There are many great things to do in Laguna Beach, California. This small coastal town in Orange County, about an hour south of Los Angeles, is known for its long-standing artists’ community and environmental preservation.
Southern California, in general, is known for its mild weather, and Laguna Beach has the most amazing scenic coastal views.
But what does this small town have to offer? Continue reading to discover the best things to do in Laguna Beach, CA!
18 Fun Things To Do In Laguna Beach, California
Hit the beach
Laguna Beach is a marine protected area. This means that no motorized boats or even fishing are allowed along the coastline, which results in clean, beautiful water and tide pools rich in marine life. Laguna Beach encompasses over 30 beaches, but you can start by visiting Main Beach and Picnic Beach.
Main Beach marks the center point of the town and where you find all the action. Main Beach is the iconic beach view of Laguna Beach; it has sand volleyball courts, beautiful waves, and tide pools. A boardwalk lines Main Beach and separates the beach from the basketball court and playground.
You’ll also find a string of restaurants and shops bordering Main Beach. You will find anything you don’t see there across the street, on Broadway Street, Ocean Avenue, or Forest Avenue.
Rules regarding dogs vary in different seasons at Main Beach, so check if your dog is allowed before you visit.
Picnic Beach is accessible via Heisler Park and removed from Main Beach’s commotions. There is a ramp going down to Picnic Beach (compared to stairs at many beaches other than Main Beach), making it easy to haul your beach gear down to the beach.
You’ll find green space picnic tables and public restrooms at the top of the ramp heading to Picnic Beach.
Before heading to the beach, make sure you’re prepared with all the summer must-haves, such as a cooler to fit your beach picnic and sunscreen – these are perfect for any beach trip.
Walks and Hikes
Due to its artist community and abundance of art galleries and exhibits, just walking around town in Laguna Beach is an experience.
Heisler Park
Heisler Park in Laguna Beach has amazing views of the coastline in Laguna Beach and is full of lush gardens, green space, picnic tables, and art installations. You can walk through Heisler Park, down the stairs at the end, and on the boardwalk, which takes you along Main Beach in Laguna Beach.
Heisler Park often has art installations in the park, in addition to its permanent fixtures, all available for viewing at no cost.
Heisler Park is open 24 hours, so you can enjoy this scenic route anytime.
Top of the World
Top of the World is one of the best things to do in Laguna Beach, CA, whether with family or alone. You can’t beat these views, and it’s the perfect way to get out and enjoy the beautiful nature.
The hike is a moderately difficult out-and-back hike that takes you through the hills of Laguna Beach. Beautiful wildflowers line the trail, and incredible beach and city views await you at the top. The trail does not have shade, so take your hat, sunscreen, and water.
Top of the World Trail connects to a network of trails, including Aliso and Woods Canyon Park, so you can make your hike an all-day adventure if that’s your thing. This trail system is also a hit with the mountain biking community, so be aware that you are sharing the trail with cyclists.
Dogs are allowed on the hike if they’re on a leash.
Laguna Coast Wilderness
Laguna Coast Wilderness Hike weaves you through the canyons of Laguna Beach and offers extraordinary views of the canyons and sparkling images of the ocean. This trail is popular with mountain bikers, so be aware of bike traffic.
This wilderness trail doesn’t permit dogs.
Eat at one of the Best Restaurants in Laguna Beach
One of the best parts of Laguna Beach is the high ratio of sunny days and mild weather, providing outdoor eating experiences almost daily. Combined with ocean views and high-quality ingredients, it’s easy to find great dining experiences in Laguna Beach.
Start with breakfast at The Orange Inn or Driftwood Kitchen. The Orange Inn is regularly rated as the town’s favorite go-to eating spot and is a local surfer favorite. Get there early and prepare to wait a bit; parking and seating are limited at The Orange Inn.
Only a few blocks south of The Orange Inn, you’ll find Driftwood Kitchen. Ocean views, fresh organic food, and large portions make this spot another local favorite.
You can stick with Urth Cafe for lunch, which is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s on Pacific Coast Highway across the street from Laguna Art Museum. Urth Cafe has a great outdoor patio with great food and incredible people-watching.
For a more budget-friendly restaurant for brunch or lunch, you can visit Urth Cafe’s neighbor, Number Three Restaurant. This restaurant has few options, but everything is delicious and surprisingly cost-effective, especially for Laguna Beach.
Dinner at Las Brisas is always a memorable experience. It is also popular for brunch and lunch, but reservations on the patio for sunset dinner will not disappoint. They have unique cocktails and world-class Mexican cuisine.
If you have a taste for steak and lobster enchiladas, you are in luck! Las Brisas is located on top of the bluffs in Laguna Beach, along the walking path in Heisler Park, making an evening stroll before or after dinner very convenient.
Sweet treats are easy to come by in Laguna Beach. You’ll find La Macaron on the Pacific Coast Highway directly across from Main Beach. You can find all types of French treats, but most notably, their variety of delicious macarons, hence the name.
You’ll find the best gelato at Gelato Paradiso, a quaint, European-style shopping area, or at Dolce Gelato, a block from Main Beach on Broadway Street.
Enjoy Art in Laguna Beach
There is no shortage of art in Laguna Beach, with over 100 art galleries and artists.
First Thursday Art Walk
You can participate in the First Thursday Art Walk all year on the first Thursday of every month. The evening includes artist demonstrations, live music, and exposure to the diverse art Laguna Beach has to offer.
There’s a shuttle to and from the Art Walk, so it’s easy to get there. It feels like the entire community comes together and is very electric.
This is one of the best ways to experience the art culture in Laguna Beach.
The Art Walk includes over 40 different galleries.
Sawdust Art Festival
Nestled along Laguna Canyon Drive, you’ll find the Sawdust Art Festival. The Sawdust Arts Festival is an arts and crafts festival that takes place twice a year; there is a summer and winter festival.
Each festival provides thousands of local artists a venue to showcase and sell their creations.
You will find different ceramics, sculptures, crafts, paintings, and unique creations. The festival also provides great food, live music, and a funky and eclectic atmosphere. Sawdust Art Festival also offers year-long art classes.
Pageant of the Masters
If you are fortunate enough to visit Laguna Beach in late summer, you can see Pageant of the Masters. Festival of the Arts puts on the Pageant of the Masters festival each year.
The festival is known for its incredible tableau vivants. These are “living pictures” in which people dress up and recreate classical and contemporary works of art. The Pageant of the Masters is an extraordinary production. This production reigns as one of the most important and popular events in Laguna Beach.
Spend a day at the parks
Laguna Beach is only a short drive from both Universal Studios and Disneyland. Disneyland is 27 miles (43 km) from Laguna Beach, or a 30-minute drive. Universal Studios is 62 miles (100 km) from Laguna Beach or a one-hour drive.
Both parks are worth visiting, albeit they are a bit expensive.
If you have the time and money, I recommend spending at least one full day at each park.
Disneyland is like a much smaller version of Disneyworld, perfect for families. There are rides, events, shows, shops, and lots of restaurants that’ll bring you right back to your childhood.
Universal Studios appeals to children and solo travelers, with a little something for everything. I personally think Universal is much more exciting for solo travelers as it usually has an older crowd.
I recommend this Universal Studios Hollywood: Ticket with Easy Cancellation – You might want to buy your ticket ahead to save time and money. This ticket also includes the world-famous Studio Tour and other activities.
Knott’s Berry Farm is another exciting rollercoaster theme park, only about 30 minutes from Laguna Beach. The amusement park has dozens of fast-paced rollercoasters and other activities.
Go kayaking and visit Seal Rock
Seal Rock is a large rock about 120 yards off the shore of Crescent Bay Beach. Seals and sea lions congregate on the rock, so you can visit Crescent Bay Beach and marvel at these lounging creatures.
However, the best way to explore the surrounding waters and get closer to Seal Rock is by renting a kayak and getting out in the water.
You can rent kayaks near Crescent Bay Beach. There are some shark sightings around Laguna Beach every few years, but they are scarce. The coves are often protected, and I can’t find any reports of shark attacks within the last 10 years.
Go on a day trip from Laguna Beach
As if there aren’t enough fun things to do in Laguna Beach, it also sits in a central location to explore beautiful Orange County, California. The following are the best day trips from Laguna Beach.
Balboa Island
Balboa Island is a 25-minute drive north on the Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach. This drive is along some of the most gorgeous coastline in the United States and the edge of Crystal Cove Park. You’ll also drive through the highly esteemed neighborhood of Corona del Mar.
You’ll cross over a bridge for Balboa Island access (unless you take the ferry from the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach) and are greeted with a quaint main street lined with Eucalyptus Trees. You can walk the perimeter of Balboa Island using the 2 1/2-mile-long sidewalk.
See the sailboats, yachts, and multi-million-dollar homes as you stroll around and get your exercise. Have brunch at Wilma’s Patio – but make reservations before you go! Afterward, stop at Sugar n’ Spice for their famous Frozen Bananas and hand-dipped Balboa Bars.
Newport Beach
Spend an afternoon on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. The Balboa Peninsula is known for its wild summers, popular tourist scenes, beautiful people, and 3-mile-long boardwalk.
The boardwalk stretches the peninsula’s length and runs along multi-million-dollar homes, shops, and restaurants. Rent a Suri for your group and ride down the boardwalk for great beach views, people-watching, and house gazing.
Pack a cooler with drinks and snacks and rent a Duffy boat in Newport Beach for a sunset cruise in the bay. This is an incredible way to see Newport Beach from the water. You will also get an up-close glimpse at the incredible boat scene.
You can even order dockside delivery for your dinner in your Duffy boat or, after your sunset cruise, have dinner at The Cannery for a phenomenal seafood experience.
Newport Beach: Whale and Dolphin-Watching Cruise – Newport Beach is also one of the best places in California for whale-watching. This is a fantastic whale and dolphin-watching tour from Newport Harbor.
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, also known as Surf City USA, is further north along the Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach. One of the most iconic images of Huntington Beach is its famous Pier with a Ruby’s Diner at the end.
You can find Ruby’s Diner on the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, but the Huntington Beach Ruby’s Diner is the iconic location. The second story of Ruby’s Diner on Huntington Pier was converted into a Jan & Dan’s Tiki Lounge for a tropical and Hawaiian Experience.
Los Angeles
If you go to Laguna Beach, you might fly in and out of LAX. Regardless of where you fly in, I recommend exploring Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is a big city, one of the biggest cities in the United States. But it’s different than other major areas. It’s sprawling, making it feel less chaotic and cramped (although traffic is another story).
You can walk through Hollywood, which feels dirty, exciting, and enthralling all at the same time. You can also head to Venice Beach and walk the boardwalk parallel to the beach. You’ll likely meet a lot of interesting characters.
I also recommend heading over to Griffith Observatory in LA. There are tons of hiking trails that wind through the rolling hills surrounding LA. You’ll have the best view of LA below and even the Hollywood sign.
To take the edge off planning a trip to Los Angeles, I recommend this Los Angeles: Half-Day Best of LA Tour. It is an excellent half-day tour that’ll give you plenty of time to get to LA on your own and not have to plan anything afterward. Just show up, and enjoy the ride while you’re carted around to the best viewpoints and attractions.
Another option I think you should consider is this Hollywood Sign Guided Walking Tour with Photo. If you want to get as close to the Hollywood sign, this is the perfect tour that takes you straight there. You’ll be accompanied by a guide who’ll tell you more about LA and Hollywood.
Take a day trip to the vineyards
Laguna Beach is only about an hour from Temecula, a region famous for its unique and delicious wine. Over 50 vineyards around Temecula have plenty of award-winning varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, and others.
This is also an excellent escape from the beach. It’s always nice to change up a holiday with some different scenery. And the scenery around Temecula will feel the complete opposite of laid-back, vibey Laguna Beach.
If you’d rather take a tour, I recommend this Temecula: All-Inclusive Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch. If you can get to Temecula on your own, this is the best all-inclusive wine tour. The tour stops at four different vineyards and gives you plenty of time to sample each best. You’ll also stop for an enchanting picnic lunch.
Things To Do In Laguna Beach For Kids
Are the kids along for the ride to Laguna Beach? The beach, the ocean, and hikes provide plenty for the kids. But there’s more!
Water-sports
Take it one step further, take surf lessons, or go standup paddle boarding. Laguna Beach isn’t known as the best surfing town in California, but there’s plenty of variety for all skill levels.
Locals know their way around the surf breaks the most, so taking lessons is highly recommended. You get tips to help you stand up, and you’ll be taken to the best spots for that day.
Whale-watching
You can also schedule a whale and dolphin-watching excursion several miles south of Laguna Beach in Dana Point. Dana Point is nicknamed “The Whale Watching Capital of the World,” so it’s one of the best places for this activity.
I recommend this Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching With Underwater Viewing – it is another excellent whale-watching tour from Newport Beach. You’ll stumble across a pod of friendly dolphins if you’re lucky.
Playgrounds and sports
In addition to Mother Nature’s entertainment, Laguna Beach has some excellent playgrounds.
Main Beach has a basketball court and a playground on the boardwalk, perfect for getting out some energy before a relaxing dinner. Another popular playground is the Bluebird Canyon Playground, two miles inland from the beach.
Bluebird Canyon Park has a 4-story spaceship, complete with 2 slides. The playground also has 2 other main play structures, a basketball court, slides built into a hill, and a small paved walkway perfect for scooters and small bikes.
Alta Laguna Park is another top-notch playground with incredible ocean views in Laguna Beach. It has basketball courts and is located at a trailhead for the Top of the World Hike, so it’s a great place to park if you want to do that hike.
Practical Tips To Plan Your Trip
How To Get To Laguna Beach
The proximity to Los Angeles International Airport makes getting to Laguna Beach easy from anywhere in the world. You can also fly into John Wayne Airport in Orange County for a 20-minute drive to Laguna Beach. If you are flying in with kids, see these tips for booking flights with kids for a more relaxed travel day experience.
Getting around Laguna Beach
California is known as a car-friendly state with very few public transportation options. Fortunately, Laguna Beach has a free public trolley service around downtown Laguna Beach.
This makes things much easier if you plan to stay in the city. However, it’s still recommended to have a car.
Downtown Laguna is walkable, but you won’t be able to do much outside of town. You’ll need your own car to do any day trips or visit Crystal Cove State Park and Laguna Wilderness Park.
Unfortunately, some of the best things to do in Laguna Beach require a car or some time of transportation. And taking taxis and tours to every place can get very expensive.
The Best Hotels in Laguna Beach, California
Hotel Joaquin is the hotel of choice in Laguna Beach. It has ocean views and places you in the perfect location to walk to Crescent Bay and a trailhead for the Laguna Coast Wilderness Hiking and Biking Trail. You are also a few blocks from Heisler Park, which is a preferable method of walking downtown.
Montage Laguna Beach is another well-known hotel in Laguna Beach. Montage is a luxury, oceanfront resort with 2 outdoor pools, 5-star restaurants, a spa, and breathtaking views of the California Coast.
Finally: Is Laguna Beach Worth Visiting?
If you ask me “is Laguna Beach worth visiting?” I have no doubt in saying it is!
Laguna Beach gained popularity and became a household name in 2004 thanks to the Reality TV Series by MTV called Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. But Laguna Beach holds much more magic, beauty, and culture than could be shown through a camera lens.
Between the deep-rooted art history that Laguna Beach captures, the culture exhibited throughout the town, the amazing food, and the friendly people, as this post has shown there is no shortage of fun things to do in Laguna Beach, a beautiful, sparkling beach town in Southern California.
This post was contributed by Linzey Taylor of The Family Fun Tour. She travels full-time with her husband and 2 young kids. She aims to inspire a fun and intentional life through traveling. She is the face behind the blog, which provides tips, resources, and insights into traveling with a family in tow. She is from Austin, Texas, but has lived a nomadic lifestyle since 2019 and is currently in Costa Rica.
Further Readings
Make sure to check my other posts:
- A Fabulous 3-Day Itinerary For San Francisco
- The Best Day Trips From San Francisco
- The Best Things To Do In California
- 9 Great National Parks In California
- The Best Free Things To Do In San Diego
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