Malibu ​

Malibu is 27 miles of PCH where the Santa Monica Mountains crash into the Pacific and everything looks like a movie set because half of it literally is. El Matador State Beach has the sea stacks and caves that end up on every SoCal Instagram account. Point Dume has the whale-watching overlook. Zuma Beach is the wide, family-friendly classic. And Surfrider Beach at the pier has been a surfing landmark since the '60s.

The canyon side is equally impressive — the Santa Monica Mountains offer some of the best coastal hikes in Southern California. Solstice Canyon, Escondido Falls, and the Backbone Trail give you ocean views and Mediterranean scrubland without leaving the LA metro area, which is a sentence that sounds fake but isn't.

Photo Gallery ​

Good to Know ​

PCH Traffic: Weekends are brutal. Leave early or go on a weekday. That's not a suggestion, it's a survival strategy.

Parking: El Matador and other state beach lots are small and fill up fast. $8–$12 to park. Some spots have roadside pulloffs but check signage — Malibu loves parking tickets.

Fires: The canyons burn periodically. Check fire conditions before any inland hike, especially in fall Santa Ana wind season.