Escondido ("Hidden" in Spanish) Beach is tucked away along a gorgeous stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Escondido Beach Road runs along the beachfront, with large homes facing the water. Visitors to Escondido Beach can enter through the public access gate at Escondido Creek, or down the steps near Geoffrey's Malibu Restaurant. Parking is restricted to residents on the private residential streets, so visitors should check parking signs before heading down to enjoy the beach to avoid tickets.
Like all of Malibu's beaches, Escondido is fully public below the high tide line, with substantial public easements on the dry sand to allow access to the shoreline. As the beach is so narrow, the high tide line comes nearly to the feet of the beach homes in many places. The access gates are open from dawn until dusk 365 days a year.
Down by the water, the feel of the beach is secluded and natural. This is one of the smaller, narrower Malibu beaches, with good sand and kelp forests close to the shore. Kayakers, fishers, and divers enjoy this beach, along with dog owners who come out to play in the sand and surf. Escondido is one of the only really dog-friendly beaches in the Malibu area, so this is a great place to bring that puppy out to play.
For diving equipment and classes, check out Malibu Divers at 21231 Pacific Coast Highway. Scuba and free diving are both commonly practiced in the Malibu waters. Divers are likely to see sea otters, small sharks, rays, schools of glowing iridescent bait fish, giant black sea bass, and many other varieties of fish as they navigate the reefs, rock ledges, and kelp forests. At the right time of the year, lucky divers might even see humpback and gray whales migrating north towards the Bering Sea!
Kayaks are often seen in the waters around Escondido, which is a popular put-in spot. Paradise Cove is a reasonable paddling distance away, so many kayakers will begin at Escondido, paddle over for lunch at the Paradise Cove Cafe, and head back to the beach to relax for a while before heading home.
Escondido is not known for great surf (if surfing is a must for you, try Surfrider Beach, Zuma Beach, Topanga Beach, or Leo Carillo Beach instead), but there is plenty of surf to entertain kids and kids-at-heart, without having to compete with surfers for a good spot on the beach.
Those with less athletic ambitions will find that Escondido Beach is an excellent size for casual walking while enjoying the mix of funky and gorgeous beach architecture, fresh sea air, and bird life. The traffic noise is minimal, and the beach is particularly good for brisk walking on a gray, overcast day when few tourists are visiting.
Weather in the Malibu area is good most of the year, with rain generally only occurring in mid-winter. High temperatures are in the 80s, with lows at night in the 50s. Dressing in layers will allow appreciation of a long day and night at the beach, from sunbathing and playing in the sand to watching the sunset over the water at night.
