Looking for bike trails near Malibu, I found the Marvin Braude trail. It’s about 21 miles (one way) and, most of it runs along the coast from the Malibu area through Torrence, California. You’ll enjoy the view of beautiful beaches and breathtaking sky views here. There’re some detours off the path in Santa Monica, Venice, and Marina del Rey areas. And, I didn’t see signs to get back into the trail. When you get to the detour in Marina del Rey, at some point, it meets the Bellona Creek Trail. So, if you’re not familiar with the area or, don’t use a GPS you’ll end up like me, lost around Los Angeles and away from the coast.

The pictures show a peaceful ride with very little bike traffic and pedestrians on the way; however, this was not the case during the whole ride. I did my ride on a Sunday afternoon, which was a terrible idea. The trail’s very busy on the weekends; it’s annoying. Primarily around the Santa Monica pier, Venice Beach, and Manhattan beach.

Even though it’s a bike trail, supposed to be for cyclists, and pedestrians have their path, there were too many pedestrians, performers, roller skaters, and skaters on it. So, it was hard for cyclists on the trail to maintain speed. There are also areas where you must get off your bike and walk, and others with a speed limit of 8mph (but you’ll be doing 3 or 5mph on a Saturday or Sunday); this means it’s not the best trail for a comfortable ride your average speed especially, during the weekend. I believe Monday through Wednesday should be the best days to try this bike path, hoping it’s less crowded.

Along the way, you’ll find restrooms, shops, and numerous places to grab a bite. And the ride can be quite a fun experience for the whole family. Due to Covid-19 and shutdowns, you need to stay up-to-date with limitations and regulations in L.A. County. Click here to find out more.