I love the beach. Even though the closest beach is only minutes away, I will drive out further if the water quality is better at another beach. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to try Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey. As the name implies, one would think it’s a good place for kids. There’s even a playground right on the beach. However, after reading some recent reviews on Yelp, I learned it is dirty, smells horrible, and has an “F” grade for water quality on the Heal the Bay Beach Report Card!
While my guests were in town, we went to the beach twice – last Friday we went to Manhattan Beach, and Sunday we went to Hermosa Beach. Tomorrow, we have plans to go to Point Dume, in Malibu.
Here are some resources to help you in your search for a clean beach. Note that the water quality will vary per year (or even season), and it’s a smart idea to check the beach’s website for up-to-date information. Happy beaching!
Heal the Bay: Beach Report Card
Covers beaches in California, Oregon, and Washington State
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) water quality guide for vacation beaches
Lists all coastal states. There’s also a lot of great information and tips on the site.
Newsweek Clean Beach Finder
Search using City or Zip Code. Handy tool!
Waterkeeper Swim Guide
Guide to safe and clean swimming by Waterkeeper Alliance. A free app is also available.
Awesome App alert:
And, here’s an article from the L.A. Times about how to get access to Malibu beaches and an app that makes it easy!
