Jo S.
Yelp
I love going to the beach, this is one of the perks of living in LA. But we stayed away from any beach for months during the pandemic. The one we like to go has lots of people roaming the streets around which normally we like, it's fun and lively, near cafes and restaurants. But this year that wouldn't work.
So, I did my research (Yelp included) and found Will Rogers State Beach. It's closer to the city, a plus and I read that it's not that crowded.
Off we went, first time in a weekend. The beach is right off PCH in Pacific Palisades going up to Santa Monica. There are signs and a big parking lot. We paid $15 for the weekend day. Next time we went on a weekday, it was a tad cheaper $9. There are nice guys who work there and take the money from or the card. Very helpful, I paid cash.
The beach is big, wide, clean. It's not crowded, like Zuma (before COVID was crazy), but there are people around. At least everyone stays away, preserving the social distancing. So, no one sat next to us, everyone respected the 6ft rule. You do hear music from people, but that's everywhere on a beach.
The bathrooms are easy to find and some of the nicest and cleanest I've been inside - So Cal area. No crowds in there, plenty of toilet paper and soap.
There's also a cafe if you get hungry, need a snack, a drink, a burger. Cute, lines aren't crazy.
The beach is pretty nice, you can see the pier in Santa Monica in the distance.
Depends where you situate yourself you might not see the shore, it's a tad strange, my only complaint.
We've seen tiger sharks in the water (harmless) and dolphins further away swimming in the ocean. Also, plenty of pelicans.
So, bring a snack, a drink, sun protective lotion and enjoy the cool beach where they shot "Baywatch" the TV show.
For us it was a nice respite this summer and part of our staycation!