Twenty-one miles of the Pacific Coast Highway pass through Malibu, and most of them are within sight of the sea. The road squeezes between the steep brown slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains and a narrow ribbon of sand, a mix of beach houses, small plazas, surf breaks and sudden gaps with a view over the water. The town itself has about thirteen thousand people, a city of film stars and surfers, and a strong feeling of being at the edge of something. It was once a ranch owned by the Rindge family, who held off development for decades, and the land was divided only in the 1920s, after the state forced a public road through it.
The highway is famous, and for good reason, but it is not a race track. At weekends the road fills with sightseers, delivery vans, cyclists and drivers looking for a place to park, and there are speed limits, traffic lights and patrols, with fines that are not small. The coast road has had a bad record for crashes. A good plan is to go early on a weekday, when the light comes slanting over the hills and the sea is pale blue, and the road is almost clear. In late spring and early summer the morning fog, called June gloom, can sit over the shore until noon.
For something with more bends, take one of the canyon roads that climb into the mountains. Malibu Canyon Road, Decker, Latigo and Mulholland Highway all twist up through chaparral and oak, with drops, cambers and tight corners that reward a rider with some care, and with the sea sparkling far below as you climb. They are narrow, and the surface can be rough, with gravel and fallen rock, and in places there are no barriers. Fires have swept through the mountains repeatedly, including the Woolsey fire of 2018 and the Palisades fire of 2025, leaving scars on the hills and homes, so you will see burned areas and rebuilding. Check the road status in fire season and after heavy rain, when landslides can close sections.
Fuel in Malibu is among the most expensive in California, so fill up in Santa Monica or Oxnard if you can, though there are stations along the highway. For a break, a beach cafe or a fish shack near the pier serves tacos and clam chowder with a view. The Getty Villa, a museum of ancient art in a replica Roman villa, lies a few miles south and is free to enter, with booking.