10 Best Things to Do in Malibu

Explore the County Park or the Museum of Art in Malibu

Malibu is an iconic city known for the wealth of celebrity homes that dot the area as well as for its broad, sandy beaches, hiking trails, arts, and cultural scene. On your holiday to Malibu, you can experience everything from art museums showcasing some of the world’s most important works of art from throughout history to endless stretches of white sand and deep, blue Pacific waters.

You can go hiking and biking, explore independent speciality museums, go fishing, and so much more. If you want to be entertained and engaged on your trip, explore the 10 best things to do in Malibu for your California holiday.

What are the best things to do in Malibu?

1. The Getty Villa

See artefacts from the ancient Etruscan civilisation

Foto de <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:060807-002-GettyVilla001.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Bobak Ha'Eri</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>)  modificada

Ideal para: História


The Getty Villa is famed for being the residence of Paul Getty and today is an educational centre and museum of the famed industrialist’s collection of ancient artefacts. The museum holds over 44,000 artefacts that can be traced to ancient Greece, Rome, and even the Etruscan civilisation.

The permanent collection on display includes 1,200 of these works spread over 23 galleries, with 5 additional galleries rotating other artefacts or showcasing visiting exhibits. It’s also the campus for the UCLA/Getty Master’s of Archaeological and Ethnographic Conservation programme. The museum sits at the far east end of Malibu in the Pacific Palisades area. Leia mais


Localização: 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA

Telefone: +1 310-440-7300

Ver acomodações nas proximidades

Destination card image

The Getty Villa

17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA

2. El Matador State Beach

Try to catch a supermodel photo shoot


Ideal para: Aventura


El Matador State Beach is a public beach situated at the base of scenic cliffs and is amongst the more popular beaches in Malibu for its surf and panoramic views. Public parking is available on bluffs overlooking the beach, and the lots also provide outstanding photo opportunities.

The location is a favourite spot of pro photographers to shoot swimming costume models due to its sea stacks and sunsets, so if you’re lucky, you might catch the next supermodel on a shoot. The beach is located just a 9-minute drive straight up the coast from city centre Malibu.


Localização: 32350 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Abre: Daily from 8 am to 8 pm

Telefone: +1 818-880-0363

Ver acomodações nas proximidades

Destination card image

El Matador State Beach

32350 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

3. Zuma Beach

Watch for dolphins and seals from an overhead ridge


Ideal para: Aventura


Zuma Beach offers an endless stretch of golden sand and waves, making it as popular for those building sandcastles as it is for surfers and fishing enthusiasts. The beach is considered amongst the most beautiful in Malibu, and, at any time of day, you can see people playing beach volleyball, riding the waves on a surfboard or bodyboard, or just walking hand in hand down the shore with their beloved.

Lifeguards are on duty all day, and, in the winter, the ridges above the beach are popular for those seeking to catch a peek at seals and dolphins just offshore. It’s just a 10-minute drive east of the centre of the city.

Ver acomodações nas proximidades

Destination card image

Zuma Beach

4. Malibu Pier

Catch the heart of Malibu surfer culture


Ideal para: Aventura


The Malibu Pier is 780 feet long and extends over the Pacific Ocean, making it popular with fishing enthusiasts and those who want to watch surfers tackle the waves. The pier is located just next to the iconic Surfrider Beach, long known as the heart of surfing culture in Malibu and famed for its 3-point break that can carry waves up to 300 yards.

The pier offers rod brackets for fishers, and a number of seafood restaurants dot the walkway, offering cocktails, wine, and locally-caught seafood. The Pier is just a 10-minute drive east along the shore from city centre Malibu.


Localização: 23000 CA-1, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Telefone: +1 888-310-7437

Destination card image

Malibu Pier

23000 CA-1, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

5. Paradise Cove

Relax at a café and beach that’s a filming location for films and TV


Ideal para: Famílias, Alimentação, Aventura


Paradise Cove is a beachfront café with its own private beach that’s popular as a filming location for many films and television series. It’s certainly a unique location where you can enjoy great food all day long. Breakfast is the signature meal and offers dishes like carrot cake waffles and French toast, while dinnertime brings fresh lobster to the table.

Regular jazz nights offer live entertainment, and, if you’re really lucky, you just might see your favourite celebrity filming their next project. The café and its beach are in the heart of Malibu, just 4 minutes from the heart of the city.


Localização: 28128 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Abre: Sunday–Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm

Telefone: +1 310-457-2503

Ver acomodações nas proximidades

Destination card image

Paradise Cove

28128 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

6. Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum

Learn about Malibu history in a historic Spanish Colonial Revival house


Ideal para: História


The Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum offer spectacular views of the nearby beaches and feature intricately landscaped grounds and an early-20th-century historic Spanish Colonial Revival house.

Guided tours of the home are available, and the nearby museum contains exhibits, artefacts, documents, and photography that detail the colourful history of Malibu from the earliest Chumash Indian cultures and early Spanish explorers up to the modern day. It’s just a few minutes’ drive from the city centre, along the famed Pacific Coast Highway.


Localização: 23200 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Telefone: +1 310-456-8432

Destination card image

Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum

23200 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

7. Frederick Weisman Museum of Art

See works from some of the most important artists in history

Foto de <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frederick_R._Weisman_Museum_Exterior.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">JHZerbe</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>)  modificada

Ideal para: História


The Frederick Weisman Museum of Art showcases important works of art from California and all over the world, including the 30-sculpture Rodin’s Obsession: The Gates of Hell collection. Over the years, it has featured a number of notable exhibits from some of the greatest artists in history.

Besides the Rodin exhibit, the museum has also displayed the works of Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, and many others. The gallery is located on the campus of Pepperdine University, just a 12-minute drive along the Pacific Coast Highway from city centre.


Localização: 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90263, USA

Abre: Tuesday–Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)

Telefone: +1 310-506-4851

Destination card image

Frederick Weisman Museum of Art

24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90263, USA

8. Point Dume

Take a romantic walk amongst a secluded cove and nature preserve


Ideal para: Aventura


Point Dume is a state beach and nature preserve that offers white sand and blue surf shaded by overhanging cliffs and romantic rocky coves perfect for a quiet getaway. It’s popular amongst snorkellers and divers as well as surfers and fishers. The beach is also well known as a great spot to watch for grey whales during their migration from December to April.

A hiking trail guides outdoor adventurers to bluffs and dunes overlooking the Santa Monica Bay, and, on a clear day, you can see as far as Catalina Island. This romantic getaway is a mere 8-minute drive south of city centre.


Localização: Cliffside Dr &, Birdview Ave, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Abre: Daily from 5 am to 7 pm

Telefone: +1 310-457-8143

Destination card image

Point Dume

Cliffside Dr &, Birdview Ave, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

9. Malibu Country Mart

Shop and dine with the rich and famous


Ideal para: Compras, Alimentação, Luxo, Aventura


The Malibu Country Mart is a 6-acre boutique mall with high-end shops, restaurants, and entertainment where the rich and famous can be seen playing the day away. Everything is available at the Country Mart, from car repair services to designer gowns from the chicest names. Here, you can enjoy a spa treatment, have a 4-star, white-table-cloth meal, or catch an up-and-coming artist at the gallery.

The mall also features stunning gardens punctuated by sculptures, playgrounds, and outdoor dining areas amongst Spanish, Mediterranean, and other styles of architecture. It’s an eclectic location where the famous elite are often seen doing their shopping and dining. It’s 10 minutes east of the city along the Pacific Coast Highway.


Localização: 3835 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

Abre: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm

Telefone: +1 310-456-7300

Destination card image

Malibu Country Mart

3835 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265, USA

10. Nicholas Flat Trail

Take a challenging hike through grasslands and along ocean view bluffs


Ideal para: Aventura


The Nicholas Flat Trail is a challenging 6.9-mile hiking trail for the most experienced hikers and takes you over 1,660 feet of elevation with rocky and steep terrain. If you can make the hike, you’ll see gorgeous native plant life, traverse through lush grasslands, see natural ponds just off the trail, and walk along bluffs with a stunning view of the ocean. Secluded beaches and serene campsites dot the landscape along the trail, with picnic tables, bathrooms, public showers, and barbecues to let you engage in all the leisure you like. The trailhead begins about 24 minutes north and west of city centre Malibu.

Ver acomodações nas proximidades

Destination card image

Nicholas Flat Trail

Este artigo inclui opiniões da equipe editorial dos Go Guides. A Hoteis.com remunera os autores dos textos publicados neste site, o que pode incluir custos de viagens e outras despesas.