LA Beaches

[Anonymous]

Going to LA with kids. What are family friendly beaches near LA. We are looking for beaches where the waves are not huge and made for surfers.

[Anonymous]

All the beaches have surfer sections - but you can move along and sit in a non-surfer section.

Santa Moncia beach - by the pier is very touristy and has some shady characters (on the beach).

I prefer to go a little south to Venice beach - near the restaurants, bike rental, showers etc. All good.

If you want something a little more remote - drive a little up PCH and visit the beach by the Annenberg Beach house - or a little further north for true remoteness - parking lots and public restrooms only.

[Anonymous]

I liked Santa Monica.

[Anonymous]

All of the beaches are going to have cold water and big waves. There are some spots where the water is calmer/more shallow. Try Malibu Lagoon state beach. Venice and Santa Monica beaches can be more crowded, more diverse (young). Malibu beaches have more families, more space, beautiful. annenberg (between the two) is great because it has a pool and playground. malibu has great beaches but you have to drive up the PCH. Mothers beach in marina deal Rey is worth investigating. Check water report first. It's an artificial cove-like area in the marina and water quality is bad. There are also amazing beaches in Manhattan beach & South Bay but I don't know them as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of the beaches are going to have cold water and big waves. There are some spots where the water is calmer/more shallow. Try Malibu Lagoon state beach. Venice and Santa Monica beaches can be more crowded, more diverse (young). Malibu beaches havemore families, more space, beautiful. annenberg (between the two) is great because it has a pool and playground. malibu has great beaches but you have to drive up the PCH. Mothers beach in marina deal Rey is worth investigating. Check water report first. It's an artificial cove-like area in the marina and water quality is bad. There are also amazing beaches in Manhattan beach & South Bay but I don't know them as well.

+100. You are not going to find a Beach that doesn't have cold water and big waves -that is what the pacific is like.

[Anonymous]

I live in LA... Go to paradise cove and nowhere else.

[Anonymous]

+1 for Annenberg Beach House.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 for Annenberg Beach House.

Where exactly is Annenberg Beach House?

[Anonymous]

Be prepared to rent wetsuits if you want to actually spend time in the water.

We grew up going to CA beaches and when I went to the beach in Virginia for the first time in my 20s it was amazing--you could actually get in the water without freezing your ass off!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in LA... Go to paradise cove and nowhere else.

We went to pelican point or cove point south of Newport beach. It was beautiful. Catalina is in the distance.

[Anonymous]

I live in LA too, and 21:05 has a point. But it's a big drive from Santa Monica and it's jammed on the weekend (parking-wise) so go early if on the weekend. It's a nice beach with a restaurant (again, be prepared to wait if the weekend). If a weekday morning--do it!!

Annenberg (sp?) Beach House is in Santa Monica, just a mile or so north of where the 10 freeway curves and hits the Pacific Coast Hwy (PCH, also called "the 1"). I think the exit is Beach House Way, but google it. Very close. Restaurant. Easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in LA... Go to paradise cove and nowhere else.

Say hi to Jim Rockford!