Where to Stay in Laguna Beach

The Village is the heart of Laguna Beach, centered on Forest Avenue, Ocean Avenue, and Pacific Coast Highway. You can walk from your hotel to Main Beach, the lifeguard tower, the Laguna Art Museum on Cliff Drive, and dozens of restaurants without ever starting your car. Forest Avenue is closed to traffic on summer weekends and turns into a promenade with live music. Park your car once at your hotel and forget about it. The trade-off is noise from PCH and prices that climb in summer. Stay near Glenneyre Street or Park Avenue for quieter blocks that are still a short walk to the sand.

Best for

First-time visitorscouples without a caranyone who wants restaurants and beach in one walk

Walk times

Main Beach: 2 to 5 min
Laguna Art Museum 5 min
Heisler Park: 8 to 12 min

Skip if: You want quiet at night or sleep with windows open. PCH traffic carries.

Local tip: Park in the structure on Glenneyre instead of street meters. Free trolley runs every 20 minutes from late June through Labor Day and stops at every major beach.

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$246per night

North Laguna (Heisler Park to Crescent Bay)

Quiet residential streets with the best tide pools and cliff walks

Luxury $280-$650/night

North Laguna runs from Heisler Park up past Crescent Bay Drive and Cliff Drive. This is the postcard Laguna of cypress trees, sandstone cliffs, and stairs leading down to small coves. Crescent Bay and Shaw's Cove have the clearest water for snorkeling, and the tide pools at Heisler Park are protected as a marine reserve. It is a 10 to 15 minute walk to the Village restaurants on Forest Avenue, so you get quiet nights without being stranded. Hotels here are smaller boutiques and a few inns on Cliff Drive with ocean views. Bring shoes you can walk stairs in. Every beach access involves at least 30 steps.

Best for

Couplesphotographerssnorkelersanyone who wants morning coffee with an ocean view

Walk times

Heisler Park: 3 to 8 min
Forest Avenue restaurants: 12 to 15 min
Crescent Bay tide pools: 5 to 10 min

Skip if: You have mobility issues. The stairs to every beach are steep and there are no elevators.

Local tip: Drive Cliff Drive at sunset, park near Heisler Park, and walk the paved path north. The pavilion gazebo is the best free sunset spot in town.

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$314per night

South Laguna (Aliso Beach to Treasure Island)

Hidden coves, resort stays, and the best beaches for families

Luxury $250-$400/night

South Laguna stretches from Aliso Beach down past Treasure Island and Thousand Steps Beach. This is where the Montage and other resorts sit on bluffs above private-feeling coves. Aliso Beach has a creek mouth and sand wide enough for actual beach games. Thousand Steps (it is really 220) is the local favorite for its sea caves at low tide. You will need a car or the trolley to reach Village restaurants, about 10 minutes north on PCH. The upside is more space, calmer beaches, and easier parking. The downside is that South Laguna shuts down by 9 pm. Eat early or drive to the Village.

Best for

Familiesresort travelersanyone who wants a beach all to themselves before 9 am

Walk times

Aliso Beach: 2 to 8 min
Treasure Island Beach: 5 to 10 min
Thousand Steps Beach: 10 to 15 min

Skip if: You want to walk to dinner. PCH has no real sidewalks for long stretches here.

Local tip: Park free at Aliso Beach after 5 pm, bring a blanket, and watch the sunset from the south end of the sand where the cliffs frame it.

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$280per night

Top of the World (Temple Hills)

Panoramic ocean views, hiking trails, and a 10-minute drive to everything

Luxury $180-$400/night

Top of the World sits up Park Avenue and Alta Laguna Boulevard, climbing the hills above the Village. The neighborhood ends at Alta Laguna Park, the trailhead for the Laguna Coast Wilderness hiking system. You get 270-degree views from Catalina Island to Saddleback Mountain and prices that drop because you are not on the sand. This is mostly vacation rentals and a few small inns rather than hotels. Plan on driving down the hill for everything, including coffee. The roads are narrow, steep, and twist sharply, so practice in daylight before driving them at night. Worth it if you want a view balcony at half the price of an oceanfront room.

Best for

Hikersbudget-minded travelers wanting viewsanyone with a rental car

Walk times

Alta Laguna Park trailhead 5 min
Nearest grocery (Pavilions on Coast Highway): -drive 10 min
Main Beach: to 15-drive or trolley 12 min

Skip if: You do not want to drive on steep, narrow roads or you want walkable dining.

Local tip: Hike the West Ridge Trail from Alta Laguna Park at sunrise. You will see the entire coast wake up and probably spot deer on the way back.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$202per night