Beach and places to eat

[maxtomsmom]

Hi! My kids and I are going to DL for the first time. We are staying at the Paradise Pier Hotel and we would love to see the beach one day. We will be renting a car. Any suggestions on which beach would be good for 3 New Yorkers and how far? My kids are 7 and just about 10.

Also, could someone suggest a supermarket where we can get some breakfast items and sandwiches? My kids are on special diets and I am trying to keep them on it. If a place delivers that would work too! Thanks!

 

[Sharron379]

There is a Whole Foods in Anaheim. I found a list of grocery stores and their addresses on www.wdwinfo.com

 

[KCmike]

Newport Beach and Corona Del Mar which is connected but a minute south down the road. CDM for swimming and Newport for just watching. It's unde 30 minutes away by highway.

Corona Del Mar from a road up above

CDM from sea level

View looking south

Newport Beach Pier

Newport

Newport also has an area where you can take harbor boat rides and sunset cruises around the harbor and then out onto the Pacific Ocean and see the sun setting over the West Coast. You don't stay out on the ocean too long but it was one of the most memorable things we did. The cost was $15 per person. It was amazing. Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[tancee]

My family plans to do the same. I was told about Huntington beach being closer. Also, I was told parking can be hard to find at Newport. It's a busy beach. There is also a parking fees at the beaches.

 

[maxtomsmom]

Wow! Beautiful pics. We can't wait. I grew up on Long Island and now live far from beaches so I miss it a lot. The beaches look amazing. Thanks for the post!

 

[maxtomsmom]

There is a Whole Foods in Anaheim. I found a list of grocery stores and their addresses on www.wdwinfo.com

Thanks for the Whole Foods info. That is the type of food we eat - organic. Do you know if there is a Trader Joe's nearby?

 

[KCmike]

Wow! Beautiful pics. We can't wait. I grew up on Long Island and now live far from beaches so I miss it a lot. The beaches look amazing. Thanks for the post!

No problem. If your going for swimming then Corona Del Mar is a perfect crescent shaped beach for families.

 

[jessica52877]

We went to CDM last trip and Huntington the two previous along with Santa Monica (much further). They are all beautiful.

We hit Food4less on Katella for groceries but they have a more limited selection in my mind so not sure it would be good for you.

 

[Scrappin'Maniac]

Newport also has an area where you can take harbor boat rides and sunset cruises around the harbor and then out onto the Pacific Ocean and see the sun setting over the West Coast. You don't stay out on the ocean too long but it was one of the most memorable things we did. The cost was $15 per person. It was amazing. Hope you have a wonderful time!

What company did you use for your cruise? I haven't found any that reasonably priced.

Thanks!

 

[KCmike]

The boat was pretty small, that I can remember. I want to say it was Funzone boat company. I just went to their website and they show a special on friday nights for $10 per person and its a harbor/sunset cruise for 90 minutes. There were several companies all right next to each other though. They were all fairly inexpensive. Here's a few pictures to wet your appetite.

 

[cyclenut]

As with most things, it really depends on what you expect to do when you "go to the beach".

If you expect a place where you can sit on the beach and swim in the surf with your kids, that is one set of options. As a PP mentioned, Corona Del Mar is nice. If your kids are smaller or not at all familiar with the beach, they might enjoy Mother's Beach in Long Beach more as you are really at a lagoon. You can still walk down to the ocean.

If you prefer the hustle and bustle of a busy beach with shops, dining and a pier, then you'll have to make sure your choice is near one of the several piers along the Southern California coast. Newport Beach is an excellent choice, but so it Huntington Beach. Both are busy, offer bike rentals (I know Huntington has a 4-person "bike" that is really more like a pedal driven cart ... not sure about Newport) and have dining and shopping within the immediate area.

If you would prefer to slow down a little and enjoy some small town charm, I prefer Seal Beach. It is less popular and a bit older, but still very nice.

If you like the idea of taking your pet down to the water then Huntington has a "dog beach" complete with a souvenier stand. It is popular with the locals. You might enjoy just sitting and watching all the dogs play in the water, but you don't see too many people making that stretch of beach their family play area.

Not all beaches have fire pits, but for those that do, they are very popular. If you go to a beach near a fire pit, KEEP YOUR KIDS AWAY ... AT ALL TIMES. People often put out their fires by throwing sand over them. This doesn't put out the fire and instead creates an oven. Kids have accidentally fallen in or stepped in only to burned, many hours after that fire was supposedly put out.

I know it probably sounds a bit complicated, but to get the most out of your beach experience, it is really a good idea to know what you expect first. Each of the beach areas has something a little different to offer.