Great Escape: Plan a Beach Escape to Paradise Cove

As much I complain about the heat, we live close to the beach where it is always a good 10-20 degrees cooler than Montrose. One of our favorite beach "escapes" is Paradise Cove in Malibu, a short 45-minute drive from La Crescenta. We like to take the northbound Hollywood (101) Freeway, exit Las Virgenes Road and make a right onto Pacific Coast Highway.

Paradise Cove has a rich heritage in the motion picture and television industry including Gidget, Beach Blanket Bing, Lethal Weapon 4, Sponge Bob Square Pants: The Movie, Charlie's Angels, Baywatch and Happy Days. The spot is also home to the famous "trailer park" of the stars where celebrities like Matthew McConaughey own property and frequent the beaches.

Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Restaurant cooks up legendary "surf and turf" meals at either a sit-down restaurant with wonderful seafood, steaks and an amazing salad bar; or, at "to go" dining outside for casual burgers, fries and sandwiches. Reservations can be made online. The patio tables and chairs rest in the sand, with a perfect view of the crashing waves. The restaurant requires a minimum purchase of $20 and parking is $3 for four hours or $25 for the day. 

Be sure to pack swimsuits and sand toys for this locale. There are changing rooms and nice bathrooms close to the beach. Bringing chairs for the sand and beach umbrellas are a great idea and Cabanas are also available (click on this online link to book your own private space for the day). The water is safe for children with lifeguards on staff to make sure the waters are safe.

At low tide, there are numerous tide pools for hours of investigation. We saw a baby octopus among the starfish, sea urchins, anemones and turbin snails. If you like fishing, there is a private pier to reel in fish. Take a stroll along the pier to see what others have caught, watch the swimmers and boogey boarders catch waves, or just look out at the incredible Pacific Ocean.

Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu is open daily from sunrise to sunset and the restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is located at 28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. For more information call (310) 457-2503 or check out their website.