Santa Monica Beach & Pier The classic
Santa Monica · Free
Photo: Hiro Protagonist
Why it made the list: The picture-postcard LA beach: a wide golden strand backed by the palm-lined bluffs of Palisades Park and anchored by the Santa Monica Pier, with its Ferris wheel, arcade and the end of Route 66. It's busy, iconic and endlessly fun.
Venice Beach The scene
Venice · Free
Photo: Melissa Ramirez
Why it made the list: Less a beach than a nonstop street show: the boardwalk of buskers and vendors, the outdoor Muscle Beach gym, the skate park and the graffiti walls, all spilling onto a wide sunny strand. It's LA at its most freewheeling and people-watchable.
Zuma Beach The Malibu one
Malibu · Free
Photo: Ciro Rota
Why it made the list: A long, wide, clean stretch of classic Malibu sand with strong surf, plenty of room and that open, glamorous SoCal feel. It's the go-to when you want a proper swim-and-surf beach day away from the city crowds.
Manhattan Beach The South Bay pick
South Bay · Free
Photo: Beyoung Im (Be-Young)
Why it made the list: The most polished of the South Bay beach towns: a wide beach, a classic pier with a little aquarium at the end, and a walkable village of shops and restaurants just up the hill. It's beach-town LA at its most easygoing and upscale.
El Matador State Beach The stunner
Malibu · $
Photo: Lyd
Why it made the list: The most dramatic beach in LA County: a small, cliff-backed cove reached by a steep trail, studded with sea stacks, arches and tide pools. It's a photographer's and sunset-lover's dream, and it feels a world away from the city.
⭐ Bonus Pick: El Porto & Point Dume
Two more for beach days: El Porto at the north end of Manhattan Beach is the local surfers' pick, and Point Dume in Malibu pairs a pretty cove with a headland trail and, in winter, some of the best whale-watching from shore in the county.
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