Zuma Beach is about 20 miles west of Malibu on the Pacific Coast
Highway. The mile-long stretch of sand at the northern end of
Santa Monica Bay is an excellent place to go with the family or
group of friends. The beach is somewhat quiet on the weekdays
but can get a little crazy with crowds on the weekends , even
though it is not as bad as its southern beach neighbors.
This is definitely a great picnic spot, with a huge sandy beach
to spread out the picnic blanket and chow down while enjoying
the coastal view. There is a snack bar at Zuma Beach, but it caters
to kids more than adults. If you want more variety, it’s
best to stop off at a market or restaurant in Malibu before you
spend all day out at the beach.
Zuma Beach is a popular hang out with the local LA crowd.
There are several volleyball courts on the sand, a 2.5 mile bike
and walking path and a playground for the kids. The wind can be
grueling at times for those who want to bask in the sun all day,
but the compromise is a quiet and less crowded beach scene. Most
of the summer beach traffic head south towards Manhattan, Hermosa
or Santa Monica beaches, which leaves Zuma beach as a nice sanctuary
for beachgoers who hate the touristy crowds.
Occasionally there is challenging surf, especially during the
summer months. Surfers have to put up with colder waters here
but the water is said to be a lot cleaner than southern LA beaches.
Surfers, body boarders and body surfers come to Zuma beach searching
for the perfect tube ride.
There is a paid parking lot that is open from 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
There are over 2000 parking spaces available. It costs $4-6, depending
on the season. Free parking is located on the west side of PCH,
and if you feel like hiking there, you can also find free parking
at the cliff top of Point Dume.
NO alcohol/glass containers
NO camping
NO dogs
NO vehicles on the beach
NO fires
Bathrooms/showers available
