During my recent trip to Southern California, my friend and I took a mini road trip from Bakersfield to Malibu. It was such a gorgeous drive! First, we drove through fields and fields of tangerine trees, strawberries, and avocados on Highway 126. Next, we were winding back and forth through the Santa Monica Mountains on Highway 23. Sorry Sandra, I know it wasn’t as much fun for the driver! And then finally, driving along the ocean on PCH 1 and arriving in Malibu.
Malibu is a gorgeous beach city in Los Angeles. It is known for its “27 miles of Scenic Beauty” which is on signs around the city. I remember being a kid and wanting to go to Pepperdine University cause who wouldn’t want to go to a school that overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Malibu?
After a morning of driving, our first stop in Malibu was food! We had lunch at Geoffrey’s Malibu and I had one of the best salads I have ever had there, their Maine Lobster Cobb Salad! My picture doesn’t do the salad justice. What makes the salad even more wonderful is the view you get when you dine there!
After our amazing lunch, we headed over to Zuma Beach to relax on the beach for a bit before heading down to Santa Monica. Since we were there on a Monday, we pretty much had the beach to ourselves which was nice since Zuma Beach is one of the largest and most popular beach in Los Angeles county.
As my friend has helping her daughter out of the car, I started heading down to the beach with some of our stuff and to my surprise, I saw a sea lion pup just chilling on the beach! He was only about 10 feet away from me before getting swept away in a wave… but eventually made his way back on the beach. Yesterday on Twitter, I saw an ABC news article about how California has rescued a record number of sea lion pups this year and some marine car centers have to turn away pups due to lack of room. This makes me so sad cause they are so cute! I mean, look at him, cuteness overload! I really hope someone rescued him that afternoon.
After relaxing on the beach a bit after our sea lion excitement, we headed south on PCH 1. We passed by, I’m sure, dozens of celebrities homes right on the beach and we made a stop at the Malibu Country Mart for drinks (and to see if there were any celebrities there, ha) before making the rest of our drive down to Santa Monica (later post).
What is your favorite beach city in California?
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Oh my goodness – that seal!!! That is the cutest thing. I really think the states has the most varied and beautiful countryside and beaches. I can't wait to explore it all a bit more when my visa comes through!
This sounds great! I love the thought of driving past all the fruit trees sounds wonderful, especially the avocado trees, they are my favourite! What beautiful photos too, I need some sun now 🙂
I so wish I had the luxury of driving down to Malibu for the day. It takes me a good 13 hours before I can even get to California! And for someone like me who is obsessed with the sea (your photos killed me) it's nothing short of depressing. That view is so lovely 🙂
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That pup is super cute! I love that drive because of how close you are to the water's edge. Such a beautiful place!
He was the cutest! I still can't believe he was just chillin' on the beach! When will your visa come in? Where do you plan on going? America really is a beautiful country! I forget sometimes cause it's soooo big!
I loooove SoCal weather! No one can complain about sunny and 70 degree weather! It was cool seeing all the fruit trees. My friend told me to check my tangerines the next time I'm at the store, and yup… they were from her city, Bakersfield lol.
Nothing beats PCH 1! It's gorgeous! Bonus that I got to see a sea lion! Ultimate California lol.
I hear that! I'm jealous of anyone who can just drive to the beach! Well the CA beaches… our beaches here in Texas are eh lol.
That Maine Lobster Cobb looks to die for! Looks like a perfect day 🙂
Malibu California looks dreamy! I'm hoping to visit the West Coast and will have to put this as a definite must. Your photos are superb!
It was soooo good! Craving it now! lol
Thanks Andrea! Malibu is a must! Up the coast a ways is another must, Santa Barbara! Can't go wrong with the West Coast 🙂
Geoffrey's is a great spot! I totally recommend it! The food is amazing and the views, ahh! Nobu is another spot a lot of people go to in Malibu for sushi. I still can't believe I saw a sea lion pup just hanging out! He must have known I was visiting California lol.
Awe that sea lion pup is too cute! I hope he got rescued. Those beaches look amazing!
Awww such a cute little sea lion!!! Love it.
You hit two of my favorite beach cities, Malibu and Santa Monica. You're right about Santa Barbara, too – great town and fantastic beaches. My personal fave is Manhattan Beach, but I'm biased; that was home for a time. Further south, I also love Coronado Beach in San Diego. Great post – but now I'm in full "I Miss The Beach" mode! 😉
My visa definitely won't be here this year, maybe next year. First stop – a road trip to Florida, which is a 19 hour drive.
I still can't believe he was just chillin' on the beach! That's a California sea lion for you! ha
How lucky! I wish I could call Manhattan Beach home! That was our last stop before I had to head back to Houston and it was perfect!
So cute! I wanted to pet him so bad! ha
I haven't been to California in so long! I have family in Oxnard and Carlsbad but they come to Jersey to visit us. I loved staying in Santa Monica; there was always something to see and do! Love Coronado Bay too. The beach there was stunning! Now I feel like I need to book some plane tickets!
We drove through Oxnard 🙂 Southern California is so nice, and you can't beat the weather! I know you guys are probably over all the snow right about now! lol