The sounds of ocean waves are used as sleep aid noises for insomniacs. The manufacturers of scented candles mine the coast for every scent they can to project calm through the olfactory senses. Even the color blue has been shown to engender a feeling of relaxation. If serenity has a home base, it’s probably the beach. Sometimes, though, you need all that serenity to cancel out the stress of the beach – fighting through the crowded parking lots, searching for a place to lay down a blanket, shutting out the noise from the Bluetooth speakers of fellow visitors. Malibu, thankfully, tends to b ..read more

It’s February, and if you need Alison Mytych, she’ll probably be on a bluff, counting. She has been keeping what she terms an “unofficial census” in Malibu since 2013, counting the whales as they make their trip from the freezing waters of the north to more reasonable temperatures in the south, and then back again. But while she might spend more time on the bluffs and cliffs above the Pacific Ocean than most, she won’t be alone. The Malibu coast has become a favorite location for whale watchers, especially those who would prefer to stay on dry land rather than go out on a boat. Whale watchi ..read more

It looks like a postcard from a bygone era, all the Woodie-style station wagons, parked side to side at the culmination of Malibu’s Woodie Parade. The wood paneling on the station wagons even gives the sight its version of a sepia tone, the shade we most connect to nostalgic feelings of times gone by. “Every time someone sees one, it puts a smile on their face,” says Fireball Tim Lawrence, the chair of the Malibu Art Commission and a longtime participant in the parade. “And the only thing that makes them better is to adorn them with Christmas decorations.” On days like these in Malibu, it can ..read more

The live music experience has a lot of usual descriptors, especially at small clubs, but “comfortable” rarely makes the list. So, the first steps inside of Aviator National Dreamland may be confusing to the concert veteran: new-looking couches along the walls, a black onyx bar along the back wall, murals, and art on seemingly every surface. The task in front of Dreamland is to bring a live music audience back to Malibu on a regular basis, but the venue, as developed by the surfer clothing brand and its founder Paige Mycoskie, seems up to it, offering an experience unlike most in Los Angeles ..read more

You’ll see them on the beach, sometimes – maybe even from your perch at the Malibu Beach Inn – twirling, gyrating, or even just swaying. You likely won’t hear anything, though you may see a DJ setup; in order to fit in without disturbing others, they’ll likely be wearing headphones. There will be little to no talking and no chat-up lines. But for those paying close attention, what might be most striking is the abandon with which they dance, like cameras haven’t been invented. Of all the activities that draw people to the open sand of Malibu’s pristine beaches, ecstatic dance may be the odde ..read more

From the water’s edge at Malibu Beach Inn, it can look like the Pacific Ocean goes on forever, uninterrupted, a placid field of blue extending to the horizon. But in the short distance, out to the west, lies one of California’s most underrated national parks, one that promises a mostly untouched terrain and gorgeous ocean vistas. Channel Islands National Park is one of the least-visited reserves in the United States, which is unsurprising considering the planning that goes into a visit. But sitting less than 50 miles off the Pacific Coast, the park is a gorgeous visit for nature lovers, esp ..read more

Tip to tip, Malibu is more than 21 miles long, but when it comes to beautiful sights, delicious meals, or memorable activities, not every mile is created equal. The good news: for Malibu Beach Inn guests, some of the most popular activities in Malibu are within a mile’s radius of their front doors. Want to avoid driving during vacation? Someone staying here can see some of Malibu’s best sights without spending a moment inside a car. Instead, find your comfortable walking shoes and get ready to explore these nearby attractions on foot. First, just steps from the Inn to the east, Rafi Loung ..read more

The first thoughts of Malibu usually involve the beaches: long expanses of sand, the ocean crashing on the shore, the surfers riding a wave … all of the sights for which the Malibu Beach Inn is famous. But by land area, it’s likely that more of Malibu sits on a ranch than on the ocean. As much as the town may be known for its oceanfront sand, the ranch has been as central to the town’s development as the beach. The history of the town of Malibu, in fact, starts with a ranch: Spain granted the land that would eventually become Malibu to a former Spanish army official, calling it the Rancho ..read more

It’s February, and if you need Alison Mytych, she’ll probably be on a bluff, counting. She has been keeping what she terms an “unofficial census” in Malibu since 2013, counting the whales as they make their trip from the freezing waters of the north to more reasonable temperatures in the south, and then back again. But while she might spend more time on the bluffs and cliffs above the Pacific Ocean than most, she won’t be alone. The Malibu coast has become a favorite location for whale watchers, especially those who would prefer to stay on dry land rather than go out on a boat. Whale watchi ..read more

It looks like a postcard from a bygone era, all the Woodie-style station wagons, parked side to side at the culmination of Malibu’s Woodie Parade. The wood paneling on the station wagons even gives the sight its version of a sepia tone, the shade we most connect to nostalgic feelings of times gone by. “Every time someone sees one, it puts a smile on their face,” says Fireball Tim Lawrence, the chair of the Malibu Art Commission and a longtime participant in the parade. “And the only thing that makes them better is to adorn them with Christmas decorations.” On days like these in Malibu, it can ..read more