Malibu in Your Pocket

La Piedra, one of Malibu’s “pocket beaches,” is the perfect sanctuary for beachgoers who don’t care to rub beach blankets with the crowds at Zuma or Paradise Cove. It’s less than 10 minutes up the coast from Zuma, but a world away from the all the frenzy. Sure, it can get busy, but in fall this beach tends to get fewer visitors.

From the parking area, a slender path leads down the coastal bluffs to the untouched sand. The decline is steep. If you’re wearing bad footwear, you might find yourself down on all fours at first! The rest of the way is a breeze—packed dirt and occasional stairs. Partway down, your jaw drops as you spy the beautiful waves crashing along the shore. Then it’s a ladder-climb down to the bottom, where you can massage your feet in the warm sand of this lovely, secluded, protected strand. The nearby luxury estates don’t have it any better than you do.

La Piedra boasts both soft sand and large rocks to suit your mood—splash or stroll. Even if you have company, there’s plenty of room—nearly a mile—for privacy. If you prefer sandless sandwiches, or if the tide is coming in, you can climb back up to the blufftop picnic tables and enjoy the view from up high.

Tip: Swing by Malibu Seafood, just 15 minutes down the highway, to enjoy scrumptious fish-and-chips with a view!

La Piedra State Beach is on Pacific Coast Hwy. 5.6 miles west (upcoast) from Kanan-Dume Rd. It lies in between two other pocket beaches, El Matador and El Pescador. There is an hourly parking fee. No dogs.