The coastal California town of Laguna Beach, located about 55 miles south of frenetic Los Angeles, is the antidote to a hurried or overstimulated life. Lingering in its quiet coves or trekking one of its scenic trails brings fresh perspective. There’s a levity to being here, and to communing with the natural beauty all around.
More than six million out-of-towners explore Laguna Beach annually, which is a Goliath count compared to its residential population of 22,332. They come for the Golden State trifecta — sea, surf, and sun — but they also come for the art. Plein air artists have been drawn to the scenery here since the late 1800s. In 1918 the community’s first art gallery opened — now the Laguna Beach Art Museum and the steward of thousands of works depicting California geography and culture, as well as a venue for robust art programming for all ages.
Options for immersive art experiences abound in this creative community. Here’s how to spend an art-meets-outdoors weekend in Laguna almost any time of the year.

GALLERY HOPPING
California’s famed Pacific Coast Highway cruises right through Laguna Beach — the sand and the sea to the west, and the city (and verdant San Joaquin Hills) to the east. Whiling away an hour or three on iconic Main Beach is a must, but you should also take a stroll into Laguna’s charming downtown, which is dotted with dozens of fine art galleries. The galleries welcome wanderers almost any day of the week, but they come alive on Laguna’s First Thursday Art Walk. Demonstrations and live music play up the art at this free evening event, which has been a local tradition since 1998.

AFFAIRS TO REMEMBER
In addition to daily opportunities to see the creative side of Laguna Beach, renowned annual arts festivals take place here.
At Laguna Art-A-Fair, the Sawdust Art Festival and the Festival of the Arts, nearly every art medium you can name is represented. Live glass-blowing and painting demos are not to be missed, and there are hands-on art education classes for creators of all ages and stages, should you want to throw a bowl on a pottery wheel or paint your own watercolour still life. This invitation to participate is part of what makes the arts events in Laguna Beach so special — you’re not just a spectator; you can be an artist, too.

PRESERVATION-MINDED
Running parallel to Laguna’s art history is a decades-long fight to preserve local natural resources. Fervent citizens helped found the Laguna Greenbelt in the 1960s, protecting 22,000 acres of greenspace from development. Notably, the adjacent ocean waters are also preserved as a marine reserve, so instead of busy harbours or piers, you will find teeming tide pools and wave-riding surfers.
All this is to say that a deep respect for Mother Nature is part of the DNA of Laguna Beach, and so, spending time outdoors is a must. A favourite nature stop is Crystal Cove State Park, set just three miles north of Main Beach. I tread lightly on this natural rocky shoreline anytime I can visit, spying on sea stars, sea anemones, limpets and more. Check the local tide chart, though, as high tide makes the pools inaccessible. Another popular low-tide sight is the Victoria Beach Pirate Tower, originally built in 1926.
Then dig into Laguna’s greenspace and pick a trail that suits your hiking skills. The aptly named Top of the World Trail is a short (2.5 miles) but intense (almost 900 feet in elevation gain) and delivers excellent sea views. For a more moderate experience, consider El Moro Canyon Short Loop, paired with a tide pool excursion, as it’s in Crystal Cove State Park. Or choose from dozens of trails in neighbouring Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park.
HELLO, OPERATOR
While a day on the sand is requisite in Laguna Beach, it’s also a treat to see the shoreline from the waves. To do that in comfort (and safety), connect with a local operator likse La Vida Laguna. A kayak tour will get your adrenaline pumping and give you a chance to watch migrating blue or grey whales, dolphins and/or sea lions from closer up. Stand-up paddleboard tours and surf lessons are other great ways to play like a local. For private or group surf lessons helmed by expert instructors who know Laguna’s waves well, check out Thalia Surf Shop.

WHERE TO STAY
Like Disneyland (which is just 25 miles away from Laguna Beach), Surf & Sand Resort has innumerable loyalists, which is understandable, given that this luxury property sits right on the beach. My personal hotel pick, though, is The Ranch at Laguna Beach, a 97-room gem tucked into Aliso Canyon. Guests here can easily access the sand via a sweet meandering path, but they can also indulge in the serenity of being surrounded by wildflower- clad hillsides. The very pretty nine-hole golf course is another plus, as is the on-site farm, with its scheduled tours and seasonal fresh produce grown for The Ranch’s cornerstone restaurant, Harvest.
Too many choices? Keep calm like a surfer waiting for a wave — likely Laguna will lure you back for a repeat visit.
By Chelsee Lowe — *This article originally appeared in Insight: The Art Of Living Magazine – The Connection Issue.