Highway to Hoeftland

-Time Travel Tuesdays-

This past summer, in August, we took a weekend road trip to Laguna Beach, California.

We reserved a stay at the Holiday Inn, an older hotel without any ocean views, but nicely maintained and charming, with an outdoor pool and many pretty flowers and plants in the center of the hotel. We liked that it was located in the heart of town, with an excellent walkscore of 89/100.

There were both pros and cons of visiting Laguna Beach. We’re grateful that we got to see and to experience the famous beach town; in all honesty, we’re not sure we would return for a second vacation there. Read on for more information about why we liked Laguna Beach, as well as a word of caution about visiting the area.

Reasons to visit Laguna Beach, CA

1. The beauty of the town and the beaches are awe-inspiring.

The beauty of the locale is worth a visit alone. One thing is for sure, Laguna Beach is stunningly gorgeous. A park we visited with outstanding views of the ocean and good beach access was Treasure Island Park. We took the trolley to the park from our hotel.

2. The trolley is fun to ride and a helpful service.

The trolley made it possible to leave our car parked for our entire stay. It drives up and down the main street of Laguna Beach, stopping every so often to pick people up and to drop them off at short intervals; it was free when we were there. It was a very nice service the city provides to tourists and residents alike.

3. The restaurants with ocean views are delightful. 

There are fabulous restaurants and bars along the beach that can make your worries and cares melt away. We walked over to The Deck from our hotel late one night and we had a wonderful time. The hostess sat us right on the edge of the outdoor patio, closest to the ocean, and we sat and listened to the gigantic waves crashing on the beach. We ate seafood, drank tasty craft beers and wine, and had a lovely and relaxed conversation together. The Deck gets average to above average reviews online. We personally had a terrific experience there. The servers were attentive and friendly. The food and drinks were great, and the ambiance couldn’t have been better—with the ocean and sand just beyond our table. The experience at The Deck was our favorite part of the trip.

Word of caution when visiting Laguna Beach, CA

Laguna Beach can be over crowded.

When we visited, (during summertime and it was the weekend) the congestion was horrible. The town is very small and at times it felt as though the cars and people overtook its charm. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic, crowds of people all over the beach and streets, and restaurants and trolleys were filling up to capacity. Consequently, the beach town lacked a sense of peacefulness.

Overall takeaway from our trip to Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach, CA is beautiful and interesting. The beaches are idyllic. The ocean views are stunning. There are many great eateries and bars to enjoy.  It is also crowded, exceptionally popular, and tends to lean towards pricey and haughty.

Tip: If possible, try to visit in the off-season to avoid massive crowds (if you prefer your beach experience to be a little more laid-back).

Do you agree with our review of Laguna Beach, CA? Do you have any questions? Please let us know in the comment section.