About Malibu Lagoon State Beach:
Malibu Lagoon State Beach is a white, sandy beach with a lagoon and wetlands nearby that draw marine life and shorebirds, and the waves are usually mild.
You can get a sense of the area's past at the Malibu Lagoon Museum or tour the Adamson House, a luxurious, a 1920s Spanish-Moorish-style home featuring locally-made Malibu Tile and tons of fantastic artisan touches.
At low tide, you can walk west along the sand to get a peek into the exclusive, gated Malibu Colony - as long as you stay closer to the water than the houses. Check tide times.
Just next door is Surfrider Beach, home to some of the area's best waves. Some say those who ride them are less territorial toward outsiders than in other locations.
Malibu Lagoon State Beach Fees
- Parking Fee
Creature Comforts at Malibu Lagoon State Beach:
- Porta-Potties only
- Picnic areas
Malibu Lagoon State Beach Activities:
- Tide pooling
- Visit the historical museum and the Adamson House
- Adamson House
- Swimming
- Surfing and volleyball courts at nearby Surfrider Beach
- Wildlife viewing (especially birds)
Highs and Lows at Malibu Lagoon State Beach:
- Many locals rave about how natural this spot is in the middle of built-up, sometimes-pretentious Malibu and close to the rest of LA.
- Parking is limited and fills up, sometimes before noon even on a weekday - and they place the "Lot Full" signs so far off the road that you can't see them until after you've turned in. Street parking close by is limited and usually full. We hear there's free parking west of the beach, off PCH on Malibu Road, behind the shopping center, but it's almost half a mile from the beach entrance and 3/4 mile to the Adamson House.
- Occasionally, dead seaweed on the beach can create a stink.
Malibu Lagoon State Beach Events:
- The Malibu Surfing Classic is held at nearby Surfrider Beach every September
- Seasonal guided tours focus on the grunion fish, monarch butterflies, tide pools and gray whales
Beachgoer Beware:
Water quality watchdog Heal the Bay monitors Surfrider Beach, just north of Malibu Lagoon State Beach and their ratings vary widely. Check current conditions.
Malibu Lagoon State Beach Rating:
POLL: What is Malibu Lagoon State Beach Best For?
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Scuba Diving
- Fishing
- Beach Volleyball
- Bicycle Riding
- Walking
- People-Watching
- Wildlife-Watching, tide pooling
How to Get to Malibu Lagoon State Beach:
The parking lot and nature area entrance is at Cross Creek Road. You can also park in the lot in front of the Adamson House or in the county parking lot on the west side of the Malibu Creek Bridge.
