Situated just east of Point Dume, Paradise Cove offers a lifestyle like no other. The beach section, located between Escondido and Paradise Cove Pier, represents some of the most exclusive real estate in Malibu. Adjacent to the pier, Paradise Cove Mobile Home Park has been hailed as “America’s Most Glamorous Trailer Park.” It’s easy to see why, with the owner’s here enjoying a quiet, beachside lifestyle with private access to amazing sandy coves and excellent surf.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this beachside enclave so special.

Location

Paradise Cove is situated a few moments west of Latigo Canyon, the technical divide between Eastern and Western Malibu. The result of the perfect blend of peace, privacy, and accessibility. It is less busy than Eastern Malibu areas like Cross Creek and the Malibu Pier, yet still easily within reach of West L.A. and the nearby cities over the hill.

Malibu has several markets and Paradise Cove has central proximity to three of the best. Point Dume Village is less than 2 miles away, and Trancas Country Market is less than a 10-minute drive. Heading east, Malibu Country Market and the surrounding centers are just over 10 minutes away.

Paradise Cove Road leads to the beachfront restaurant with a paid parking lot of visitors. The mobile home community is located on the right and has a guarded gate, providing security and comfort to the residents and their guests. Once behind the gates, you are fully welcomed into this quiet beachside community.

The Beaches

The beaches from Paradise Cove to Point Dume are some of Malibu’s finest.

The white cliffs, dotted with luxury blufftop homes, offer protection from the west wind that is prominent much of the year at Zuma and west-facing beaches. The result is a much less windy beach during the afternoons, cleaner surf, and warm sandy coves.

Residents enjoy two beach access points. The first is at Paradise Cove, where the iconic Paradise Cove Cafe operates daily and you can fish off of the Paradise Cove Pier. The public is allowed to walk in, but beachfront parking is a paid lot run by the Cafe and fills up quickly on summer weekends. For residents, there is a large dirt lot and a private staircase leading down to the parking lot for easy access to the Cafe, pier, and beach.

The second is on the western end of the Cove. Most residents own a golf cart, making it easy to load up beach gear, surfboards, and a cooler to hit the beach. This access is a private trail, an easy walk or ride that leads to a pad with golf cart parking and a short stairway to the sand. No beach in Malibu is fully private, however, the beach here is one of the most private in all of Malibu and Southern California. Between Paradise Cove Pier and Point Dume, there is no public access, and the ocean often does not allow visitors to walk around several rocky points. The result is an incredibly private beachfront community with neighbors enjoying the beach and breaking waves together largely free of visitors.

This area also boasts some great surf. Residents of Paradise Cove enjoy adjacent surf breaks and easy walking access to Little Dume, one of Malibu’s most exclusive surf breaks. These points and reefs are perfectly situated to capture south swells all summer, and several will break year-round on the right swell. It’s important to note that if you plan to walk in and surf, follow some basic etiquette so everyone stays stoked.

The Sections

There are several different sections within the mobile home park, each offering something different:

• The Lower Bowl (spaces 1-85) offers the most affordable housing in Paradise Cove. Many of these are single-wide mobile homes, with one bedroom and perhaps a bonus loft. Similar to the concept of tiny homes, these offer a beachside retreat and are a perfect weekend getaway or year-round residence for singles, couples, or small families. The Lower Bowl has a separate, un-staffed gate for access that is exclusive to that area. A few of the higher homes here do offer ocean views.
• Once through the guard gates, there are two, short, dead-end streets. The lower street (spaces 86-97) offers a peaceful canyon setting a moment’s walk from Paradise Cove Pier, set overlooking the Lower Bowl section and alongside the seasonal Ramirez Creek. The upper street (spaces 98-105) also known as Half Way offers ocean views over the Lower Bowl and out to the pier.
• The Loop (spaces 106-129) is set high near the backside of the main bluff with the northern section backing up to Pacific Coast Hwy. Several of these offer massive ocean views, while others simply enjoy being on their own street with no through traffic.
• The Family section (spaces 163-207) is set in the back of the park near Pacific Coast Highway and situated above the community sports courts which include volleyball, basketball, tennis, and a playground, making it great for families. There is a service gate/emergency exit located at the back of this section to PCH.
• The Bluff (spaces 130-160, 224-271) represents some of the most desirable locations within the park. The front row offers magnificent ocean views of the horizon and white cliffs that line the sandy coves from Paradise Cove to Little Dume. A home on the bluff in the front row holds the current sale price record at $5.3 million.

There is something for everyone in Paradise Cove, with a wide variety and price range available to prospective buyers. There are classic mobile homes, both single and double-wide, as well as several with more permanent construction techniques that, while conforming to the park regulations, are much more similar to a home than a mobile home.

Leased Land

Like the neighboring community of Point Dume Club, residents in Paradise Cove do not own the land; rather, they lease it from the park owner. While this concept is foreign to most buyers, it’s not as strange as it sounds.

Residents pay a monthly fee for their space. This includes HOA fees for amenities such as security and common area maintenance. The land lease amount varies based on how many times a property has sold. Each sale triggers a percentage increase based on the most current base rent, which is why some owners there pay in excess of $4,000/mo for spaces that have traded regularly, while other long-term residents pay $1,000/mo or less.

One huge bonus of this arrangement is that since the land is not owned, residents do not pay property taxes. Another important consideration is that space rent includes what would otherwise be a homeowners association monthly free. Most of Malibu’s HOA communities begin at $800/mo and many are upwards of $1,000/month (plus property taxes).

Life in The Cove

Paradise Cove is a true, eclectic blend of old school and new school. There are large front-row properties made to look like single-family homes, weathered surf shacks, and everything in between.

Similar to the diversity of homes, Paradise Cove is a melting pot of many of Malibu’s finest characters. Lifeguards, contractors, entrepreneurs, families, and more enjoy a quiet lifestyle by the beach here. It has long been enjoyed by celebrities past and present, including Pamela Anderson, Betsy Johnson, Minnie Driver, and Matthew McConaughey, who have all called Paradise Cove home.

Paradise Cove is one of the ultimate communities to enjoy the Malibu lifestyle, and once you’re behind the gate, you may never want to leave.

Property Spotlight: 97 Paradise Cove Road

2 Beds | 1 Bath | Space Rent Approx. $1,786/mo to Buyer | List Price $3,995,000

This Marmol Radziner home in Paradise Cove is the ultimate coastal retreat, blending luxury and modern simplicity in one of Malibu’s most sought-after locations.

Enjoy private access to sandy coves and excellent surf from Paradise Cove Pier to Little Dume. Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, this is one of the most private lots in all of Paradise Cove with no immediate neighbors. Rustic barn wood adorns the exterior and a large push gate opens to a sanctuary surrounded by mature trees, drought-resistant succulents, and meticulously designed spaces. Inside, the home is appointed with James Perse furniture which is included in the sale.

The living room boasts vaulted wood-beamed ceilings with a long center skylight, floor-to-ceiling windows, and Western stacking glass doors that connect to a wraparound Ipe wood deck. Casual living spaces gently lead to a dining area and well-equipped kitchen with a Thermador gas range, stainless steel appliances, and a breakfast bar.

The spa-like bathroom features marble floors, a soaking tub, shower with a bench, dual vanities, and a water closet with a bidet. The primary bedroom overlooks the backyard and has a walk-in closet, vaulted wood ceilings, and corner sliding doors opening to a peaceful oasis.

The backyard is completely enclosed and private with a large Ipe sun deck, outdoor dining area, gas fire pit, and bubbling fountain. At the rear of the property, there is a detached room that could be utilized as a guest bedroom, office, den, fitness/yoga studio, and more.

Additional features include an outdoor shower, an included Polaris golf cart with gated parking, and a laundry area with a sink. The property offers extremely low space rent, no property taxes, and easy beach access to some of Malibu’s most beautiful sandy beaches. Perfectly designed in one of Malibu’s most exclusive beachside communities, this is a truly rare opportunity.

For a tour of the cove and to see available listings like space 97, please get in touch! Contact us at 310.924.4408 or email justin.cumbee@compass.com