El Matador State Beach
El Matador State Beach, Malibu, CA 90265
Sunset 7:54 PM
Parking is $10 cash/card. The sea stacks are north of the main beach via a steep trail. Low tide is the move.
Parking is $3/hour or $10 all day — dirt lot, roughly 30 spaces. Photograph your license plate before you walk down. You need it to pay and the ticket goes on your dash.
The 5:30 PM arrival is chosen specifically to catch the day crowd leaving.
The trail down is steep, sandy, and genuinely slippery. Real shoes, not flip-flops. You will climb back up in the dark — have a phone flashlight ready before you descend.
Down on the sand, the sea caves and rock arches at the north end are what everyone comes for. Go through the arch. Get in the water.
The light between 6:45 PM and 7:54 PM is the best you will see all week.