By The Wayfarer
Want the whole story? Take the Wayfarer Malibu Tour
It’s only a few blocks long, and yet Malibu Colony looms large in the imagination. Gated. Glamorous. Whispered about. This strip of sand and homes, nestled just off the Pacific Coast Highway between Malibu Lagoon and Malibu Pier, has been called everything from “the original Hollywood beach” to “the Hamptons of the West Coast.”
But like everything in Malibu, there’s more here than meets the eye—if you know where (and how) to look.
Here’s a grounded, story-driven guide to Malibu Colony: what it is, how it came to be, and how to see it clearly—even if you can’t pass through its gate.
What Is Malibu Colony?
Malibu Colony is a privately gated beachside neighborhood along one of the most coveted stretches of coast in California. It sits just east of Malibu Lagoon, stretching along what was once raw coastal land now transformed into a row of oceanfront estates—many worth $20–50 million or more.
Within those few blocks:
- Around 100 homes, each on its own sandy parcel
- A history of residents that includes Hollywood royalty (think: Garbo, Monroe, Streisand)
- Some of the most fiercely protected privacy in the state
It’s not open to the public—but the beach in front of it is. And the story behind it? That’s absolutely worth knowing.
A Brief History of the Colony
To understand Malibu Colony, you have to go back to a time when Malibu wasn’t Malibu—just a long stretch of ranchland owned by a single family.
In the early 1920s, May Rindge, the last private owner of the 13,000-acre Rancho Malibu, was under financial pressure and fighting legal battles to keep public roads and railroads off her land. In a bold move to generate income, she began leasing small beachfront lots to film industry insiders—many of whom were eager to escape the heat and chaos of Los Angeles.
Thus, “Malibu Movie Colony” was born—a row of beach shacks and bungalows where stars could live, surf, and disappear.
Over time, the shacks became cottages. Then mansions. Then modernist retreats behind walls of glass and sand.
Today, Malibu Colony remains the symbolic and cultural heart of Malibu’s transformation—from rugged ranch to celebrity sanctuary.
Can You Visit? Sort of.
You can’t enter the gated street unless you’re a resident or invited guest. But you can walk the public beach in front of it.
Here’s how:
- Park near Malibu Lagoon State Beach (or along PCH near the Malibu Pier)
- Walk toward the ocean and head east along the shoreline
- You’ll soon find yourself walking in front of the homes of the Malibu Colony—on legally public beach sand
Pro tip: Go at low tide for the best walking experience. The sand is wider and easier to navigate, and the water can get quite close to the seawalls at high tide.
Be respectful—this is a peaceful zone, and the residents value quiet as much as privacy.
Why It Still Matters
Malibu Colony isn’t just a zip code for the ultra-wealthy. It’s a symbol of California’s contradictions—openness vs. exclusivity, wildness vs. development, earth vs. industry.
It’s where you can watch a gull soar between a $40 million modernist cube and the crashing tide.
It’s a reminder of how fast a place can change—and how fragile that change can be.
What You’ll See
- Homes that range from mid-century bungalow to architectural icon
- Waves breaking almost at the foundations of some properties
- The Malibu Pier in the distance to your west
- Birds, surfers, sand crabs—and sometimes a film shoot or two
It’s quieter than you think. And it’s full of contrast.
Want the Full Story? Take the Wayfarer Malibu Tour
If you want to understand not just what Malibu Colony is—but what it means—the Wayfarer Malibu Tour is your perfect companion.
This self-guided audio tour, activated by GPS, leads you along the coastline and into the canyons and communities that shaped Malibu’s identity.
Along the way, you’ll learn:
- Why Malibu’s beaches are (legally) public, despite the gates
- How fire, drought, and land battles continue to shape the coast
- What the Chumash understood about this place long before real estate did
- How the Colony fits into the larger story of California’s coastline
You can take the tour on foot, in your car, or with earbuds in as you walk the sand in front of the Colony itself.
Final Thoughts
Malibu Colony isn’t really about the houses. It’s about what happens when a piece of land becomes a symbol—of beauty, of status, of preservation and loss.
You may not be able to walk past the gate.
But you can walk the sand.
You can listen to the surf.
And with the right kind of attention—you can learn something far bigger than the square footage of any beach house.
Because Malibu’s true value isn’t behind the gate.
It’s what’s still in front of it.
by xotatech.com