Dayanna Pinzon

Best Beaches in Los Angeles: Malibu to the South Bay

The best beaches in Los Angeles by what you want: Venice, Santa Monica, Mother's Beach, Zuma, El Matador and more, with parking, rules and water quality.

The best beaches in Los Angeles depend on what you want from the day. For people-watching and a boardwalk, go to Venice Beach. For a classic wide beach with a pier, try Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach. For calm water with small children, Marina del Rey's Mother's Beach has no surf in its swimming area. For a beach bonfire, Dockweiler is the place with fire rings. For scenery, the Malibu coast has Zuma's long stretch of sand, the cliff-backed coves of El Matador, and the tide pools at Leo Carrillo. Below is a beach-by-beach guide from Malibu to the South Bay, plus what the latest water quality report says and the rules worth knowing before you go.

Best Los Angeles beaches at a glance

Beach	Area	Best for	Note
Venice Beach	Westside	Boardwalk, people-watching, volleyball, biking	Lifeguards in daylight hours only
Santa Monica State Beach	Westside	Wide sand, the pier, the beach bike path	Avoid swimming right at the pier
Marina "Mother's" Beach	Marina del Rey	Young children, kayaking, picnics	No surf in the swimming area
Will Rogers State Beach	Pacific Palisades	Families, volleyball, fewer crowds	Lot 5 closed for wildfire recovery
Dockweiler State Beach	Playa del Rey	Bonfires, space, RV camping	Under the LAX flight path
Manhattan Beach	South Bay	Pier, volleyball, surfing at El Porto	Fishing allowed on the pier year-round
Hermosa Beach	South Bay	Volleyball, surf, a lively pier area	Metered street parking
Zuma Beach	Malibu	Big, wide beach; whale watching in winter	Known for rough surf and rip currents
El Matador (Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach)	Malibu	Sea stacks and cove scenery	Stairs down from the bluff; no dogs
Leo Carrillo State Park	Malibu	Tide pools, caves, camping	Leashed dogs allowed on North Beach only

Westside beaches

Venice Beach

Venice Beach covers nearly 3 miles of shoreline and 238 acres of sand along Ocean Front Walk, according to LA County Beaches and Harbors. The promenade is the main draw: eateries, shops, bike and skate rentals, artists, vendors and street performers, plus Muscle Beach, the outdoor workout area made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are tennis courts, many volleyball courts and a skate-dancing plaza, and the Venice Breakwater is a well-known local surf spot.

Address: 2700 to 3100 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Parking: three county lots with more than 1,200 spaces, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., plus street parking
Getting there without a car: Bus 1 and the free LA County Beach Shuttle stop near Washington Boulevard
History: Abbot Kinney founded "Venice of America" in 1905; Los Angeles annexed it in 1925.

Santa Monica State Beach

Santa Monica's beach runs for more than three miles and covers 245 acres of sand. It is managed jointly by the City of Santa Monica and California State Parks. The city lists restrooms, volleyball courts, benches, public art and a walking path, and the beach bike path runs about three miles through Santa Monica, from Will Rogers State Beach in the north to Venice in the south. E-scooters are not allowed on the path or the pier.

Hours: the city lists the beach as open from sunrise to sunset.
Parking: more than a dozen city beach lots line Pacific Coast Highway, Appian Way, Ocean Avenue and Barnard Way. There is no free beach parking.
Dogs: not allowed on the beach. The city points dog owners to Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach.
Water quality: the water directly at the Santa Monica Pier received an F in Heal the Bay's 2025-2026 report. Swim away from the pier (see the water quality section below).

Will Rogers State Beach

Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades has more than 3 miles of shoreline and about 103 acres of sand. LA County describes it as family-friendly and less crowded than nearby Malibu and Santa Monica, though it does get summer crowds. Facilities include volleyball courts, picnic tables, a playground, restrooms, showers and access to the bike path.

Address: 17700 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Parking: Lot 1 (14800 PCH) and Lot 3 (15800 PCH) are open. Lot 5 is closed for wildfire recovery.
Trivia: the beach is named for actor Will Rogers, whose family ranch was donated to the state in 1944, and it was a filming location for Baywatch.

Marina "Mother's" Beach, Marina del Rey

Mother's Beach is a man-made beach built with the marina in 1957 and dedicated in 1965. It has nearly half a mile of sand inside the harbor, and LA County calls it safe for kids because there is no surf in the swimming area. In July 2026 the county finished upgrades including an enlarged restroom building, picnic shelters, barbecue grills, a promenade and a beach access mat. It is also the launch point for flat-water kayaking and paddleboarding in the marina.

Address: 4101 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 (Parking Lot 10)
Amenities: volleyball, a playground, restrooms and showers, an ADA ramp to the water and a beach wheelchair, and lifeguards during daylight hours
Water quality note: enclosed beaches with little water circulation tend to have worse water quality, and Mother's Beach has appeared on Heal the Bay's Beach Bummers list in past years. It was not on the 2025-2026 list, but check the current grade before letting children swim.

Dockweiler State Beach, Playa del Rey

Dockweiler has 3.7 miles of ocean frontage and 288 acres, which makes it one of the roomiest beaches in the county. It is the place in this guide with fire rings, and summer evenings bring crowds to them. It also has an RV park with more than 100 full hook-up and dry camper sites, volleyball nets, fishing from the north-end jetties, and easy access to the Marvin Braude Bike Trail. A fenced area protects nesting western snowy plovers.

Address: 12001 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey, CA 90293
Parking: lots with more than 1,200 spaces, plus street parking
The trade-off: the beach sits next to LAX, and the county itself notes that jet noise can get loud.

South Bay beaches

Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach has more than 2 miles of frontage and 115 acres of sand, split in two by a 900-foot pier at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard where fishing is allowed year-round. El Porto, at the north end, is a busy surf spot with lessons available. Volleyball nets run south all the way to Hermosa Beach, and the AVP Manhattan Beach Open draws big crowds each summer.

Address: 400 to 4500 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Parking: more than 450 public spaces between a lot and street parking

Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach has nearly 2 miles of oceanfront and 94 acres of public sand that run south to King Harbor in Redondo Beach. The county calls it one of its most popular beaches for its surf, swimming and many volleyball nets, and it hosts volleyball tournaments and surf festivals through the year.

Location: Hermosa Avenue and 33rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Parking: a lot plus metered street parking

Malibu beaches

Zuma Beach

Zuma is a wide, white-sand beach with 1.8 miles of shoreline and roughly 2,000 parking spaces across eight lots. LA County notes that its water runs colder than at other LA beaches and that it is a good spot to watch gray whales during their winter migration. It is popular for swimming and body surfing, but it is also known for rough surf and rip currents, so stay near a staffed lifeguard tower.

Address: 30000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Current notice: the pedestrian underpass at Busch Drive and PCH is closed because of flooding, sediment and standing water. Zuma Beach, its parking lots and restrooms remain open, but check LA County Beaches & Harbors for current access directions.

El Matador and the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach coves

About 10 miles west of central Malibu, Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach is made up of three small "pocket beaches" signed from the highway: El Pescador, La Piedra and El Matador. You reach them by paths and stairs from bluff-top parking, which is limited. They can be busy in summer and much quieter off-season.

Day use: parking opens at 8 a.m. and closes at sunset. California State Parks lists $10 per vehicle for the day or $3 per hour, with higher rates possible at peak times.
Dogs: not allowed.

Leo Carrillo State Park

Leo Carrillo, about 28 miles northwest of Santa Monica, has roughly 1.5 miles of beach with tide pools, coastal caves and reefs to explore, along with swimming, surfing and snorkeling. It also has a campground and backcountry trails, including the Nicholas Flat area.

Address: 35000 West Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Day use: parking is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. State Parks lists $12 for the day, with hourly options; rates can be higher on peak days.
Dogs: leashed dogs are allowed in day-use areas, the campground and North Beach (north of Lifeguard Tower 3), but not on South Beach or backcountry trails.
Fire weather: the park may close during Red Flag Warnings.

Water quality: what the latest report says

Heal the Bay's 2025-2026 Beach Report Card, covering April 2025 through March 2026, found that 92 percent of Los Angeles County beaches earned A or B grades in summer dry weather. Grades fell in winter and wet weather, which the report links to rainfall that nearly doubled compared with the previous year. Two findings matter most for beachgoers:

Santa Monica Pier ranked second on the statewide Beach Bummers list, making it the most polluted beach in California in the report. Swim elsewhere on Santa Monica's long beach rather than at the pier.
Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates was the only LA County beach on the Honor Roll, which requires A+ grades in every season.

Heal the Bay and health officials recommend staying at least 100 yards away from flowing storm drains, creeks and rivers, never swimming during a rainstorm, and staying out of the ocean for at least three days after a storm. Check current grades on Heal the Bay's site or app and follow posted county health advisories.

Tips for a better beach day in LA

Swim near lifeguards. County lifeguards at the beaches above are on duty during daylight hours. Rip currents are common at open-ocean beaches such as Zuma.
Arrive early on summer weekends. Popular lots fill up, and parking at the Malibu coves is limited. Santa Monica posts real-time beach lot occupancy on its city website.
Check dog rules before you bring a pet. Dogs are not allowed at Santa Monica or El Matador; Leo Carrillo allows leashed dogs only on North Beach.
Check conditions first. Surf, tides and weather change daily, and the county posts surf reports for many of its beaches.
Look for closures. Wildfire recovery and storm repairs have closed some lots and access roads along the coast. At Point Dume, LA County says the access road beyond the pay gate remains closed until further notice, with additional entrance restrictions during active construction hours. Check Beaches & Harbors for current conditions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best beach in Los Angeles for families with small children?

Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey has no surf in its swimming area, a playground and lifeguards. Will Rogers State Beach is another family-friendly option with a playground and picnic tables. Check water quality grades first, especially after rain.