My favorite beach in Los Angeles

Phew, you guys! It's been a whirlwind of a week dancing around Los Angeles, I am just as in love with that city as ever. This trip was my first visit back to LA since we moved away 2 years ago, and even in that short amount of time, LA has grown and blossomed so much! I think the most substancial change is Santa Monica's face-lift... omg, it looks SO good there! We lived in Santa Monica for years during all the major construction by the Pier, and to finally see the finished product is astonishing... the Light Rail, the walkways to the beach, Tongva Park, the vintage lights strung along Colorado; it's picture perfect.
Walking through LA brings back a flood of wonderful memories, I loved my years there and loved raising my daughter by the beach. Of course, after visiting every beach there time and time again, you find the LA coast beach hidden gems. Though each beach in LA has its perks, from the drum-circles and skaters in Venice, to the tourists lined along the coast in Santa Monica, to the gorgeous cliffs of Malibu taking wave after wave in the surf; each beach is its own.
So.
What makes a beach good? The truth is, it depends on who you ask.

Me? I like a beach with peace + calm, I like it tourist free, chatter free, I want to hear the waves crash into the shore, I want to watch the seagulls circle the tide, I want to be able to relax and not worry about watching my things or someone judging my super-smoking-hot mom bod.
If that sounds of your liking, I would highly recommend LA's lesser known (in a good way!) beach...
Topanga Beach.

Sound familiar? Probably not.
Topanga is in Malibu, just close enough for a quick car ride, but far enough to keep the tourists away.
I have visited Topanga Beach countless times, and never has the parking lot even been half full (or is it half empty?), never have I come across rowdy beach-goers, never have I felt the water was dirty, or the sand was rough... it's always a placid, relaxing, tranquil experience. Away from the crowd, away from the visitors.
Along with a crescent shoreline to spread out on, when the tide goes down, large rocks are revealed with all kind of creatures. I lost count of how many starfish I found during my last trip!

Check out this gorgeous bright orange starfish hanging out with all his sea snail friends!

Bonus points: Topanga is a great beach for surfing, and if you've never rode a board (like me!), but like to watch surfers, there's a great empty coast to setup your beach gear on and watch the surfers ride the waves throughout the day.
Topanga is located right off the famous Pacific Coast Highway, there is a designated parking lot, and a quick flight of stairs will set you right on the beach. This beach features bathrooms, picnic tables, showers to rinse the sand and saltwater off (every beach should have these!), a stellar view of Santa Monica, a million-dollar view of the sunset. Psst, if you've never experienced a sunset on the Pacific Ocean, add that to your bucketlist, it's the prettiest sunset you'll ever see.
As an added bonus, just because, here's a picture of my baby experiencing the beach for the FIRST time, and it is, of course... at Topanga Beach:)

What's your favorite beach? What would you say are your favorites qualities about a beach? What are your turn offs? Let me know what your favorite spot is in the comments!