Oh Lechuza!
The free Malibu Public Beach safaris led by the Los Angeles Urban Rangers (previous post) are this weekend, but they’re all full. Openings are anticipated for next weekend. Instead DIY your own safari with these steps:
1. Read this LATimes article on the safaris.
2. Download the free guides at www.laurbanrangers.com
3. Download the California Coastal Commision’s free map, "Broad Beach Coastal Access" here. Look to the left side for it.
Yes, this is a lot of paper to get through, but it’s so worth it. I found the wonderful and uncrowded Lechuza Beach following the maps above. I parked in a ritzy neighborhood, pressed on a magic gate, walked down a short driveway past more ritzy beach houses, and entered a beach that truly made California feel like an escape, a feat in this dirty city.
The access gate on East Sea Level Drive was hard to find because the sign for the drive was obscured by a tree and the gate had a no passing sign on it. The sign should not be there according to the California Coastal Commission, a state organization that regulates beach access acreas in Malibu. I have to emphasize again the free and easy parking! These are neighborhood beaches that the oceanfront property owners try to keep people away from. But the beach is not private property in California. This is like trying to say Griffith Park is your private property. The beach is a public space that belongs to all. So get out and enjoy yourself. You’ll never be back at Topanga or Zuma again. Well, okay, maybe if you need a restroom or a lifeguard because the hidden beaches in Malibu don’t have these things.
The magic gate and the misleading sign.
