The best Los Angeles beaches depend on what you want. Zuma has the most room, El Matador has the cliffs and sea stacks, Leo Carrillo has tide pools, and Manhattan Beach has volleyball and a pier. Santa Monica and Venice are the easiest to reach without a car. Farther south, Huntington Beach, Crystal Cove, Laguna Beach and La Jolla round out the best Southern California beaches.
Below is a beach-by-beach guide with water quality grades, water temperatures and rules current as of late 2026. For more on living in and getting around the region, see our Los Angeles and California guides.
Quick picks at a glance
| Beach | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Zuma Beach, Malibu | Space, long walks, volleyball | About 2,000 parking spaces in eight county lots |
| El Matador, Malibu | Rock arches and sunset photos | Small blufftop lot, steep path and stairs |
| Leo Carrillo State Park | Tide pools, caves, dogs on leash | Dogs only on North Beach, north of Lifeguard Tower 3 |
| Santa Monica | Car-free trips, the pier, bike path | Swim well away from the pier |
| Venice Beach | People-watching on Ocean Front Walk | Busy and loud on weekends |
| Manhattan Beach | Volleyball, surfing, families | 900-foot pier and over 2 miles of sand |
| Huntington City Beach | Surf culture and wide sand | Made the 2025-2026 Heal the Bay Honor Roll at Beach Blvd. |
Malibu and the north coast
If you only have one day, Zuma Beach is the classic Malibu outing. The county lists 1.8 miles of beach frontage, eight parking lots with about 2,000 spaces, restrooms, showers and food stands. Lifeguards work during daylight hours, and volleyball nets are set up on the sand. Because the beach is so wide, it rarely feels as packed as Santa Monica, even in July.
The surf at Zuma can be strong, so swim near a staffed lifeguard tower. Also check the county’s Zuma Beach page before you go. In June 2026 the county reported that the Zuma underpass was still closed after seasonal flooding near Zuma Creek.
El Matador is the beach most people picture when they think of Malibu postcards. It is one of three small beaches in Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, along with La Piedra and El Pescador. According to California State Parks, parking is limited to a blufftop lot, and you reach the sand by paths and stairs. So it suits a short visit with light bags, not a full day with coolers.
Then there is Leo Carrillo State Park, near the Ventura County line. It also has about 1.5 miles of beach, reefs, tide pools and sea caves. California State Parks lists vehicle day use at $12, with hourly parking at $3, and prices can change in peak periods. It is also one of the few LA-area beaches where dogs are allowed, but only on North Beach.
Santa Monica and Venice
Santa Monica is the easiest beach to reach on transit. The Metro E Line ends at Downtown Santa Monica, a short walk from the sand. Our guide to LA Metro fares and passes explains how to pay and which pass fits a beach day.
The sand is wide, and the bike path also runs right along it. However, water quality next to the pier is a long-running problem. In Heal the Bay’s 2025-2026 Beach Report Card, the Santa Monica Pier ranked second on the statewide Beach Bummers list. That made it the most polluted beach in California, after a site in Tijuana. Heal the Bay says the pier has made the list in 15 of the last 21 years. If you swim, walk a few hundred yards away from the pier first.
Venice Beach, by contrast, is less about swimming and more about the scene. Ocean Front Walk is lined with shops, food and bike and skate rentals. Meanwhile, the county counts nearly 3 miles of coastline here and over 1,200 spaces across three lots. If you are deciding where to stay or spend an afternoon, our Los Angeles neighborhoods guide compares Venice and Santa Monica with other parts of the city.
The South Bay: Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo
Manhattan Beach is often the best all-around choice for families. The county lists over 2 miles of ocean frontage, a 900-foot pier and volleyball nets that stretch all the way to Hermosa Beach. The AVP Manhattan Beach Open is held there each summer. It is also a quiet residential town a few blocks inland, with schools and learning centers like the one in an older Manhattan Beach item from our archive.
Hermosa Beach is livelier, though, with a pier and a walkway called The Strand lined with homes and bars. Redondo Beach has a working pier and harbor, which suits people who want food and boats more than open sand. Parking in all three towns is tight on summer weekends, so arrive before 10 a.m. or take a bus.
Water quality in this stretch has a good track record. In last year’s report, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach both earned perfect year-round grades. In the 2025-2026 report, though, a much wetter winter pushed most LA County sites off the Honor Roll. Only Bluff Cove in Palos Verdes Estates stayed on it, and that is a rocky cove, not a sandy family beach.
Southern California beaches worth the drive
If you have a full day, the coast south of Los Angeles adds some of the cleanest water in the state. In the 2025-2026 report, San Diego County placed 11 beaches on the Honor Roll and Orange County placed eight. LA County had one.
- Huntington City Beach. Wide sand, steady surf and a long pier. The site at Beach Blvd. made the 2025-2026 Honor Roll.
- Crystal Cove State Park. About 3.2 miles of beach between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach, with tide pools and 46 historic cottages.
- Laguna Beach. A string of small coves under cliffs, good for snorkeling on calm days.
- La Jolla Cove, San Diego. Clear water, sea lions on the rocks and kayak tours along the cliffs.
- Coronado. A long, flat beach with soft sand that suits small children.
Still, plan around traffic. Even without delays, Huntington Beach is about an hour from downtown Los Angeles by car, and San Diego is more than two hours away.
Water quality, temperature and beach rules
Heal the Bay grades California beaches every year using county testing data. For the 2025-2026 period, which ran from April 2025 through March 2026, 92% of LA County beaches earned A or B grades in summer dry weather. Winter dry grades fell to 61%, and only 47% earned an A or B in wet weather. The group links the drop to rainfall that nearly doubled from the year before. You can read the full 2025-2026 Beach Report Card for every graded site.
If you plan to swim, three simple habits lower the risk of getting sick:
- Stay out of the ocean for at least three days after a rain, which is Heal the Bay’s standing advice.
- Keep clear of storm drains, creek mouths and the water right under piers.
- Check the latest grades from LA County Public Health before you swim.
Even in summer, the water is colder than many visitors expect. NOAA’s coastal water temperature guide shows Santa Monica averaging about 58 to 59 degrees in January and February and about 68 degrees in August. October averages about 65 degrees and November about 62. So from late fall through spring, most swimmers and surfers wear a wetsuit.
Rules on county beaches are also strict. The LA County beach rules ban dogs and other animals, alcohol, smoking, glass containers, fires, barbecues, amplified music and overnight camping. Groups larger than 50 need a permit. Dockweiler Beach is the exception for fire, because the county runs designated fire pits there. State beaches such as Leo Carrillo set their own rules, so check the park page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best beach in Los Angeles?
For a full day with room to spread out, Zuma Beach is the most common pick. For families who want a pier, volleyball and good water quality history, Manhattan Beach is a strong choice. El Matador is best for scenery.
What are the best Southern California beaches outside LA?
Huntington City Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Beach, La Jolla Cove and Coronado are the usual favorites. Orange and San Diego counties also had most of the beaches on the 2025-2026 Heal the Bay Honor Roll.
Can you swim at LA beaches in November?
Yes, but the water averages about 62 degrees at Santa Monica in November, so a wetsuit helps. Also wait at least three days after any rain before going in.
Are dogs allowed on Los Angeles beaches?
Not on LA County beaches. Leo Carrillo State Park allows leashed dogs on North Beach, north of Lifeguard Tower 3, and Long Beach runs Rosie’s Dog Beach, an off-leash zone open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Have a question about this topic? Ask in the comments below. Our editors read every comment and answer questions here, and we add useful answers to the guide.
Sources
- healthebay.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Beach-Report-2025-2026_6_scre…
- beaches.lacounty.gov/zuma-beach
- beaches.lacounty.gov/manhattan-beach
- beaches.lacounty.gov/venice-beach
- beaches.lacounty.gov/la-county-beach-rules
- beaches.lacounty.gov/dockweiler-beach-fire-pits
- parks.ca.gov
- parks.ca.gov
- parks.ca.gov
- ncei.noaa.gov/access/coastal-water-temperature-guide/all_table.html
- publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/eh/water_quality/beach_grades.cfm
- longbeach.gov/park/park-and-facilities/directory/rosies-dog-beach
- cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/heal-the-bay-cleanest-most-polluted-beac…