Visit A Popular California Filming Location At This Stunning Beach
Los Angeles is a city known for its celebrities, but the real stars of the show are its beaches as many of them have been featured in multiple films, TV shows and music videos. According to California.com, Zuma's Point Dume State Beach in Los Angeles is one of the most popular filming locations in the city. The beach party from "The Big Lebowski," parts of "Planet of the Apes" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" were all filmed in this dramatic coastal area.
Swifties will also rejoice here as Point Dume was also featured in Taylor Swift's music video for her song "22". The beauty of Los Angeles is that it can be made to look like so many places that you may not even realize what has been filmed here. Even though this city may be the most recognizable one on Earth, there are still plenty of off-the-beaten-path beaches and areas for you to explore in LA.
What to do at Point Dume and Zuma Beach
Apart from recreating scenes in famous TV shows and movies, there are lots of activities to keep you occupied during a day spent at Point Dume and Zuma Beach. As Malibu is home to many celebrities, keep your eyes peeled for a star sighting when you're here. Like many Californian beaches, Dume and Zuma are surfing hotspots with shower facilities and toilets that you can use.
Point Dume has a trail where you can hike to the viewpoint to see the beaches on either side or even spot a sea lion in the offshore Point Dume State Marine Conservation Area and Point Dume State Marine Reserve where they live. From December to March, you may even spot whales passing by on their migration. The rocky cliffs of Point Dume are a haven for rock climbers, and some parts are even suitable for beginners. There is much more coastline to explore in Malibu and beyond, so it is worth doing a road trip if you want to follow in even more famous footsteps.
Other famous beaches in Los Angeles
If you've been to Point Dume, then don't stop there as there are many other famous filming location beaches to see if you hop on the Pacific Coast Highway. Just a few minutes up the coast is El Matador State Beach where the famous scene between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams where he says, "If you're a bird, I'm a bird," took place. Keanu Reeves bought a surfboard from Manhattan Beach Pier in Point Break but as the movie is about catching waves, many California beachside locations in this flick may be familiar to fellow surfers.
Santa Monica Beach also has a famous pier, which has been featured in "The Net" with Sandra Bullock, Oscar-winners "The Sting" and "Forrest Gump," as well as an episode of "Modern Family." You may get chills at Leo Carillo Beach because some of the scenes between Sandy and Danny from Grease were filmed here. It has also been committed to film in the smash-hit "The Usual Suspects" as well as "Cast Away" and "The Karate Kid." Wrap up your trip here with a slow-motion run at Venice Beach, à la Baywatch, as the often-imitated opening sequence to the original show was shot here. If filming locations are your thing, then join an LA bus tour to see even more iconic places from your favorite shows and movies on your trip.