35 Hours in Malibu

Locals call it “the Bu” – a laid-back, celebrity-filled beach town that sparkles
in the collective consciousness as a sun-drenched state of mind.

By: Noor Al Saleh

Locals call it “the Bu” – a laid-back, celebrity-filled beach town that sparkles in the collective consciousness as a sun-drenched state of mind. With the busy Pacific Coast Highway running through and no discernible center of town, some of the best of this small city, with around 13,000 residents, can disappear in a drive-by. The staggering natural beauty of the sea and mountains is obvious, but pull off the road and stay awhile, and you’ll find more: a world-class art museum, top-notch restaurants and chic shops.

Friday: 5 P.M. - Water, Water Everywhere
What’s so appealing about Malibu’s little slice of coast? Visit Point Dume State Preserve (Birdview Avenue and Cliffside Drive; 818-880-0363; www.parks.ca.gov), and you’ll see. A modest walk to the top of this coastal bluff rewards you with a sweeping view of the entire Santa Monica Bay, the inland Santa Monica Mountains and, on a clear day, Catalina Island. A boardwalk just below the summit leads to a platform for watching swooping pelicans and crashing waves. To feel the sand between your toes, drive down Birdview Avenue to Westward Beach Road and park at the very end of the lot on your left. You’ll be looking at Westward Beach, a gem that most visitors miss.

7 P.M. - Chasing The Sunset
Little known fact: Most of Malibu faces south, not west. That means sitting down at just any seaside restaurant at dusk won’t guarantee seeing a sunset over the water. But the aptly named Sunset Restaurant (6800 Westward Beach Road; 310-589-1007; www.thesunsetrestaurant.com) is a sure bet, with just the right orientation. Claim a white leather banquette, select a tasting plate of cheeses (five for $15) and settle in for the light show.

9 P.M. - Shore Dinner
If you’re going to spot a celebrity, chances are it will be at Nobu Malibu (3835 Cross Creek Road, in the Malibu Country Mart; 310-317-9140; www.nobumatsuhisa.com), one of the famed chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s many restaurants. The sushi ($6 to $12 for a two-piece order) is sublime, and the pan-seared scallops with cilantro sauce ($16 for a two-piece portion) are a favorite. Dinner for two is about $100 and reservations are essential. The front room is convivial but noisy; the subtly lighted back room is quieter.

Saturday: 9 A.M. - Walk The Pier
The 780-foot long Malibu Pier (23000 Pacific Coast Highway; 888-310-7437; www.malibupiersportfishing.com) is the most recognizable (and, arguably, only) landmark in town. Take a morning stroll out to the end, chat with the fishermen and watch surfers paddle out. You’ll be walking on a piece of Malibu history. The pier was originally built in 1905 as a loading dock for construction material, and it was a lookout during World War II. It crops up in numerous movies and TV shows. But storms took their toll, and it closed for repairs in 1995, finally reopening last summer – to the relief of local residents.

10 A.M. - Ancient Art
The Getty Villa (17985 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-440-7300; www.getty.edu) is just over the city’s southern border in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, but no matter: It shouldn’t be missed. The museum, built by J. Paul Getty in the 1970s to resemble a first-century Roman country house, contains Greek, Roman and Etruscan vessels, gems and statuary, some dating back to 6,500 B.C. On the second floor is a rare life-size Greek bronze, “Statue of a Victorious Youth,” a prize of the museum. In the outside peristyle gardens, watch the sun glint off bronze statues at the 220-foot-long reflecting pool. Admission is free, but parking costs $10; $15 from July 1.

1 P.M. - Magic Carpet Tile
Even many longtime Angelenos don’t know about the Adamson House (23200 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-456-8432; www.adamsonhouse.org). The 1930 Spanish Colonial Revival residence is a showplace of exquisite ceramic tile from Malibu Potteries, which closed in 1932. Overlooking Surfrider Beach with a view of Malibu Pier, the house belonged to a member of the Rindge family, last owners of the Malibu Spanish land grant. Take a tour and watch for the Persian “carpet” constructed entirely from intricately patterned pieces of tile. Other highlights: a stunning star-shaped fountain and a bathroom tiled top to bottom in an ocean pattern, with ceramic galleons poised in perpetuity on pointy whitecaps in a sea of blue.

7 P.M. - Farm to Table
Terra (21337 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-456-1221; www.terrarestaurantla.com), in the building that was once the original Malibu jail, is an intimate gathering place serving organic meats and nonfarmed fish, with most products grown in its own gardens. Start with oven-roasted organic baby beets ($13) and consider the pounded filet mignon with roasted tomato, broccolini and Terra Farms arugula ($32). Dinner runs about $65 for two. In warm weather, French doors open to a spacious patio decorated with thousands of fragments of broken Malibu Potteries tiles.

Sunday: 10 A.M. - Catch a Wave
Surf shops offering lessons and board rentals line the Pacific Coast Highway (P.C.H. in local lingo), but Kai Sanson of Zuma Surf and Swim Training (949-742-1086; www.zsstraining.com) takes his fun seriously. Sanson, 35, a Malibu native, was named L.A.’s best surf instructor last year by L.A. Weekly. He’ll size you up with a glance and gear the instruction to your skills. Lessons for two are $80 a person. His tales of growing up in Malibu are free. Locals also give Malibu Makos Surf Club (310-317-1229; www.malibumakos.com) and Jeff White of Captain Kahuna’s Wave Travel Adventures (310-863-3802) high marks.

Noon Brunch in Style (Or Not)
Put on your oversize sunglasses if you’re going to Geoffrey’s Malibu (27400 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-457-1519; www.geoffreysmalibu.com). Geoffrey’s (pronounced Joffreys) is the hot meeting spot for the well-heeled with a hankering for a shiitake mushroom omelet ($18) or lobster Cobb salad ($32). Its Richard Neutra-designed building overlooks the Pacific, and every table has an ocean view. Or if you just want to kick back with The Malibu Times, head to Coogie’s Beach Cafe (23750 Pacific Coast Highway in the Malibu Colony Plaza; 310-317-1444; menu at www.coogies.malibu.menuclub.com) and carbo-load with Coogie’s French Toast: bagels dipped in egg whites with cinnamon sugar and served with peanut butter and bananas ($10.50)

2 P.M. - Shop like a Star
Whether it’s diamonds or designer jeans you’re after, the open-air Malibu Country Mart (3835 Cross Creek Road; www.malibucountrymart.com) is the place to cruise for them. Its more than 50 retail stores and restaurants including Ralph Lauren, Juicy Couture and Malibu Rock Star jewelry. In an adjacent space, the new luxe Malibu Lumber Yard shopping complex, with stores like J. Crew, Alice + Olivia, and Tory Burch, opened in April.

The Basics
Malibu, a 21-mile-long strip of a city, hugs the Pacific coastline northwest of Los Angeles and extends a couple of miles up into the Santa Monica Mountains. It is approximately 25 miles or a 45-minute drive (with minimal traffic) from Los Angeles International Airport. A car is essential.
Malibu Beach Inn (22878 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-456-6444; www.malibubeachinn.com) recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation to achieve its blend of chic and Zen tranquility. Its 45 rooms, most facing the ocean and nearly all with fireplaces, are small but amenity-laden. The most impressive touch is nature’s own: waves breaking below your balcony. Doubles start at $325.
Casa Malibu Inn on the Beach (22752 Pacific Coast Highway; 310-456-2219), a rustic 21-room vine-covered inn six steps above the sand, has been a celebrity hideout since the 1950s. Lana Turner ducked studio tension there, and more recently, Jamie Lee Curtis and her brood made it a weekend retreat. Ask for one of the beachfront rooms (Nos. 101 to 108). Doubles start at $169.
Villa Graziadio Executive Center at Pepperdine University (Via Pacifica on the Drescher Graduate Campus; 310-506-1100; www.villagraziadio.com) has 50 rooms featuring views of the ocean and mountains. Doubles start at $209.