Malibu Lagoon State Beach is a beautiful beach that connects the ocean to a lagoon with a small river. The calm a shallow water, both on the ocean and the lagoon side, makes it a great place for young kids to play in. Here’s what you can expect when taking children there.
In this blog post, we’ll cover:
- Overview
- Location
- Food & Lodging
- Tips When Visiting
- Videos
Overview of Malibu Lagoon
Malibu Lagoon State Beach in Malibu, California, is a unique place where the ocean meets the lagoon.
The ocean side of the beach has a shallow gradual drop with mild waves, making it great for young kids to wander out in.
From the ocean is a small river the goes into the lagoon. During hide tide, the river does get pretty high and kids should not cross. But during low tide, the river water is shallow enough for kids to wade in.
You can follow the river to the lagoon, which is large and shallow. The lagoon does go much further back, where it’s more stagnant with plant and animal life. But the shallow moving water is towards the front, and that’s the best spot to play in. Depending on the water level, there are sand dunes that come above the water, looking like small islands.
Where is Malibu Lagoon?
Malibu Lagoon State Beach is located right off of Pacific Coast Highway. There are 2 main parking lots for the beach, on either side of the lagoon.
Parking
The first parking lot is on the east side of the lagoon. It is right next to Surfrider Beach near the Malibu Pier. It is a short walk across the Adamson House grounds to the Malibu Lagoon State Beach.
23200 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
The second parking lot is on the west side of the lagoon. It is a half-mile walk on a dirt path around the lagoon to the beach.
3999 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
You might also find street parking along PCH.
Restrooms
There are restrooms next to east parking lot, and portable toilets in the west parking lot. There are also portable toilets down at the beach.
Food & Lodging Near Malibu Lagoon
Restaurants
Across the street from the west parking lot are a few blocks of shops and restaurants. Some restaurants include:
- Chipotle
- Cafe Habana (Mexican)
- Tra di Noi (Fancy Italian)
- Traverna Tony (Greek)
- Malibu Mutts Grill (Burgers)
Hotels
If you’re coming from out of town and staying in Malibu, here are a few hotel suggestions. Malibu doesn’t have many hotels, so here are some available:
- Malibu Beach Inn – Gym, bar, on-site restaurant, and private beach
- The Surfrider Malibu – Bar, cafe, and on-site restaurant
- Malibu Country Inn – Pool
Tips When Visiting Malibu Lagoon
Here are a few tips before you visit to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.
- Go early. It gets crowded and parking can be really difficult to find.
- Don’t bring too much with you – it can be difficult to haul to the beach – especially if you’re going on the half-mile path.
- Check the tides. Mid to low tide is ideal to play in the lagoon. Check the tide forecast >
- Check the beach reports for pollution or bacteria levels. Some days are clean and safe, while other days you might want to stay away. Check Beach Report Card and LA County Beach Water Quality >
Video of Malibu Lagoon
