Laguna Beach
A beach getaway and artsy neighborhood in Southern California
On the coast of Southern California, halfway between the busy cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, you can find a peaceful place to escape all year in lovely Laguna Beach. This oceanfront town in Orange County is known for being fancy, but it’s not stuffy or rude. You’ll instead find the kind of low-key indulgence that lets tourists be themselves, take their time, and connect with beaches, nature, art, wellness, and real people from the area.
Looking into a pristine coastal environment
There are more than 30 coves and beaches along the 11-kilometer shore of Laguna Beach. They are all protected by a marine reserve in California. Main Beach is right in the middle of the city. It has the famous lifeguard tower and flat, calm water that’s great for swimming and paddleboarding. Victoria Beach is known for a lot of things, including the famous Pirate Tower, a man-made pool that is filled with water from the ocean, and being a great place to skimboard, which was created here in the early 1920s. The clear water at Treasure Island Beach is great for swimming, and the moon-shaped Crescent Bay Beach is a popular place to bodysurf or look at sea stars and anemones in the tide pools.
Take a whale-watching cruise for an exciting journey out to sea. In the summer and fall, you can see blue whales, and in the winter and spring, you can see gray whales. All year long, you can see finback whales, minke whales, humpback whales, and dolphins. Animal fans should also check out the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, which is a wildlife hospital that helps marine animals get better and then releases them back into the wild. The Northern elephant seal, the Pacific harbor seal, the Northern fur seal, or the California sea lion might be there when you go. Some hands-on displays and artifacts will help you learn more about conservation.
Outside of the Beach, Nature
More than 8,000 hectares of protected wilderness are open to hikers and mountain bikers who want to explore the inland scenery of the city, which has steep canyons, dramatic hills, and lush valleys. Find Top of the World, one of Laguna Beach’s most beautiful lookout places, near Alta Laguna Park. From there, you can see rolling hills out to the Pacific Ocean. From here, you can start a path that leads into the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, which is a wildlife refuge that also looks out for native plants. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is another popular place to hike and mountain bike. At Nix Nature Center, you can also take a mountain riding lesson. Crystal Cove State Park has an amazing coastal forest that hasn’t been built yet.
A City Full of Art, Culture, and Idea
It’s easy to understand why Laguna Beach is known as an artist’s colony and hippie haven as you walk through its charming center village. The Pathway to Zen Wellness Trail has spas, health-conscious shops and restaurants, yoga lessons, and other places and activities that will help people connect with their inner spirit. There are more than 100 pieces of public art, as well as many art studios and a wide range of locally owned shops and restaurants, that show how creative the city is. Plan to look around on the first Thursday of every month, which is Art Walk Night! Galleries stay open late, and the Laguna Art Museum is free to enter. It is one of the oldest museums in California, and its main focus is still on art from California. There is free bus service all year, not just during art walks (hours and days change with the seasons). Stay at one of seven different beach hotels to get the most out of your time in Laguna Beach.