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Point Dume Beach In Malibu – A Complete Guide

Beautiful Point Dume Beach in Malibu has clear blue waters, soft golden sand and is surrounded by dramatic rugged cliffs. Here’s a complete guide.

How To Get To Point Dume Beach In Malibu

Point Dume Beach is located about two miles off the Pacific Coast Highway about 20 minutes northwest of Malibu. 

Getting around Los Angeles couldn’t be easier. There are generally 4 options:

By Car:

Aside from downtown LA, the majority of tourist spots are a little spread out in the Los Angeles area.

So hiring a car and exploring is certainly the most convenient way to get around!

We recommend booking one in advance, and fortunately car rentals are relatively cheap in Los Angeles. Plus all major car rental companies have offices at the airports.

We always go through rentalcars.com to compare prices before locking something in prior to our trip.

There is public street parking available in most places around Los Angeles, just be sure to have a card ready to pay for the hourly parking meters.

Point Dume Beach is just of the Pacific Coast Highway. When you arrive you will find a small free car park at the beach, which fills up pretty quickly.

Alternatively there’s a pay car park at the far end of the beach with a short hike back.

By Public Transport:

The Los Angeles Metro is affordable, relatively easy to use, and services most of Los Angeles County and its top attractions.

The public transit system consists of Metro Buses, DASH Buses, and Metro Rail Trains.

To ride these buses, trains, and subways, we recommend purchasing a reusable TAP Card. These are available at TAP machines located within most bus or subway stations. Or you can simply download one and add it to your Apple wallet!

You CAN pay cash when you board, but you’ll need the exact fare as bus operators don’t carry change.

Otherwise Uber is a super easy and very popular way of getting from one place to another quickly in Los Angeles!

For those short on time, or that prefer everything to be organised for them, there are some awesome tours on Get Your Guide available to book in advance.

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Entrance Fee

It is free to visit Point Dume Beach.

Point Dume Beach Entrance In Malibu Beach
The entrance to Point Dume.

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Opening Times

Point Dume Beach is open every day, all year round.

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Happy to see some ocean blues.

Best Time To Visit Point Dume Beach In Malibu + Tips

The warmest months in Malibu are considered to be between June to September, so if looking to enjoy a beach day this would be the best time to visit.

However, I’m sure that Point Dume Beach would be beautiful at any time of the year and between December and April it’s possible to see Gray whales out in the ocean.

This beach can get busy at weekends and during peak season, so get there early to get parked and find your space on the beach.

If you can get there on a weekday you will find it a lot quieter.

This is a dog friendly beach but dogs have to be kept on a lead.

What To Pack

Photography Camera

Tripod

Day Bag

Power Bank

Reusable Water Bottle

Sunscreen

Lightweight Rain Jacket

Quick Dry Towel

GoPro

Lifeproof Phone Case

Dry Bag

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Shakas from the top of the cliffs.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
The view from the top looking down over Point Dume Beach.

What To Expect At Point Dume Beach In Malibu

Visiting Malibu is one of the top things to do in Los Angeles, and with so many beaches to choose from Point Dume is a great option!

With its clear blue water and soft golden sand, this crescent shaped beach has a lot to offer and is a perfect spot to bring a picnic and have a relaxing beach day.

However, it is also great if you like to be a bit more active, with swimming, diving, surfing, scuba diving and also hiking all possible.

Getting to the beach can be a challenge though.

Recently the government have built a fresh new stairway consisting of over 100 steps that leads straight down to the beach. A lot easier, and safer, than the previous cliff clambering it took to reach the pristine sand!

However, once down at beach level, you will still have to trek over the large boulders to reach the beach – which can be a little dangerous! So Point Dume Beach is still not for the feint hearted.

In addition, for the really adventurous, there are rock climbing trails on the massive cliffs that form the back drop to the beach that are said to be ideal for moderate climbers.

The water is fairly calm compared to some of the local surf spots in the area. However please do be careful as there can still be some strong waves for those not so confident swimmers!

This beautiful beach has something for everyone, whether you are looking to relax or get active it’s well worth a visit.

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Heading down the new stairway.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Half way down the stairway.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Clambering over the rocks towards Point Dume Beach.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
An empty beach waiting for us to enjoy.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Everybody loves a tan!

Filming At Point Dume Beach

Being located close to the film and TV industry Point Dume Beach is a popular filming location when beach scenes are required.

It has been used many times including in the film Planet of the Apes, the TV series Son of the Beach, Modern Family, Scorpion and Bay watch.

As well as being used in the music video for the TV show How I Met Your Mother.

Also, the ashes of American horror movie actor, Vincent Price, were scattered at Point Dume Beach in 1993.

Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
Time to head back past the palm trees.
Point Dume Beach In Malibu Beach
An awesome day all round.

Where To Stay In Los Angeles

Luxury – The Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection

Known as ‘The Pink Palace’, this luxury hotel on Sunset Boulevard features the full-service La Prairie Spa and a beautiful outdoor pool. 

Downtown Beverly Hills is just 1 mile away. 

The bright and elegant rooms of The Beverly Hills Hotel feature marble bathrooms and 2 TVs. 

There is also a minibar, coffee maker and ironing facilities included. 

The Polo Lounge at the hotel is a popular dining place for celebrities.

Mid-Budget – Clean Modern Room

Clean Modern Room features accommodation with a shared lounge, free WiFi and a shared kitchen. 

The air-conditioned homestay also offers a flat-screen TV, a seating area, washing machine and a bathroom with a bath and a shower. 

Beverly Hills is a great choice for travelers interested in food, shopping and restaurants.

Budget – Empire Inn

Empire Inn is located in Los Angeles, just 5 miles from the centre. 

It provides air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi and all rooms include a wardrobe and a flat-screen TV. 

South Los Angeles is a great choice for travellers interested in tourist attractions, sunshineand beach walks.

For other places to stay in Los Angeles, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.

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