A family beach outing is a perfect way to embrace the summer season. Kids love swimming in the waters, building sandcastles, and playing on the shores, while parents can relax and enjoy the sun on a fun-filled day at the pristine beach. From calm waters to an extensive beachfront and picnic grounds, finding the best kid-friendly beaches in Los Angeles is a no-brainer.
But with so much sea and sand along Southern California’s Pacific Coast, it can be hard to choose where to go. Luckily, we have compiled the best kid-friendly beaches in Los Angeles, guaranteed to make your family beach day unforgettable. So, gather the shovels, sand pails, and sunscreen, and make sure you aren’t missing anything out on your perfect trip!
35000 West Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 9026
5Phone Number: (310) 457-8143
Leo Carrillo State Beach is a quintessential Los Angeles family beach for a good reason. Easily accessible parking, the walking tunnel under PCH, gorgeous waves, 1.5 miles of beach for swimming, surfing, windsurfing, coastal caves and reefs for exploring, giant sycamores shade the main campgrounds – all of this makes for a family-filled day at the beach.
When the tide goes out, you’ll also find some of LA’s best tide pools and sea caves for kids to play and explore. Swing up to North Beach to one of the few kid-friendly beaches in Los Angeles where you won’t have to leave your four-legged friend behind—just don’t forget the leash. For more information, please visit their website.
28128 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 9026
5Phone Number: (310) 457-2503
Paradise Cove is a beautiful private beach area and beachfront restaurant in Malibu with many family amenities. Since it is private, it’s a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. No surfing is allowed in the water, so it is safe for little ones to run and frolic, and if you get there early enough, you can rent chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas. The nearby Paradise Cove Beach Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and you can either eat in or get take out and have a picnic down by the sand.
If you have any movie buffs in the family, they might recognize Paradise Cove Beach. With its sprawling beaches, Malibu mansions, and majestic sandstone cliffs, it is no wonder this beach has been featured in several movies. For more information, please visit their website.
30000 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 90265
Phone Number: (310) 457-9701
Malibu’s Zuma Beach boasts panoramic ocean views set against untouched rocky bluffs. This beach is excellent for younger and older kids with its wide range of activities. There is a small playground and plenty of space for frisbee, volleyball, and more. Bodyboarding is also popular here, and you’ll usually catch a glimpse of a dolphin or two playing out in the waves.
Zuma beach is super gorgeous, and its secluded allure makes it a popular family beach spot during the warm summer, but making the trip there is worth it. Your kids will love using their boogie boards, building sand castles, playing in the waves, and watching the rock climbers. For more information, please visit their website.
415 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica, CA 90402
Phone Number: (310) 458-8300
Santa Monica State Beach is one of the best kid-friendly beaches in the Greater Los Angeles area. Its long white sandy beaches, the pier, and the Annenberg Community Beach House define it, and it’s always teeming with activity and people. The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier with a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing.
There are a lot of play areas, including a universally accessible, barrier-free playground. The North Beach Playground has sensory elements designed for touching, feeling, and hearing, with equipment designed to inspire mobility, activity, and imagination. For more information, please visit their website.
415 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica, CA 90402
Phone Number: (310) 458-4904
Annenberg Community Beach House is perfect for an overcast or rainy beach day. This resort near Santa Monica Beach offers countless outdoor activities for the kids to enjoy indoors and outdoors. The grounds include a playground, courtyard, view deck, beach areas, and volleyball courts and are open to all with no membership required.
One of the Annenberg Community Beach House’s standout features is the free wifi and tours of historic guest houses on the property. The long boardwalk to the beach makes carrying necessities easier, the shaded play area and sand for the kids, and the Beach Café make for a lovely day. For more information, please visit their website.
17700 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Phone Number: (424) 526-7777
Will Rogers is one of those extensive wide kid-friendly beaches with the best view of Santa Monica Pier while still showcasing the elegant mountainside waterfront of the Los Angeles Pacific Palisades district. It’s nice and sandy, perfect for sunbathing, swimming, surfing, surf fishing, sailing, and windsurfing. The beach is also lined with plenty of volleyball courts and picnic tables.
With Sunset Boulevard at its most Northern tip, Will Rogers benefits from being between the Pacific Palisades and Topanga. Despite its proximity to Santa Monica, it’s a sort of no man’s land that makes it less crowded than most nearby beaches. For more information, please visit their website.
2700-3100 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Phone Number: (310) 396-6764
Venice City Beach is the main beach in the Venice district of Los Angeles. It stretches from the Venice Pier to the north end of the Venice District at the city border with Santa Monica. The central hub has sports courts for various recreational activities and a grass park. Spectators will line outside a large skatepark built right on the beach.
The beachfront pedestrian walkway is filled with unique and sometimes tacky shops, artists selling their work, street performers, tattoo parlors, pizza places, and ice cream stands. Come here for the vibrant California street life that unspools along the two-plus miles of boardwalk and beach. For more information, please visit their website.
7313-7351 S Marine Ave., Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
Playa del Rey is a small, quiet community with a broad, low-key beach and a smattering of cafes, taverns, and boutiques nearby. The stretch of sand is technically part of Dockweiler State Beach and is perfect for those days when you want nothing but the sound of crashing waves and sunshine. There’s also a large grass park with a play structure and a lagoon for the kids!
The beach offers broad raw, wild coast sections backed by dunes and a wetland preserve area. There are also entertaining areas with volleyball nets and fire rings (for nighttime campfires). Street parking is usually available, although, on summer weekends, you might have to drive around the block a few times to find a spot. For more information, please visit their website.
400-4500 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Phone Number: (424) 526-7777
Manhattan Beach is known for its upscale beachfront homes but is also a favorite for families with kids. It’s a beautiful stretch of coastline and one of the most pristine and well-kept kid-friendly beaches in Los Angeles. The waves break further out near the beach, making this a perfect spot for older kids who want to try body surfing. But it’s still a safe place for little ones to splash around, and lifeguards are on duty.
The two-mile-long sandy flat beach features over 100 sand volleyball courts and several places to relax, get a tan and rejuvenate after a good game. To round out your beach day, visit the nearby aquarium, where kids can enjoy learning about native sea creatures and get up close and personal with the touch tank. For more information, please visit their website.
5839 Appian Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone Number: (562) 570-3111
Marine Park has volleyball courts and picnic sites located in a beautiful marina setting. It is also well known for its gentle wave action, shallow swimming area, and Lifeguard Supervision during peak periods. It offers an excellent beach for kids and a nearby grassy play area. There is plenty of parking and a snack shack to pick up snacks and ice cream. Families with young children can visit and not worry about their children’s safety.
If your kids are early risers, that is a plus because you will get the best spot on this beach. It can get crowded on the weekends, but if you get there early, you are guaranteed a nice day of fun. This quiet beach also offers a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles life. For more information, please visit their website.
Every family’s summer adventure involves sand, water, and sunshine. A beach day with the kids for fun in the sun getaway is always a good idea. And Los Angeles makes for an exciting destination for families, with tons of remarkable beaches along the coast. Escape to one of the best kid-friendly beaches in Los Angeles for a relaxing and fun-filled day on the water!
Los Angeles offers so many opportunities for kids to enjoy and have fun all year round! Check out our list of resources, or browse through our things to do in Los Angeles with kids. Still looking for more activities for kids in Los Angeles? No problem! Check out our comprehensive listing of places to go in the region and our highly recommended outdoor blog posts.
20 Best Kid-Friendly Beaches in the San Francisco Bay Area
20 Fun Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids
Our 13 Best Kid-Friendly Parks in San Francisco
Best Kid-Friendly Parks in San Jose
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