The Gold Coast Trail Under the Highway and Cut West Toward TEN MUST-SEE DESTINATIONS ALONG the MOST SPECTACULAR— Sequit Point

1) Wild Child LEO CARRILLO BEACH WHERE MULHOLLAND HIGHWAY The c ollides with PCH and leather-clad bikers r»oar up the coast to Neptune’s Net is one of California’s m ost welcoming stretches of sand. Bring the kids and make a weekend of it: Camp under the sycamores at Leo Carrillo State Park, and use the fi re pits to get your clambake on. When the tide is low, follow the Gold Coast trail under the highway and cut west toward TEN MUST-SEE DESTINATIONS ALONG THE MOST SPECTACULAR— Sequit Point. As you scramble over mussel- AND HIGHLY CONTESTED—SHORELINE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA encrusted boulders, you can scour tide pools for nudibranchs and anemones before pushing BY THOMAS HARLANDER AND MARY MELTON a little farther to explore s ea caves. 1 2 3 5 4 2) Triple Crown EL PESCADOR, LA PIEDRA & EL MATADOR 3) Sand Dollars JAGGED ROCK BROAD BEACH formations, lazy piles of» driftwood, and crashing ITS NAME NO longer applies, since surf draw weekend crowds erosion has taken its toll (see page 87) 4) Call Your Bluff POINT DUME to this insanely photogenic o»n this once-wide strand that is alternately triad of “pocket beaches” called Trancas. Homeowners have built rock FAVORABLE WINDS exceptionally clean (beware (known co llectively as the wall fortifi cations to stave o f the waves. make Zuma Beach, just the strong currents). The Robert H. Meyer Memorial As you walk along t he lovely beach at low we»st o f the Point, a primo surf- neighborhood on the clif over- State Beach). Wander down tide, you’ll understand wh y celebrities like ing spot. Southeast of this head leads to the Point Dume the bluf s to reach them on Dustin Hof man and Pierce Brosnan have famous destination is West- Natural Preserve, featuring a weekday, however, and homes here. Park near 31344 or 31200 Broad ward Beach—the setting for twisting paths and a downhill you might have the place all Beach Road; each address is adjacent to a the fi nale of 1968’s Planet of jaunt to a s ecluded beach with to yourself. public access path. the Apes—where the water is its own danger (paparazzi). 78 | LOS ANGELES | JULY 2016 Illustration by CARMEN SEGOVIA 5) Hack-a-Shack 6) Border 7) On the Edge ESCONDIDO BEACH Lands SWEETWATER MESA ROAD SCORE A PARKING recently made the news when MALIBU COLONY IF U2 GUITARIST the Edge (real name spot near 27420 Pacifi c Eve Plumb, who played Jan on D avid Evans) has his way, he will be DON’T LET THE gate building» fi ve mansions on this pristine mesa C»oast Highway for the public The Brady Bunch, put her 1950 access path to this strand east shack, purchased by her fami- that blocks of Malibu that overlooks Malibu Pier. The Sierra Club, C»olony Road discourage of Parad ise Cove (or reach it ly four decades ago, on the citing the area as environmentally sensitive, from the stairway near Geof- market as a teardown. Asking you from exploring its has fi led a lawsuit to overturn the California frey’s restaurant) . Escondido price: $4,950,000. beachfront, which you can Coastal Commission’s approval of the con- enter from Malibu Lagoon troversial project. to the east. As long as the sand beneath your feet is wet, you’re welcome to ramble along and ogle the 100 or so homes, many of them on stilts and owned by the likes of Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner. But fi rst pick up some lunch from the Malibu Country Mart on the other side of PCH. 7 8 9 10 6 10) Old 8) Catch the Curl Faithful SURFRIDER BEACH 9) First-Class Upgrade TOPANGA BEACH THE PLACE IS a throwback to the time CARBON BEACH A STEADY BREAK for Gidget romped, Lance Carson and Miki surfers, ready park- Dor»a shredded waves in The Endless Sum- “BILLIONAIRE’S BEACH” Seek out one of four access ing,» and plenty of room to mer, and the Beach Boys were just, well, has long had a reputa- points—the newest of which spread out a picnic: Access tion» for exclusivity, what with opened last year across from doesn’t get much easier boys. Longboarders can ride the slowly breaking rights for days at this beach, which superrich homeowners drag- the Malibu aquarium. The wet than at Topanga, the east- played a huge part in the rise of surf culture. ging their feet when it came sand is public property, and ernmost beach in Malibu. The lot will likely be full, so park a half mile to building public entrances. the Our Malibu Beaches app After a day of hiking in up PCH at Malibu Lagoon. First-timers can Following innumerable legal lists the easements where Malibu Creek or Topanga rent a board from the Malibu Surf Shack and battles, the proletariat tri- dry sand is fair game. Bonus: state parks, it's especially haul it into the whitewater at First Point, the umphed and now can whack The town’s swank hotel, sweet to dip your toes in surfi ng area farthest eas—just t keep clear of paddleballs in the shadow of the Malibu Beach Inn, just the water before heading the advanced surfers. Larry Ellison’s mansion(s). reopened here. home. LAMAG.COM.

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