Laguna Beach | Where memories are made

11 min read

Laguna Beach is what California dreams are made of. Visitors are treated to cascading, verdant hillsides, breathtaking coastal parks and secluded beaches throughout this scenic destination. All of this plus its small town spirit and historic arts community are just some of the many aspects that make this southern California spot one for the books. What’s more, it’s incredibly easy to get to. Located between San Diego and Los Angeles, Laguna Beach is situated right along Pacific Coast Highway, making it a perfect stop on your California road trip. Laguna Beach is the kind of destination so beautiful you have to see it to believe it, and when you do, you’ll be in total awe of its splendor. But there is certainly more to Laguna Beach than its good looks. The town has a palpable penchant for the arts that can be found not only inside the many galleries that line PCH but also the streets; there are more than 100 public art pieces spread throughout town. There is also a deep appreciation for flora and fauna here. Whale watching is a revered past time, the headquarters for the rescue and rehabilitation for Orange County coast seal population is located here, and the town is home to plenty of wildflower-filled coastal parks, including one of the last preserved coastal canyons in southern California. So while in Laguna Beach, take time to immerse yourself in the local culture, soak up the coast as much as you can and don’t forget to take plenty of pictures along the way. Though, considering how unforgettable the scenery is, you probably won’t have trouble remembering Laguna Beach’s impressive beauty.

What You Need to Know

  • Beaches are a little different Because of Laguna Beach’s geography (the town is set atop bluffs and hills), you’re more likely to run into small, cove beaches than traditionally long shorelines. This means the walk to the beach will likely be moderate, down a long staircase and in some places, you’ll be parking in a residential neighborhood instead of a parking lot.
  • Time your visit to beaches around the tides Many of Laguna Beach’s most unique beach features, including tide pools, natural beach pools, the pirate tower and more, are only accessible during certain tides.
  • You’ll need a car Other than Laguna Beach’s free weekend trolley, there is no public transportation available in town. If you have the desire to go anywhere else aside from the center of town, you’ll need a car to get there.

Best Hotels in Laguna Beach

  • Montage Laguna Beach
  • Surf & Sand Resort
  • The Ranch at Laguna Beach

Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach

  • Crystal Cove State Park
  • Heisler Park
  • Victoria Beach

Best Months to Visit

The best time to visit Laguna Beach is from April to May or from September to October. Both the spring and the fall bring far fewer visitors to the area than the summer months and travelers can still enjoy average daytime temps of 70 degrees or higher. Summer is Laguna’s peak travel season and also when the majority of its yearly festivals take place. Winter will likely yield discounts galore but you won’t be able to swim at the beach (the water will be frigid) and at night the temperatures can dip down to the low 40s.

How to Save Money in Laguna Beach

  • Take advantage of the free trolley Laguna Beach’s free trolley transports visitors to famous coastal parks, eight city beaches and through the center of town, including the HIP District. It runs every day during the summer and on weekends the rest of the year.
  • Park along PCH Many city attractions are located right along the Pacific Coast Highway. Where available, you can save money on parking fees by parking along the highway and walking to your destination.
  • Consider a vacation rental over a hotel Laguna Beach is an affluent town, and its hotels are no different. To save hundreds per night on a room, a vacation rental may be a better option for budget travelers.

Getting Around Laguna Beach

The best way to get around Laguna Beach is by car. Because the town isn’t all that big and it’s an affluent community, there isn’t a traditional public transportation system here. The only public transit available is the Laguna Beach trolley which, with the exception of summer, is only available on the weekends and only takes visitors through the center of town. The closest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA), which sits about 16 miles northeast of the town.

Location & Parking

Montage Laguna Beach enjoys a classic California setting perched atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It rests on 30 acres and has a relaxing vibe with Craftsman-style architecture. The resort creates an air of relaxation with large and spacious ocean view rooms, their mosaic pool and outdoor recreation.

Pool

The Montage’s mosaic pool serves as the resort’s outdoor living room overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There is a children’s pool area adjacent to the Mosaic pool. The pool is surrounded by numerous lounge chairs.
  • The spa has a lap pool for exercise
  • Cabanas are available for rental

Spa

The Spa Montage Laguna Beach is an oceanfront, 20,000-square-foot spa with an indoor/outdoor layout and it features 21 treatment rooms. In addition, the spa has a lap pool and the Kim Vo Salon. Separate men’s and women’s lounges feature a relaxation room with fireplace, steam room, sauna and outdoor cold plunge and whirlpool.
  • Spa is open daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Spa packages

Kids

Montage caters to tiny guests with Paintbox Petite — a childcare facility with outdoor activities, crafts and more for ages 2 to 5. Guests ages 5 through 12 are welcomed at Paintbox, which offers half- and full-day sessions, as well as children’s night out events.
  • Paintbox Petite charges $55 per child, per hour
  • Paintbox full-day program is $150 and half-day is $110

Fitness

The fitness center is located in the resort’s spa and offers guests various equipment like weights and cardio machines.
  • Personal training sessions available

Business

The Montage Laguna Beach has two ballrooms and a boardroom for meetings and events, as well as six outdoor venues, including a courtyard, lawns and gardens. The 7,500-square-foot Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 800 guests in a theater-style or reception-style event.
  • On-site catering

Pets

The hotel allows pets weighing less than 45 pounds or less for a one-time fee of $220. Up to two pets per room are allowed.

Wedding

Brides and grooms seeking an oceanfront setting for their wedding will be impressed by the rolling lawns and lush gardens at Montage. Inside, the ballroom is ideal for larger weddings. The Grand Ballroom, Gallery Ballroom, Outdoor Courtyard and Oceanfront Even Laws are available for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Weddings up to 500 can be held indoors while outdoor weddings can accommodate 300. The hotel mandates the hire of a preapproved wedding coordinator.
  • On-site culinary team

Maximum wedding guest capacity: 500

Best Times To Visit Laguna Beach

The best time to visit Laguna Beach is from April to May or from September to October. Both the spring and the fall bring far fewer visitors to the area than the summer months and travelers can still enjoy average daytime temps of 70 degrees or higher. Summer is Laguna’s peak travel season and also when the majority of its yearly festivals take place. Winter will likely yield discounts galore but you won’t be able to swim at the beach (the water will be frigid) and at night the temperatures can dip down to the low 40s.

April-May

Visiting during this time of year is a slam dunk. Because there are fewer visitors during these months, you won’t be running into too many crowds on the shores. Plus, the area will be vibrantly verdant thanks to the rain Laguna Beach typically sees between January and February. This means that the trails in both Crystal Cove State Park and Laguna Coast Wilderness Park will be breathtakingly lush (during the summer, the plants are often very dry, which can make the area feel barren). What’s more, the city’s most popular event, the Pageant of the Masters (where talented performers bring famous works of art to life), occurs in May. If you do decide to visit during this time, be sure to pack layers. Although daily highs hover in the low 70s, nighttime lows can drop to the low 50s and high 40s.

June-August

Unsurprisingly for a beach town, the summer is the most popular time to visit. During this time, daily highs are in the high 70s and low 80s, which is pretty much perfect beach weather. As such, you’ll likely run into crowds at all of Laguna’s beaches and will probably have to get to the beach early to secure parking. In addition to perfect beach weather, most of the town’s annual festivals occur during the summer.

September-October

After Labor Day, the Laguna Beach tourism board says that the number of visitors declines significantly, leaving plenty of space for you in the sand, especially on weekdays. The weather during this time remains solid; average daily highs stay in the mid- to high 70s, though the nighttime does start to get cooler the closer you time your visit to the end of fall (average lows drop to the 60s in September and the mid-50s in October). If you visit in September, you can still take advantage of festivals, such as the Sawdust Art & Craft Festival and the Art-A-Fair fine art festival, in addition to other seasonal events.

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November-March

November marks the start of winter in Laguna Beach, but with highs in the low 70s and high 60s, the weather here isn’t what you might typically envision when it comes to winter. At night though, temperatures do dip down to the 40s, so if you choose to visit during this time to take advantage of empty beaches and possible offseason travel discounts, be sure to bring layers. During winter, you can still visit beaches but you should skip going in the water (the ocean will be incredibly cold). Winter also brings about popular yearly events, including the Sawdust Winter Fantasy Festival and Hospitality Night, the latter of which has been dubbed “a street party with Santa Claus.”

Getting Around Laguna Beach

The best way to get around Laguna Beach is by car. Because the town isn’t all that big and it’s an affluent community, there isn’t a traditional public transportation system here. The only public transit available is the Laguna Beach trolley which, with the exception of summer, is only available on the weekends and only takes visitors through the center of town. The closest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA), which sits about 16 miles northeast of the town.

Car

A car is by far the easiest way to get around Laguna Beach. While the center of town is pretty walkable and there is a trolley that serves that general area, if you want to explore anywhere north of the Pacific Coast Highway, including Crystal Cove State Park or Laguna Wilderness Park, you’ll need a car. You can rent a car at John Wayne Airport or at Laguna Beach Car Rentals or Enterprise Rent-A-Car in town, the latter two are located next to one another on Laguna Canyon Road.

Public transportation

The Laguna Beach Trolley is the only form of public transportation the town has. It is fantastic if you want to take a break from driving and see the sights along the coast. The trolley has eight routes that primarily run along the Pacific Coast Highway, with some also detouring into town. The route that goes furthest north is Route 3, which can take visitors to the popular Top of the World viewpoint.

It’s important to note that this trolley does not run every day year-round. From June 27 to Aug. 30, the trolley is in operation (and free of charge) from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Outside of that, the trolley is only available on the weekends. Plus, the availability and the price of the trolley depend on which line you ride. To take a ride along the coast, Route 6 and 7 will be your best bet. Both of these routes operate daily during the summer, and from 4 to 11 p.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays throughout the rest of the year. What’s more, both routes are free during these time frames. Other routes cost 75 cents to ride for adults and 35 cents to ride for seniors 65 and older and disabled persons; children 7 and younger can always ride for free.

Taxi

Ride-hailing apps like Lyft and Uber operate in Laguna Beach. If you want to take a taxi to get around, you’d need to take a California Yellow Cab, which charges a base fee of $3.50 and then $2.75 for every mile thereafter. If you are stuck in traffic, you will incur a $32 per hour charge. And if you are coming from John Wayne Airport, expect to pay around $40 for the ride.

 

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