4 LA beaches to visit this summer

This year has been a wild ride for many of us in many different ways and as the heat sets in Los Angeles, all we can talk about is wanting to be at the beach or by some body of water. Here at MAV we have been in some need of some new content so we figured, “why not tie this in with our readables?”. We then jumped on some research, grabbed the glass, and went on some photoshoots!

With each beach location we searched distance from Los Angeles, pictures, and reviews so we can pick beaches worth checking out. We also used Heal the Bays beach report card to see how clean and safe the beach environment actually is. Once every thing was planned and ready, the real adventure began!

In this post we will tie in our research as well as the personal experience to give you the best possible description of each location. Adventure is out there!

☺ Sunken City

If you’re looking for a hike with some thrill and you happen to be in the Long Beach area, Sunken city is where it’s at. It is street art meets nature and if you’re lucky you will catch some really sick art o n the broken pavements.

Sunken city was once known as fancy real estate properties in the 1920’s but quickly went downhill when the landslides started in 1929, causing all the beach homes to slide into the ocean. The result, broken concrete and palm trees scattered around like mosaic pieces. The left-over pavements created this large canvas like play-ground for street artist and now sunken city feels like a cool post-apocalyptic scene. None the less, it is not recommended by the city to be there for safety reasons, you will actually pass a few signs that say no trespassing. SO, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

From Los Angeles, sunken city is about 35 minutes more or less which is awesome if you want to keep it local. It is a hidden gem because it is out of site at first but once you see it, it feels a little unworldly. Prepare to jump a small gate and hike about a mile to get through the colorful ruins. It is best to go in buddy system in case of emergency, you’re not alone. This is a really cool location that is rarely maintained so we encourage you to be respectful to the space and pick up after yourself, as you should when you are anywhere. Hiking shoes are recommended for this trip or shoes with good grip because of the loose gravel you may encounter.

☺ Manhattan beach

Manhattan Is a versatile beach, meaning it is good for a lot of different things. Perfect beach to kick back at and hang out with family or friends and even on a solo trip. It is good for walking your dog, roller skating, biking, volleyball, and chilling on the sand or in the water. It is about 37 minutes from LA and is considered one of its cleaner beaches. As of last week, Heal the Bay reported Manhattan Beach an A in overall cleanliness and safety in their beach report card.

The main parking lot is near the pier but if you are looking for a less busy area to relax, it is recommended to park away from the pier and find meter parking. Being there was chill, there was a variety of people, walking on the pier, surfing, and riding bikes. It is all you can ask for if you are trying to have a chill day on a beach that isn’t overcrowded.

☺ Corral state beach

This beach was chosen at random as we were trying to find a good lowkey beach on the way to El matador. The drive is pretty chill as you get to se the coast and the location is relaxing. Upon arriving, watch for fast cars when parking as it is right off the the PCH highway. Once you get down to the sand it is pretty nice. Heal the Bay doesn’t have a reported grade on this beach but they’ve tested a drain nearest to this location and the water quality was graded an A.

Corral state beach is about an hour from LA and is a good quick little getaway. Its best to go early morning or sunset time if you don’t have an umbrella.

☺ El Matador

El Matador Beach is about an hour and thirty minutes from LA during traffic but let me tell you, this beach is so worth it. It is the perfect escape from the city, with beautiful views, clear water, caves, and marine life if you choose to explore more than the initial hike down. More stairs then a hike but the walk is pretty steep. The view on the other hand, incredible the whole way down. Its best to go early to not catch the crowd and really bask in your surroundings. The mini standing hammer bubbler by MAV came in clutch on this beautiful day. With its compact size it was easy to store in my backpack and keep discreet on the beach.

El Matador is rated an A+ on the beach report card provided by Heal the bay. Being here is ultimate relaxation and relief, that water is so blue and tempting to swim, and in the mornings the caves and cliffs provide shade from the sun. El matador beach is a site for sore eyes. Ending the journey with El matador beach was the cherry on top.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post and it encourages you to get out and explore. Some tips when going on adventures would be to plan ahead, do some research on the location, what are the laws, what is the distance, is it safe or do I need a buddy, how is the weather going to be? These things will help your trip run more smoothly. Have fun and be safe!

Back to blog