The Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, Orange County's Historic Arts Enclave

Laguna Beach is a place of lore—that’s especially true for millennials who watched the eponymous reality show that ran for three seasons in the early aughts and reunited earlier this year. Though there is some truth to the luxury lifestyle Laguna Beach exudes in pop culture, the city’s roots go deeper. Originally, of course, Laguna Beach was inhabited by Indigenous groups who stayed for the lush area’s natural resources and fostered a culture of music, art, and storytelling. This legacy continued into the early 1900s when outside artists started flocking to the area to live and work in what became an artist colony. Still today, it’s hard to stand on any corner of the city and not see art in some form.

Take one look at its rugged coastline, craggy coves, and expansive wilderness, and you might just get the urge to relocate here yourself. These are the best things to do in Laguna Beach, California.

Getting there and around

John Wayne International Airport (SNA), ranked among the best airports in the country, is a 20-to-30-minute drive away. Especially in the summertime, Laguna Beach is not without traffic and finding a parking spot can sometimes be a challenge. Walking around town is a great option, depending on where you stay, as is taking a rideshare.

But the most fun transportation option are the iconic blue and gold Laguna Beach Trolleys, which run year round with an expanded summer schedule and stop at points of interest.

The best things to do in Laguna Beach

Take one look at the coastline and sitting on the beach becomes activity number one. Aliso Beach, Main Beach, and Victoria Beach are all worth your time. But you can’t go wrong with any part of Laguna’s seven miles of coastline, which are all a part of California’s Marine Protected Areas to preserve the diverse rocky intertidal and shallow kelp reefs. To get up close, check out eight different tide pool locations throughout the city. (Pro tip: Go to the cave at Treasure Island.)

To get one of the best views, you’ll need to put in some physical effort. Climb the two-mile-steep hike up to Top of the World, for expansive views of the ocean and inland Orange County at just about 1,000-feet above sea level. For great views and a stroll without as much of a workout, Heisler Park’s trails will do just fine.

Laguna Beach is more than beaches, even though most places you can still snag a view. Spend part of your day at the Laguna Art Museum, which was founded in 1918 by a group of local artists and sits right on Pacific Coast Highway (please, call it PCH). Home to a diverse collection of California art, they also host events, such as their upcoming annual Art + Nature celebration (November 1-9, 2026).

If it is (more than likely) too nice out to spend all day inside, join in on the First Thursdays Art Walk from 6-9 p.m. Enjoy walking around town and pop into some of the 40 odd art galleries that open their doors (often with wine and charcuterie).

Festivals are the name of the game in Laguna Beach in the summertime. Attend Pageant of the Masters, which has been going strong since 1932, where volunteer performers re-enact famous pieces of art on stage. Show-goers often bring binoculars with the hopes of catching small movements during their poses.

The Sawdust Art Festival, which is wrapping up its 60th season, is an idyllic outdoor art show with art for sale at a variety of price points. You’ll have the chance to speak to the artists, along with watching demos and attending workshops, all while walking in a eucalyptus grove.

Book a show at the Laguna Playhouse, which was founded in 1920. This fall, they are putting on the world premier of Wild Child. When it comes to shopping, there are endless options, but be sure to check out Thalia Surf, where you can buy (or just admire) retro surfboards and unique apparel, Gorjana, a jewelry brand that was founded on the floor of a Laguna Beach apartment, and Laguna Beach Books, an independent, women-owned bookstore with great author events.

Where to eat (and drink) in Laguna Beach, from tacos to Michelin-star Japanese

What better way to start your day than with your toes in the sand and breakfast burrito in your hand? Lost Pier Cafe is literally on Aliso Beach. Bring a towel and get your food and coffee to go sit on the beach and watch the morning skimboarders catch a wave. (See for yourself with this live webcam of the surf.) If you’re on the hunt for a classic beach diner breakfast, Orange Inn and Penguin Cafe have been serving up locals since 1931 and 1942, respectively.

For a mid-morning coffee pick me up, you will not be short on options. Try Jedidiah Coffee for a sit on their idyllic patio (you’ll feel like you're in your best friend's backyard), Thorne Brothers Coffee, for an interior that will make you want to cozy up with a good book no matter the temperature, or Sur Coffee for coastal vibes and a cold brew that can’t be beat.

Wigz, which got its namesake because it is located in a former wig shop, is a great choice for lunch, boasting sandwiches on delicious Dutch crunch bread (a San Francisco delicacy that has, thankfully, made its way south). If you don’t have the restraint to wait to eat it until you get back to the beach, they have a cozy patio, where they will also serve you a local beer.

Tacos and surf culture go together like the sun and the sand. The Taco Stand's Laguna's location might be their most interesting, set in the third-oldest Taco Bell in the world: Order the warm and freshly made chips to start. For a higher-end experience, Rebel Omakase is the only restaurant in Laguna Beach with a Michelin star; here you’ll find a pre-fixe menu filled with ceviches and raw shellfish that are all imported across the Pacific from Japan.

For the turf, head to Selanne Steak Tavern, located in a historic 1934 home on PCH, for steaks served in a much airier and brighter space than your typical leather-boothed steakhouse. Fun fact, it’s owned by Hockey Hall of Famer and six-time Olympian Teemu Selanne and local businessman Kevin Pratt. For burgers in a more casual space, Ahba is the place to be for a delicious wagyu burger with caramelized onions and a creamy aioli—make it a double.

Keeping it cool, but casual, Truly Pizza recently opened their second location in another quaint little bungalow on PCH. They source their ingredients from local farms in Orange County and were recently ranked the fourth best pizza in the country. Simple, yet absolutely perfect, try the Champion Cheese, or for a more unique pie, the Umami Mushroom, both of which will have a thick, bubbly, long-fermented crust.

For a pre- or post-dinner beverage, Laguna Beer Company, founded in 2014 by two natives, has a wide array of style options, along with their own diverse food menu. If you’re more into wine, McClain Wine Cellars, which is one of a small number of Black-owned wineries in the country, offers red and white options sourced from vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley. Or end your day with some Gelato Paradiso—in the summer, expect to get in line, although it’ll be worth the wait. (Try the pistachio gelato with imported nuts from Bronte, Italy.)

Where to stay in Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is not short on luxury hotels. Montage Laguna Beach offers rooms and suites, along with three bedroom villas that can sleep up to eight people. You’ll enjoy its pristine, mosaic-laden pool with dramatic ocean views and its wide variety of restaurants on site, which draw even non-hotel patrons. Though you should definitely explore everything else Laguna Beach has to offer, if you don’t feel like leaving Montage property, no one will blame you.

Casa Loma Beach Hotel, which was recently reimagined, is right in walkable downtown Laguna. There are views, of course, and design-focused rooms embracing “California’s coastal spirit," along with live music sessions just for hotel guests. (And they offer freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from local bakery Rye Goods.)

Hotel Joaquin is a motel, but don’t let that word fool you: The once dilapidated building has been restored into a space that takes inspiration from “the island of St.Barths, the 1950s Southern California beach culture, and the timeless and pristine aesthetic of the Mediterranean coast.” It’s exactly where you should be staying in a beach town.

For those preferring a home away from home, there are plenty of Airbnb’s around such as this Charming Manzanita Red Cottage, built in 1927 by Hollywood film producer Harry Green, or this Ocean View Beach House, with a beautiful patio perfect for year-round alfresco dining. Just have a sweatshirt ready for when the marine layer rolls in.