entertainment

L.A. County Beaches Are Open (Hurray)! Here Are 6 Dos and Don’ts

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

After a six-week closure, the beaches are open for everyone to enjoy the sun, surf and display of quarantine-flabby flesh. But not like in the Before Times: Today's beachgoing fun includes only a handful of activities, while many others are restricted. So what's a sun-and-sand lover to do? We've put together a few ideas for fun activities and accessories to help you stay salty (and safe).

It's Too Hot to Wear Sweatpants—Wear One of These Super Cute Onesies Instead


1. DO: Keep More Than Six Feet From Others (Except Members of the Same Household)

Basically, the rule is to keep moving; in other words, you can walk, jog, swim or surf, but you can't lie out on a blanket and sunbathe, picnic or just plop down for a relaxing meditation. And you still have to stay six feet away from others, which is why volleyball and other group sports are not allowed. (Inscrutably, you are also not allowed to bicycle, which belies logic.)

2. DON’T: Forget to Wear Face Coverings When You're out of the Water

Whatever you do, keep your mouth and nose covered and keep moving, as the mayor is doubling down masks and asking all Angelenos to wear them whenever outdoors. On the beach, this means you have to don them except when you are in the water. And city officials up and down the coast say that if citizens don’t follow these precautions, there will be future full beach closures.

Get Outfitted

Polyester Mask (Set of 6)

30
Buy Now

Silk Mask (Set of 5)

40
Buy Now

Cotton Mask

10.19
Buy Now
Robert Lachman / Getty Images

3. DO: Go Surfing or Boogie Boarding

Some surf schools such as Aqua Surf School on Malibu's Surfrider Beach are open once again, so you can rent your board and wetsuit there. You can also opt to buy your own wetsuit online, as well as pick up a boogie board (way easier to use than surfboards, for beginners). Or get a skim board, which is a fun glide on the sand and not nearly as strenuous.

4. DON’T: Use the Parking Lots

They’re still closed, sorry.

Get Outfitted

Wetsuit

105
Buy Now

Bodyboard

60
Buy Now

Skimboard

30
Buy Now
MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images / Getty Images

5. DO: Try A New Activity

Maybe drive to Long Beach with your pup and spend a good hour walking the sands of Rosie's Dog Beach. Or meet a pal for a six-foot-apart, mask-intact social distancing stroll along the winding beachside parks of Santa Monica or Venice. Wear a pair of neon shorts. Or heck, just roll up your trousers, walk along the shoreline and have a good, cleansing cry. It’ll feel so good to just do something besides watching Netflix all day.

Get Outfitted

Waterproof Sandals

32
Buy Now

Sun Hat

275
Buy Now

Running Shorts

23
Buy Now
Twenty

6. DON'T: Sit, Sunbathe or Join a Group

The rule is that sitting, sunbathing or gathering together for a picnic is not OK. Which is a bummer, or maybe just the incentive we need to keep it active on the sand. May grey or June gloom, the beach is still one of our area’s greatest assets, and we’re here for it.

9 of the Best L.A.-Made Face Masks You Can Order Online


Dana Dickey

Senior Editor

Dana Dickey is a PureWow Senior Editor, and during more than a decade in digital media, she has scoped out and tested top products and services across the lifestyle space...
read full bio

Why You Should Trust Us

PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.