles County park facility in Malibu, has a vast shoreline with ample parking. Stretching about two miles, the main beach offers an unobstructed view of the Pacific Coast Highway, unlike other Malibu beaches lined with homes right up to the high water mark. Lifeguard stations are placed along the shore given the strong rip currents, while Zuma's gradually sloping beach makes it ideal for leisurely strolls and afternoon sunbathing. Sand volleyball courts, picnic areas, restrooms, and concession stands round out a beach popular for surfing, scuba diving, beach walking, and birdwatching.
Point Dume Beach, also known as Dume Cove Beach, is the focal point of Point Dume State Beach in Malibu. Cradled by the crescent-shaped Dume Cove, this southeast-facing beach is reached via a trail across a small bluff-top preserve and a long, steep staircase. Popular for scuba diving, tidepooling, beachcombing, and hiking, it's also a sought-after whale-watching spot during the gray whale migration from February through April, with panoramic views of Zuma Beach and the Santa Monica Mountains. Amenities are minimal, but the tide pools and trails make it worth the climb.
Paradise Cove in Malibu offers public sand in front of a privately owned facility of the same name. With a Hawaiian-inspired ambiance — surfboards, wooden lounge chairs, palm trees, and thatched umbrellas — it feels like a tropical pocket of Southern California. Beyond sunbathing and swimming, it's a great launch point for walks past secluded coastline beneath Malibu mansions toward Escondido Beach, or west toward the sandstone cliffs of Little Dume and Big Dume Beach in Point Dume State Beach. Amenities include a fishing pier, restaurant, restrooms, showers, and beach chair rentals.
Malibu Lagoon State Beach sits where Malibu Creek meets the ocean, forming a tranquil lagoon whose berm breaches in winter to allow tidal flow. This separates the lagoon beach from the renowned Surfrider Beach next door. From the lagoon to the iconic Malibu Pier, the area is popular for surfing, sunbathing, walking, birdwatching, whale watching, swimming, and tidepooling, with lifeguard services, toilets, trails, a museum, wetlands, picnic tables, and tide pools.
Malibu Surfrider Beach, nestled between the Malibu Pier and the Malibu Lagoon, lives up to its name with an extensive right-hand break that makes it a prime spot for surfers. Part of Malibu Lagoon State Beach, it offers additional parking near the lagoon just west on Pacific Coast Highway. A fishing pier, lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, a volleyball court, and accessible features support surfing, fishing, swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, whale watching, and volleyball.
Topanga Beach, the closest Malibu beach to Los Angeles proper, sits on the eastern Malibu coast next to Pacific Palisades. The beach's shape and Topanga Creek create a continuous right break, making it a popular surf spot. Lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, and picnic tables support surfing, scuba diving, sunbathing, and fishing here.
Sunset Point Beach, also called Sunset Beach, is the northernmost beach in Will Rogers State Beach, in the Pacific Palisades district. This narrow beach, north of the point at the bottom of Sunset Boulevard, is separated from the rest of the state park by a rocky, sandless stretch. It's an ideal spot for novice surfers thanks to long right-hand rollers well suited to learning on longboards. South of Sunset Point, the state beach widens into a more typical Southern California sunbathing beach with volleyball courts.
Will Rogers State Beach, operated by Los Angeles County, spans the Pacific Palisades waterfront for three miles. The southern section has sandy volleyball courts and public parking, the central area features sand between short rock jetties with a continuous parking lot, and the northern end — near Gladstones Restaurant — is known as a popular gay beach nicknamed "Ginger Rogers Beach." Lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, volleyball courts, a paved bike path, and accessible features make it a versatile stop for sunbathing, walking, and beach volleyball.
The southern portion of Santa Monica State Beach, south of the famed Santa Monica Pier and stretching toward Venice Beach, is operated by the city of Santa Monica with lifeguard services provided by LA County. Several parks and public parking lots south of the pier offer open fields, sports courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, and a giant chess board. The original 1930s Muscle Beach sits near the pier alongside workout facilities, and the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail runs through, attracting cyclists and skaters past numerous volleyball courts.
The northern stretch of Santa Monica State Beach runs from the pier to the city border, where it meets Will Rogers State Beach. Operated by the city of Santa Monica, it's flanked by grass parks and offers biking, volleyball, surfing, swimming, sunbathing, beach walking, and sightseeing. Amenities include the pier, sport and basketball courts, a playground, a paved bike path, lifeguard services, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, bike rentals, an amusement park, an arcade, and restaurants.
Sorrento Beach, the northernmost stretch of Santa Monica State Beach and just one mile from the pier, offers sand volleyball courts, a dedicated bike path, and a children's playground. Popular for beach volleyball, biking, running, swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and walking, it's outfitted with a paved bike path, restrooms, showers, volleyball courts, and lifeguard services.
Venice City Beach spans from the Venice Pier to the northern end of the district, bordering Santa Monica. At its heart, Muscle Beach draws crowds for outdoor workouts and its muscle display platform, surrounded by sport courts and a grass park. A large beachfront skatepark sits nearby, and beyond the Venice Breakwater, surfers ride waves breaking in both directions. The Venice Beach Boardwalk (Ocean Front Walk) bustles with street entertainers and options for volleyball, basketball, tennis, skateboarding, biking, and surfing, with a grass park, skatepark, sport courts, restrooms, showers, lifeguard services, and a paved bike path.
Marina "Mother's" Beach is a serene 12-acre lagoon within Marina del Rey, within walking distance of most area hotels. Family-friendly and seasonally staffed by lifeguards, it has playground equipment, sheltered picnic tables, and restroom access. The absence of strong surf makes it ideal for families with young children — hence the local nickname. Volleyball, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, water yoga classes (by reservation), and beach boot camp classes on select mornings round out the offerings, along with picnic tables and coal-powered barbecues available first-come, first-served.
Marina Peninsula Beach, affectionately called "Charlie Beach," sits south of Venice Beach and the Venice Fishing Pier, between the Pacific Ocean and Marina Del Rey Harbor. Though technically part of Los Angeles, it's commonly associated with neighboring Marina Del Rey. This less-touristy stretch is favored for walking, sunbathing, swimming, surfing, biking, and skating, with lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, paved paths, benches, jetties, and viewpoints.
Playa Del Rey Beach sits at the north end of Dockweiler State Beach, south of the Marina Del Rey Harbor entrance and adjacent to Ballona Creek. It's a great starting point for beach walks, bike rides, or volleyball, with volleyball courts, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, and a grass park across the street with a children's playground, basketball courts, and the Del Rey Lagoon. Locals call the north end "Toes Beach," a nod to hanging ten on a surfboard, though the surf break changed after the Marina Del Rey Breakwater was completed in 1965.
Dockweiler State Beach spans 3.75 miles in the Playa Del Rey district and is best known for the Dockweiler Hang Gliding Center, a dedicated training area for beginners and experienced pilots alike. The Hang Gliding Flight Training Concession, run by WindSports International, Inc. and established by the city, county, and state, has offered lessons and rentals here since the sport's pioneering days in the 1960s.
Dockweiler State Beach – South Beach, near the park's southern "Bluff Parking Lot," offers a spacious stretch for sunbathing and leisurely walks. Like the rest of Dockweiler, it's known for hang gliding, with volleyball courts and the Dockweiler Youth Center adding to the recreational mix.
El Segundo Beach occupies a compact stretch of waterfront between Manhattan Beach to the south and Playa Del Rey to the north. Its most distinctive feature is the backdrop: a large oil refinery with towering smoke stacks. Despite the industrial setting, the beach supports biking, skating, volleyball, and walking, with lifeguard services, restrooms, showers, and a paved bike path.
Manhattan Beach, the main beach of the city of Manhattan Beach, is a bustling two-mile stretch known for vast sunbathing areas and weekend crowds near the iconic Manhattan Pier. Located between Hermosa Beach and El Porto Beach, it offers sand volleyball courts, LA County lifeguard stations, and access to the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, with surfing, swimming, biking, and beachfront dining nearby.
El Porto Beach, in the El Porto neighborhood of northern Manhattan Beach, is known for larger waves that make it a favorite among local surfers. Volleyball courts line the sand, and the nearby Marvin Braude Bike Path draws bikers, skaters, and walkers, with lifeguard services, restrooms, and showers available.
Hermosa City Beach stretches along the entire Hermosa Beach waterfront, from King Harbor Marina in Redondo Beach to 1st Street at the Manhattan Beach boundary. Nearly two miles of sand support sunbathing, volleyball, surfing, swimming, and beachfront biking, with the iconic Hermosa Beach Pier, lifeguard stations, restrooms, showers, and a paved bike path.
Redondo County Beach is a 1.5-mile stretch beginning near the Redondo Beach Pier and running south past homes and condo buildings. The area near the pier and Veterans Park draws the most beachgoers, with accessible parking, lifeguard stations, the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail, volleyball courts, and plaques marking Redondo Beach as the birthplace of surfing in California.
South Redondo Beach, between Avenue A and Miramar Park, is a wide sandy stretch with lifeguard stations and volleyball courts that continues south toward Torrance Beach past Miramar Park. The Marvin Braude Bike Path runs along the back, supporting surfing, biking, skating, walking, running, swimming, windsurfing, and volleyball. Parking is available along Esplanade and nearby side streets, with concrete ramps and stairs for beach access, and the Riviera District nearby offers shops and restaurants.
Seaside Lagoon, next to the Redondo Beach Harbor, is a man-made saltwater lagoon that's a favorite for families. Chlorinated and filled with sea water from a nearby steam generating plant, it offers a safe, lifeguarded environment for swimming and wading, plus a sandy beach, grassy areas, water slides, a snack bar, and playground toys — ideal for picnicking and summer fun.
Torrance Beach, the only beach in the city of Torrance, is a long, spacious shoreline along Santa Monica Bay. Sunbathing, surfing, beach walking, and biking on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail are all popular, with a large parking lot, well-graded ramps, lifeguard services, and decent facilities. It's known for being slightly less crowded than its neighbors to the north — Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan Beach.
Malaga Cove Beach, better known as RAT Beach, is the southernmost stretch of Torrance County Beach and the northernmost sandy beach in Palos Verdes Estates. The nickname stands for "Right After Torrance," reflecting its location just past the rocky coves that dominate the rest of the Palos Verdes coastline. Surfers and scuba divers frequent RAT Beach, which offers a quieter sunbathing experience than neighboring Torrance and Redondo, plus lifeguard services, restrooms, and tide pools.
Bluff Cove, also known among local surfers as Palos Verdes Cove, is a picturesque rocky cove in Palos Verdes Estates with stunning views from the surrounding bluffs. It lacks a wide sandy beach but draws surfers, tidepoolers, beachcombers, and hikers. Access is from parking on Paseo Del Mar, between Via Almar and Palos Verdes Drive West — a spot cherished by scuba divers and snorkelers exploring its varied shoreline.
Lunada Bay, in Palos Verdes Estates, is a renowned but demanding surf spot best suited to experienced surfers, with a strong sense of localism — it's worth surfing here with someone familiar with the area. Beyond surfing, the rocky beach offers tidepooling and beachcombing at low tide.
Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro is named for Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, the Portuguese explorer credited as the first European to reach the California coast. Spanning about 370 acres, it sits at the eastern point of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and has two distinct sides: a calm inner beach protected within the harbor, and an outer beach exposed to the open ocean. From the Cabrillo Beach Pier, visitors get sweeping views of the Los Angeles Harbor. The beach is popular for swimming, windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, and scuba diving.
Long Beach City Beach runs along Ocean Boulevard from the Belmont Pier to Alamitos Beach at the west end. Locals often call it "Junipero Beach," after the central parking lot at Junipero Avenue. Bluff Park, a green space overlooking the beach, has a pedestrian path running from Junipero Ave nearly to the Belmont Pier, and a wide paved path along the shore invites bicyclists and skaters. Activities range from kiteboarding to swimming, sunbathing, and beach walking, with lifeguards, paved bike paths, walking trails, a grassy park, and restrooms and showers.
