If you’re a film buff and a beach bum, you must take a day out of your travel schedule to hang out on the Will Rogers State Beach (17700 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades, www.beaches.co.la.ca.us/bandh). Yet another fabulous full-service L.A. beach, a number of movies have been filmed at Will Rogers. Even if you don’t care about that, you’ll love the nearly two miles of sandy beach, easy to get to from the parking lot, studded with volleyball courts, playground equipment, restrooms, and picnic tables.

The bike path running along the land side of the sand runs for 19 miles all the way down to Redondo State Beach. Out in the water, you can swim, skin dive, and surf. A mild right point break offers a good learning ground for beginners. Lifeguards protect the shores during the day in summer, and the locals think their guards are some of the best-looking in the county.

Just be sure to pay attention to the flags and signs, since pollution can be a big problem at Will Rogers due to storm drains emptying out into the ocean.

Bring cash to pay for parking, but be happy that with more than 1,750 spots, you’ll probably find one that’s legal and reasonably secure.