A short walk from the bustling downtown Laguna Beach, this park is an amazing hidden oasis. The grassy bluff and the sandy beach with giant rocks and hidden caves make this park a favorite spot for photographers, sunset watchers, picnickers, and even seabirds. There are also a variety of art stands selling local artwork. Reconnect with nature, take a walk, or simply enjoy a lovely barbeque with your family in Heisler Park. Furthermore, with plenty of parking options, the park is convenient and great to visit with the entire family.
Crystal Cove State Park spans 3.2 miles (5.15 kilometers) of beach and over 2000 acres (809.37 hectares) of wilderness. Visitors to the park can relax on the beach, hike or go horseback riding on the many trails that criss-cross the verdant landscape. Explore tide pools and hidden coves as well as canyon flora and fauna. Finally, the crystal clear waters have been designated as an underwater park and are great for scuba diving, skin diving, and underwater photography, thus covering all aspects of outdoor exploration.
Founded in 1920, the Laguna Playhouse is rich in history and local color. Used as a neighborhood center of culture and entertainment during World War II, the theater has long been a fixture in the Orange County arts scene. Even now the theater is known for offering fantastic live theater productions.
This large, 95,000 square foot (8,825 square meter) eco-friendly facility is known as the Soka Performing Arts Center. Located on the Soka University of America campus in Aliso Viejo, this state-of-the-art center features a concert hall and theater both fully equipped with incredible acoustics designed by the same man who did the Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. See amazing student performances as well as professional groups year round at this stunning venue.
Historic Mission San Juan Capistrano is a California icon. Perhaps most famous for visits from its annual guests of honor, the swallows, the Mission means many things to many people. For Californians, it is a powerful symbol of the state's complicated colonial history. For Catholics, it is a profound religious site, indicative of the Church's own complex heritage. History buffs spend hours reveling in the facility's many exhibits and displays, connecting viscerally with the sights, sounds and feelings of generations long past. For visitors of any background, it is an undeniably gorgeous place to spend an afternoon-replete with striking architectural elements and lovingly cared-for gardens.
For those who can make only one stop in Corona del Mar, make it the Corona del Mar State Beach. This area alone can make everyone fall in love with CdM, a laid-back multi-million-dollar neighborhood accented by the Pacific, with streets lined by palm trees and flower beds. On the bluff, three signs mark beach access: Lookout Point, Main Beach, and Inspiration Point. Each point has a different view, but all share Catalina Island in the background, with Newport Bay and Balboa Island in the foreground. A few steps towards the south end of Ocean Boulevard is a secluded cove near the Robert E. Badham Marine Life Refuge, and some of the most extravagant mansions follow.
Sculpture by Richard MacDonald is the focus of this gallery. MacDonald is a native Californian and one of the most collected living sculptors in the United States. His bronze sculptures bring to mind the craftsmanship of times past. His works are highlighted in museums and galleries all over the world, and he has his own galleries not just in Laguna Beach, but also in Monterey and San Francisco. Other artists featured in the gallery include Robert Heindel, Marc Whitney, and Ann Jian Wang.
To immortalize the memories of the past, the residents of Balboa Island have come together to collect and preserve mementos of the past. A non-profit organization, this museum is open to visitors without any cost. Photographs, stories, objects narrating the history of the island are on display. The exhibits speak volumes about the times when the island was not inhabited by many people and not linked to the city. The history of development of this little island is a little more than a century old, yet is still very interesting.
A short walk from the bustling downtown Laguna Beach, this park is an amazing hidden oasis. The grassy bluff and the sandy beach with giant rocks and hidden caves make this park a favorite spot for photographers, sunset watchers, picnickers, and even seabirds. There are also a variety of art stands selling local artwork. Reconnect with nature, take a walk, or simply enjoy a lovely barbeque with your family in Heisler Park. Furthermore, with plenty of parking options, the park is convenient and great to visit with the entire family.
Take a boat tour of Newport Harbor and make your trip to Orange County complete. You can take a variety of tours inside the harbor or venture out into the ocean where you'll be shown playful sea lions, and depending upon the season, whales (January through March). It's a great way to fill your lungs with some salty sea air and learn why so many Southern Californians have decided to call Newport Beach home.
The unique history and culture of surfers is a big part of the Southern California's personality. As such, the Surf Gallery pays tribute to the whole scene by featuring regular exhibitions by, for and about surfers. Photos capturing the athletes in action hang alongside oil paintings meticulously produced in the off-season by surfers both well-known and up-and-coming.
Balboa Island Ferry has been running between Balboa Island and Balboa Peninsula since 1919. The quarter-mile ride across Newport Harbor takes about five minutes and saves passengers up to a half-hour drive around the harbor and bridge. Aside from convenience, the ferry also provides a kind of affordable luxury to those who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to be in the most picturesque scene of Newport Beach and cruises on luxury yachts and sail boats. The vintage ferryboats, double-ended wooden boats built in the 1950s, also add unexpected uniqueness to the experience. The service runs every five minutes and each boat takes up to three vehicles and 75 passengers.