Always my favorite beach to visit. We always see so much wild life. Pelicans, dolphins and of course seagulls. If you grew up in Los Angeles in the 90's we called it free Zuma. Parking is free but it's a small area. And there's a bathroom! The best hidden beach gem. read more

Westward Beach - Westward Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

Very safe quiet beach, great for families . Fun Fact , the far end or south most portion of the beach is where the final scene in the original planet of the apes was shot - the statue of liberty scene . Seems prophetic today. read more

Westward Beach - Westward Beach Today - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

See all

I LOVE this beach. Years ago for sure there was hardly anyone here. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE EPITOME OF SOCAL LIVING. It's a vacation without having to fly somewhere. When I am here, I am often reminded of how beautiful Malibu is and of course Mother NATURE. The waves so soothing, the surfers catching a wave, couples strolling on the beach --- this is CALIFORNIA. It's a slice of the rich life with nearby multi million dollar homes -- For literally FREE!! I can here during the weekday during winter and was surprised to see it crowded! BE CAUTIOUS the seagulls can be aggressive especially with unattended food! There's also public restrooms - always a plus. Sunset restaurant is nearby if you want to grab an easy bite. There is construction at the end of the beach so one of the parking lots is currently closed. PARKING: typical a lot -- for now is closed - you can park for free on the side right next to the beach. read more

See all

No longer a secret, this beach is crowded on the weekends and understandably so. Adjacent to Zuma beach, this long strand of fine sand is the perfect place for a day in the sun and surf. The parking is better than average but it still is hard to find good spot on warm days, especially weekends. There are rock climbers scaling Point Dume and kites flying alongside seagulls gliding effortlessly in the cool breezy winds. It's just a great place to be with family or alone to appreciate the ocean and nature itself. read more

Westward Beach - The beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

See all

Came back today after not being here in a couple of years and I'm so glad to see there is no more oil on the beach!!! It's finally clean! This beach is great for relaxing, playing in the sand, exercising and maybe putting your feet in the water, but not too deep! Especially for the inexperienced swimmer and beach goers. The waves here are much too dangerous for boogie boarding, playing or swimming in this area. The waves get big and crash at shore out of nowhere! I've also seen many dolphins in the past swim up close. Remember they are wild animals and unpredictable. I personally enjoy coming here because of the very loud crashing waves. It's very soothing to me. Also there are nearby restaurants and a little bit east up the road is a great shopping center where I love to get ice cream and pizza on my way out. It's my perfect go to for just wanting to relax and not swim. If you are looking for water play, I recommend staying up north about a couple or few miles up the road for that. Stay safe and enjoy the view! As for the restrooms I've only used them once and it was only to wash my hands. From my own experience it was pretty nasty in there! From what I've read, I guess it is not kept up. read more

A Long stretch of pristine beach. It's a great place to walk or just sit back and spend the day. It's pay to park unless you get lucky on the way in as there is parking on the shoulder. At the way end, free climbers scale the cliff. I find there's less trash here. It's a hair cleaner than other places. The water is crystal clear. There's lifeguards & rangers do patrol the beach. We saw a couple getting a ticket for open container. Bummer for them. We walked 3 miles and it was great. Also the Sunset restaurant is nearby the entrance so if you strike up an appetite you can stop in. read more

Amazing views!! Seen a couple Of dolphins. Water was clear and not a busy beach. I love how it is away from the busy road

Parking is a nightmare Can take 30 minutes just to leave the parking lot... PCH is awful, especially on weekends... read more

Views of rocky trail nearby is nice. The restrooms are very clean and are close to the shore, although they are a little small. The beach itself isn't as crowded as other beaches and have some nice waves that aren't too strong for younger ones. read more

Westward Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

See all

Wonderfully picturesque beach just south of Zuma Beach. I've had the pleasure of visiting a couple of times this summer post-quarantine and it's never crazy crowded. Even on the weekend. Plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the waves. read more

$10 to park in the lot and it is much less crowded than Santa Monica or Venice Beaches. Water is cleaner too! Nice little corner of Malibu that is easy to access. Saw a seal swimming up and down along the beach probably looking for a playmate. Nice restaurant just outside the parking lot. Would love to visit it some other time. Great location. Not sure what the attire requirements are though. Beach attire might be too grubby based on what the other diners were wearing :) I hope I didn't just ruihn this park/beach and make it too crowded... read more

Westward Beach - Awesome fog! - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

See all

Great stretch of sand not as known as well the other beaches in the area. Westward can get crowded but if you time it right, you can park for free and on the weekdays, actually get some peace and quiet. The guarded pay lot at the end of the beach towards the climbing rock I heard is now $15 so FYI. Facilities are at either end with showers on the outside and stalls with locking doors for the restrooms. Beautiful view of the coast and PCH from Westward. The waves can pound especially on the bigger days so definitely exercise caution. The shorebreak is infamous. Definitely keep your head on a swivel. Great beach. Clean up after yourselves, please. Check in with the lifeguards or park rangers patrolling the beach if you have any questions. read more

See all

I made a stop at Westward Beach today. It was nice. The water looked relatively clean. I saw some dolphins in the surf. It was $8 to park by self-pay till 8:30pm in the lot. read more

Westward Beach - View North - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

See all

Beautiful stretch of beach close to Malibu! Most beaches in Southern California get super crowded in Summertime. This beach does get crowded, but not overwhelming. $12.50 for parking the last time we visited. Not bad for SoCal. Very relaxing and a good place to people watch. During off peak times when there are no crowds, I can imagine the Baywatch lifeguard women running on this gorgeous beach. It really looks like a beach you would see on television and in the movies. Enjoy and wear your sunscreen! read more

See all

I love that I live so close to this beach. It is beautiful at sunset, because that's the name implies it is the only beach that faces west. I hate how crowded it has become, it used to be hella chill but it is what it is, that's California now, anything goes-Sorry locals. But def a beautiful spot and you can do a great walk if you are up for it from pt dume, to westward, and to zuma! read more

Lovely beach but please, please clean and maintain your bathrooms. It smells like sewer from a long distance away and most times only one or two stalls are in working order/open read more

Weekends can get very crowded and parking can be a nightmare. I prefer to go on weekdays and get there before 11am. That way I easily have a parking spot. That's not always true in the summer months tho. A lot of campers are parked there very early as well as everyone else. Plenty of space to lay out. Lots of surfers when the waves are good and there's always boogie boarders too. read more

See all

OK - I am sorry but I am totally biased because when I was younger my family had a beach front home overlooking Westward beach. We were up on the cliff above with naturally unobstructed vistas - and we'd visit during the Winter mostly when the tourists and summer crowds were gone. It made for easier drives in as our business and other homes were in the LA area. That said I wish we still had that Malibu property - but we don't anymore. Sigh. It is a shame I didn't have the money ready to buy it when my family choose to sell it... otherwise I might have picked it up myself. DRAT!! Anyways - I found another beach home elsewhere - not nearly as nice but at a fraction of the price for what our old family home would have cost - and more closer to the sand. Otherwise - Westward is great if you live there for any length of time. The locals venture out with their dogs on the sand in the early AM before the life guard and rangers are about. We used to bring our dog down in the early early AM... and even now I ocassionally venture out before dawn with my dog from Westlake Village - just to enjoy the memories of early morning walks with my dog in the surf! Crazy but oh well? Another thing I like about Westward is it is a bit less well known to the public so it tends to not get quite so busy outside of summer. Plus climbing point Dume is always nice with the stairs on the south side leading to a stretch of sand that can be taken all the way to Paradise Cove and beyond if so desired. However I never really went on foot much further from the Point. Otherwise - you can spot whales and dolphins going south to breed - and return north closer in shore with their young when they migrate north to feed? I love the lines of pelicans in formation as they sweep back and forth - and the sort of crowd we generally get is a nice type. Not the crude sort seen in town further south towards LA, and less so going north towards Ventura. So if you get a chance - go enjoy Westward. I almost didn't write all this so that it remains less well known to the public....! read more

See all

Westward Beach occupies a small strip of sand between Zuma and Point Dume. The waves are compact and break close to shore. The first time I ever saw a skim boarder glide over the sand and up the face of a cresting wave was here. If you don't know what that looks like, imagine skateboarding in an empty pool without wheels and trucks. Cool, huh? And an ocean backdrop is a helluva lot more uplifting than staring into a concrete pit. I have a lot of stories about Westward, but the one that is most special happened one grey and cloudy morning. It was about 10:30. I was sitting on the sand, close to the breakwater, just quietly staring off into the ether. Have you ever been to the beach when a storm is rolling in? The ocean turns this strange non-color; it's neither blue, nor grey, nor black, nor any color in the color spectrum. Just dark, deep, and reflective. And the sky is heavy with rain and thick with peaks of smoky white, right down to the horizon. For me, it feels like the peace and resolution one finds in the face of something dark and inevitable, acceptance of your mortality and the mortality of others, and of life. If this weren't a blessing enough, imagine a silver lining coming quite literally in the form of a streaking grey mass beneath the surface of the water. And I have to pause. What the hell was that? The memory is like stop motion photography. I watch, and like looking through a piece of glass I see two distorted forms in the crest of a wave racing like pebbles skipped across water. As the wave builds and is about to break, they leap out of the water in perfect unison and back into the tide. They're dolphins surfing. Proud, elegant, and free. They were so close! Maybe ten yards? And they did it over and over again. In my awe, what was just a fleeting moment seems to last forever. And it kind of did. I'll never forget them. Everything is put into perspective. For a moment, everything is right with the world, and something assures me that everything is going to be OK. I glowed for a week, and feel fortunate that I was there to witness something so rare and so beautiful in my life time. read more

Dogs are allowed ! Nice so scared to write a good review here because it will be crowded in no time i just know it lol read more

This is a beautiful beach. Parking can be difficult, just go on a day when you know it won't be crowded. You can do a little bit of rock climbing on the big rock at the end, that's really fun. Go with someone who knows what they're doing! This rock is the background in a lot of different commercials. I pretty much always see dolphins here. This past weekend, I saw dolphins AND seals. The seals came so close to the sand! Also, big shoutout to the wonderful lifeguard who helped take care of me when I got stung by the beach this past weekend. She was quick to grab me medicine, and was very knowledgable and helpful with advice on what I should do next to take care of the sting. read more

I am very hesitant to yelp about this fabulous strip of beach in Malibu because, frankly, I don't want others going there. I also love that this strip faces north. It's a nice directional change beach-wise. Everytime I have been there it hasn't been too crowded. And don't worry surfers - the surf isn't that great so you don't need to come here! It is like a piece of home, and the ocean terrifies me. I beg of you fellow yelpers - please don't bring your kids. Let's keep our beaches clean. I really want to hit up the Sunset restaurant located right next to the beach. read more

Pretty clean, serene, and can't complain about the clear blue waters. Be aware "zero tolerance" for alcohol consumption, the sheriffs are out here. It's a great place for singles, or folks looking for a quiet spot, hardly any kids around!!! Sorry..I love children but sometimes you want to hit the beach and the only sound you care for is the sound of waves crashing vigorously! Great spot thanks to my buddy Gracie for taking me to this spot 3 years ago! Hadn't been able to get around until now..one of my fave places for sure read more

Great place to catch an amazing sunset! Beaches like Westward are what California is all about. Such a beautiful place. I will let the photos do the talking.. read more

See all

Definitely where I will be going all the time for now on. Had a blast with my son. It was clean, and well maintained. It wasn't crowded at the time that I went (monday morning), but when I drove by the day before...it was packed. Parking is $3 - $6 depending on time you are there and how long you stay...not bad. We got to see many seals, especially 2 very small ones (assuming they were very young). Dolphins, and a Humpback whale. I plan to go back as much as possible. =D read more

See all

Off season, this is an incredibly beautiful beach. During summer it's pretty much a zoo. Surf can be really fun during south swells but it breaks notoriously close to shore. Westward's a great beach to catch some sea life too, dolphins and seals are routinely in the line up, and whales aren't too uncommon either. Morning yoga and fitness classes on the sand during the weekdays are pretty much a daily occurrence, so are wedding receptions on weekend nights. Plenty of room for everyone though when it's not peak season. read more

My favorite beach in LA. It used to be a secret but now everyone knows about it. There's not a ton of parking. You can beat the crowd and go early, get a sweet spot and first pick. read more

I love love secret spots especially if it's a hiking trail or a beach and this is the spot for both! So lucky my brother works for a production company so he gets dips on all the secret locations in LA. We came here yesterday on a Tuesday since it was burning HOT and it was pretty cool. The ppl here were so friendly and the kids loved it! The water was so refreshing and to the right side there is a hiking trial that takes you to the top cliff over looking at the beach. It's beautiful here. Very clean except the bathrooms by the end of the day, we had to leave early since the lifeguards advice us a thunderstorm was coming. But i like the beach has showers and bathrooms very close to the beach and parking lot. Im not sure if there is a fee for parking because we didn't pay but I believe my brother mentioned usually they do. I love all Malibu beaches, paradise cove is my fav spot as well even thou parking it's $20 but it's worth it if alcohol is involved in your own private beach! read more

This is a place you should steer clear of. There's been numerous fatal shark attacks here. It's just not safe. Stay in Santa Monica, I say.

This beach is quite closer to Malibu beach/pier. It's kind of very spacious and lots of parking. Due to the size of the beach shore, it can take in any huge crowds and still have enough space. Quiet and calm where you can spend lot of time with kids for a whole day. Try it . read more

If i had to pick one place on this earth that means more to me than any other place this is the spot. I have spent countless, countless, special moments here. This is a place to find your center. Whenever I am here I realize how the world is so much more than me and so much bigger than me. I am never more peaceful, than when I am here. At any given time, you can see the seals playing in the ocean, during whale migration season, it is amazing. Schools of dolphins.... My favorite thing to do is to hike the trail, then go a 1/4 round the mountainside and perch on top of the wooden railings of the outlook. I have spent hours upon hours here. There are always surfers below, birds, sun and sky above.....This is truly a very special place. read more

Once I found where to go - drove along the PCH (1) checking my Thomas Guide for a sandy colored area, found this place. Perfection. There's $8 parking in the lot, but plenty of nearby parallel parking on the street; and I found a excellent free space. It was fairly crowded, but the beach was empty enough, the bathroom house (women's) clean enough, and the hot dog I bought right in front made my day. Laid out on the sand in the sun and enjoyed my Sunday thoroughly. Now I have my Malibu beach spot. read more

This is a great beach in Malibu. I would recommend it if you have children. You can park next to the sand, they have lifeguard towers, you can see dolphins from the beach, it's clean with lots of trash cans, and it has outside showers. The only drawback is that the restrooms aren't very clean, I've seen worse but these weren't that great. Other than the restrooms, this beach has everything else! read more

See all

Great spot, however watch out for the overzealous parking cops. My car was less than 5 degrees off parallel and I received a ticket for failing to parallel park, ridiculous. read more

Wow, what an amazing beach in the winter months! No crowds, clean bathrooms, and plenty of whale watching right from shore. Two sea lions played in the surf most of the day. We lucked out because of unusually warm weather, and enjoyed a great long walk along the coastline. Not my favorite beach in the Summer as it is jam packed with tourists. Definitely a great warm winter's day escape! read more

We stumbled across this beach last year when we were looking for Point Dume State Beach and what a find!! This is a quiet, low key beach adjacent to Zuma Beach at the end of Westward Beach Road. Low key, quiet, clean sand and often sights of dolphins playing in the waves. There's a bathroom facility and outdoor shower near the north side of the beach. Parking fluctuates depending on time of the year (summer is usually around $12-15 for the day). Lifeguard is on duty during busy times. This is truly a hidden gem (maybe not after all the reviews) and much more preferred than the busy and noisy Zuma beach. No alcohol is allowed on this beach. Be careful of the tar balls washed ashore in the sand - if you stepped on it, you'll have tar on the bottom of your feet that's hard to get off (baby oil helps). read more

Beautiful beach but be prepared for a hike down and back up! Must pay for parking and the lot is pretty small.

Great Officiants responded almost immediately and got us a great dynamic officiant. The cost was low and there was never any attempt to upgrade our chosen service. They allow you to choose any location you want. The officiant may charge a minimal amount for travel. Highly recommended for those looking for an alternative to a church wedding. read more