There's a lagoon in Malibu? You bet—at the ocean in Malibu Creek State Park near the intersection of PCH and Cross Creek Rd. Very few hikes that Barbara and I have tackled condense as much relevance and history as this small area. Malibu Creek is about, oh, a million-years old—here before the Santa Monica Mountains rose from the sea—and it's the only creek that completely cuts through the SM Mtns. Malibu Lagoon, where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean, is one of the few natural estuaries along the Pacific Flyway. We arrived at low tide and saw seagulls, pelicans, herons, egrets, and a very calm juvenile Black Crown Night Heron (photo), and those are only a few of the 75 species of water birds and 70 species of land birds that live in or pass through the lagoon. Human settlement began with the Chumash Indians who named the area Humaliwu—"where the surf sounds loudly." Juan Cabrillo put it on the map for Spain in the mid-16th century. In 1802, José Tapia named this 13,316-acre Spanish land grant Malibu Rancho. In 1892, Frederick H. Rindge purchased Malibu Rancho for $10/acre to build a farm by the ocean. His wife, May Knight Rindge, had the Malibu Pier built in 1906, and by 1928, Malibu was the most valuable single real estate holding in the USA. Between 1930 and 1970, the lagoon was filled in (idiotic) BUT, fortunately, conservationists to the rescue restored 11 acres in 1983. Between 2012-2013, the California Park system reconfigured and expanded the entire lagoon, adding well-tended paths, artful benches, lookout spots, and instructional signage. Barb and I hiked the walkway that wraps the lagoon and extends to the tide pools and Surfrider Beach at oceanside. You know Surfrider Beach: 1965, Beach Blanket Bingo was filmed there, and, in 2010, Surfrider Beach was dedicated as the first World Surfing Reserve. We trudged across the sand to the tide pool, peered at the little crabs and sea slugs tucked between the rocks, then headed south (or was it east?) toward the surfing beach and Malibu Pier. First, we had to cross Malibu Creek (which looked a lot shallower than it was.) We slopped through, up to our ankles in water and sand, but the weather was warm, we're always up for adventure, and on the other side we ran into an old friend painting at the shore. Above us, the famous Adamson House. In 1929, Fred and May Rindge's daughter Rhonda, and her husband, Merritt Adamson, built their beach house, a Spanish Colonial Revival using tiles from the Malibu Potteries. The house, the tiles, the landscaping, and design on a gorgeous plot of land seaside, combined to become a California Historic Landmark in 1985. We toured the grounds (home to a privileged scurry of squirrels lounging on the lawn,) in awe of the gorgeous tile-work, the incredible 180-views, and amused by Fido’s private, tiled, dog-bathtub on the back patio. Tucked below a bridge, you can barely see Malibu Lagoon as you speed up and down PCH, but for nature lovers, beach bums, history buffs, and background on L.A.'s ritziest neighborhood, this hike has it all. Don’t miss it.