California beaches

“If the Mayflower had landed where Los Angeles is, there would be no East Coast.” Hang out with native Californians for very long, and you’ll hear variants of this saying. It’s along the same lines as the groans that go up during the Rose Bowl, when announcers relish rubbing noses in perfect New Year’s weather. It’s 45 degrees in Austin and minus five in Columbus, and 72 degrees here in sunny L.A. Guess that means another million people moving here.

All across America, Longhorns and Buckeyes throw something (soft) at their TVs and hurl invectives at announcers. California is the state that other Americans, especially Texans, love to hate. Until they discover California beaches.

If all you know about California beaches is what you’ve seen on TV, well, this little essay should disabuse you of those stereotypes. Because on TV, you’ll usually see crowded, bumper-to-bumper L.A. traffic, sunburned Angelenos packed like sardines on dirty beaches, and at minimum three muggings and one murder. On TV. Like Santa Monica Beach next to the pier, seen in above photograph. [Next photograph is also Santa Monica beach, just a bit further north.]

In reality, Californians insist that all beachfront property belongs to everyone, not just the 1%ers who’ve built mansions along the shoreline or on top of cliffs, much less vendors and businesses who’d like to capitalize on proximity to the ocean. Oh sure, like clockwork those 1%ers will try to sneak a referendum through, challenging that California beach-access law. So far, The People have held strong.

What this means for you: Every beachfront neighborhood must grant access to the public to “their” beach. Often the beach gate is small and unassuming. You have to look for it. But it’s always there. Even in Malibu. Those beaches are rarely, if ever, crowded. See photo. More rocks than people.

Places like Ventura and Oxnard, an easy drive up the 105—easy, that is, once you’re past Woodland Hills—have great beaches. I especially love Ventura Harbor. Plenty of wonderful restaurants, a marina, and surrounded by almost-empty beaches. Ventura Harbor beaches also get the best sunsets!

South of Ventura Harbor, but north of Point Mugu (pronounced Magoo) are a few beaches I enjoyed when I lived in Camarillo. The first is directly south of Ventura Harbor. Mandalay State Beach shares its shoreline with Hilton’s Zachari Dunes at Mandalay Beach. If I’m ever independently wealthy, I want to book a suite directly on the sand! But I’ve enjoyed playing nearby, and participants of our 2013 White Rose Conference loved Mandalay State Beach as well.

True story, one that is typical for California: Three Russian scholars attended that conference. I had to change up several “free afternoons” to beach afternoons for their sake. They loved the beaches. One afternoon we were resting after playing in the high surf. No one in our group was talking, so we could hear nearby conversations well. (Photo: Oleg communing with the seagulls.)

Suddenly, Oleg leaned forward. “Those people are speaking Russian.” He and his two fellow countrymen listened intently. Then they spoke to the people stretched out nearby, asked them where they were from. Turns out, the next town over from Orenburg, home to Igor, Dilya, and Oleg! Each group had traveled 6500 miles, 10,400 km, to land on beach blankets next to one another.

A little more difficult to reach, but the closest beach to Camarillo: Port Hueneme (Why-NEE-mee) Beach Park. Yes, it’s got a great beach. But my first time there, I stood in awe of two non-beach sights. Two sights, and sites, that are critical to the USA.

The first is more obvious, since the Navy Seabees are fairly well known. Both Port Hueneme and Point Mugu, together with San Nicolas Island, make up the NBVC, Naval Base Ventura County. Not quite as critical to US West Coast defense as San Diego, but pretty close. The NBVC people would probably argue they are the most important.

Port Hueneme plays an outsize role in our daily lives, while most of us don’t even pronounce its name correctly. Because of the seamounts along the California coastline—underwater volcanoes—port access must be chosen carefully. If you look at this little Google Map, you can see what I cannot find words to explain. Port Hueneme ships our agricultural products (and things to be recycled) and receives those same products in return.

And it can do so because there’s a clear path north of the Channel Islands to Port Hueneme. Big ships can navigate those waters without problems. Not as true further south.

A beach you see often on TV, but rarely in shows “based” in Los Angeles: Point Mugu. I’d wager that as many car commercials for US-made cars are filmed there, as are filmed by German automakers on the Kesselberg between Kochel and Walchensee. The beaches often have a greater seagull population than human. It’s a popular fishing spot as well.

In fact, the entire PCH route between Malibu and Point Mugu consists of one fabulous, mostly-empty beach after another. At the halfway point, you’ll find Leo Carillo State Park (entrance fee required). If you were a Mentalist fan back in the day, you’ll recognize a great deal of the surrounding area. They frequently filmed in or around that state park.

Leo Carillo also has a campground with fire rings, showers, and electrical hookups. If sitting around a campfire is important to you, do check fire levels before going. They’re serious about wildfire prevention.

The biggest draw for Leo Carillo has to be the caves, which you can explore either by foot or snorkeling. But it’s known for surfing and surf fishing as well. And it’s got a nature reserve. Go at the right time of day, and you'll glimpse trawlers coming home. (See photo.)

There are two smaller state beaches between Leo Carillo and Malibu: El Pescador and La Piedra. From my perspective, those two would be best for beachcombing, walking on the sand, and sunbathing. There’s less shore before the cliffs start.

If you want to be seen, but don’t wish to brave the crowds of Will Rogers State Beach at Santa Monica, where Baywatch was filmed, Zuma Beach may be more your style. They boast that they have enough parking spaces for the Superbowl. If you’re driving, that can be important. Malibu and Santa Monica suffer from overwhelming parking shortages.

Zuma Beach offers food stands, ample lifeguards, beach volleyball, and lots of sand. It’s also known as one of the few beaches north of Santa Monica that is not bordered by mansions. PCH essentially forms the dry boundary. I like it well enough, but it’s not my favorite.

In Malibu, I recommend a few places where you will especially appreciate the “public beach” notion of life in California. Geoffrey’s Restaurant solved one sunset issue that most SoCal beaches encounter. Their building faces west. Most shoreline in SoCal does not. I know, that seemed counterintuitive to me as well! It’s expensive, so save Geoffrey’s for that big promotion.

My favorite-favorite: Bob Morris’s Paradise Cove Beach Café. If you’re allergic to sand, you can indeed eat indoors. But most of their tables are plopped down directly on the beach. They have beach chairs closer to the ocean as their waiting area. Photo is Dilya and me at our outdoor table.

Another TV reference: Rockford fans, unite. Jim Rockford’s trailer was parked on this beach. Really. Paradise Cove’s menu is mid-range but oh-so-good. I think the sea air makes the food taste better.

Finally, and this was my mother’s favorite: Duke’s of Malibu. When my mom’s dementia was fairly stabilized, not great, but decent, this became our go-to place. Like Zion National Park, she never forgot Duke’s. She was always a sucker for a good buffet, and their brunch and Thanksgiving buffets are out of this world. Warning, though: Check for flooding. Super high tides mean Duke’s is closed. It’s that close to the water.

All three of these Malibu restaurants have BEACHFRONT as their #1 selling point.

If you’re on a budget, you can eat at the Jack in the Box at 23017 PCH, then drive to Malibu Lagoon State Beach on Cross Creek Road, find an empty picnic table, and enjoy! You’ll have to hike down to the ocean, but it’s an easy trail. That's exactly what we had done in the photo you see here. The picnic area sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

If—when!—you travel to SoCal and “soak in the rays” at one of these great beaches, send me a postcard! And take sunscreen…

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Image credits: Top photograph and next, Santa Monical Beach. First with pier. © 2023 Denise Elaine Heap. Third photograph--Beach beneath 1%ers' homes in Malibu. © 2009 Denise Elaine Heap. Fourth photograph--Oleg communing with seagulls. © 2013 Denise Elaine Heap.

Fifth photograph--Ships in Port Hueneme. © 2012 Denise Elaine Heap. Sixth image: Channel Islands "pointing" to Port Hueneme, with seamounts. Google Maps, used in accordance with Google Maps T&C. Seventh photograph--Leo Carillo State Park. © 2013 Denise Elaine Heap.

Eighth photograph--Dilya and me at Paradise Cove Beach Cafe. © 2013 Denise Elaine Heap. Ninth photograph--My mother at Malibu Lagoon State Park. © 2009 Denise Elaine Heap. Tenth photograph--Port Hueneme beach looking toward the Channel Islands. © 2012 Denise Elaine Heap.

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