Dockweiler State Beach
8255 Vista del Mar (just west of LAX), Playa del Rey, CA 90293
Four miles of sandy beach including campground, playground, bike trail, barbecue pits. Surfing, swimming, diving, fishing, picnicking. Paid and street parking, bus stop, easy access, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, showers

Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Small boat marina and sandy beach at the end of Basin D; swimming, sailing, fishing, picnicking, playground; family outings. Excursion boats, bike rentals, boat slips, restaurants, interpretive center. Paid parking, bus stop, handicapped access. Lifeguard, rest rooms, showers

Playa del Rey Beach and Del Rey Lagoon
Playa del Rey, CA 90293
Beautiful lagoon (with ducks and geese), white sands. Public park, picnic tables, rest rooms

Santa Monica State Beach, Municipal Pier, and Amusement Park
Pacific Coast Highway at California Incline, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Wide and sandy, mobbed on weekends; sunning, socializing. Bicycle and roller skating path, volleyball nets, playgrounds. Fishing, dining, and summer evening concerts on the pier. Amusement park with roller coaster, Ferris wheel, antique carousel, and arcade. Paid and street parking, bus stop, handicapped access, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, bike and skate rentals, food concessions

Temescal Canyon Park
15900 Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Canyon Road, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Easy access to beach. Picnicking, playground. Street parking, rest rooms

Venice City Beach, Boardwalk, and Fishing Pier
1531 Ocean Front Walk (west of Pacific Avenue), Venice, CA 90291
Easy access to beautiful, sandy beach. Boardwalk has street performers, Muscle Beach (bodybuilding, basketball, paddle tennis, and shuffleboard). Bike and skate rentals, volleyball. Paid and street parking, bus stop, rest rooms, showers, food concessions

Will Rogers State Beach
15100 Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Canyon Road, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Easy access to three-mile long mostly sandy beach. Beginner surfing, swimming, picnicking, surf fishing. Volleyball nets, gym equipment, playground; families and young singles. Paid and street parking, lifeguard, rest rooms

Dan Blocker State Beach
26400 Pacific Coast Highway at Corral Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265
Sandy beach, swimming, surfing, diving, fishing. Street parking, rest rooms, lifeguard

El Matador State Beach
32900 Pacific Coast Highway, east of Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265
Steps lead down cliff to secluded, rocky cove; nude sunbathing occasionally encountered; don’t be trapped by incoming tides. Parking, rest rooms

El Pescador State Beach
32350 Pacific Coast Highway just west of Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265
Steps lead down cliff to secluded, rocky cove; nude sunbathing occasionally encountered; don’t be trapped by incoming tides. Parking, rest rooms

Escondido Beach
Escondido Beach Road (turnoff at 27200 Pacific Coast Highway), Malibu, CA 90265
Sandy beach, swimming, diving. Bus stop, street parking, stairs to beach

La Piedra State Beach
32700 Pacific Coast Highway at Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu, CA 90265
Steps lead down cliff to secluded, rocky cove; nude sunbathing occasionally encountered; don’t be trapped by incoming tides. Parking, rest rooms

Las Tunas State Beach
19500 Pacific Coast Highway (just west of Tuna Canyon Road), Malibu, CA 90265
Easy access to partly sandy, partly rocky beach, surf fishing, swimming. Street parking, rest rooms

Leo Carrillo State Beach
36000 Pacific Coast Highway at Mulholland Highway, Los Angeles County, CA 90265
Sandy beach, swimming, surfing, kelp beds for interesting diving, windsurfing, fishing, tide pool exploring, whale watching, hiking. Paid and street parking, seasonal lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, barbecues, camping, hiking
Ranger station: (805) 488-5223
Camping reservations: (800) 444-7275

Malibu Lagoon, Surfrider State Beach, and Adamson House
23200 Pacific Coast Highway at Serra Road, Malibu Beach, CA 90265
Easy access to rocky beach. Surfing competitions, steady 3- to 5-foot waves, bird sanctuary, nature trails, tide pools, hiking, picnicking. Paid and street parking, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, visitor center
Adamson House: (310) 456-8432

Nicholas Canyon County Beach
Nicholas Beach Road (at 34000 Pacific Coast Highway between Decker Canyon Road and Mulholland Highway), Malibu, CA 90265
Known as "Zero Beach" to surfers; good place for picnicking on the bluff. Stairs to sandy beach, swimming, surfing, diving, hiking. Paid and street parking, seasonal lifeguard, rest rooms

Paradise Cove
28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Sandy beach, swimming, diving, fishing off pier and by boat. Paid parking, rest rooms, restaurant, boat and equipment rentals

Point Dume State Reserve and Westward Beach
29500 Pacific Coast Highway (turn south on Westward Beach Road and proceed to the beach), Malibu, CA 90265
Advanced surfing, tidepooling, snorkeling, hiking to top of cliffs for whale watching (November to May). Paid and street parking, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, food concessions.

Robert Meyer Memorial State Beaches – see:
El Matador State Beach
El Pescador State Beach
La Piedra State Beach

Surfrider State Beach – see Malibu Lagoon

Topanga Canyon State Beach
18700 Pacific Coast Highway at Topanga Canyon Blvd, Los Angeles County, CA 90290
Easy access to narrow beach, partly sandy and partly rocky. Surfing (at the mouth of the canyon), dolphin watching, swimming. A favorite with teenagers from the Valley. Paid and street parking, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, food concessions

Zero Beach – see Nicholas Canyon County Beach

Zuma Beach County Park
30000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Sandy beach: sunbathing, swimming, socializing; teenagers, families with small children. Paid and street parking, bus stop, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, food concessions, playground, volleyball

Abalone Cove Beach and Ecological Reserve
Palos Verdes Drive South, west of Narcissa Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Beach partly sandy, partly rocky; diving, fishing, surfing, fishing, picnicking. Ecological Preserve and tide pools. Street parking, bus stop, life guard, rest rooms, showers

Cabrillo Beach, Marine Aquarium, and Fishing Pier
Shoshonean Road near South Pacific Avenue and 37th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
Beach partly sandy, partly rocky. Boat rentals, boat launch, bicycle rentals. Diving, swimming, surfing, picnicking, barbecue pits, volleyball, playground, tidepooling. Paid and street parking, bus stop, lifeguard, showers, food concessions. Fishing off pier
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: Phone (310) 548-7562

Hermosa Beach and Pier
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Sandy beach; swimming, surfing, volleyball, bike rentals; teenage parties. Street parking, bus stop, handicapped access, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, food concessions. Fishing off pier

Malaga Cove
Off Paseo del Mar, east of Via Arroyo, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
Beach partly rocky, partly sandy; swimming, surfing, diving. Bus stop, lifeguard, shower, food concessions

Manhattan State Beach and Pier
Manhattan Beach Blvd and North Ocean Drive, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Wide, sandy beach with volleyball courts; young muscular professionals and excellent bikini watching. Surfing, swimming; fishing off pier. Paid and street parking, bus stop, handicapped access, year-round lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, food concessions

Redondo Beach and Pier
South Esplanade Avenue, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
2-mile long, wide, sandy, busy beach; summer rock and jazz concerts on the pier. Swimming, bicycling. Paid and street parking, bus stops, rest rooms, food concessions. At Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Way: excursion boats, boat slips, lifeguard, playground, picnicking, showers. Redondo Sport Fishing Pier is west of Harbor Drive and north of Basin #3 in Redondo Beach. At Monstad Pier, foot of Torrance Blvd: tide pooling; steps down to beach. At Veteran’s Park, foot of Torrance Blvd: diving, surfing, picnicking, playground, lifeguard, showers

Torrance County Beach
Paseo de la Playa, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Sandy beach with handicapped access. Swimming, surfing, bicycling. Paid and street parking, bus stop, lifeguard, rest rooms, showers, food concessions

For information on free or low-cost walks and discovery programs taking place at beaches in the Santa Monica Mountains area: National Park Service Visitor Center, phone (805) 370-2301 or http://www.nps.gov/samo/

Beach water quality reports: http://www.healthebay.org/baymap/

Beach reports (weather, surf, tanning index, waves): http://cnn.com/WEATHER/uv.report/

Los Angeles Area surf and weather information, updated three times a day: Phone (310) 457-9701

Los Angeles Westside climate and weather

More Los Angeles Area beaches, and beach maps: http://www.usc.edu/org/seagrant/beach/beach.html