Pirate Tower in Laguna Beach is absolutely worth the effort to get to. There are two ways in: the…read moreTreasure Island Beach side, which involves walking over a rocky cliff area, so definitely check tide levels before you go. The other option is a hidden residential staircase that leads down directly, but it's hit or miss and not always open. Parking can be a bit tricky. From the residential aide straight across meter parking. From the Montage Resort area paid parking nearby do not park in the plaza across you will get towed or ticketed. Once you make it down, it opens up into crystal clear water and a stunning stretch of beach. The tower itself is incredibly unique and photogenic, almost like something tucked into a seaside storybook. Just a heads up, it is not dog friendly. Overall, a memorable spot that feels like a little hidden treasure along the coast.

This place is as fantastical as it looks on social media. It took a while for me to find out how to…read moreget to it. The entrance is in a residential area, and you take some stairs between houses down. There are some sharp rocks being lapped with ways on the way there, so bring some flip flops to walk over to it.

I saw this on instagram and decided to check it out. It's a cute little spot with great views…read more Not really big but you can't beat the view!! If you are nearby, definitely worth stopping by.

Stumbled upon these beautiful arches while walking my dog. Feels like you're in Europe! The view of…read morethe marina is beautiful on a clear day. Nice stroll to take after lunch in Dana Point.

Heisler Park is one of the most beautiful oceanfront parks in Southern California. The views here…read moreare absolutely stunning. There are scenic paths along the cliffs, palm trees, tide pools, small hidden beaches, and incredible sunsets -- all in one place. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing walk by the ocean. I especially like coming here around sunset. The light over the ocean is beautiful and it's a great place for photos or just to sit and enjoy the view. There are also grassy areas that are perfect for a small picnic while watching the ocean. Parking is usually metered nearby, but the park itself is free to visit. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Laguna Beach.

So many pretty plants, beautiful architecture, and animals fill this park. It was great to visit…read moreand enjoy the views and surroundings at Heisler Park. This park really complements the coastal beach views around the area.

Great place to walk, bike, hike, roller skate, etc. and enjoy nature. There is a paved path and…read morethen a wide variety of trails of all difficulty levels. You'll love it! You can park for $3 for the day right next to the visitors center or you can park on the street. It's super accessible.

It was a very good hiking trail and beautiful view! Had lunch at the park nearby it was a perfect…read moreday!!

I had so much fun walking this path. So peaceful. So clean. And very close to everything…read more We even took the free trolley back and forth. Great day date

I love Laguna Beach! Yes, it is always super crowded but it's a small city so that's what you…read moreshould expect. I would say parking is a hassle, which it is, but I've been through much worse. I never get lucky enough to find street parking although most of it is metered and that's always annoying, but they have plenty of affordable parking lots so definitely just pay up. We didn't spend more than $5 for parking so for a beach day that is totally worth it. There are lots of shops and restaurants to visit while you are in the area. I definitely recommend walking along the beach cliffside. There is a paved trailed and the view is gorgeous. To me, it's just as pretty as Hawaii! We chose to eat at Urth Cafe during our most recent visit but the other restaurants I have visited have also been very pleasent. They have good quality food and the prices are expensive but definitely affordable for an ocean view. I would recommend to arrive early. Maybe the crowds wont be as bad plus you need to plan for traffic when you leave Laguna Beach. We were caught in a traffic jam when we left in the afternoon and it seemed like it was backed up the entire day. But like I said, I have been through much worse and Laguna Beach is still always worth the visit. Will be back soon!

Watched the Eddie Akiau documentary / biopic at the Rivian theater in downtown Laguna beach with…read moremy buddy and his wife. Interesting set up, some traditional theater type seats, some sofas, a bar type sub wall with metal stools. Seating is first come first served. We sat on the bar stools. There were also 2 Rivian vehicles on display inside. 1 pick up truck and 1 suv. Comfortable space, I wish we had shown up a little earlier and had seats in the more traditional movie theater style than the stools without back rests, but that was % on us for taking too long at dinner before the movie. Nice set up with a new screen that made for great viewing. I'll definitely return. Pro tip: show up early and secure a good seat. Your back and bottom will appreciate it.

We've been here twice, with today being our 2nd time. The first time - it was on 11/20 when they…read morehad an owner's night gathering. There were some small bites, music, and fun little Rivian pin giveaways. Today there was a kids event where they can record their sound into a little heart, make a valentines craft and put a tiny flower bouquet together. People hung out and socialized but no food. Parking is difficult to find and costs $3 per hour in the nearby lots.

This Nature Interpretive Center is small, but good learning opportunities for small kids. It…read moreprovides information on geology, biology, and history on Dana Point Headlands. We spent about 20 minutes learning about animals, marine life, and surrounding plants. It explains how compact this place is. So will take you most about 30 minutes. Very informative displays and artifacts to explore. Parking is free and located in front of the facility. Afterwards, head down to the trail overlooking magnificent ocean views and lush green surroundings. Perfect activity to spend with your family.

Nice little spot to take the kids or even yourself to learn some of the local history. There are…read moredisplays inside and outside of the nature center. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to see it all. You can go on a short hike that has magnificent ocean views . There is a marked trail available right behind the center.Parking is available right in front of the center.

I have tried twice to book the Best Bites of Laguna Beach Tour through Viator. My first tour was…read morecanceled because my tour is pending until someone from the tour company confirms the date and the number of people, and no one responded, so it was canceled. I've put in a second request for a tour for two people on the date I requested, and so far no one has responded, so this one may also be canceled. At least two Viator representatives have called and sent email messages to try to get my tour confirmed, but they've not gotten a response. I also sent a message to the tour company asking that they respond to my pending tour request, but no response. I have given this tour company one star for poor customer service.

Had a great day tour w/ our tour guide Cathy (very warm, friendly & hospitable) & fellow Yelper…read moreLucy T. (thanks girlie for taking me along) =) A fun day of learning new facts & sampling new places which we'd never think of trying in laguna Beach. A foodie lovers day of fun, Yay! =) Places we visited: La Sirena Grill (Organic Mexican) - small samples of salsa & guacamole dip Tommy Bahama (sample of Coconut Shrimp) Candy Baron (No candy samples) Lumberyard Restaurant (No samples) Sundried Tomato Cafe (small sample of their signature Sundried Tomato soup) Cafe Zinc (small sample of bean & corn salsa) Ocean Ave. Brewery (beer tasting $3 extra & appetizers) Pizza Lounge (Pizza made from fresh ingredients) Helen Cope House Dolce Gelato (sample of gelato) St. Francis by the Sea Cathedral Murphy-Smith Bungalow The lifeguard tower Wyland studios I wish they had more tastings of signature dishes from each of the different restaurants rather than just their appetizers & also more tastings in the middle of the tour because I was feeling hungry but by the end of the tour I was so stuffed! =P Tip: There are two parking structures on Mermaid st that are $5 all day parking thats the cheapest & best deal that was perfect parking for this tour.

Love this small beach community with a rich Japanese American history. We were here for the…read moreJapanese American culture day in June. We were told to get there early before the Los Trancos parking lot is full. We got there on a Saturday around 10:30am and there was only one row in the back with open spots. We opted to take the short walk downhill to the beach rather than wait to take the shuttle. It was a nice walk and there's a cool tunnel along the way too. The visitor center and gift shop were very nice. Everyone working there was super friendly and knowledgeable. You can tell they love their jobs. The beautiful beach was busy but clean. There's a nice restaurant there with great Bloody Mary's and food. It does get busy on the weekends.

Gorgeous park with tons of trails that all interconnect and have stunning views of the ocean!…read moreTrails are well maintained, no trash anywhere and brush sits off trails. They have both wide fire roads and single track roads that you can choose from, with varying levels of difficulty. Everything was well marked, and didn't see too many people when I went. Lots of wildflowers and native brush everywhere, glad to see it hasn't been overrun with the invasives like many other parks throughout OC.

Arranging a tour or cruise can be confusing and difficult, especially with so many competitors all…read moremaking similar claims. We chose Expedia to travel to Europe this year. We ended up picking a Princess Cruise and related land tours. Dave Branson is our consultant and he took it upon himself to arrange the cruise and our land tours and flights. He did a superlative job. One can only hope that a cruise meets the expectations that the advertisements often pique. In our case, Princess came up short, being that the ship seemed to be out of date in terms of decor and amenities. Food was also inconsistent. The tour advisor cannot be blamed for the failings of the cruise line. Without Dave Branson our experience would have been far different, and probably much less enjoyable.

You can't beat Expedia in Laguna Hills. I love a cruise…read moreship, the luxury, the service, the engineering marvel, the ocean, the food the entertainment. I've been many times for over 25 years and booked direct and with travel agents. Direct is ok for something simple, you know the cruise line maybe and maybe repeating a trip...say Carnival for the Christmas weekend to Ensenada...but my experience is that the pricing is the same whether buying direct from the line or buying with a travel agent. The travel agent gets a small commission from the line, obviously but they are buying at a discount so the pricing is consistent whether buying from the travel agent or going direct. But what you get FOR FREE from the travel agent is often invaluable in the form of advice about a particular line, the cruise, the ports, where on the ship you want you state room and a dozen other question that these experts to provide. The team at Expedia Laguna Hills is great at this. Old school customer service, actually answering the phone personally and helping you RIGHT NOW, not a website, not endlessly clicking for answers you can't find, real answers when you need them. Dave, Chris and others are responsive, knowledgeable, experienced and very easy to understand, very hard to find in our modern world and so great to have them right here in Orange County.