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About Malaga Cove Beach (RAT Beach) in Palos Verdes Estates, California

Malaga Cove Beach is the northernmost and sandiest beach in the city of Palos Verdes Estates which has a shoreline mostly made up of rocky coves backed by steep cliffs. This beach on Malaga Cove is also the south end of Torrance County Beach and has a unique nickname. Most locals call this beach RAT Beach which stands for “Right After Torrance” and other similar combinations of R-A-T.

Surfers get into the water at RAT Beach as do scuba divers. This is not a bad beach for sunbathing and the crowds are much lower here than at Torrance and Redondo. The area nearest the access is pretty rocky and the beach gets sandier as you go north. Lifeguards from the county staff the tower at RAT Beach.

Access to Malaga Cove is down the Malaga Cove Trail from a parking lot at the intersection of Paseo Del Mar and Via Arroyo. The trail begins on the north side of the lot and goes by the private Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club on the way down. As the trail reaches the bottom of the bluff you can continue right (north) and eventually get to the sandy part of the beach or turn left below the athletic club to access a rocky shoreline with a small waterfall (after rains), tide pools (at low tide), dive spots, and a left-hand surf break known as Haggerty’s.

Address
Paseo Del Mar & Via Arroyo
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
Other Names
Haggerty's, RAT Beach, Malaga Canyon, Malaga Creek Falls
Pet Details
No dogs allowed on the beach
Fees
Free street spaces and public parking lot (5am to 9pm)
Activities
Surfing, Swimming, Scuba Diving, Sunbathing, Beach Walking, Fishing, Tidepooling
Amenities
Lifeguard, Restrooms, Tide Pools, Gazebo
Map of Malaga Cove Beach (RAT Beach)
Palos Verdes Estates, US
7:32 am, March 28, 2024
temperature icon 53°F
L: 53° H: 61°
Feels like 52.65 °F overcast clouds
Wind gusts: 2 m/s
UV Index: 0.49
Precipitation: 0 inch
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 6:45 am
Sunset: 7:11 pm
Humidity 92 %
Pressure1018 mb
Wind 2 m/s

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