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El Matador State Beach - Top-Rated Place to Visit in Malibu

9 Top-Rated Places to Visit in Malibu (2024)

Maintaining the charm and magnetic effect of Southern California, Malibu is the city that will never leave a traveler disappointed. Also known as California’s famous beach town, Malibu is home to some of the spectacularly beautiful and luxurious beaches of the State of California. It has some legendry surf breaks, and surfing in the water at Malibu is surely one of the finest experiences in California.

The city of Malibu lies just outside urban Los Angeles and is one of the divine locations in California, especially for vacation days. Travelers visiting Los Angeles do consider this beautiful beach city of Malibu in their list, and its top-tourist attractions justify this fact to the fullest. There are several places to visit in Malibu, from the Getty villa to the Malibu Creek State Park or the Solstice Canyon. If it is about retail therapy or a morning sun rejuvenation, you will never fall sort of things to do in Malibu.

9 Top-Rated Places to Visit in Malibu

No matter what experience you are looking forward to, consider our list of 9 Best Places to visit in Malibu and make the best out of your trip.

1. El Matador State Beach

A rock beach with small cliff foots, El Matador State Beach is undoubtedly a wonder of Malibu. Though it is a small beach, the tiny, dominant, and beautiful rocky outcrops make it look like one of the magnificence you will ever encounter at any beach. The beach has several small and big rocks to climb through and around, including some of the naturally made arches, providing the finest photography views and backgrounds. It is more of a private location with no lifeguards and facilities, except a parking lot and some picnic tables. For memorable dawn of sunset, consider being here during the late evening hours. By visiting the nearby El Pescador and La Piedra, one can complete the entire coastline within the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach. 

2. The Getty Villa

A resemblance of 1st Century Italian villas, the Getty Villa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malibu. It once served as a residence to Paul Getty, but today is an educational center and museum. Here you can find more than 44,000 Roman, Greek, and Etruscan artifacts and a permanent collection of 1,200 artworks. It is situated at the east end of the Malibu coast in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, and the villa is one heavenly location in itself. The villa is surrounded by a beautiful formal garden constituting a number of Roman statues, a long clean pool, roses and trailing English ivy, small, lush green trees, and thick green grass beds. If you are in Los Angeles or Malibu, the Getty Villa is one must-see site for you.

3. Solstice Canyon

If you are into mountain biking, do not miss the chance to explore Solstice Canyon’s trails when in Malibu. Solstice Canyon is a park consisting of several trails that takes you through the stunning Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Solstice Canyon begins from the north and leads towards the south, about only a mile east of Point Dune. The entire hike here is 6 miles with the marked paths; however, there lie some sorter variations as well. With the amazing view of mountains and nearby landscapes, the gorgeous vistas of nature, including the variety of plants and foliage, and the year-round waterfall in the Santa Monica mountain, Solstice Canyon has everything that a hiker’s heart wishes for. You can also find an age-old Stone Cottage that belongs to the 18th century (1865) while exploring Solstice Canyon.

4. Malibu Creek State Park

Another dramatic destination in Malibu that you can explore on foot is Malibu Creek, State Park. The State park is also considered as the jewel of Santa Monica mountain, and no doubt the locals also denote it as “The Yosemite of Southern California.” The state park is 8,215 acres, spread of which most of the region is used as a shooting location for several television shows and movies. The Malibu Creek State Park is one of the most stunning tourist spots in Malibu, all thanks to its dramatic gorges, scenic trails, the backdrop of and from the volcanic cliffs, open pastures, hidden pools, waterfalls, and jagged peaks. It is an ideal location for picnicking, fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing, birdwatching, hiking, and horseback riding. If there’s something you must not miss during your trip to Malibu, this State Park is defiantly one of them.

5. Malibu Country Mart

One of the best ways to know about any city is through its local and central market. The Malibu Country Mart is the heart of the city in the form of a large outdoor lifestyle center. It has boutique malls & stores, luxurious & outdoor dining, multi-cuisine restaurants, a picnic area, a public playground, world-class gardens, unique sculptures, and public art spread over an area of 6 acres. The Mediterranean, modern and rustic styles influence the architecture of this country mart. The site is also known for its eco-friendly practices, including the three electric car charging stations that are set up for decreasing the leading pollution generated from automobiles. It is one of the celebrity sights as well, and you can explore a lot of them while exploring the streets.

6. Malibu Wine Safari

Don’t get tricked by the name as Malibu Wine Safari is not just about the vineyards but some other amazing experiences as well. When in the city, exploring the Wine safaris is one of the finest decisions. Hopping upon an adventure modified safari vehicle while exploring Malibu’s largest operating vineyard and stopping in-between meeting some surprising hosts, including water buffalo, llamas, Zebra, Giraffe, and other exotic animals. It is around a two-hour nature tour with a combined experience of zoo and winery and getting a close chance to interact and feed animals. The safari tour takes its visitors through a sprawling vineyard towards a private tasting location, offering some of the finest wine tasting experiences. The tour providers also arrange some of the exclusive lunch and dinner arrangements within the vineyards.

7. Adamson House

Belonged to the Rindge family, who owned Malibu in the late 18th century and early 19th century, the Adamson House is a historic house that now serves as a museum. Many people have also named it “Taj Mahal” due to the ceramic tile decoration done by Rufus Keeler of Malibu Potteries. Adjacent to the house is Malibu’s beautiful coastline and some amazing views of the nearby mountains. The Adamson House tour offers a glimpse of how extraordinary Malibu looked during the 18th and 19th centuries and how it was a completely different era than today. The building in itself has quite a different architecture inspired by Asian style, which is else way difficult to find in entire California. It is an incredible location and a living example of history.

8. Zuma Beach

Considered as a famous beach in California and one of the most popular and largest beaches in Los Angeles County, Zuma Beach is another magnificence of the city of Malibu. Zuma Beach of Malibu is known for its excellent surfing opportunities, clear white, and long & broad beaches. The beach location has volleyball courts, seasonal food stalls, parking lots, restrooms, outdoor showers, and walkways with wheelchair accessibilities. Once there, you can try Bodyboarding, Bodysurfing, Diving (shallow), Kiteboarding, Surfing, Swimming, Windsurfing, and endless fishing opportunities. All thanks to its beauty, the beach location is often used for film and television shootings as well.

9. Paradise Cove Beach Café

A delightful treat for both Malibu locals and visitors, the Paradise Cove Beach Café offers incredible services along with breath-taking views. It is a café literally on the beach where you can enjoy mouth-watering delicacies and some of the finest cocktail drinks at par to the high-end 5* restaurants. There are plenty of dining options, including Barbeque, Seafood, local dishes, and some famous international cuisines as well. No other café in the entire California can beat the outstanding location and view of the Paradise Cove Beach Café in Malibu.

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