Laguna Beach?

[Mom loves Disney]

Can you rent a car at DLR and drive and park at Laguna Beach? We want to go to the beach but will not have a car. We thought maybe we could rent one and drive.
If not can you take a cab or any other transportation?

 

[Leshaface]

Can you rent a car at DLR and drive and park at Laguna Beach? We want to go to the beach but will not have a car. We thought maybe we could rent one and drive.
If not can you take a cab or any other transportation?

I don't see why you couldn't rent a car...a cab would be expensive!

Isn't Huntington or Sunset a little bit closer then laguna? You also have to think about traffic..

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Thanks, are there places to park for the day?

 

[Leshaface]

If you go to Sunset (which is usually not crowded at all) you'll find a lot of street parking..

Huntington Beach is very busy but also gorgeous...there is street parking on the busy PCH or there is a parking structure right off the main street.

Laguna Beach, from what I remember was really hard for us to find parking for... I must not know the local secrets to that beach!

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Thanks again, we have never been to California and was hoping to see some of their beaches. If I am not too much of a bother which beach would be closer with a nice beach and easy parking?

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

We've done the Disney/Beach Day thing a few times....plus stay in the Orange County area (at the beach) for a few weeks at a time....Laguna is VERY difficult to find parking & being from AZ where we have ample parking, ALL the time - it was hard for us to get used to. Laguna DOES have tidepools however!

Pull out a map of Orange County & look at Huntington & Balboa Beaches - both have all day parking fees of no more than $10. And AMPLE parking spaces. Newport's in the middle of the 2 & again, parking can be tough on a summer day. Both BB & HB have a lot of close eateries. Snackbars...or white table cloths - whatever strikes your fancy.

BB also has the Fun Zone on the other side (bay side)- it's like a super-mini-Coney Island atmosphere w/ arcades & kiddy rides. Plus boat rides through the bay...or to Catalina Island.

This is the area I love, we found it after a DL Weekend when DD was 4 (almost 7 yrs ago!) & we go back (HB, NB, BB) as much as we can.

 

[Leshaface]

I would totally recommend Huntington and its only about half an hour from anaheim..

Sunset is more secluded which won't be so busy..you might like that since you'll be running around with thousands of people at disneyland, and that's I think less than half an hour away..

I think sunset would be closer.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

What's the order of the beaches?

Sunset...Huntington...Newport...Balboa...Laguna?

Except Balboa's on a peninsula of Newport, right? I don't know what beach we were closest to - doesn't the highway dump you off in Costa Mesa?? Which is a neighbor to NB or HB, depending which way you turn onto the PCH. Right?

It's hard to figure it out when you're only there once a yr.

 

[wendyinoc]

If you want to go the cheap and easy way to Laguna take the bus. It will take a while I show its 1 hour 38 but its $4. Its only two buses. It drops you off at the beach. OCTA.net

Another option my favorite is to take the ART to Amtrak. Take it to San Clemente Beach. Drops you off on the beach. Both Metrolink and Amtrak stop at San Clemente.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

FWIW, these wikimaps might be helpful:

Sunset Beach:
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.7211272&lon=-118.0659485&z=14&l=0&m=a&v=2

Huntington Beach:
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.6393472&lon=-117.9769421&z=14&l=0&m=a&v=2

Newport Pier / Newport Beach / Balboa Pier
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.6031106&lon=-117.9129124&z=14&l=0&m=a&v=2

Laguna Beach
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=33.5501935&lon=-117.8100014&z=14&l=0&m=a&v=2

 

[Mom loves Disney]

Thank you sooo much for all your help. This is such a last minute thing.

 

[KelliLee702]

Seal Beach is north of Huntington Beach. There is lot parking and street parking. A really nice main street and a restaurant at the end of the pier. There are also showers and a great little playground area if you have young ones.

We lived here for a year, and walking arund the area is very peaceful.

You can watch the fireworks go off in Long Beach (if they still have them on the weekends?

Good luck

 

[lntsmom]

Yes, you can. One thing, the car rental agencies around Disneyland have very early closing times, and some don't allow after-hours drop offs! Unless the hotel you're staying in has a rental agency...one you want to use...in it, you'll have to get the ART or other transport back to your hotel, too. If you're like me and don't use credit cards, that makes it even trickier.

After doing much looking, I decided to go to Laguna the first day of our trip, heading their right from SNA.

Do not try cabs or any other public transportation. You'll either spend hours trying to get there one way or pay a small fortune!

Last time I used a limo service. In 2005 they charged me $100 round-trip. I have no idea what they're charging this time. You can find links to limo services on the OC and Anaheim websites.

At Laguna you have to park up the street that runs perpendicular to the main beach...or mess with hourly parking closer to the beach.

We're really looking forward to our visit there. Due to the time changes, we're doing what will be lunch for us by going to a late breakfast at Zinc. I was searching everywhere for info on where to eat...then saw it on Rachael Ray. Then the kids will have all day to play and explore. We'll do dinner at BJ's and head back to our hotel. The nice thing about a day at Laguna is that you can play it by ear and do whatever you feel like!