VIBE

A chainlet of three cliff-foot “pocket” beaches: El Pescador, La Piedra, and El Matador. Though each has its own special features, all offer lovely secluded strips of sand to lay out on, spectacular views, and some cool cliff-side hiking. Be prepared for a scramble down steep steps to get from the parking lot to the beach.

GO HERE WITH

Friends; family; a date

WHY WE LIKE IT

We dig the secluded feel–if you’re here on a quiet day, you’ll feel like you’ve got your own private oceanfront paradise.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The bathrooms are basic (a couple of portable toilets in the parking lot), and it’s a long up-cliff trek from the beach if you need to use them. Also, summer afternoons bring humungous crowds.

GOOD TO KNOW

The beaches actually have three separate addresses (32350, 32700, and 32900 Pacific Coast Highway). Each beach has a separate parking lot, and parking is self-regulated at all of them. (This means you need to pay by putting cash or a check in an envelope–available from a kiosk in the lot–and dropping it in the box provided. Keep the stub from the envelope and display it on your windshield.) Because they’re so private, all three beaches can be popular with nude sunbathers, though the authorities have been cracking down on “indecent exposure” here recently. You need to bring your own food, as there are no stands/offerings on the premises.

OTHER LOCATIONS

None

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to Los Angeles