Have you done a beach day?

[Daisybelle]

Since we're taking a nice long week for our trip this time, I'm pondering the merits of heading over to the beach for a day. I have NO desire to drive it so it would mean doing a tour bus type commute. Has anyone done this? Can you share pros and cons? I'm inclined to not do it since I won't be renting a car but I thought I should research the thought before dismissing it.

Please advise!

 

[Amysita]

I did the OC Experience bus tour in 07. I had a fantastic time! I can't remember what the 1st beach is they take you to...but you're not there long & there's not much to do at that beach. The second beach is Balboa Island at Newport Beach. At that beach I had enough time to take a Balboa Island harbor boat tour, walk around for a little while & window shop @ Balboa Island, walk over to the pier @ Newport Beach and eat lunch, walk the beach a bit, and was back to the bus with 10 - 15 minutes to spare. Then we went to a HUGE outdoor mall (Fashion Island)...I'm not a big shopper & would have prefered scrapping the mall and having more beach time...perhaps hit a 3rd beach even.

They have added since I've been the Orange County Beach Tour that sounds like all they do is hit several beaches & you have jump-on/off priveleges all day...if all you want to do is hit the beaches, that sounds more like what you're looking for.

 

[SILLYANDI]

We live in SO Cal, we like to catch the Surfliner in Fullerton and take it to Carpinteria or Santa Barbara for the day. The beaches are cleaner and less crowded. Also, in Carp there are tons of tide pools, a seal preserve, dolphins frolicking in the waves and some great little shops & restaurants.
It does take about 2 hrs for the commute and you are at the will of the train schedule.