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Best Parks & Beaches in Malibu for Engagement Photos

If you’re dreaming of Mediterranean vibes for your engagement or couple’s session, let’s head to Malibu! Mountainscapes, rocky cliffs, blue waves, and sandy beaches – Malibu has it all! To choose your photo location, I recommend scenes that fit your vibe as a couple. You can find all kinds of photo inspo on Pinterest, but at the end of the day, it’s best to go with a look that represents you. Beba and Beau did exactly that, and their session is filled with sheer happiness. The bare feet, crop top, and boyfriend jeans all added to this carefree session, which was made complete with a few spins and twirls across grassy fields.

7 Best Parks & Beaches in Malibu for Taking Pictures

El Matador Beach

El Matador Beach is a favorite photography location for couples because of the unique rock formations. Although it’s a popular destination, the rock structures, steep cliffside, and small alcoves provide a private feel. El Matador offers a bit more natural variety than a wide-open beach. If the beach is crowded, we can explore north toward the caves, arches, and sea stacks. Low tide is best if you want photos with the caves and stacks.

Malibu Creek State Park

As you might already know from this gorgeous sunset engagement, Malibu Creek State Park offers wide open spaces and tons of landscape variety for your couple’s or engagement session. Malibu Creek Canyon and the Santa Monica Mountains give way to the Malibu Lagoon, showcasing some of the most scenic backdrops in California. You’ll have plenty of space to explore and play.

*Note: I love Beba and Beau’s style choices for this session. The barefoot look with boyfriend jeans creates all the playful, flirty vibes reminiscent of the sun-kissed 70s vintage style. We brought along a simple stool to give us more posing variety.

Malibu Pier

Share some local love with a photo session at this iconic landmark. The beloved Malibu Pier represents all things Malibu, and it can be a fun way to document the place you call home (or a favorite travel destination). The road near the Malibu Pier is lined with a variety of shops, food stands, and restaurants. You can watch fishermen and surfers trying their luck and enjoy the most beautiful sunsets. The Pier features a variety of backdrops from market-lined pathways to sandy beaches and historic architecture.

Malibu Bluffs Park

For cliffside portraits, try Malibu Bluffs Park. The breezy bluffs provide to incredible views and photos with tons of movement. There’s a variety of backdrops here, too. In addition to rocky landscapes, the park spans across 84 acres of open space with views of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Solstice Canyon

Solstice Canyon is one of the hidden gems of Malibu. Century-old staircases and historic architectural ruins and laid bare by wildfires make it an intriguing point of interest. Plus, the old stone structures give us a lot to work with from a photography standpoint.

The lush canyon itself is incredible to see and hike! It’s an easy hike over the waterfall for more romantic backdrops. (Note: swimming is not permitted here due to a delicate ecosystem.) We’ll also have views of the Pacific Ocean through the canyon.

Point Dume

Whether you’re an avid rock climber, surfer, cave explorer or simply enjoy Malibu’s dramatic coastline, Point Dume provides a stunning otherworldly atmosphere for couple’s portraits. In fact, they shot the final scene of the original Planet of the Apes at Point Dume! As far as beaches in Malibu go, this is one of the best — the grand finale of the Malibu coastline. The landscape here is incredible: rocky cliffs, bright blue water, and pristine sandy beaches. (However, there are no restroom facilities or other amenities here.) This quiet, breathtaking beach is perfect in its natural state. I recommend parking elsewhere and hiking over. There are tons of trails near Point Dume, so we can get a variety of hiking and beach photos. I do recommend a weekday session at Point Dume, especially in the summer months during peak season.

Airbnb / VRBO with Pool or Hot Tub

For something a little different, plan a 2-in-1 weekend getaway and couple’s session. Book a beach house rental with a pool or hot tub for extra steamy photos. We can also get some lifestyle images as you lounge on the patio or balcony and take a sunset stroll on the beach. You can fully relax without fighting traffic or navigating around bystanders. Plus, it makes outfit changes super simple! Everything is right there, and you have the privacy to do things on your on time in your own way.