Flying into LAX
Los Angeles International Airport is where most far from home families start, and Pepperdine's Malibu campus page gives the drive as 25 miles and 45 minutes to one hour. The trip ends with a run up Pacific Coast Highway, so leave margin if you are meeting a check in window.
At LAX, taxis and standard app rides (Uber, Lyft) meet passengers at LAX-it, a lot next to Terminal 1. Catch the free LAX-it shuttle on the arrivals (lower) level next to baggage claim, which comes about every 7 minutes, or walk over. Pepperdine's international student arrival guide adds that students use shared ride vans and rideshare from LAX, and that a rental car makes sense if you are comfortable driving in the US.
Burbank and other options
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) also comes up on the parent transportation page. That page lists airport shuttle companies, one of which advertises service to LAX, Burbank, Van Nuys and Union Station, along with phone numbers for Malibu taxis, the Budget and Hertz rental offices, Amtrak and Metrolink. We could not find an official drive time from Burbank, so check a map app for your landing time.
Driving onto campus
Stop at either campus entrance booth for a visitor pass. Hang it from your rear view mirror with "Visitor Pass" facing out; it is good only on the day it is issued. With it, you can park in any legal space except red zones, yellow zones and blue lined accessible spaces. Public Safety's FAQ does not mention a fee.
Staying with your student over a weekend works differently. Guests of students who stay the weekend must be registered with Housing and Residence Life, and if you are staying through Monday, the booth issues a 24 hour pass. Parking questions go to the Parking Office at 310.506.4700.
Public Safety also runs a road conditions hotline at 310.506.ROAD. Call it before you drive in on a stormy day or during fire season.
Where parents stay
Pepperdine's parent office keeps a hotel list, and several properties on it advertise a Special Pepperdine Rate for parents. The drive times below are the ones that list gives.
On campus and in Malibu
The Villa Graziadio Executive Center sits on the Malibu campus with 32 guest rooms; call 310.506.1100 for rates. Down the coast, the oceanfront Malibu Beach Inn is listed at about 5 minutes away.
Calabasas and Agoura Hills
Through Malibu Canyon, Calabasas is the closest cluster. The Cambria Hotel Calabasas is listed at about 15 minutes, and The Anza and the Hilton Garden Inn Calabasas at about 20. Agoura Hills has a Hampton Inn at about 25 minutes, plus a Homewood Suites and a Sheraton the list puts near 20.
Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks
Westlake Village offers the Four Seasons, the Westlake Village Inn, the Hyatt Westlake Plaza and a Residence Inn, each listed around 20 minutes out. The Thousand Oaks properties on the list run about 30 minutes.
Toward the city
The Beverly Hilton, about 40 minutes away, can suit families pairing a campus visit with time in Los Angeles.
Waves Weekend and commencement
Waves Weekend (October 9 to 11, 2026) and Seaver commencement (May 1, 2027) are the two weekends most parents plan trips around. We did not find a published sell out timeline, but with so few rooms in Malibu itself, booking as soon as you have dates is the safer move. Rates and promo codes on the school's list can change, so confirm them when you call.