Los Angeles is surrounded by a number of beautiful beaches. Many of them are known from films, programs or commercials. Others, however, are pure insider tips.
Regardless of whether you want to relax, swim or surf: Los Angeles and the surrounding area offer the right beach for every occasion. You may be familiar with some of the beaches that we introduce to you in this article from film and television. But there will also be some that turn out to be absolute insider tips. The most famous beach in Los Angeles, maybe even in the entire US state of California, will be Santa Monica Beach for sure. However, tastes are different, so that with the numerous beaches in the greater Los Angeles area, many can certainly be classified as beautiful. After all, the coast of Los Angeles County stretches from Malibu in the north to Long Beach in the south. That’s a whole 115 kilometers. But not only the miles of sandy beaches are the highlight, but also the many leisure and sports activities around them.
Sun on bare skin, sand between your toes and a breathtaking view of the vast expanses of the blue ocean. A perfect beach vacation. But imagine that you forget half of it. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’ve created a beach vacation checklist.
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Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica Beach is around three kilometers long, very wide, white sand and therefore offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Regardless of whether it is walks, sporting activities or relaxation: everything is possible here. Anyone who would like to shop, eat or drink something, has a good chance here. Because downtown Santa Monica is only a few minutes away.
Probably the most popular beach in all of Los Angeles County is extremely crowded, especially on the weekends. Even though it is around 30 kilometers from Los Angeles. In the afternoon it is practically impossible to get a good parking space.
The temperature of the water is seldom more than 20 degrees Celsius, but if you don’t mind, you will have a lot of fun here. You can have a good time in direct sight of the Santa Monica Pier. The long footpaths and bike paths also ensure family leisure fun. The nearby amusement park is also known for hours of fun. There are many rides, such as roller coasters or Ferris wheels. The beach is free of charge, but parking costs up to US $ 10 an hour. But it’s worth it: Santa Monica has around 310 sunny days per year. Tip: You might like the colorful, red-blue sunset.
Hermosa Beach
About 35 kilometers from Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach is located in the town of the same name. The beach is revered among Americans for its hipster flair. Nobody knows exactly where this flair comes from. Maybe it’s because Hermosa Beach (around 20,000 residents) is home to many famous athletes, actors and singers. Because the beach, like the city, is more popular with younger people, the evening life in particular flourishes here.
While it is still quite quiet on the beach in the morning, the bear is tapping in the evening. Many bars, cafes and restaurants are jam-packed in the evening, especially at Pier Plaza. If you want to buy a house nearby, you should be able to dig deep into your pocket. Here, US $ 10 million and more has been paid for a house near the beach. Entering the flat sandy beach is free. When it comes to parking, on the other hand, it looks different again, although the prices are nowhere near as high as on Santa Monica Beach. What provides that certain something here are the many possibilities around the beach. Walks, beach volleyball matches, building sandcastles or relaxing. If these options don’t appeal to you, strolling down the Pier Plaza is still worth the trip.
Venice Beach
Venice Beach is almost 30 kilometers west of Los Angeles. Life is raging here in the Venice district: On the legendary The Venice Beach Boardwalk, restaurants, bars, cafés, shops, athletes, artists and more await you. Arnold Schwarzenegger was already keeping fit nearby.
Especially those who find the nearby Santa Monica Beach too quiet should be right at Venice Beach. When Abbot Kinney came up with the idea of building a Venetian neighborhood in 1904, the name was clear: Venice Beach. Many palaces and canals grew out of the ground. Until, yes, until oil was discovered there.
Nonetheless, Venice Beach has lost little of its old charm. Abbot Kinney’s canals can still be seen around ten minutes from the beach. What especially catches the eye is the architecture around the beach. But there are not only positive things to say. After all, Venice Beach is considered the capital of the homeless, which seems logical with rents of up to $ 8,000 per month. At night there are many homeless people on the promenade. But don’t worry: crime has not increased as a result. It takes a lot of work to box your way to the 4.5 km long beach through the turmoil. But once you get there, you never want to leave.
Cabrillo Beach
Cabrillo Beach is very close to San Pedro – around 45 kilometers south of Los Angeles. Cabrillo Beach, located on a narrow peninsula at Point Fermin Park, is a highlight for the whole family.
On one bank outside the breakwater, surfers rule, on the other bank bathers get a beautiful view of the harbor. Between the two banks, children in particular look forward to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, which has interactive exhibitions, tide pools, petting pools and many other attractions. In addition to a grill and a playground, showers and sanitary facilities are available to guests. While visiting the beach is free, there is a maximum of $ 10 an hour for parking.
Manhattan Beach
About 40 kilometers southwest of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach awaits its guests. Anyone who has ever been here knows why property prices here are sometimes the highest on the entire US coast. If you want to get a view of the beach, you have to pay at least 5 million US dollars for your house.
It wasn’t until 1972 that the former town of Manhattan had the addition of Beach in its name. Since then, Manhattan Beach has even made it to a number of movie screens. The beach is not only featured in the film Starsky & Hutch, the series CSI: Miami also regularly uses the beach as a backdrop. While there is surfing around the pier – swimming is prohibited here – the areas further away from the pier belong to swimmers. The wide sandy beach with toilets and showers is free. Here, too, parking costs something. If you don’t want to use official parking spaces, you will often find free parking spaces in the side streets. Manhattan Beach is certainly one of the most stylish beaches in southern California. We also recommend a visit to the aquarium, that lies at the end of the pier. There are numerous marine life and plants to be seen here.
Malibu Surfrider Beach
A surfer’s paradise is just 45 kilometers west of Los Angeles. Located in Malibu north of Santa Monica, Surfrider Beach is one of the most popular beaches in California. Since the famous film studio is very close by, you might be able to spot one or two celebrities here.
Malibu, which is only 34 kilometers long and 13 kilometers wide, is full of tourists between May and October. Many amateur and professional surfers call the Malibu Surfrider Beach their home. As the saying goes? The waves break well. But you don’t have to stand on a surfboard to feel the great atmosphere of the area. Around the beach there are numerous bars, restaurants and cafes, which are a nice addition, especially in the evening.
El Matador Beach
Although El Matador Beach is around 80 kilometers from Los Angeles, it is also one of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Hopeless romantics in particular keep getting lost here.
About 10 kilometers northwest of Malibu, El Matador Beach is considered the most romantic beach in the Los Angeles area. This is mainly due to its rocky shores, but also to the robust waves. Within the beautiful bays and hidden caves, romantic picnics are not only possible, but almost mandatory. In addition, there is said to be perhaps the cleanest water in the region. The El Matador Beach is also not accompanied by a number of footpaths. Rather, the somewhat bumpy path to the shore is rather a hindrance for many tourists. But that’s exactly what makes El Matador Beach a perfect place for lovers.
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Almost 100 kilometers west of Los Angeles, Leo Carrillo State Beach gives many tourists a few relaxing hours year after year. Although the distance to Los Angeles is greater, the beach can be easily reached via the Pacific Coast Highway. On around 1.5 kilometers there is not only wonderful sand, but also many grottos, surf caves and ponds to watch. The surrounding park, where many people stay in and outside of mobile homes, got its name from conservationist and actor Leo Carrillo. If you don’t want to plan your activities here on your own, the visitor center is recommended. Among other things, guided hikes (checklist for a hiking holiday) are offered.
