El Matador State Beach
DETAILS:
Location: 32200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 (About 10 miles up PCH from Malibu’s main commercial strip, between Leo Carrillo and Point Dume State Beaches)
Hours of Operation: Sunrise to sunset
Parking: Small paid parking lot near trailhead or park along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Please observe any street signs.
Cost: $8 for parking lot.
Time Commitment: 1-2 Hours
Miscellaneous:
While there’s a sign posted for El Matador on PCH, it’s easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention. It’s between Broad Beach and Decker Canyon roads.
Port-o-Potties and picnic tables are located on the bluff above the beach.
Be advised that life guards aren’t always on duty.
My absolute favorite beach in the area has to be El Matador State Beach above Malibu. More fitting of Northern California or The Lord of the Rings, this fortress of rock seems almost miscast on the shores of Los Angeles and its sandy brethren. A part of the 3 beach chain (along with El Pescador & La Piedra beaches) that comprises the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach system, it’s amazing that a beach this unique in feature still remains relatively unknown (no thanks to blog-heads such as myself).
As you head down to El Matador via the stairs from PCH, it feels as if you’ve been transported to a distant planet, each rock looking more like an alien creature than anything from this world. You’ll be inclined to probe each magnificent sea stack that guard the water’s edge like sentinels, and if you time your visit with low tide, the sea cave found there will undoubtably occupy a good chuck of your time as well. Low tide will also allow you to walk up the coast in case you want to continue exploring into La Piedra Beach. And if you’re lucky, you just might discover a mermaid on your way, like the one we saw on a previous visit (picture above).
