LA is really growing on me, especially when there is so much to explore nearby. Something my fiance, Alex, and I love to do is explore new parts of town as part of our day or food adventures. With Malibu being about an hour from the city we thought it would be the perfect place to check out and make a day trip out of it. As a result, I’ve created this guide with my top 7 things to do in order to make the most out of your day trip to Malibu.
Table of Contents
What’s So Cool About Malibu?
Malibu is known to be the home to many celebrities. With its mediterranean style climate and beautiful beaches, I wouldn’t doubt it. The city is located to the west of Los Angeles. At about an hour drive, this place offers great hiking trails, winery tours, sandy beaches and an escape from the city chaos.
How Do I get There?
Malibu is off of the Pacific Coast Highway (map). It’s about a 45 minute drive from LAX, 50 minutes from downtown, and 2 and a half hours from San Diego. For those visiting from out of state your best bet is to fly into LAX, rent a car and make the 45 minute drive.
Tips To Know Before You Go
Before you get started, here are some tips to know to make the most out of your trip:
- Reception is a bit spotty, make sure to download a map of Malibu on Google Maps
- With that being said, make sure to also download your road trip playlist
- Don’t forget to stay hydrated, and bring some water and snacks for those long hikes
- If you decide to have a picnic at the beach know you can bring your cooler with food and drinks
- During the busy times of the year (summer) it can be a challenge to get a parking spot so prepare accordingly and arrive early to get a nice spot to any of the places below
Malibu Day Trip
Start the Day with a Hike!
If you’re into hiking I recommend you start the day with a hike in the Santa Monica mountains. I love to hike so any opportunity I can get I run to the mountains. We started the day by hiking the TWR loop trail to the overlook in the Solstice Canyon, located in the Santa Monica mountains. This was relatively challenging for about a mile loop trail.
Below are other popular trails in the area worth trying. For example:
- Rising Sun Trail, 1.7 mile, moderate
- Solstice Canyon Loop Trail, 3.2 mile, moderate
- Sostomo and Dear Valley Loop Trail, 6.3 mile, moderate
- The Grotto Trail, 2.5 mile, moderate
- Escondido Falls, 3.7 mile, easy
FYI there are limited parking spots in the lots provided. If you want to get a parking spot make sure you arrive early if not you will either have to park on the side of the road. Subsequently, if you drive past the Solstice Canyon entrance sign you will find parking at the top of the road.
Malibu Cafe
After your morning hike check out Malibu Cafe for lunch and drinks, located about 15 minutes from Solstice Canyon. This cafe provides a huge lawn for outdoor dining with picnic tables and blankets, great for social distancing. You can enjoy the live music, play chess or relax by the waterfall as you try out some of their delicious drinks (menu). Note, this place only offers valet parking, which was about $14.
El Matador Beach
At about 20 minutes from the cafe explore the rock formations at El Matador Beach off of the Pacific Coast Highway. From the couple of times I’ve been here it tends to be relatively quiet. It’s great if you want to get away from the crowds. You can either park for free on the side of the road or, if you’re lucky, you can park in the lot for a fee.
Zuma Beach
Now if you want to surf check out Zuma Beach! It’s known for its white sands and surf tides. It’s about 10 minutes from El Matador Beach, doesn’t have large rock formations so it is safer to surf. Zuma beach offers more amenities like restrooms, showers, volleyball beach courts for your leisure. Like at El Matador Beach, you can park on the side of the road for free or pay a fee and park in the lot.
Pointe Dume
Pointe Dume offers tranquil coastal views with trails and bluff viewpoints. On a clear day you can see the entire Santa Monica bay and Catalina Island from the point! If you’re feeling lucky, visit between December and March and you might see the grey whales during their migration!
Malibu Country Mall
About 15 minutes from Pointe Dume you will find the Malibu Country Mall. This outdoor shopping center is a great place to pick up a snack, do some light shopping or get something to eat. And if you’re a car fanatic keep your eyes peeled for the variety of sports cars you’ll see.
Malibu Pier
The Malibu Pier is one of Malibu’s most notable landmarks. It’s a great place to view the sunset after a long day of exploration. The pier has a few stores and restaurants where you can eat and shop to your hearts content. After that, you can also fish from the pier if you’re up to trying something new.
Map of Attractions
End of the Day
To top it all off, make sure and have dinner at the beach. It may sound cheesy, but trust me, the sunset views won’t disappoint. It’s the perfect way to unwind and reflect on what an amazing day you had. Sort of gives you movies vibes, no?
I hope you have an amazing time exploring Malibu, and remember if things don’t go according to plan roll with the punches. Thank you for dropping by my little slice of the internet! If you enjoyed my Malibu Day Trip guide make sure and check out my Catalina Island post for more day adventures!
