Malibu Beach or Santa Monica Beach today?
Malibu, California · Santa Monica, California — 26 km apart
Updated 1:00 AM PDT
95Malibu Beach
vs
95Santa Monica Beach
Too close to call today. Malibu Beach scores 95 and Santa Monica Beach scores 95, 26 km apart. Pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
Which one, for what
- Go to Malibu Beach for surfing — surfing 90 vs 86.
- Go to Santa Monica Beach for swimming, families with kids, walking & shelling — swimming 80 vs 64.
| Activity | Malibu Beach | Santa Monica Beach | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | 64 | 80 | Santa Monica Beach |
| Families with kids | 62 | 77 | Santa Monica Beach |
| Walking & shelling | 68 | 72 | Santa Monica Beach |
| Surfing | 90 | 86 | Malibu Beach |
Conditions side by side
| Now | Malibu Beach | Santa Monica Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 72°F | 73°F |
| Wave height | 3.9 ft | 3.2 ft |
| Air temperature | 58°F | 58°F |
| Wind | 6 mph | 4 mph |
| UV index | 0 | 0 |
| Next tide | Low 4:23 AM | Low 4:23 AM |
| Water quality | Not monitored | 30–95, varies along the beach |
Both readings taken at the same moment, from the same sources, so the comparison is like for like.
Frequently asked questions
Should I go to Malibu Beach or Santa Monica Beach today?
They score within a few points of each other (95 and 95), so pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
How far apart are Malibu Beach and Santa Monica Beach?
About 26 km in a straight line. Far enough apart that conditions can genuinely differ between them.
Which is better with kids, Malibu Beach or Santa Monica Beach?
Santa Monica Beach today — 77 against 62 on our family score, which weights calm surf and UV most heavily.