Laguna Beach Travel Guide

Sometimes a place touches your heart and truly becomes a part of you. Ever since my first visit as a little girl, Laguna Beach has always been that place for me. Over the years, I’ve definitely had my fair share of trips to Laguna, from solo travel to quality time spent with friends and family. Each trip has been full of old favorites and new adventures. I’ve had a lot of fun exploring off the beaten path and trying new restaurants here as well as enjoying new favorite spots. Here are my recommendations for living out your Lauren Conrad dreams for a weekend:

Places to Stay in Laguna Beach

Pacific Edge Hotel: This place offers a lot of bang for your buck: oceanfront accommodations, delicious restaurants, a beachfront patio. Although I’ve never personally stayed here, I’ve visited the hotel countless times to eat at The Deck, and I’ve always felt welcomed every time I visit. Both The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen are top restaurants in Laguna Beach, so it’s super convenient to have them so close to where you’re staying. The rooms are decorated with a boho-chic vibe and are also quite affordable for Laguna, so I’d definitely consider staying here since you get a lot of value for your money! Below are also a few more hotel recommendations based on your budget:

Luxury: Surf & Sand Resort, Montage Laguna Beach

Moderate: Inn at Laguna Beach, La Casa del Camino

Budget: Art Hotel Laguna Beach, Airbnb

Where to Eat in Laguna

The Deck on Laguna Beach: One of the best views in Laguna. The Deck is exactly what it sounds like: an outdoor deck right on the beach! This restaurant sits at the Pacific Edge Hotel, so it’s a delicious spot for fresh guacamole and seafood with panoramic ocean views. It’s my favorite spot in Laguna Beach, and I can’t recommend it enough. The guac is some of the best I’ve ever had (which means something coming from a Texas girl haha!) and the salads are delicious as well.

The price point is pretty standard for an oceanfront restaurant in Orange County: most entrees fall between $15-30, but the view definitely makes up for the cost. Since this restaurant is quite popular, they primarily take walk-ins and no reservations. If you don’t want to wait around too long for a table, try visiting for a late lunch and you should be seated fairly quickly!

Nick’s Laguna Beach: Nick’s is no secret here in Laguna: it’s a local favorite that a lot of people swear by as a must-eat meal in Laguna Beach. It may be across the beach instead of oceanfront, but the open-air patio here truly can’t be beaten. I’ve definitely had my fair share of prime rib sandwiches in my life, and Nick’s version is to die for. I’ve also heard that the seafood here is super fresh and the burgers are delicious as well! A meal here will cost you somewhere between $15-$35 per entree.

Watermarc: Another favorite spot of mine—this one is actually located only a few doors down from Nick’s. The chef here has over 25 years of culinary experience, and it definitely shows in the food (not to mention that the patio looks like something straight out of a fairytale.) I always end up ordering a salad here because they’re so fresh, but they serve a pretty wide variety of upper-scale American dishes. A meal here usually adds up to between $15-50 per plate.

La Rue du Chocolat: This is truly the chocolate shop of my dreams. It smells like heaven and all the desserts are so unique (like specialty s’mores and this super cute owl chocolate I picked up a few visits ago!). It’s also definitely a nice little stop to get a break from the sun and a quick dessert.

A few other spots that have come highly recommended to me but that I haven’t gotten a chance to try include:

• Skyloft (rooftop with American cuisine)
• South of Nick’s—Laguna Beach (Mexican)
• Moulin (French bistro)
• Gelato Paradiso (dessert!)

What to Do in Laguna Beach

Heisler Park: The crown jewel of Laguna Beach honestly. This is the perfect photo spot and place to enjoy scenic ocean views. The park includes a grassy area with benches as well as different walking trails and the beach itself. When you head down to the sand, there are a bunch of sea caves and tide pools for exploring (more on the tide pools in the “Hidden Gems” section of this post). I’d definitely recommend carving out some time from your trip to Laguna to spend in this beautiful place!

Art Galleries: Laguna Beach is home to a thriving art scene. It was actually founded as an artist colony and holds over 100 galleries! If you wander along the Pacific Coast Highway, you’ll find quite a few galleries sprinkled along the beach. A couple of my favorites are Avran Fine Art and FOASouth. Every summer, you can explore the Festival of Arts and world-renowned Pageant of the Masters. Stop in to see some unique works of art and consider supporting these talented local artists!

Shopping: Laguna is home to local boutiques and a lot of unique stores. I’ve spent many an afternoon just wandering along the shops lining the strip to find some unique pieces. Here are a few shops that are well worth visiting:

• Simple Laguna
• The Soul Project
• Amenah
• Laguna Exchange
• Laguna Beach Books
• Blue Eyed Girl

West Coast Sunset: No trip to Laguna Beach is complete without watching a breathtaking Southern California sunset. For the best views, head to Heisler Park or a restaurant with a deck or rooftop overlooking the ocean after dinner or happy hour drinks ( I highly recommend The Deck as mentioned above!).

Laguna Hidden Gems

Peppertree Lane: I can’t say enough good things about this cute little spot tucked away off the main road. It actually took me *years* to find out about this place because it flies a little under the radar. It never came up in any travel guides I read about new things to do on my next Laguna trip.

I coincidentally found about this place a few days before a trip when I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a post by Joe Rohde, an Imagineer at Disney who shares some unique spots he finds on his travels. In real life, it looks like something straight out of a movie. It has quickly become my new favorite spot in Laguna to enjoy a bite to eat and quaint architectural charm. If you score an outdoor table at Watermarc (mentioned above), you actually get to dine in this little courtyard! The atmosphere is absolutely dreamy around sunset.

Tide Pools: The tide pools in Laguna are not to be missed if you have some time to explore the beach! These tide pools are located at Heisler Park and are easily accessible from the main beach. They make for some excellent photos and are full of wildlife. Make sure that you are careful to follow the signs posted near the beach about treating the tide pools with respect so that they can continue to thrive in Laguna. If you plan on exploring the caves on the side of the beach, I highly recommend wearing flip-flops or waterproof shoes since some of the rocks are fairly sharp. You should also check the tide postings at the beach first to make sure that it’s safe to explore at that time of day.

Helpful Tips for Your Laguna Beach Trip

Laguna Beach is dog-friendly: If you’re taking a road trip to Laguna, consider also bringing your furry friend along for your trip! Laguna Beach is quite a dog-friendly spot. Several restaurants have dog-friendly patios and multiple hotels offer accommodations that are pet-friendly. Heisler Park welcomes dogs as well as long as they’re leashed! One of these days, I fully plan on bringing my pup Tracker for a visit.

Take advantage of restrooms when dining: Unfortunately, most restrooms in Downtown Laguna are not open to the public. It can be nearly impossible to find one unless you dine at a sit-down restaurant, so keep this in mind when visiting.

Bring the right footwear: If you’re visiting for a day trip, it’s essential to bring the right footwear. Try bringing a shoe that works for the beach, but that’s also comfortable to walk in up and down the downtown strip.

Explore the rest of Orange County: Orange County is home to a lot of other beautiful cities as well. Try to carve out some time to explore nearby Newport Beach for shopping and Laguna Niguel for hiking! And of course, there’s always Disneyland 🙂

pe this guide helped you plan your next trip to Laguna Beach! Did I miss anything you’d love to learn about Laguna? Feel free to ask away in the comments!

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