Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach lies along the coast of the Pacific Ocean with a ridge of hills bounding its eastern edge. The main road is Pacific Coast Highway, also referred to as Coast Highway, Highway 1 and PCH.

North Laguna This is the area from about High Street north to the city line at Crystal Cove State Park. This stretch of Coast Highway has a few restaurants and shops, but is main residential (large gated communities) with entry points to secluded beaches.

Main Beach / The Village This area fans out from Broadway, a street that becomes Laguna Canyon Road (CA 133, a main artery into Laguna Beach). To the north is the famous Gallery Row area and oceanfront Heisler Park. To the south is the village area with shops and restaurants. Broadway ends at Main Beach, with its boardwalk and popular sandy beach area.

South of Main Beach This is the long area from about Cleo Street south to Aliso Creek Beach. This stretch of Coast Highway contains a lot of shopping, restaurants, hotels and entry points to secluded beaches. Residential neighborhoods slope up the hills.

South Laguna This is the area from Aliso Creek Beach south to Crown Valley Parkway. It contains cliff side beaches, some restaurants and shopping, a hospital and residential properties.

Orange County's John Wayne Airport, also known as SNA is only about 15 miles from Laguna Beach. From SNA, you can get to Laguna Beach by one of several ways: rent a car and drive (most popular), take a taxi (about $50), take a door-to-door shuttle (about $30) or limo, or take the OCTA [see Orange County Transportation Authority below] bus #76 ($2.50, runs hourly) to the Newport Transportation Center and transfer there to the OCTA bus #1 that runs to Laguna Beach via the Pacific Coast Highway. All of these modes may be found at the SNA's Ground Transportation Center across the street from Terminal A and B, with the exception of the OCTA bus #76, which is boarded at the OCTA Bus Stop at the far end of Terminal B curbside.

Laguna Beach stretches along the Pacific Coast Highway (CA 1) at the "T" intersection of Laguna Canyon Road (CA 133), which becomes Broadway in town. When arriving on summer nights during Pageant of the Masters performances expect a lot of traffic along CA 133 and plan extra time to get into town.

From John Wayne Airport, you can take either Interstate 405 (to the north) or CA-73 (to the south and partway a toll road) to get to CA-133 and south to Laguna Beach. Alternatively, you can drive south from John Wayne Airport to Newport Beach and pick up CA-1 to Laguna Beach.

There are Amtrak and Metrolink stations in Irvine, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente. From there it will be necessary to take public transportation or a taxi.

• Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA). The OCTA Bus #1 runs up and down the Coast Hwy twice an hour. Route #89 runs up Laguna Canyon Road to Laguna Hills twice an hour.
• Laguna Beach Transit operates five trolley routes year round seven days a week (M-Th 6:30AM-6:15PM, F 6:30AM-11PM, Sa 9:30AM-11:15PM, Su 11AM-8:30PM). The routes are all named after the neighborhoods that they serve: Arch Beach Heights, Bluebird Canyon, Top of the World, North Laguna, and South Laguna. All routes loop back to the Transit Center on Broadway in downtown. In addition, all routes are free.
  • The city also operates three routes during the weekend with the same hours as the neighborhood trolley (F 4:30-11PM, Sa 9:30AM-11:15PM, Su 11AM-8:30PM) The routes serve the coast as well as up the canyon. All routes are free.
    • Short Coastal: Starts at North Laguna and travels along the coast to Mission Hospital in South Laguna. Frequency: 20 minutes.
    • Long Coastal: Starts at the Transit Center downtown and travels to the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point. Frequency: 30 minutes.
    • Limited Stop Canyon: Starts at Lot 16 (Act V) parking lot in Laguna Canyon and travels to downtown via Laguna Canyon Road.
  • All routes can be lenient on schedules so do not expect your trolley to be on time. The weekend routes do not run on a schedule.
  • Use the Trolley Tracker App to see a live map of where your trolley is. Available for iOS and Android.

Although a car may be convenient, parking is at a premium in the summer; beware of having your car towed. You'll probably have to pay to park downtown in beach weather. The cheapest option is parking in the residential areas on the other side of Pacific Coast Highway, although you risk begrudging the residents. If you are trying to get downtown a good place to park is the district parking lot just across from Laguna Beach High School. From here you can take a short walk into town. Lot prices in the summer range from $7-15.

• 🌍 Adolfo's Mexican Food, 998 South Coast Hwy (at Anita Street, south of Main Beach). 9AM-9PM, Daily. 
• 🌍 Café Zinc, 350 Ocean Ave (in the village), ☏ +1 949 494-6302. Vegetarian café serving breakfast and lunch. Very popular with locals. 
• Gina's Pizza and Pastaria, 1100 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949 494-4342. Great Italian food including pizza, pastas and hearty sandwiches, with pitchers of beer available. The southern location has outdoor seating for people watching with an ocean view. Friendly and totally casual. 
• 🌍 Heidelberg Cafe & Bistro, 1100 South Coast Hwy (at Brooks Street), ☏ +1 949 497-4594. Popular breakfast place that also does lunch. Has indoor and outdoor seating. Breakfast $10, Lunch $10-15. 
• 🌍 La Sirena Grill, 347 Mermaid St (in the village), ☏ +1 949 497-TACO (8226). 8AM-9PM M-Sa. Looks like a hole in the wall, seating is limited to a few barstools and handful of tables and benches, but the best Mexican food. 
• 🌍 La Sirena Grill, 30862 S. Coast Highway (in the Aliso Creek Shopping Center, across the street from the Montage), ☏ +1 949 499-2301. 7AM-10PM Daily. Same great food as the village location, but with plenty of seating indoor and out. Also has 19 taps of craft beers on tap. Also has the advantage of free parking in a large lot. 
• 🌍 Orange Inn, 703 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949 494-6085. Good for breakfast & brunch, sandwiches, smoothies, coffee and tea. Freshly made baked good include delicious peach muffins. Small indoor seating area, but right next to a lovely stretch of beach if you get your items to-go. 
• 🌍 Penguin Cafe, 981 South Coast Hwy (at Anita Street), ☏ +1 949 494-1353. Family-run and very friendly. Popular for breakfast and also serves lunch including malts and milk shakes. 
• 🌍 Taco Loco, 640 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949 497-1635. Fast-food ambiance, but quality of the food equals many higher-price restaurants. Favorites include Cajun-spiced seafood tacos, blackened lobster tacos, and the mushroom-and-tofu burgers. Opens late on Friday and Saturday, til 2AM. 
• 🌍 The Stand, 238 Thalia St (near South Coast Hwy), ☏ +1 949 494-8101. 7AM-7PM Daily. If any eatery can be called typically Laguna, this might be it. Only organic vegan ingredients are used in preparations. Smoothies, salads, and pita sandwiches are favorites. 
• 🌍 Wahoos Fish Taco, 1133 South Coast Hwy (at Oak Street), ☏ +1 949 497-0033. Popular local chain making fresh, delicious and inexpensive Mexican food. 

• 🌍 C'est La Vie Restaurant and Bakery, 373 South Coast Hwy (in the village), ☏ +1 949 497-5100. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner main course $15-18. 
• 🌍 Hotel Laguna, 425 South Coast Hwy (in the village). The deck has great views of the beach and (relatively) cheap food like burgers and salads. 
• 🌍 Las Brisas, 361 Cliff Dr (off North Coast Hwy). Mexican restaurant that has a patio with some great views of the ocean. Mediocre and expensive food, but excellent views for having a cocktail. It gets pretty packed on a nice summer day. 

• Broadway, 328 Glennerye St (in the village), ☏ +1 949 715-8234. Su-Th 5-10PM; F Sa 5-11PM (dinner only, it closes at 1AM but service ends at 11PM). Notable wine list. Dinner $40. 
• 🌍 Studio, 30801 South Coast Hwy (at the Montage Resort), ☏ +1 949 715-6420. 5PM-10PM Tu-Su (Dinner only). Panoramic ocean views, contemporary French cuisine. A great choice to celebrate a special occasion. Reservation strongly recommended and men should wear a jacket. Dinner $50 and up. 

• 🌍 Heidelberg Cafe & Bistro, 1100 South Coast Hwy (at Brooks Street). See description above under "Eat". 
• 🌍 Koffee Klatch, 1440 South Coast Hwy (near Mountain Street), ☏ +1 949 376-6867. M-Th Su 7AM-11PM, F Sa 7AM-midnight. Locally owned, you can get breakfast in the morning and treat yourself to dessert at night. Eclectic decor, big comfy chairs, patio seating and friendly staff. Some of the best coffee in Orange County. 
• 🌍 Laguna Coffee Company, 1050 South Coast Hwy (between Anita and Oak Streets), ☏ +1 949 494-6901. Su-W 6AM-6PM, Th-Sa 6AM-8PM. Locally owned, the coffee beans are roasted in-house. Limited seating inside and along the walkway outside. 
• 🌍 Orange Inn, 703 South Coast Hwy (at Cleo). See description above under "Eat". 
• Starbucks, 180 North Coast Hwy adjacent to the Main Beach with a small parking lot.

• 🌍 Marine Room, 214 Ocean Ave. In downtown. 
• 🌍 The Sandpiper. About six blocks south of Main Beach, it offers good local music. 
• 🌍 Brussels Bistro, 222 Forest Ave, ☏ +1 949 376-7955. Brussels Bistro offers live jazz Tu-Th. On Friday and Saturday the brasserie-style restaurant transforms into one of the hotter nightclubs in town. Happy hour is offered daily from 4-7PM. 
• 🌍 Finney's Crafthouse - Laguna Beach, 340 South Coast Hwy, ☏ +1 949-484-8140. Chicken wings and beer and things. 
• 🌍 Hennessey's Tavern, 213 Ocean Ave, ☏ +1 949 494-2743. Casual pub with two bars, downstairs and upstairs. Live music most nights. Burgers, Irish comfort food and the like.