Beaches |
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To assure your safety at the beach, try to swim in front the nearest manned lifeguard tower; make sure to protect your eyes and skin; cover up with UV-safe glasses, hats, or clothing if necessary, and use sunscreen. Being alone or even in a small group on the beach after dark is not safe; stick to beachcombing as a daytime activity. At Malibu’s northwestern-most end is Leo Carrillo State Beau, 818-880-0350, www.parks.ca.gov, named for the LA-born actor, preservationist, and conservationist. The 1,600-arce beach features nature trails, some of which lead to tide pools and campgrounds. The water is good for surfing and swimming, and you can explore Sequin Point, which has sea caves and a natural tunnel. Also in Malibu, is the Malibu Lagoon State Beach, 818-880-0350, www.parks.ca.gov, located just west of the Malibu Pier and consisting of 22 acres of saltwater marsh, flower gardens, and sandy beach. Guided tours of the wetlands for grunion, the monarch butterfly, and the gray whale are scheduled seasonally; call 818-880-0363 for tour information. At the end of the Malibu Pier is Surfrider Beach, 310-305-9546, http://beaches.co.la.ca.us, with volleyball courts and is famous for good surfing conditions. Further southeast is Zuma Beach, 310-305-9546, http://beachse.co.la.ca.us, which is known for its scenic view and rough surf. It also features volleyball, swinging, fishing, diving, and a children’s playground. At nearby Point Dume, 310-305-9546, http://beaches.co.la.us, you can explore tide pools and perhaps catch a glimpse of the migrating California gray whales, which through the area from November through May. At the foot of Topanga Canyon are the small Las Tunas Beach, 310-305-9546, http://beaches.co.la.ca.u, and Topanga State Beach, 310-305-9546, http://beaches.co.la.ca.us. Although Topanga State Beach covers almost 22 acres, its most frequented site is a mile-land sandy stretch 310-305-9503, www.parkdsca.gov, a popular spot for board/body surfing and swimming. It too has volleyball courts and a playground. Santa Monica State Beach, 310-458-8310, www.santa-monica.org is one of the largest and most popular beaches in California, due to its proximity to the City of LA and its amusement amenities, which include the Santa Monica Pier, playground, and basketball/volleyball courts. Though you will see many people swimming here, reports on the water quality at local beaches often rate this one poorly. Clean-up efforts are under way, and actually the bay is safer now than in years past, though there are often swimming advisories near the major storm drains. Just south of Santa Monica is Bernice Beach, which features 283 areas of sand, but it’s the adjacent boardwalk that has made it famous and brings more visitors. Bicycles can be rented at several vendors along the beachfront, and there’s a nice children’s playground. For those simply seeking to watch, this sight is phenomenal.
Busy Manhattan Beach boas more that 100 volleyball coots. One of the main attractions here is The Strand, a concrete promenade for joggings, skating, and walking…and a whole lot of watching. Long Beach is a rather long strip of waterfront; here are some of the local beaches that make up its 11 miles of oceanfront property: Alamitos Beach, Bayshore Beach, Belmont Plaza Beach, Belmont Shore Beach, Peninsula Beach, Colorado Lagoon, Junipero Beach, and Maine Park. Long Beach’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine oversee these beaches, as well as the largest municipally operate marina system in the nation. Also, note that California was the first sate in the nation to ban smoking in its restaurants and bars, and beginning in 2004, this health-minded prohibition extended to parts of the state’s coastline. Because in the cities of Santa Monica and Malibu, and, in Los Angeles, the beaches of Venice, Carrillo, Will Rogers, and Dockweiler, now have smoking bans in place. |
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Los Angeles is famous for its golden beaches, which provide an alluring place to get away from it all. There’s nothing quite like standing at the edge of the continent, in front of the setting sun, with your feet buried in the sand. Go to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbor web site: 
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