Scenic Drive on the Pacific Coast Highway Through Malibu

PCH through Malibu is the Los Angeles coast drive: the Santa Monica Mountains rising on your right, the open Pacific on your left, and one famous beach after another.

Los Angeles · Drive · about 45 min · 21 miles · Pleasantness: Very High

Why this route is pleasant

• Open ocean views for nearly the entire drive
• Santa Monica Mountains rising straight up on the inland side
• A string of state beaches to pull off at
• Sea breeze and surf the whole way
• Far calmer than the parallel inland freeways

What you'll see

• Santa Monica Pier at the start
• Surfers at Surfrider Beach by the Malibu Pier
• The bluffs and coves around Point Dume
• Zuma Beach's long open sand

Best time to go

Late afternoon toward sunset, or a clear weekday morning before the beach traffic.

Open this route in Pleasant Routes · More Los Angeles routes · All cities