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Laguna Beach

It’s easy to love Laguna: secluded coves, romantic cliffs, azure waves and waterfront parks imbue the city with a Riviera-like feel. But nature isn’t the only draw. From public sculptures and art festivals to free summer shuttles, the city has taken thoughtful steps to promote tourism while discreetly maintaining its moneyed quality of life (MTV’s reality show Laguna Beach being one drunken, shameless exception).

One of the earliest incorporated cities in California, Laguna has a strong tradition in the arts, starting with the plein air impressionists who lived and worked here in the early 1900s. Today it’s the home of renowned arts festivals, galleries, a well-known museum and exquisitely preserved arts-and-crafts cottages and bungalows that come as a relief after seeing endless miles of suburban beige-box architecture. It's also the OC's most prominent gay enclave (even if the gay nightlife scene is a shadow of its former self).

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Laguna Beach.

  • Viewpoint

    Heisler Park

    The grassy, bluff-top Heisler Park offers vistas of craggy coves and deep-blue sea. Bring your camera – with its palm trees and bougainvillea-dotted bluffs, the scene is definitely one for posterity.

  • Nature Center

    Pacific Marine Mammal Center

    A nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating injured or ill marine mammals, this center northeast of town has a small staff and many volunteers who help nurse Orange County's rescued pinnipeds – mostly sea lions and seals – before releasing them back into the wild. Visitors can view outdoor pools and holding pens – but remember, this is a rescue center, not SeaWorld. Still, it’s educational and heartwarming. Admission is free, but donations and gift-shop purchases (say, a stuffed animal) help.

  • Beach

    Aliso Beach County Park

    South of downtown Laguna Beach, the locals’ favorite Aliso Beach County Park is popular with surfers, boogie boarders and skimboarders. With picnic tables, fire pits and a play area, it’s also good for families. Pay-and-display parking costs $1 per hour. Or drive south and park on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) for free.

  • Beach

    Thousand Steps Beach

    Jealously guarded by locals, Thousand Steps Beach is about 1 mile south of Aliso Beach, hidden off Hwy 1 just south of Mission Hospital. At the south end of 9th St, more than 200 steps (way less than 1000) lead down to the sand. Though rocky, the beach is great for sunbathing, surfing and bodysurfing.

  • Museum

    Laguna Art Museum

    This breezy museum has changing exhibitions featuring contemporary California artists, and a permanent collection heavy on California landscapes, vintage photographs and works by early Laguna bohemians. Free guided tours are usually given at 11am, and there’s a unique gift shop.

  • Beach

    Main Beach

    Near downtown’s village, Main Beach has volleyball and basketball courts, a playground and restrooms. It's the first beach you see as you come down Laguna Canyon Blvd from the 405 Fwy, and it’s Laguna’s best beach for swimming.

  • Beach

    West Street Beach

    South of central Laguna, this beach has long been a hangout for Laguna's (and the OC's) LGBT community (with an emphasis on the G). The eye candy can be considerable.

  • Beach

    Picnic Beach

    Just north of Main Beach, Picnic Beach is too rocky to surf but has excellent tide pooling.