"Hey, we're meeting Frankie & Annette at Zuma. We're gonna ride some curls, listen to Dick Dale and his Del-Tones play some wild tunes, and dance the watusi. Gidget and Moondoggie are sure to be there. Be there or be square. Later 'gator!" I think that's how they talked back in the early 1960's when the beach party movies took the country by storm. I remember making my mom drive me to Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo so we could wait in line to get Frankie Avalon's autograph. That was way before he drove Frenchie gaga with "Beauty School Dropout" in "Grease". He and Annette Funicello were big stars back then in their unrevealing bathing suits who made SoCal beaches the fantasy playground for us moviegoers. I guess Jamie W. and I were looking to catch our own wave and came to Zuma. On a gorgeous summer morning, it's a great destination for beach time since it's further up the coast in Malibu where the rich and famous reside. Zuma is substantial enough to allow an underpass from the northbound PCH, which will save you the frustration of having to make a left turn on an intensely busy roadway. It costs $15 to park in the lot, and frankly it was worth it for the convenience. It does fill up by noon, so plan accordingly. The beach itself gets busy, but you can still find an empty patch if you walk far enough on the beach in either direction. The surf started to get wilder as we walked onto Westward Beach toward Point Dume. Remember your flip-flops because the sand gets awfully hot. Lifeguards are plentiful and look pretty attentive as it gets busy. There's a pricey restaurant and a beach café (photo: http://bit.ly/2w7fr0f), though frankly, neither looked tempting to us. Jamie and I both agreed it was worth the longer drive to Zuma Beach simply to get out of Santa Monica and Venice where the beaches get unbearable with all the girthy people in Speedos. So play some Beach Boys on your eight-track and wax your surfboard. Later 'gator. RELATED - Going to LA? Here are the places I visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2M8guWM read more

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Zuma Beach is the first beach I went to shortly after I moved to Los Angeles. It'll always have a soft spot in my heart, that's why I gave it 2 stars instead of one. Plus, I love beaches. For the last 5 years we avoided it because the parking fee got higher and higher, the lot got full, we had to turn around, so we found other beaches to go to. Recently we were in Malibu area, and went to Point Dume (which we prefer now) but the lot was full (no holiday weekend), so we went to Zuma instead. Needed to get out of that car and relax. It costs $15 to park!!! Way too much, and you drive inside the lot till the last available part on the left. Far! The restrooms could be cleaner and there's no stores, shops, anywhere to get food and drinks from. So, bring your own. Leave the beers at home/hotel, the cops are patrolling the beach too much and give tickets to people who open a can of beer. If you're a tourist from East Coast, other countries, how would you know? There are no signs to warn you! The beach is pretty, although I never liked how close to the PCH is. You can hear sirens, etc. It's too crowded these days, we had a hard time finding a spot for our towels. People seem like they're moving here bringing way too many umbrellas, tents, canopies, you name it. So, you're too close to your beach neighbors, you'll hear their conversations, their music (since people bring loud speakers with them so you'll hear their music even if you like it or not- we moved once because of that!), their kids are gonna start building a sand castle near your head and every ball anyone will play with will hit you. Too close for my comfort or cheek to jowl as they say. If you just want to relax, read, swim, might not work. I get why other Angelenos look for more secluded beaches in the Malibu area, with less amenities and less people. The water was cold, but we saw beautiful dolphins swimming (the highlight) and big fishes in the water (half of my arm - length wise? or bigger?). We left a bit earlier since it was kinda noisy for us and that seafood restaurant was calling our names. Zuma Beach? Not again! read more

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Zuma beach is a county beach located at 30000 Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu, California. One of the largest and most popular beaches in Los Angeles County, California, Zuma is known for its long, wide sands and excellent surf. Moreover, it is consistently ranks among the healthiest beaches for clean water conditions in Los Angeles County. I like going to this beach to chill, swim and play beach volleyball. It has public restrooms, outdoor showers and parking lot. Overall, I love going to Zuma and it's a great beach with great views. Highly recommend you visit. read more

Beautiful and windy and cold! We went during the week so parking was about $8 so very reasonable for us. We parked relatively near what I would assume is the main entrance located close to the snack shack and the handicap 'boardwalk' accessible ramp that goes fairly deep into the beach. For people with young kids, if you are dragging a wagon around, I would recommend taking this accessibility ramp as far down and then struggling in the sand. It makes a huge difference and was very appreciated. There are bathrooms and open air shower spaces adjacent to the snack shack and TONS of lifeguards for folks willing to brave the cold waves. It was not crowded at all for a Friday morning and so we had a great time, just be aware that it is typically colder/windier than the beaches down south. read more

This was my first time here and we really enjoyed it. Parking was around $15 but worth it because there were plenty of spaces on a Saturday. The sun was brutal for awhile but after jumping in the cold water it made a big difference. Reminder to all bring an umbrella or one of those large tent coverings which most people had, we didn't so we ended up cooking under the sun. There are many trashcans around so the beach remains very clean from litter. read more

Zuma beach is one our favorite beach. Highly recommended. super clean and people are very friendly. read more

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Great beach if you want to see some dolphins! But must come before 2pm or so to see them. Or even earlier. Nice beach. Lots & lots of life guards. Not far from the water. Not a lot of walking thru the sand. To park you must pay $15 unless your parking on the street. No in & out privileges. The waves were okay. read more

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Love Zuma! Perfect balance of a beach. You can sunbathe, swim or boogie board! Seen dolphins here. Sand is nice. Water is a nice temp. Great people watching. Usually lots of parking. Cool spot especially on a warm day!! read more

This was a amazing experience My family and I had a family reunion in Malibu at my sisters house and this is one of our things to deal with today was to go to the beach and we all had an amazing time it was very nice and very comfortable the weather was amazing it was a great experience this was in July I think I might be too cold to go now LOL the scenery was just so pretty my entire family had a great time going in to the water letting the waves hit them everybody was just smiling having a great time lifeguard on staff was very friendly asked if we needed anything very nice definitely a great place for the whole family or for large gatherings plenty of room for everybody Definitely something fun to do on a weekend definitely a fun place to have a gathering party or just go to have fun this is one of the most pretty beaches I've ever seen and before this I haven't been to the ocean since I was a little girl which was like 40 years ago LOL very beautiful place very clean atmosphere very friendly staff very nice environment altogether I highly recommend this establishment for anybody looking for a great time it's awesome wonderful weather beautiful scenery what more could you ask for I will definitely be coming back here again in the future for more future visits and more great experiences to come thank you Again for all you guys too I definitely appreciate it look forward to our next visit here very soon read more

Zuma Beach - We had a blast - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

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Ample parking lots, chill vibe and the ocean water is not too cold. Functional showers and restroom changing rooms. read more

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We paid for the parking. Then we had to use the restrooms and they were no restrooms. All the restrooms were closed and they had porter potty which was disgusting and they were not serviced. Had we known we never would've paid for the parking and gone there, I do not recommend this place. read more

Great beach to bring the family. Water was clean. Only drawback is that the restrooms were not opened when we went.

We live at Zuma Beach. Quite beach during the week. Great walks in the evening. Beautiful beach.

On a summer afternoon you can find (I'm guessing) thousands of people out here basking in the sun and enjoying what Zuma Beach has to offer. There is parking that is paid, and goes the entire stretch of beach (you kind of need to drive by to see what I mean). You can also park on the road, which really isn't any further if you arrive early enough in the day, or happen to get a little lucky and time it when someone is leaving. The surf isn't massive, but sufficient. You can do a little surfing, but you probably won't find too many pros here. I've come across both dolphins and sea lions while attempting to get up on my board. The beach itself is kept clean and is exceptionally wide (the area between parking and the ocean) as well as long. People have always been friendly here, just a cool beach with a cool vibe. If you enjoy the beach life, this is a good spot to check out. read more

The beach itself is nice just gets SO crowded to the point that people are like 3 ft away from you which when I come to the beach I like a little space since we come with the kids and let them play etc. Parking lot and bathrooms are a bit of a mess rt now as they are under construction so the one way parking row we parked in was blocked at the end where you would need to pull out so cars were trying to turn around and drive the opposite way on the one way because of this. Was really poor planning and caused a nightmare headache trying to leave literally took us like 20+ mins to try and get out of the row. Don't dare try to come here after 1:30 on a weekend the lots are all full and they just turn everyone back around and you get stuck in this huge jam trying to leave the lot. Honestly with so many great beach spots in CA this is not one I would come to often unless an off peak day to just avoid the crazy crowds. read more

Love this beach for its open space, cooler temps and chill vibe. Unlike Santa Monica and Venice, you won't have to battle it out for a spot to sit. There's usually a wide open space to dig in for the day and I love being near the volleyball nets. The area is well kept and not much to say about trash or debris. It's regularly patrolled by beach patrol and I just saw yesterday a group get ticketed for alcohol, so be wise. The temps are usually a bit cooler here with more cloud cover and some wind, so dress appropriately and wear layers. read more

When I go to the beach this is one of my spots. Parking is easy and during the off season bike ride in the parking lot. Other things in the area make it convenient read more

Haven't been down to Zuma Beach since my Pepperdine days. Parking was easy, as we found street parking. You can also pay and park in their lot on days when its more crowded. The weather was nice but still a bit overcast and I think a lot of people were at the LA marathon, so it wasn't super crowded. There were various groups of people there, including families with kids and younger folks sunbathing. Overall a nice, family friendly beach. read more

Zuma Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

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My favorite beach in Malibu. It is so beautiful and can be very peaceful. The sun is always shining. The waves always rolling. It is perfect for sunsets and a time to get away for relaxation. read more

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I have been on many beaches over the years and went Malibu /Zuma Beach for the "4th time" this last weekend for the 32nd Nautica Malibu Triathlon 2018! What a great event held at a great location! I so love the beach and the oceans of the world. OMG I Got Sand in my shoes! LOL The weather was Awesome "sunny and not to hot" and the ocean was beautiful! The blue waves hitting the beach as the triathletes were doing their swim! Go Team Go! What a Great cause, Supporting Childrens Hospital Of Los Angles! Although I've been a athlete all my life, this round I was just a spectator, It was a honor to watch true athletes push themselves to the limits on one of the most famous beaches in California for such a great cause! I love watching people achieve great successes and new milestones in their life's. So inspiring for me and all who watched! Nothing like being on the beach hearing the ocean sounds, waves, and birds. What a great place to go and relax away from the city and just be yourself. Fun In the Sun! Where is my speedo? OMG - Time to Strut my Stuff! Walk the beach baby, maybe a little jog! If you ever make it to West Hollywood, Malibu, you go to go to the Zuma Beach and take your friends, family and your loved one for that nice romantic walk and swim! Love Is In the Air! LOL God Speed! Jake Out for Now! read more

Zuma Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

Absolutely expansive and very beautiful views. Unfortunately, in multiple places by the water, there are shiny jet black blobs. After accidentally stepping in one, I came to realize that it was motor oil that has spilled out throughout the beach. It was very difficult to remove and is just not something I expected to find in such a beautiful part of nature. read more

I love this beach! It's cleaned frequently and although the bathrooms are unnecessarily closed (maybe for COVID?) the portopotties are kept clean too. One night I was driving back to LA from Malibu and I decided to stop here and park alongside the road and wait for the sun to rise. It was awesome! Watching dolphins swim before any surfers made it out to the water was really great. It gets a little crowded on holidays but it's not that bad. I definitely recommend checking this beach out. read more

This beach was subpar for what I expected for Malibu. I don't know if it was because we came in the later evening hours (but before sunset) but the showers to wash off your feet did not work at all. Also there's more rocks on this beach than Santa Monica beach. Maybe there's better sections of Zuma but this part was nothing special read more

This is an absolutely gorgeous beach! The sand is powdery and goes on for quite a bit. Plenty of easy parking, restrooms are available. The sunrise and sunsets Here are amazing and well worth the trip. Beautiful place to spend the day, highly recommend it! read more

One of the best beaches around! friendly people, wide sandy beaches and easy parking! highly recommended!

Darn... I was looking forward to an hour or so of time exercising at Zuma Beach and much to my chagrin I found the beach to be a bit dirty as far as the eco-system and environment is concerned. I found the bottom of my feet sticking to my sandals shortly after placing them into my bare feet and upon closer inspection I found a black and sticky substance also ruined my sandals. Oil globs...! read more

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Zuma Beach is a lovely 3 mile long white sand beach in Malibu. Details: It was Monday, June 16th, and I'd normally head down to the South Bay to go to the beach, but there was a parade for the L.A. Kings off the 110. I decided I better take the 210 West to the 118 to the 405 to the 101 and take Kanan Dume Road west to the ocean. I turned right when I got to PCH and the entrance to Zuma's pay parking lots was about 1/2 mile north on the right. If you don't want to pay keep going straight and then find a good place to turn around up the highway. http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/the-californians/n13474 Pros: - You will probably see some dolphins swim by close to the shore. - It is really easy to get to if you want to avoid traffic on PCH. Just take Kanan Dume Road over the mountains from the 101. - Lots of parking for $8.00 in the lots. Lots of free parking along PCH, but I don't want to worry about reading the signs or getting towed if I'm in the wrong spot. - Not too wide, so you don't have to walk too far from your car to your spot on the sand. - Little cafes to grab a bite to eat if you don't bring your own food. Cons: - Rip tides are common between Tower #8 & #9. Remember to stay calm if you end up in one. Swim parallel to the shore to get out of it. Don't try to fight it to get back in. I ended up about a 1/4 mile out back in high school and I don't think any lifeguards saw me. I was on my own to get it together and get back in. Rollover on your back if you get tired and just keep swimming parallel. - The bathrooms are a little grody but at least they have them. Keep some wet ones or hand sanitizer in your beach bag. Wear your flip flops in there for sure. Recommendation: I would totally recommend this beach. read more

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This is easily my fav beach near LA. While rather far from central LA, the drive through the Santa Monica Mountains is lovely and gets you game for a fun beach day once you see the shore through the clearing. The beaches are clean, parking is convenient and there aren't big touristy crowds as expected at say Venice. Somehow the shoreline is also better here for me. The water seems more calm. We saw a pod of dolphin playing in the water last weekend. Super cute. Stop for pics in the mountains. Nice roadside fruit stands too. read more

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Such a beautiful beach. A favorite when I was a teenager and still many years later. Great for sunning, swimming, and exercising on the jogging path that runs alongside the beach. You can pay to park in the lot or better yet park on PCH for free, just watch the signs. On the Point Dume side, hit Lily's for an amazing breakfast burrito, and Cafe de la Plage for coffee. Great people watching here. On the Trancas side, Vintage Grocers has everything you could need for a day at the beach. read more

I've always loved Zuma Beach! It's never over crowded when I go unless they are hosting an event. Parking is good. The views are amazing and it's just a chill beach. read more

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I've been to Zuma a few times because it's my wife's favorite beach. It works as a relatively short drive from the city/valley. What I like is the feeling of relative safety. We set up near a sheriff's station near the beach and the deputies patrol the sand. There are also a lot of lifeguards, usually when we are there midday weekends, and a lifeguard boat with a helicopter. That's some serious protection. The part that doesn't have enough protection is my skin when I don't apply enough sunscreen and I go home all sunburnt, but that's not the beach's fault. We bring umbrellas and tents. My kids unfortunately think the beach is a place to find and play with new friends so they're running around finding various kids. Then, we go home and they talk about the kids for weeks thinking we'll see them again some day, but alas it wasn't meant to be. There are snack shops, but I haven't tried them. What gets 1 or no stars are the bathrooms because they're disgusting. But that's public beach or park so what can you do. They can't make them luxurious. I'd prefer to give this beach one star so it's less crowded but that's not honest. Also, we pay the parking fee. Parking on PCH with kids, umbrellas, towels, beach toys, kites, etc., seems too dangerous and not worth the free cost. read more

Zuma Beach - Zuma Beach path between beach and parking lot. - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

I love Zuma Beach - it was the closest beach to my house growing up, so definitely a lot of fond memories. Entrance to the beach itself is free. There is a pay parking lot that lets you park right up against the beach, and there is also street parking on the PCH. If you're coming on a summer weekend, I would try to get in at or before 11am since the parking situation gets pretty crazy on the summer weekends and whenever the beach is crowded. I think the best time to visit is February or March, especially on a weekday - Zuma is pretty much deserted. The beach is generally very clean, and the sand is nice and soft. The facilities are also very well maintained - there showers are clean and there's a food shack that seems to be open at random hours. Great place for swimming and surfing as well. For some reason, Zuma also has a helipad if you ever decide to drop by in your helicopter. read more

Zuma Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

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Beautiful coastal drive to get to... however went the weekend right after July 4th and everyone was on PCH. Every. Breathing. Human. (At least it seemed) Got to the gates at 1:10PM and was greeted by heated and flustered attendants. Clearly hot and bothered by the swells of vehicles, sheriffs were eventually called to flag traffic and block all access and entrance to the beach. Oh, such is beach life. Be prepared to be flexible. Be OK to drive all the way down and risk being turned away because beach parking is full. There is off street parking along PCH but again, it is at risk and it can get ugly. Watch out for the crotch rockets and erratic drivers. Crossing PCH is nothing like Crossy Road. Ended up somewhere along PCH. Found a sweet legal spot just a few steps from the shore. Maybe will come back, maybe will update review. Maybe. read more

Beautiful. Live in LA but want a feel of OC beach? Zuma Beach it is. Not crowded. Lots of space to yourself. Clean, no litter around, and free parking. Instead of seashells, you find stones and pebbles. The sand isn't as soft as OC beaches but its definitely cleaner then any other LA beach. read more

We moved to LA back in the summer and meant to get up here sooner. We had only made quick stops in the past when we visited from NorCal. We took a trip to Zuma Beach in early November, it's about 30 miles from Santa Monica. The traffic on the PCH-1 from Santa Monica wasn't TOO bad, but I would recommend getting an early start for Malibu if you are coming from the south. We opted to park right off the highway, so it was free. Bonus! In the past, the food stands have been open, but now that it is off season they are closed. Luckily, the bathrooms were open! My husband and I aren't really sit on the beach people, we prefer long walks on the beach. This is a GREAT beach for that. We had a really nice 4 mile stroll and dipped our toes in the water as we went. You could walk a LOT more than that though, the beach goes a long distance. The beach was quite empty in early November, there was only a smattering of people enjoying this gorgeous beach and the lovely SoCal weather. If you are coming to hang out at the beach in the off season, I would recommend bringing some food along since the concession stand is closed. I would say that this beach reminds me a lot of Pismo Beach, which is about 150 miles north. FYI, no pets are allowed on this beach. read more

Zuma Beach - Beautiful Zuma Beach! - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

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Beautiful beach, people taking necessary precautions and respecting social distancing norms. Stopped while on our cruise down PCH yesterday, great way to escape the madness of LA! read more

Zuma Beach - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California

Let me tell you, this is a terrific beach! For an $8.00 parking fee, you have clean sand, clean bathrooms with outdoor showers, snack bars, and lifeguards stations all along the beachfront. If you're lucky, you can get a free parking spot along the side of the road and all of this won't cost you a cent. The summer is the best time to enjoy the ocean if you plan on swimming. It's a tad chilly for my tastes, although I just love being at the beach. It was very exciting to see dolphins frolicking not too far off the shore! Remember your sunscreen and water and be prepared for a great time! read more

Parking is expensive, police are aggressively giving tickets. Bad experience at this beach. Malibu police should be defunded and ashamed for ruining people's day by handing out tickets. read more

Not a business but a public beach. Plenty of parking that you have to pay for. Easy access and convenient bathrooms. Depending on time of year you visit will really have an impact on your experience. read more

This was my first beach experience in Malibu, and Zuma did not disappoint! I've lived in San Diego as well, so Zuma was such a #tbt to those days. I LOVED that Zuma did not have a gross fishy smell--that just turns me off. We came here on a relaxing Monday afternoon and there was just the perfect amount of people enjoying the beach with us. It wasn't deserted, but it wasn't too crowded either. I highly suggest coming here during the weekdays if you can. We did the $8 parking because it was literally a step away from the sand. However, if you're not a tourist...go ahead and cheat the system like the locals do, and park along Highway 1/PCH if the surfers don't beat you to it. The beaches were clean, odor-free, and had plentiful parking space. We also used their restrooms (which smelled and definitely had some public urination drama going on) to change into our suits and out of them afterwards. The restrooms aren't exactly the best--so that's something worth improving. They were dirty, filled with stagnant flies, and the ULTIMATE NO-NO...had restrooms that were fit for kids. YUP, every woman's worst fear--short bathroom dividers and stalls. I didn't even want to pee knowing that anyone walking into the entrance could see me taking a whiz, or that my neighbor could see my business. Other than that, bring your snacks, lots of sunscreen, and beach towels. Zuma is a great spot to get yo tan on! read more

Zuma Beach - Easilh comparable to SD beaches! Im impressed - Beaches Near Me - Malibu, California