Beaches in Los Angeles

Sand, sun, and fun is truly what Los Angeles is all about and with an endless coastline of beaches, it’s one of the best outdoor playgrounds on the west coast of the United States.

There are so many great beaches in LA that it would be hard to talk about all of them, but for starters, some of the most popular (and crowded) beaches are Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu.

Santa Monica beach is an iconic part of Los Angeles with its famous pier, great surfing, volleyball nets and other endless outdoor activities. The beach’s central location makes it one of the most crowded in LA, and the second the sun comes out (which is roughly 300 days a year), the beach is packed with all types and all kinds.

Just south of Santa Monica is Venice Beach. The epicenter of all things strange in California, Venice Beach is home to the whacky, wild, and weird as it hugs the pristine Pacific Ocean. The Venice Boardwalk features everything from doctors promising medical marijuana cards to sideshows with three headed turtles and bearded ladies. Venice Beach is famous for its Muscle Beach and was prominent in the movie White Men Can’t Jump for its outdoor basketball courts.

Compared to Venice, Malibu may as well be on a different planet. Home to some of the wealthiest folks in the world, Malibu is nothing but white sand, big houses, and a MUCH more laid back environment. Although all beaches in California are public, Malibu does its best to make access to the beach as hard as physically possible with skyrocket parking prices and narrow access-ways between multi-million dollar houses.

No matter where you go for your Vitamin D and big waves, Los Angeles beaches will provide you with a multitude of options whether you want to sunbathe, surf, or just people-watch during the endless California summers.