Malibu

The beaches of Malibu have alot to offer. You can surf, swim, tan play volleyball, frisbee, or "people watch". Zuma has showers, changing rooms, lifeguard towers (including the main station) and parking is only $4.25 from Labor day through Memorial Day (it goes up to $7.00 for the summer). Surfrider and Topanga fare pretty well too, but they don't have the width or capacity that Zuma does.

The restaurants that provide surfside dining are the famous Gladstone's 4 Fish (Sunset and PCH), the Charthouse (at Topanga and PCH) and the Malibu Sea Lion (north of Kanan on PCH). Jack In the Box is personally one of my favorite stops before heading back to the Valley after beaching it all day (on Sunset-a couple of stores off of PCH). There is Topanga Market (north of Topanga on PCH) if you want to pick up some deli sandwiches, water, sunblock, or magazines.

Getting to these beaches is quite an adventure in itself. Although the major canyon roads (Kanan-Dume, Malibu and Topanga) are the easiest, try taking Decker Canyon or Encinal Canyon (via Decker) to the beach. It will drop you at PCH just north of Zuma, but the view of the Pacific from the cliffs is worth the trouble of this mountain road.