The Late-Summer Beach Bucket List: 10 Ways to Make the Most of August
Here’s the secret every local knows: August, not July, is the Westside’s best beach month. The ocean is finally warm, the marine layer burns off earlier, the tourist crush is starting to thin, and the light stretches long and gold into the evening. September will be here before you’re ready. This is the moment to use the coast — here are ten ways to make the most of it before summer slips away.
1. Swim When the Water’s Actually Warm
Late summer is when the Pacific finally warms to its yearly peak — still bracing, but no longer a dare. Get in. A midday swim off Santa Monica beach is the whole point of living here; check the lifeguard flags, mind the rip currents, and swim near a staffed tower.
2. Play a Real Game of Beach Volleyball
The Westside is the spiritual home of beach volleyball, and the public courts are free. Round up friends or find a pickup game — mornings and early evenings are best when the sand isn’t scorching. You don’t have to be good; you just have to show up.
3. Bike the Marvin Braude Trail End to End
The beach bike path is one of the great free pleasures of West LA — miles of flat, car-free riding along the sand. Do a long stretch of it in the cool of the morning, stop for coffee, and turn around when you feel like it. Rentals are easy to find near the Pier if you don’t have wheels.
“September will be here before you’re ready. This is the moment to use the coast.”
4. Stay for a Sunset
The August sunsets are the best of the year — longer, warmer, more forgiving. Don’t pack up at 5pm. Stay through golden hour and the afterglow; our guide to the best sunset spots on the Westside has the where and when.
5. Catch a Free Concert on the Sand
Summer’s free beachfront music series are still running, and there are few better nights than live music with your toes in the sand. Keep an eye on Twilight on the Pier and confirm dates on the official schedule.
6. Rent a Kayak or Paddleboard
Seeing the coast from the water changes it entirely. Calm late-summer mornings are ideal for a paddle out past the surf line — rentals are available near the Pier. Go early, before the afternoon wind picks up and the swell builds.
7. Have a Boardwalk Dinner Outdoors
Eat with a view while the weather still demands it. The Westside’s ocean-adjacent patios are made for this season; see our picks for the best restaurants in Santa Monica and grab a table facing the water.
8. Do a Tide-Pool Morning at Low Tide
Check a tide chart, head to the rockier stretches of coast at low tide, and go looking for anemones, crabs, and starfish in the pools. It’s free, it’s genuinely fascinating, and it turns a beach trip into an expedition — especially good with kids. Tread lightly and put everything back where you found it.
9. Beat the Crowds With a Sunrise Beach Walk
The beach at 6:30am belongs to the locals, the dogs, and the pelicans. A sunrise walk on empty sand is the antidote to a busy summer — cool air, soft light, and the whole coast to yourself before the day starts.
10. Make One More Full Beach Day
Before the calendar turns, block out one unhurried day: umbrella, cooler, book, no agenda. Not a stop on the way to something else — the whole point. For everything else worth doing while you’re down there, our list of things to do in Santa Monica has you covered.
