Best Malibu Beaches for a Romantic Getaway
This Post May Contain Affiliate LinksSo you’re planning a trip to Malibu for Valentine’s Day or maybe you and your Paramore just got engaged and want to do a super romantic photo shoot on one of Malibu‘s beaches.
As a Malibu local of 30+ years, I know the ins and outs of the Best Malibu beaches for a romantic getaway.
Malibu is well known for sandy beaches and awesome surf. But not all Malibu beaches are created equally. Some beaches are more romantic than others. Keep reading to discover the most romantic beaches in Malibu.
Table of Contents
Best Malibu Beaches for a Romantic Getaway
Tips to Enhance your Romantic Beach Trip
Enjoy the Best Malibu Beaches for Romance
What Makes a Beach Romantic?
Scenery and Crowds. Those are my requirements for calling a beach romantic.
Zuma, Escondido Beach, and even Carbon Beach (Billionaires Beach) might sounds nice for a day trip, but the houses right on the beach and the massive crowds would put a damper on anyone’s romantic mood. Plus, once the tide comes in, those beaches with houses right out front completely disappear.
When I think of romantic beaches, I think of plenty of open space on the sand, dramatic sea cliffs, and gorgeous, cool blue water.
Best Malibu Beaches for a Romantic Getaway
1. El Matador Beach
Gorgeous scenery
Secluded during the off season (winter)
Best enjoyed during low tides
El Matador beach is Malibu’s most romantic beach in my opinion. The gorgeous rock formations create little pockets for you and your partner to relax and enjoy the scenery, without feeling like there’s tons of other people there (even if there is).
The best time to visit El Matador in winter. Winter has the best sunset, least crowds, and the lowest tides at sunset.
2. Point Dume
Point Dume is a super unique location due to it’s 3 romantic spots.
Westward Beach
Super Accessible
Great for Sunbathing
Best beach for bringing a romantic picnic
This beach is located just past Sunset restaurant. It has a wide, sandy beach, tons of parking, bathrooms, and lots of space to spread out. Get there early so you can try to get a spot in the sand near the cliffs. Plus, because the parking lot butts right up to the sand, you don’t have to worry about climbing stairs or cliffs. Pack a romantic picnic and enjoy the beach.
7180 Westward Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
Big Dume Beach
Surf spot
Best enjoyed at low tides
Less Crowded
Best spot for swimming
Big Dume Beach is another great spot for you and your partner to explore and lounge on the sandy shore. My suggestion to access this beach, is to avoid parking along Birdview Dr. It’s so hard to get a parking spot there! Park down at Westward Beach, hike up the Point Dume Bluffs, and make your way over to the staircase. Yes, it is quite a walk, but it’s so worth it.
Pirates Cove
Only accessible at low tide
Super secluded
Least Crowded
This spot along Point Dume is the hardest to get to, but boy is it worth it! You can only access it safely at low-tide. Park at Westward beach, go to where the cliff meets the ocean and climb through the rocks. Make sure you wear good shoes! After a little while the rocks will open up to a super secluded beach. You and your partner will feel like you were transported to a secluded island.
3. Lechuza Beach
Gorgeous scenery
Like El Matador, but way less crowded
Best enjoyed at low tide
This is my favorite beach in all of Malibu. My family used to have a house along Lechuza beach and it was truly my first love. This beach has two great access points. One is through the gate at West Sea Level Drive (my preferred entrance), the other is the entrance across from Bunnie Lane. If you choose to go through the Bunnie Lane entrance, please be careful. Those stairs are steep and are often covered in sand.
4. Leo Carrillo
Sea Caves and Coves
Lots of places to relax and get away from the crowds
Free, and safe, parking on PCH
Leo Carrillo, while on the very edge of the Malibu City limit, is the filming spot for romantic movies such as the beach scene in Grease, the Luau scene in 50 First Dates. I think this beach is super romantic because of the coves, caves, and cliff that juts out over the ocean when the tide is high. It’s also my favorite location for engagement photoshoots.
5. El Pescador & La Piedra Beaches
Less popular, so less crowded
Best enjoyed at low-tide
I’m lumping these two together because they’re so similar. Both of them take a bit of walking to get to, but they’re not nearly as crowded or popular as any of the other beaches I’ve mentioned, so they’re great if you really want to get away from the crowds! Bring good walking shoes and only pack what you can carry on your back.
El Pescador: 32860 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
La Piedra: La Piedra Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
Tips to Enhance your Romantic Beach Trip
While the scenery of Malibu’s beautiful beaches might be romantic themselves, here are ways you can elevate and enhance your experience (guys, I’m looking at you. Impress your ladies!)
Pack a Picnic
My favorite way to elevate any romantic beach trip is to pack a nice picnic. You can either DIY a picnic yourself by picking up your favorites at Vintage Grocers, and packing it in the cutest heart shaped picnic basket.
or
You can contact one of the many romantic picnic companies that service the Malibu area! They’re professionals and know exactly how to set up the most romantic picnic for you and your paramour.
Time of the Year
The time of year you visit Malibu will ultimately play a huge role in whether or not you enjoy your romantic getaway with just a few other people on the beach, or, if you spend your romantic getaway with half of the population of LA and Ventura County at the beach with you .
If you love the sunset, but don’t want the crowds, then try to aim for visiting Malibu in the late fall and winter.
Spring can be a hit or miss in May through June (and sometimes July) we are hit with fog. If you want to visit Malibu in the spring, try to come during the months of March and April we have beautiful wildflower displays on the cliffs overlooking the beaches, but the fog hasn’t set in yet.
If you’re more of a summer couple, then by all means come visit Malibu during your favorite time of the year! But try to visit the beaches early so that you make sure to get some alone time before the crowds flock in.
Mind the Tide
Knowing the tides before you go will help determine whether you’re going to have enough time to truly enjoy yourself at the beach. During the summer, the tides are lowest in the mornings and highest in the evenings, whereas in the late fall and winter, it’s the exact opposite. The tides are high in the mornings and super low in the evenings.
You can check the tides by visiting websites such as tides.com or using the tide app on your mobile device .
This is especially important to check if you want to visit El Matador for your romantic getaway. El Matador is best enjoyed at tides around 2 feet and lower. If you try to go to El Matador at any tide height above that, you’re going to have wet sand that isn’t very romantic to sit in.
If you still want to enjoy the beach, but it’s a high tide, aim for beaches such as Westward or Leo Carrillo where there’s plenty of beach to enjoy even if the tide is high.
Romantic Beach Essentials
These are a few curated beach essentials I think would be PERFECT for a romantic beach getaway. As always, you can click on the images to shop them directly!
Enjoy the Best Malibu Beaches for a Romantic Getaway
Hope you enjoyed learning about the best beaches in Malibu for romantic getaway. I have one last tip for you before I end this blog post. If you really want to treasure your romantic getaway forever, consider hiring a professional Malibu photographer like me, Megan W Photography, to preserve your memories so that you can enjoy them for generations to come.
I hope you enjoy your romantic Malibu getaway !
Interested in a Romantic Beach Photoshoot?
About Megan W Photography
Megan is a Fine Art Maternity, Couples, and Family photographer who was born, raised, and is still living in Malibu, CA. She is here to capture you and your loved ones in images that you will want to cherish, and pass down to future generations.
Not only is she a photographer, but she is a mother, wife, daughter, and sister.
Maternity, family, and couples hold a special place in her heart because she knows how quickly time flies by. Megan W Photography wants to help you preserve those sweet little smiles, those tender, affectionate moments, and the love you share with each other.
Browse by Category:
View Related Blog Posts
View Similar Sessions
Latest Blog Posts:
Hi! I’m Megan
I’m a boutique, Malibu, CA based photographer who specializes in Maternity, Couples, and families. I serve Los Angeles and Ventura County, as well as all of California. I value tangible, heirloom art pieces versus digital and I focus on quality over quantity.
Browse Blog
Disclosure Statement
Meganwphotography.org participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. As an affiliate, I earn commissions on qualifying purchases made through links on this site, at no additional cost to you.
