Beach for newbies

[livandemsmom]

We are taking our first trip to DLR the first week of June. We have saved one day for visiting a beach - we're from KS and want the kids to see the ocean! We are planning to rent a car at Downtown Disney. What beaches are nearby and fun for tourists? Any close by that are surfed? We are a little nervous about driving but we'll try anything once!

[ncc1701]

Huntington Beach is close to DLR and is known as Surf City. We drove to DL to visit Downtown Disney one morning to shop & have an early lunch when we went to HB on vacation. It was not a difficult drive . We finished in DL around 1:00 and were sitting by the pool at our hotel a little after 2:00
There was a good selection of restaurants near the pier.

[lizziegirl450]

One of my favorite beaches is Big Corona near Newport Beach. It has some pretty big rocks that you can climb over and some small caves to explore in low tide. From what I remember there aren't any cool restaurants or piers but there's a snack shack. And about a mile down the coast at Little Corona beach there are tide pools with all sorts of creatures (look, but don't touch! haha).
Have a great time at the beach! Don't forget your sunscreen.

(Also, because it's cute: )

Edit: oh! If your family likes hamburgers, great food to bring to the beach would be In N Out. (:

[theluckyrabbit]

Agree with the recommendation for Huntington Beach. Lots of surf history there. You can rent bikes and surf equipment, if you want. You might even be able to take a surf lesson, if the weather permits. The original Ruby's is on the pier. Your kids might enjoy eating there.

[PHXscuba]

Driving to Huntington Beach (or another nearby) is easy -- you don't even need to take the freeway. Just wait until after rush hour -- maybe after 9 a.m. -- and drive down. The first week in June the schools are still in session, so it shouldn't be busy (just watch the school zones -- some are on major streets). Beach parking is about $15 last I checked. Watch the surfers from the pier!

PHXscuba

[livandemsmom]

Thanks for the help! I am very excited for my girls to see the ocean. My oldest doesn't even remember the ocean from last time and my youngest has never been. Sounds like Huntington Beach will be perfect.

[Plaid Princess]

Originally Posted by livandemsmom

We are taking our first trip to DLR the first week of June.

We have saved one day for visiting a beach - we're from KS and want the kids to see the ocean!

What beaches are nearby and fun for tourists?

I would say that Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Crystal Cove are all good options. Huntington is more of your typical "SoCal" beach experience, with the pier, the main drag, surf rentals etc. They have a street fair every Tuesday as well. Parking is easy and convenient, there's parking structure, several lots, and metered streets. Be courteous and don't park in front of private homes.

Newport is a bit more low key, I second the suggestion of Big Corona Beach... it's one of my favorites! Especially great if you have little kids, as the beach is a fairly small area due to the landscape. Great tidepools and smaller surf than some of the others in the area. Parking is quite difficult for this beach though. Get there early.

Crystal Cove is part of a state park, and near a kelp forest. Also has great tide pools. Parking is across the street, but there is a tunnel under PCH or a shuttle ($1 per person) to get you to the water. This beach also has a full service restaurant, The Beachcomber, as well as a refurbished 1930's beach colony of houses and lean-tos. There's almost always a painter or two out, and the beach sports its own gallery.

Any close by that are surfed?

Yes! Just about all of them at one point or another, but for the highlights you'll want Huntington Beach or the Wedge at Newport Peninsula. Huntington has the best viewing for surfing, as you can stand on the pier and look down on the surfers. It's also home to the Surf Museum. You can get lessons at most of the beaches in SoCal during the summer and high season.

We are a little nervous about driving but we'll try anything once!

Don't be nervous!!! The tales of CA driving are mostly over-dramatic. You can completely avoid Freeways to most locations if they make you uncomfortable. For example, it's actually more direct to take Beach Blvd. from Disney to the SoCal beaches, than to try and take Freeways. If you are going to drive on freeways, just remember that the flow of traffic is the rule of the road. Don't drive drastically faster or slower and you'll be just fine.

[disneycat321]

I second the recommendation for eating at Ruby's on the pier in Huntington Beach (at Main St). It's a great 50s themed diner restaurant with good food! I love that place. You get to take a nice stroll down the pier watching the surfers, and then you can eat in the restaurant with beautiful panoramic views of the ocean. (Ask for upstairs for an even better view.)

Huntington Beach is very fun and lively. It can get busy, but since school won't be out in the area yet, it should be better than later in the summer.

Have fun!!

[KCmike]

Newport Beach and Corona Del Mar are perfect.
Hello Neighbor!

Newport has a pier, a concrete boardwalk, some fun little boat tours if you decide on splurging (you can take a sunset cruise around the harbor and they show you famous million dollar homes and then out onto the ocean for a sunset over the coastline of CA. Corona Del Mar is the perfect crescent shaped beach.

Here are some photos.


Corona Del Mar Beach by KC MikeD, on Flickr


Corona Del Mar from the Cliff by KC MikeD, on Flickr


Newport Pier by KC MikeD, on Flickr


Newport Beach by KC MikeD, on Flickr

If you have any other questions feel free to ask!
Have you been to Disneyland before?

[livandemsmom]

Thanks for posting photos. They're gorgeous. This will be our first trip to DL. I've only been to CA one other time - spending a week in San Diego which was amazing and so fun. That needs to be a family trip by itself sometime soon too!

[KCmike]

Originally Posted by livandemsmom

Thanks for posting photos. They're gorgeous. This will be our first trip to DL. I've only been to CA one other time - spending a week in San Diego which was amazing and so fun. That needs to be a family trip by itself sometime soon too!

I agree about San Diego. We have stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado twice down in San Diego and it is our favorite ocean hotel resort. So lovely! If you ever get bored you can view several photos on my trip report from last summer down below in my past trips area.

Will you be staying for a week? Are you so excited about Carsland?
We saw it all last summer and had such a blast.