California's Most Beautiful Beach Is Just Off The Pacific Coast Highway
By Leslie Veliz
VACATIONS
If you want to discover a beach off the beaten path, head to El Matador State Beach in Malibu. It's under an hour from Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway.
El Matador beach is renowned for its coastal cliffs and caves, and visitors can explore its coastal landforms and tide pools. It is not ideal for swimming but sunbathing is a must.
El Matador is open from 8am until sunset, and has parking available. Tripadvisor reviews say that there are picnic tables available, but there are also dining options in the area.
Neptune's Net and Kristy's Village are both less than 10 minutes away. The former serves a variety of seafood dishes and the latter offers pastas, salads, flatbreads, and more.