Laguna Beach. Photo copyright 2018 by Anna Boudinot.

I remember the first time I visited Laguna Beach. As soon as I exited the freeway and started winding along Laguna Canyon Road through the scrubby hills, I felt like I was sneaking into a secret village that was much further away from LA than only fifty miles. (Well, fifty to sixty miles, depending on which freeway you take – obviously you’ll take the one with the least traffic, and you won’t attempt to make this drive during rush hour.)

For Angelenos in need of a refreshing weekend getaway, Laguna Beach is a “place where beauty… and a trifle of remoteness hobnob together in delightful companionship.” It’s known for its art and its beaches, which go hand-in-hand. The coastline is ruggedly beautiful; the water a rich blue. Artists have congregated in Laguna Beach for over 100 years, inspired by the particularly stunning orange hue of the setting sun as it hits the cliffs. You’ll see this light rendered in paintings again and again if you know where to look, but first let’s explore some of the beaches.

Main Beach

Main Beach is large, easy to find, and is close to shops, restaurants, and parking lots. It has an iconic lifeguard station you’ll probably recognize from TV and movies. One of my favorite aspects of Main Beach is the terraced park that follows it along street level; it’s a great place to have a picnic or just admire the ocean view if you don’t want to get down into the sand. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, there are two lovely beaches a few miles south that are more secluded.

Victoria Beach

Heading south on PCH from downtown Laguna Beach, you’ll find Victoria Beach only if you know where to look. It’s home to the Pirate’s Tower, which, sadly, is not actually a pirate tower – built in 1926, it’s just a really fancy staircase down to the beach from the mansion above – but it sure does look cool.

To get to Victoria Beach, park on PCH near a restaurant called Dizz’s As Is and be prepared for a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk down to the beach. Head downhill, toward the water, on either Sunset Terrace or McAuley Place. Look for the staircase between 2703 and 2713 Victoria Drive. At the bottom of the stairs, head right (north) to see the tower. If you get there early enough in the morning you’ll have some time to admire the ocean while sitting on the concrete wall of a now-defunct swimming pool that was built right on the beach. If you get there later in the day, you’ll risk battling Instagram influencers for a clean shot of the tower.

1000 Steps Beach

Another quiet beach can be accessed at the corner of PCH and 9th Avenue, a couple blocks south of the hospital. It’s called 1000 Steps Beach because you have to go down a loonnnng staircase to get there. As I descended, I thought, “This can’t be 1000 steps… it feels more like 500 maybe, tops.” On the way back up to the street, I decided the beach got its name not for the actual number of steps but for the number of steps it feels like! The beach has clean, pale sand that somehow seems softer than other Southern California beaches, and a perfect view of the waves. There is a public restroom on-site, so it’s a beach where you can easily spend an entire day. If you’re in the mood for adventuring, head south, where you can walk through a cave and explore tide pools.

On a weekend, parking along PCH will be nearly impossible to find after 11 a.m., so if you want to visit Victoria Beach or 1000 Steps Beach in the afternoon, consider parking downtown and taking the free trolley. Conversely, if you spend time at the beach in the morning and want to visit downtown in the afternoon, the trolley will save you from having to find a new parking spot.

Laguna Art Museum

In 1918, a group of local artists formed the Laguna Beach Art Association, and they opened a gallery in 1929. By 1972, it had amassed a permanent collection large enough to sustain a museum and the Laguna Art Museum was born. The art – which includes works by the original Association founders – focuses solely on California art, either art by Californians or art that depicts California. I lingered over several paintings of the Laguna coast, as well as quite a bit of art made by women. I especially loved the art of Helen Lundeberg, who established the first post-Surrealist movement in the US along with her artist husband.

Art Galleries

Downtown Laguna Beach is chock-full of galleries, with some of the most popular ones close to Main Beach. It’s easy to get lost in the whimsical fairy tales at Kush Fine Art, or admire works in the Laguna Gallery of Contemporary Art, which features artists who support or illuminate humanitarian causes.

Art by Lynn Weiderman at Studio 7 Gallery. Photo by Anna Boudinot.

Some of the best art galleries in Laguna Beach are a little further away from the hubbub, though, just across the street from the museum. I was drawn in by the bold brushstrokes of Anna Kincaide at the Joanne Artman Gallery, and I loved learning about the etchings of Andrea Serafini and Agostino Zaliani at La Bottega Gallery. This was a truly unique experience, as the gallery owner spent time answering all my questions about the etching process and pulling artwork out of massive portfolios to share with me. At Studio 7 Gallery, which is an artists’ co-op, I spoke with painter Lynn Weiderman and got to see one of her works in progress: an oil painting of Laguna Beach with that quintessential orange sunlight illuminating the sand and palm trees. I hope, in another 100 years, artists are still thriving in Laguna Beach and still painting that glow.

If you visit Laguna Beach in the summer, be sure to see Pageant of the Masters, which I’ve written about here.