Malibu Travel Guide
Malibu is such a gem of a place! I’ve been going since I was in college. I loved taking drives up with friends to eat and either hike or hit the beach. The views are breathtaking. Although it can be an expensive place to visit, it is worth it even if you just go for the day! If you’re ever making a visit to LA, I highly recommend you make a stop in Malibu. Below you will find some of my recs on where to stay, eat, and things to do. As always, stay tuned on this blog post as I will continue to update it with more suggestion after I visit again.
Where to Stay
Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club
Big disclaimer for this resort - it is expensive! Dhane and I stayed recently to celebrate our sixth anniversary with a little getaway. This is the only place I have stayed in Malibu, so I can’t compare it to other resorts justtt yet. Overall, I would describe this place as a summer camp for adults. The resort sits on 250 acres of land, the rooms are located in small cottages or cabin-like buildings, and there are a ton of outdoor activities you can do, which is why it felt like a summer camp for adults for me. Our cottage had a small private seating area outside. The bed was very comfy, and all of the drinks and snacks in the room are complimentary (but remember the rates are up there lol). The hotel was sweet enough to send us a bottle of champagne with a sweet note for our anniversary.
Food-wise, the food I ordered at The Ranch Club and Beach Club was really not good. I personally wouldn’t recommend eating at either of these restaurants. The food at Malibu Cafe (mentioned below) was much better, so I added it to my “Where to eat” list.
Activity-wise, the resort has plenty of options for things to do. For an extra charge, you can add on wellness experiences (private yoga, pilates, etc.), fitness experiences (group hikes, HIIT, etc.), and ocean experiences (SUP yoga, surf lessons, etc.). It also offers local excursions such as horseback riding, fishing, boating, and rock climbing. The resort has a gym. We went during the pandemic, so they removed a lot of equipment from the gym, but it still had everything you need to get in a decent workout. It even has two Peloton bikes.
We were only there for two days, so we spent most of our time at the pool and then at the resort’s beach club (more on this mentioned below). Overall, the resort was very beautiful, and we felt like we were in a completely different city, but it is definitely overpriced.
You can check out more about the resort HERE.
Where to Eat
#1 - Malibu Farms
Malibu Farms is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. It is located right on the beach and because of COVID-19 they have even expanded a lot of the tables onto the boardwalk so you get an amazing view. It’s a farm to table restaurant so everything here tastes so fresh and delicious. You won’t go wrong with what you order. Pictured above is the kale, spinach, ricotta scramble with a side of fruit, the mimosa flight, and the froze.
They also have locations in multiple cities now - including Lido Marina Village, CA, Lanai ,HI, Miami Beach, FL, NYC, NY, Cabo, Mexico (I need to find this one!), Zushi Marina, Japan.
Find more information HERE.
#2 - Geoffrey’s
We went to Geoffrey’s for dinner one of the nights when we stayed in Malibu. This was a highly recommended restaurant that Dhane found and I’m so glad he did. Every table at this restaurant has panoramic views of the pacific ocean. The cuisine is described as California-Style international and was very delicious. I ordered the Baked Brie in Puff Pastry for my appetizer and the Herb Crusted Salmon for my main dish. We didn’t get dessert here because they didn’t have anything with chocolate lol. There were also many celebrity sightings here!
Photo Source: Geoffrey’s
#3 - Malibu Cafe
The whole vibe of this place is pretty cool. Along with the the dine-in restaurant, it has an outdoor bar, outdoor tables and outdoor seating that are perfect if you want to come for a date night or with a large group. There are plenty of games to play such as a life-size chess or cornhole and live music to keep you entertained. The food here was pretty good - not as good as the restaurants above which is why I ranked it #4 - but because of the overall experience, I would recommend you check it out if you’re in the area.
I ordered the Fig Burrata Toast for my appetizer, the Local Striped Bass for my main, and the Calamigos Ranch Malibu, Cabernet Sauvignon for my drink.
Find more information HERE.
What to Do
#1 - Hit the Beach
The top thing to do in Malibu is to head to the beautiful beach! There are many public beaches you can go to but the number one issue will be to find parking. So if you’re planning to head to a public beach just head out early. During our trip, we went to the Calamigos Beach Club that was affiliated with our resort. It was perfect because they had their own beach clubhouse that we could park at and hang out at if we wanted to. From the beach club, you walk down these stairs and go under a tunnel (pictured above), and then you will be right at the beach. They provided lounge chairs, umbrellas, and food service. Only part of the beach is private, the rest is public but less crowded because I’m assuming not a lot of people know there’s an entrance there, so def check it out!
I would also recommend checking out the private beaches. Again, even with the private beaches where people have their own beach houses, only a portion of it is private so you can still sit by the beach and walk along the beach. If you end up dining at Geoffrey’s they have a private beach entrance that you can check out for 15-mins if you used valet parking. Otherwise, you can stay as long as you’d like. The beach houses here were gorgeous! See the photos above.
#2 - Go to Paradise Cove Beach Cafe
I gave Paradise Cove Beach Cafe its own little section here because it has it all! You can come by just to eat, drink, hang out at the beach, or rent beach chairs for the day. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so I don’t have my own photos anymore, but I will update it soon! I haven’t dined at the actual cafe yet, and I only tried the to-go items that you can get from their beach store, but I really loved this place!
Find more information HERE.
Photo Source: Paradise Cove
#3 - Go Hiking
The main hike I do when I go to Malibu, is the Solstice Canyon Loop. It is a 3-mile hike that takes you through the Santa Monica Mountains. On a clear day, you can get beautiful views of the beach. There are a lot of suggestions on the page I linked above to do the hike counter clockwise i.e. go through the gate first to get the best views and so you can end up with shade at the end of your hike. There is a waterfall you can see on the hike as well. There is limited parking, so I suggest to get there early.
For more information, click HERE.
#4 - Go Wine Tasting
It’s been a while since I have been wine tasting in Malibu but it is on my list this Summer to do again! The place I go to is Malibu Wines and Beer Garden. They have a beautiful property that you can hang out at. There are some tables but people also bring blankets and do it picnic style. You can bring your own food! The wine is delicious too.
For more information, click HERE.
Photo Source: Malibu Wines and Beer Garden