Off Days Cali Exploring.

[xipotec]

So we probably will only visit DL for 3-4 days leaving is 2-3 days to explore the area around Anaheim by car.

Suggestions on beaches? Other things to see? We are not super excited to see the typical LA attractions like Hollywood or anything. More looking for things that are really worth a drive.

Not that tourist stuff is off the table, just has to be really worth it….

 

[sagejenn47]

When are you going? It could be fun to do one day at Crystal Cove/Laguna Beach and another up at the Huntington Gardens with a stop at Griffith Park (carousel or observatory or just hiking?). I am local, and those are some of my favorite day trips.

 

[Steven G]

You might want to consider wb studios tour, and if open, paramount and Sony studios. i like Santa Monica and Malibu, but they are a drive. In the other direction, San Diego is great too.

 

[gelatoni fan]

If you're trying to stay near Anaheim, Newport Beach or Huntington Beach. I haven't been for a longtime but food near Huntington Beach feels more affordable while Newport Beach feels a bit more upscale and better for families. If you're willing to drive further for a beach, I recommend visiting Santa Monica as the pier is iconic and it's a place you often see in movies.

I recommend the Science Center and Natural History Museum of LA which are right next to each other, especially if you have kids. Griffith Park is also nice but I personally wouldn't drive all the way from Anaheim for it.

 

[longboard55]

I think Crystal Cove is an amazing place. Stunning beaches very uncrowded. Great place to do a beach walk. Way to cold for swimming now but it is fun just to walk the beach. I would park at the Trancos lot and take the bus down, maybe make a stop at the shake shack.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Laguna Beach is wonderful!

 

[xipotec]

When are you going? It could be fun to do one day at Crystal Cove/Laguna Beach and another up at the Huntington Gardens with a stop at Griffith Park (carousel or observatory or just hiking?). I am local, and those are some of my favorite day trips.

1st week of August, grown kids.
We have not found a hotel anywhere yet. The ones near Laguna are pretty steep. An we need 3 beds so Suites only work for us….suggestions welcome for a home base.

Being an Atlantic born boy, I have never seen the big blue. Would love to surf a bit also. We do not mind a couple hour drive if worth it.

Kids are 16 and 19.

 

[GoldeneyezCA]

If LA - Getty Center, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (if you like movies), Petersen Automotive Museum, or Griffith Park Observatory

If OC - with teens, I’d suggest Huntington Beach Pier and Pacific City, Laguna Beach, or renting a duffy and cruising Newport Harbor.

SD is great, but you’ll spend a lot more time driving. All of the above are within 30-60 min of Anaheim.

 

[Kit Jackson]

To add to the LA list, if anyone is interested in Roman/Greek history and culture, the Getty Villa is fantastic. To help give better reccomendations, what do you mean by "Hollywood?" Anything connected to movies?

 

[ktlm]

The San Diego area is really nice and it is only a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive depending on where you stop (it has taken us that long to drive to and from the Universal/Griffin Park area to the DLR area with LA traffic so I would say either direction could take you the same amount of time even though LA etc. looks closer on a map).

I agree that the Newport Beach/Balboa Island area is fun and nice and Laguna and Crystal Cove are also nice. There are a ton of cute beach towns between DLR and San Diego. Coronado Island in San Diego is very nice-- there is a beautiful beach, a historic hotel and lots of little shops and restaurants and places to explore. There is a lot you can do in San Diego like Harbor Tours, the zoo, visit Old town, etc. I will say the Coronado beach is a lot bigger and sometimes more crowded than some of the smaller areas up and down the coast. We enjoy the California feel of a lot of those smaller beach towns. We have friends that live in the Carlsbad area, so we have spent time there, at Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana, La Jolla etc. They are all fun places with good beaches and fun local shops and restaurants. There are a lot of places to explore.

If you go north, the Warner Brothers Studio tour is great, but if you aren't into the Hollywood type stuff, it might not be the right fit-- Griffith is beautiful and wonderful to see, but if we weren't going to Universal, Warner Brothers, and weren't that interested in typical LA or Hollywood, it might not be worth the drive and traffic for just that. Going south from DLR is much more relaxed and laid back than heading to the LA area in my opinion.

We often arrive at DLR on a Saturday and them leave on Wednesday afternoon and head south for a few days.