20 Attractions to Explore Near Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Malibu Creek State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving the Malibu Creek canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. it features dramatic geology, epic mountains, and deep gorges formed by earthquakes and erosion that have impacted the landscape for millions of years and are still underway today. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area, which is very much close to nature.

Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California. This watershed drains 109 square miles and its tributary creeks reach as high as 3,000 feet into Ventura County, California. The area around Malibu Creek was for centuries a major area of Native American life, and the boundary between the Chumash tribes, who lived to the northwest, and the Gabrieliño, to the south and east, was located here.

The Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is a large open space nature preserve owned and operated by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy spanning nearly 3,000 acres. it is part of a critical ecological linkage and wildlife corridor between the Santa Monica Mountains and the ranges to the north. Hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians enjoy miles of trails through rolling hills.

A beautiful protected beach in California and is a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. The Malibu Lagoon is an estuary at the mouth of the Malibu Creek at the Pacific Ocean and is a stop for many migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. It has three primary surfing areas where both amateurs and professionals come to surf. The shoreline is usually triple-cornered due to the buildup of silt, sand, and cobble at the mouth of the creek.

Solstice Canyon is a picturesque, shaded, classic Santa Monica Mountains canyon hike on a popular, well-maintained trail with opportunities for less-traveled spurs.Before becoming a park, the land was known as Roberts Ranch and, from 1961 to 1973, hosted a space research facility.

Topanga State Park is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and is located between West Los Angeles, Topanga Canyon and Malibu. Covering 11,000 acres, with thirty-six miles of trails and unimproved roads, the park's boundaries stretch from Topanga Canyon to Pacific Palisades and Mulholland Drive. There are more than 60 trail entrances.

Point Dume is a promontory on the coast of Malibu, California that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. It features headlands, cliffs, rocky coves and vast beach access. Point Dume is a perfect place to watch for California gray whales during the December to mid April migration period. It is home to a handful of very moderate single pitch rock climbing routes that are usually climbed on top rope from established fixed anchors.

Zuma Beach is a Los Angeles county park facility in Malibu. It's a long wide beach with enough parking spaces for the Superbowl. it is known for its long, wide sands and excellent surf. It consistently ranks among the healthiest beaches for clean water conditions. It hosts several premier surfing events each year.

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. The collection has 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities dating from 6,500 BC to 400 AD, including the Lansdowne Heracles and the Victorious Youth. The UCLA/Getty Master's Program in Archaeological and Ethnographic Conservation is housed on this campus.

A beautiful botanical garden located in Thousand Oaks, California, situated directly across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. It is home to a French garden and waterfall, an English rose garden, an Italian grapevine garden and a Japanese garden with koi ponds and a pagoda. The park is used for walking and picnicking, and guided tours of the gardens are available.

A historical site and living history center dedicated to restoring and preserving an awareness of the Chumash people and their historical, cultural, material and present-day influence, as well as the natural environment and historical significance of this site.

A beautiful beach , which is a great place to watch the sunset over the ocean. It is the most popular of the three and the closest to Malibu.Beautiful sea stacks are on the beach and in the surf. This is a popular spot for pro photographers to shoot swimsuit models and stunning sunsets. You can also explore the caves and arches in the rocks. The largest cave faces the ocean at the bottom of a huge flat rock that is connected to the base of the bluff.

Los Robles is a very long trail connecting Rancho Sierra Vista/ Satwiwa National Park in Newbury Park to Foothill Drive in Westlake Village.The trail spans several Open Space areas, listed at the top of this page. The Conejo Ridge Open Space is immediately north of the middle of the LRTE and forms an almost complete bowl. The trails here appear to be used mostly by equestrians who live nearby. There is awesome opportunities abound for hikers, bikers and equestrians to enjoy the open space.

This park was once the Corriganville Movie Ranch and was the filming site for over 3,500 movies, TV programs and commercials. Today, this park is home to 4 different trails that wind around the 246 acre property owned by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

The Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is 33-acres of natural terrain encircled by the city of Thousand Oaks. From the the sweeping vistas at the peak of the Garden through fifteen unique, hillside specialty gardens, and onto the hiking trail along the riparian steam. It consists of a vast variety of endemic plants, water-conserving plants, oak trees, and indigenous wildlife.

This is an art environment, located in Simi Valley, California. It was created by Tressa "Grandma" Prisbrey from the 1950s to the 1970s. Prisbey built a "village" of shrines, walkways, sculptures, and buildings from recycled items and discards from the local landfill. It has been designated as a historical landmark by the City of Simi Valley.

This is the repository of presidential records from the administration of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, and the burial place of the president and first lady, Nancy Reagan. It is the largest of the 13 federally operated presidential libraries, containing millions of documents, photographs, films and tapes. There is a permanent exhibit covering Ronald Reagan's life, as well as memorabilia such as Air Force One, the aircraft personally used by the president.

Sandstone Peak is the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. The summit can be reached via a 6.25-mile loop with 1,075 feet of elevation gain that offers expansive views of the range. Just ahead on the trail, enters a riparian forest and crosses a stream to arrive at Split Rock Picnic Area. After hiking nearly two miles, this is a good spot for a break. The picnic area offers plenty of shade, which is otherwise elusive on this hike.

Mulholland Drive is a scenic route on the Hollywood Hills. Here you can enjoy the best Los Angeles views.The road is featured in a significant number of movies, songs, and novels. David Lynch, who wrote and directed a film named after Mulholland Drive, has said that one can feel "the history of Hollywood" on it.

Originally known as the Grand Union Hotel, was used as a resting area for people who traveled from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Besides a hotel and stagecoach stop, it has also been used as a post office, church, restaurant and military school. The museum includes a rebuilt Timber School, a carriage house and blacksmith shop, nature trails, and the "Tri-Village", a small group of three houses: the pioneer house, the adobe, and the Chumash "ap".