Laguna Beach, CA Road Trips

Laguna Beach lies along the coast of the Pacific Ocean with a ridge of hills bounding its eastern edge. The main road is Pacific Coast Highway, also referred to as Coast Highway, Highway 1 and PCH. North Laguna This is the area from about High Street north to the city line at Crystal Cove State Park. This stretch of Coast Highway has a few restaurants and shops, but is main residential (large gated communities) with entry points to secluded beaches. Main Beach / The Village This area fans out from Broadway, a street that becomes Laguna Canyon Road (CA 133, a main artery into Laguna Beach). To the north is the famous Gallery Row area and oceanfront Heisler Park. To the south is the village area with shops and restaurants. Broadway ends at Main Beach, with its boardwalk and popular sandy beach area. South of Main Beach This is the long area from about Cleo Street south to Aliso Creek Beach. This stretch of Coast Highway contains a lot of shopping, restaurants, hotels and entry points to secluded beaches. Residential neighborhoods slope up the hills. South Laguna This is the area from Aliso Creek Beach south to Crown Valley Parkway. It contains cliff side beaches, some restaurants and shopping, a hospital and residential properties.

Before seeing anything, visit the Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau, 252 Broadway (☏ +1 800 877-1115 or ☏ +1 949 497-9229). It is in the heart of town and distributes lodging, dining, and art gallery guides. It's open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM, and Saturday from 10AM to 4PM (plus Sundays in the summer). 1 Art-A-Fair, 777 Laguna Canyon Rd, ☏ +1 949-494-4514. Su-Th 10AM-9PM; F Sa 10AM-10PM. The Art-A-Fair Festival is one of three premier outdoor art shows held annually in Laguna Beach. Located in Laguna Canyon between the Sawdust Festival and Festival of Arts in a beautiful garden setting, it features over 125 artists, plus live entertainment, fine food, demonstrations and workshops. Artists from California as well as many other states and countries apply annually and are accepted through a jury system, which contributes to the high quality of art and master crafts among participants. $3.50-7.00. 2 Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd. 10AM-11:30PM during the summer. This fine art festival showcases Orange County’s most accomplished artists during the summer months. Held on the same grounds as the Pageant of the Masters, there are demos, music, and food available in addition to the artwork. 3 Pageant of the Masters, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd. Held nightly during the summer, the Pageant of the Masters advertises itself as the place "where art comes to life", which is about the best description that could be given of an event that is unlike any other.

There is very good scuba and skin diving in Laguna. Diver's Cove is in north Laguna. There are some good surfing breaks in Laguna however it is always best to check with lifeguards for the designated areas since it is not allowed at many beaches. But be weary and considerate since several breaks are pretty localized. Surfing tends to be more laid back at Thalia st since there are already a ton of people out in the water anyways. Grab a sponge board and hit the glassy shore break at Main Beach, or the neck breakers at Crescent Bay. Caution: Laguna is notorious for its shore breaking waves which cause countless neck and back injuries year round. Checking with lifeguards about the conditions is alway a must if you are thinking about going out in the water for your first time. There are some steep streets going to Top of the World and Arch Beach heights that are great for downhill skateboarding. Especially the fire road between T.O.W. and Arch Beach heights. While you're up there check out the amazing view and a beautiful sunset. Awesome tide pools at Moss Street--bring the kids and check out some sea anemones. Experts only skimboarding at Victoria Beach and Aliso however there are strict rules about skimming during the summer. Good mountain biking in Laguna Canyon and Laguna Wilderness Park. Laguna's mountain biking tends to be very vertical and will test your limits. Going off roading from the fire road between Arch Beach Heights and T.O.W. can be quite a rush. Take a hike out in El Morro canyon. Have a picnic in one of the many beautiful parks in the Laguna area.

There are a wide range of options for dining in Laguna Beach. The high-end restaurants and inexpensive options are mixed together both in the village core and along PCH. Most restaurants will have their menu outside so that you can determine if the food and prices are what you're looking for. 1 Adolfo's Mexican Food, 998 South Coast Hwy (at Anita Street, south of Main Beach). M Tu Th-Sa 9AM-9PM, W 9AM-8PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Charming Mexican restaurant with a good selection of meats on the menu. Great to take your out-of-town friends to. (updated Apr 2026) 2 Café Zinc, 350 Ocean Ave (in the village), ☏ +1 949-494-6302. Vegetarian café serving breakfast and lunch. Very popular with locals. 3 Gina's Pizza, 1100 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-494-4342. Sa Su 11AM-9PM, M-F 10:30AM-9PM. Great Italian food including pizza, pastas and hearty sandwiches, with pitchers of beer available. The southern location has outdoor seating for people watching with an ocean view. Friendly and totally casual. One of three locations, soon to be four. (updated Apr 2026) 4 Heidelberg Cafe & Bistro, 1100 South Coast Hwy (at Brooks Street), ☏ +1 949-497-4594. Popular breakfast place that also does lunch. Has indoor and outdoor seating. Breakfast $10, Lunch $10-15. 5 La Sirena Grill, 347 Mermaid St (in the village), ☏ +1 949-497-TACO (8226). M-Sa 8AM-9PM. Looks like a hole in the wall, seating is limited to a few barstools and handful of tables and benches, but the best Mexican food. 6 La Sirena Grill, 30862 S.

1 Heidelberg Cafe & Bistro, 1100 South Coast Hwy (at Brooks Street). See description above under "Eat". 2 Koffee Klatch, 1440 South Coast Hwy (near Mountain Street), ☏ +1 949-376-6867. M-Th Su 7AM-11PM, F Sa 7AM-midnight. Locally owned, you can get breakfast in the morning and treat yourself to dessert at night. Eclectic decor, big comfy chairs, patio seating and friendly staff. Some of the best coffee in Orange County. 3 Laguna Coffee Company, 1050 South Coast Hwy (between Anita and Oak Streets), ☏ +1 949-494-6901. Su-W 6AM-6PM, Th-Sa 6AM-8PM. Locally owned, the coffee beans are roasted in-house. Limited seating inside and along the walkway outside. 4 Orange Inn, 703 South Coast Hwy (at Cleo). See description above under "Eat". Starbucks, 180 North Coast Hwy adjacent to the Main Beach with a small parking lot. 5 Marine Room, 214 Ocean Ave. In downtown. 6 The Sandpiper Lounge (Sandpiper), 1183 S Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-494-4694, [email protected]. 1PM-2AM daily. About six blocks south of Main Beach, it offers live music every night. Since 1969. Also sells merchandise. (updated Apr 2026) 7 Brussels Bistro, 222 Forest Ave, ☏ +1 949-376-7955. Brussels Bistro offers live jazz Tu-Th. On Friday and Saturday the brasserie-style restaurant transforms into one of the hotter nightclubs in town. Happy hour is offered daily from 4-7PM. 8 Finney's Crafthouse - Laguna Beach, 340 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-484-8140. Chicken wings and beer and things. 9 Hennessey's Tavern, 213 Ocean Ave, ☏ +1 949-494-2743. M-F 10AM-2AM, Sa Su 9AM-2AM.

1 Art Hotel Laguna Beach, 1404 North Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-494-6464, fax: +1 949 494-9776. Formerly America's Best Inns. Across the street from the ocean and Crescent Bay Park. 2 Best Western Laguna Brisas Spa Hotel, 1600 South Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-497-7272, toll-free: +1-888-296-6834, fax: +1 949 497-8306. 3 Casa Laguna Inn & Spa, 2510 South Coast Hwy, toll-free: +1-800-233-0449. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Bed and Breakfast across from the ocean in Laguna Beach. Rooms designed for one or two adults. Romantic, terraced gardens. Full service spa, charming unique rooms and suites with modern amenities, gourmet breakfast prepared with local ingredients, afternoon wine and cheese, high speed internet, and ocean view garden hot tub. $159-649. 4 Holiday Inn Laguna Beach, 696 South Coast Highway (at Cleo Road, northeast corner), ☏ +1 949-494-1001. Convenient location, across the street from ocean access and a Ralph's supermarket open 24 hr. 5 Laguna Riviera Resort on the Beach, 825 South Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-494-1196, fax: +1 949 494-8421. 6 Montage Resort & Spa Laguna Beach, 30801 South Coast Highway, toll-free: +1-866-271-6953. Sumptuous oceanfront hotel on a bluff with superb service, gorgeous grounds, and delightful views. Facilities for meetings, weddings, spa retreats, as well as a variety of fine dining restaurants. (updated Mar 2017) 7 Inn at Laguna Beach, 211 North Coast Highway, ☏ +1 949-497-9722. A luxury hotel in Orange County featuring oceanfront suites, for business and leisure travel.

Orange County's John Wayne Airport, also known as SNA is only about 15 miles from Laguna Beach. From SNA, you can get to Laguna Beach by one of several ways: rent a car and drive (most popular), take a taxi (about $50), take a door-to-door shuttle (about $30) or limo, or take the OCTA [see Orange County Transportation Authority below] bus #76 ($2.50, runs hourly) to the Newport Transportation Center and transfer there to the OCTA bus #1 that runs to Laguna Beach via the Pacific Coast Highway. All of these modes may be found at the SNA's Ground Transportation Center across the street from Terminal A and B, with the exception of the OCTA bus #76, which is boarded at the OCTA Bus Stop at the far end of Terminal B curbside. Laguna Beach stretches along the Pacific Coast Highway (CA 1) at the "T" intersection of Laguna Canyon Road (CA 133), which becomes Broadway in town. When arriving on summer nights during Pageant of the Masters performances expect a lot of traffic along CA 133 and plan extra time to get into town. From John Wayne Airport, you can take either Interstate 405 (to the north) or CA-73 (to the south and partway a toll road) to get to CA-133 and south to Laguna Beach. Alternatively, you can drive south from John Wayne Airport to Newport Beach and pick up CA-1 to Laguna Beach. There are Amtrak and Metrolink stations in Irvine, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente. From there it will be necessary to take public transportation or a taxi.

Laguna Beach is a linear town stretched along the Pacific Coast Highway (CA 1) punctuated by several canyons. In town, Broadway (CA 133, which becomes Laguna Canyon Road out of town) divides the Pacific Coast Highway into the North Coast Highway and the South Coast Highway; address numbers increase outward from Broadway, with odd-number Coast Highway addresses on the ocean side. Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA). The OCTA Bus #1 runs up and down the Coast Hwy twice an hour. Route #89 runs up Laguna Canyon Road to Laguna Hills twice an hour. Laguna Beach Transit operates five trolley routes year round seven days a week (M-Th 6:30AM-6:15PM, F 6:30AM-11PM, Sa 9:30AM-11:15PM, Su 11AM-8:30PM). The routes are all named after the neighborhoods that they serve: Arch Beach Heights, Bluebird Canyon, Top of the World, North Laguna, and South Laguna. All routes loop back to the Transit Center on Broadway in downtown. In addition, all routes are free. The city also operates three routes during the weekend with the same hours as the neighborhood trolley (F 4:30-11PM, Sa 9:30AM-11:15PM, Su 11AM-8:30PM) The routes serve the coast as well as up the canyon. All routes are free. Short Coastal: Starts at North Laguna and travels along the coast to Mission Hospital in South Laguna. Frequency: 20 minutes. Long Coastal: Starts at the Transit Center downtown and travels to the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point. Frequency: 30 minutes. Limited Stop Canyon: Starts at Lot 16 (Act V) parking lot in Laguna Canyon and travels to downtown via Laguna Canyon Road.