A Lobster Roll After a Waterfall Hike? Malibu’s Fall Combo

Lobster season is on. Pair Escondido Falls with an optional Malibu Seafood stop on our private Malibu waterfall tour.

On October 10, my phone buzzed with a text that made me very happy: “Pacific Lobsters are in season at Malibu Seafood.” It was the restaurant’s announcement, sent straight to me, and my first thought was of waterfalls.

The text that started it

Malibu Seafood is a market and restaurant just off Pacific Coast Highway, a few miles from Malibu Pier. According to ABC7, it started in 1972 as a fish market run by two fishermen. It is open seven days a week, with an ocean view, and on our Malibu Waterfall Hike & Pacific Coast Tour it is an optional stop, time permitting. So the lobster announcement felt like a note from a neighbor.

What “Pacific lobster season” really means

The text says “Pacific lobsters.” What is in season along our coast is the California spiny lobster. It has no big claws, just long antennae and a spiny shell, and its meat is firm, sweet and mild, quite different from the cold-water Maine lobster most people picture.

As of October 2026, here is what I confirmed. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) opens the recreational season on the Friday before the first Wednesday in October and closes it on the first Wednesday after March 15, which means October 2, 2026 through March 17, 2027. Local reporting says the commercial season began Wednesday, October 7, 2026, when locally caught lobster starts reaching markets and restaurants. In plain terms, lobster season is open now and runs into spring.

Escondido Falls first, then something delicious

Our waterfall tour starts with a private pickup anywhere in LA and a drive up Pacific Coast Highway, with photo stops at the Malibu Sign and oceanfront viewpoints, past celebrity homes on the way to Escondido Canyon.

Then you walk. It is about an hour to Escondido Falls, a tiered waterfall roughly 150 feet tall. The first 20 to 30 minutes climb uphill, enough to get your heart rate up, then the trail slips into a shaded canyon beside a creek with a few small stream crossings. We call it an easy-to-moderate hike, and AllTrails lists it as easy, with about 700 feet of climbing.

Worked up an appetite?

If the hike works up an appetite, we have an awesome restaurant in mind. Malibu Seafood is an optional stop, time permitting, before or after the trail. ABC7 reports a menu that includes lobster rolls, fish and chips (the most popular dish, per ABC7), fish tacos, clam chowder bread bowls and shrimp, and the restaurant’s website shows picnic-style, open-air seating overlooking the water. We will go over what is on the menu during your pre-tour consultation, so you know what to expect.

Tips for your Malibu day

• Tell us about the food stop. Mention it during your complimentary pre-tour consultation and we will plan the day around it.
• Wear shoes with grip. The trail has a few small stream crossings, and your feet will thank you.
• Use your welcome bag. Every guest gets water and snacks for the trail.
• Bring the family. Kids are welcome, and we can bring a car seat on request.
• Watch the sky. If it rains, we can cancel with a refund or choose a different experience.

Make it your fall tradition

I love tours that start with a view and end with a story, and this one has a waterfall in the middle. Every tour we run is designed around the guest, so tell us what you love when we talk and we will shape the day. We are a small, family-run company, and the restaurant’s text felt like one local business tipping off another. Consider this me passing it along.

Sources: CDFW: Recreational Lobster Fishing · The Log: Spiny Lobster Season Opens October 2nd · SanDiegoVille: Spiny Lobster Season Is Here (2026) · ABC7: Malibu Seafood · Malibu Seafood