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Malibu hugs the Pacific Ocean, north of Santa Monica in the northwest corner of Los Angeles County. Because of the town's location on the ocean and the proximity to downtown L.A.'s studios, Malibu has been made as a fixture in American culture, having been featured on popular TV shows including Two and a Half Men and Hannah Montana.

Get in

Take Pacific Coast Highway (California State Route 1) north from Santa Monica. From Los Angeles International Airport, take San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) north to Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10) west. The Santa Monica Freeway intersects the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica.

LA Metro bus 534 provides service to Malibu from Santa Monica and Washington/Fairfax transit center.

Get around

The main (and pretty much only) route through Malibu is along the Pacific Coast Highway. It's the "main street" of Malibu. PCH runs the length of the town and is really the only way to get from one side of the Malibu to the other.

See

  • 1 Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway. Pepperdine boasts the best ocean views of any college campus in the United States and is consistently ranked by the Princeton Review as having the most beautiful campus in the United States. The University now also consistently ranks in the Top 40 academic programs in the United States. Pepperdine ascends up from Pacific Coast Highway on a huge piece of land, and the Pacific ocean feels part of this uniquely beautiful campus. Of particular note are the Heroes Garden on the Drescher Graduate Campus, the Weisman Museum of Art, and Stauffer Chapel.

Do

  • Head to famous 1 Zuma Beach or 2 Westward Beach for a great day at the beach.
  • For a great coast view, head to 3 Point Dume. From PCH heading north, turn left on Heathercliff and left on Dume Drive. Take Dume drive as far as you can and turn right at the end of the road. There is a park on the cliff with a few trails where the locals like to jog. Follow a trail or two to the tip of the point. You'll know when you get there. There will be a bench and a wooden sort of deck in the middle of the trail. From here you can see all of the coast out to Palos Verdes, watch surfers below, and listen to the sounds of sea lions and dolphins.
  • 4 Malibu Lagoon (Surfrider Beach). Malibu Lagoon is an estuary at the mouth of Malibu Creek. This area is home to one of the most famous famous surf breaks in Los Angeles County, a beach that played a central role in the development of the West Coast surf culture. Contests are held throughout the year and surfers are crowding for the best waves at other times. Recently the lagoon has undergone an extensive, although controversial, restoration to deal with water quality issues that have plagued the area.
  • 5 Malibu International Film Festival, 3939 Cross Creek Rd (Malibu Lumber Yard). This film festival is a one-day event established in 1997, showcasing American and International independent films.
  • 6 Solstice Canyon (Corral Canyon Rd). A popular 2.6 mile round-trip that leads to a 30 foot tall waterfall.

Buy

Eat

  • 1 Coral Beach Cantina, 29350 Pacific Coast Highway, +1 310-457-5503. An excellent Mexican restaurant offering tasty food in a relaxed sit-down environment. Entrees will cost between $6 and $12, and portion sizes are reasonable.
  • 2 Duke's, 21150 Pacific Coast Highway, +1 310-317-0777, fax: +1 310-317-0677. A surfing themed restaurant and bar that is extremely popular. Tuesday's Happy Hour is called Taco Tuesdays, where you can eat grilled fish tacos and have a couple beers for a couple dollars. Very popular with the locals.
  • 3 Reel Inn, 18661 Pacific Coast Hwy, +1 310-456-8221. Malibu's upscale version of fast food, the ordering process at Reel Inn is simple: choose a fish, two sides, and either salad or cole slaw, as well as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and then wait at a bench (indoors and outdoors) while your food is prepared. The fish is good, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is friendly. Valet parking is mandatory on weekends, and parking attendants have been known to mix up keys. entrees average $15.
  • 4 Geoffrey's, 27400 Pacific Coast Hwy. Chic terrace with a stunning view of the ocean, excellent food, friendly staff, and celebrity doodles on the walls. The Bentlys, Rolls Royces, and other lux autos in the parking lot give you an idea of cost. entrees average $25-70.
  • 5 Paradise Cove, 28128 Pacific Coast Hwy, +1 310-457-2503, fax: +1 310-457-3273. Monday to Friday - 8AM to 11PM / Saturday & Sunday - 7AM to 11PM. On its own private beach, the ONLY beach in all of Southern California that allows alcohol. Has a private picnic area with tables and chairs, no need to purchase food from the restaurant. There is parking which you need to pay, you can get your ticket validated inside. The atmosphere is great and the food is pretty good, this is the local hot spot for people of all ages. Romantic enough for a date but fun enough for the whole family. Can get very, very crowded in the morning so call ahead and make your reservation (probably a good idea regardless of the time slot). reasonably priced food, some things are labeled as M.P (market price) but other dishes range from $9.00 to $26.00. A great family place with a stocked bar.
  • 6 Malibu Seafood, 25653 Pacific Coast Hwy, +1 310 456-3430. Very popular and delicious seafood stand / restaurant, a great place for lunch on a hot Malibu beach day. Fish is caught fresh in the morning before they open. Try the popular ahi tuna burger.

Drink

  • 1 Spruzzo's Cafe, 29575 Pacific Coast Hwy (across from Zuma beach). Has become the new spot for local nightlife with their newly remodeled bar.
  • 2 Moon Shadows, 20356 Pacific Coast Hwy, +1 310 456-3010. Mon,Sun 11:30AM-midnight; Tue-Thu 11:30AM-1AM; Fri-Sat 11:30AM-2AM. Great place to get a drink and watch the sunset. Especially popular on sunday afternoons. $$$.

Sleep

Malibu hotels span the spectrum from luxury to family motels. Most of the Malibu hotels are along the main coastal road, Pacific Coast Highway. Perhaps most notable among Malibu hotels are those located along the beach. The nearby communities of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Woodland Hills and Santa Monica may offer less expensive options.

Go next

Routes through Malibu
Santa BarbaraOxnard  N  S  Pacific PalisadesSanta Monica
FillmoreSanta Monica Mountains N.R.A.  N  S  END
ChatsworthSanta Monica Mountains N.R.A.  N  S  END


This city travel guide to Malibu is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.