The several sides of Laguna Beach
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GETTING THERE:
Laguna Beach is about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles via Interstate 5 or 405. The closest airport is John Wayne/Orange County in Santa Ana.
WHERE TO STAY:
LATimes-Guide-!PlaceDetail-39640,00.html”>Montage Resort & Spa, 30801 S. Pacific Coast Highway; (866) 271-6953 or (949) 715-6000, fax (949) 715-6100, www.montagelagunabeach.com. The resort opened in February and has 262 ocean-view rooms, two restaurants, two pools, a spa and a cliff-top path offering easy access to the beach. A special introductory rate of $395 for a standard double is available through May 21; May 22-Oct. 31, standard doubles begin at $540.
Surf & Sand Resort, 1555 S. Pacific Coast Highway; (888) 869-7569 or (949) 497-4477, fax (949) 494-2897, www.surfandsandresort.com. It has a restaurant, pool, spa and beach access. Through June 27, doubles begin at $295; June 28-Oct. 5, at $395.
Inn at Laguna Beach, 211 N. Pacific Coast Highway; (800) 544-4479 or (949) 497-9722, fax (949) 497-9972, www.innatlagunabeach.com. Has a pool, 70 rooms and a cliff-top location just north of downtown and Main Beach. Rates through May 22 begin at $119, May 23-Sept. 27 at $159, breakfast included.
Vacation Village Hotel, 647 S. Pacific Coast Highway; (800) 843-6895 or (949) 494-8566, fax (949) 494-1386, www.vacationvillage.com. A good choice for families. It has two small pools and rooms (some with kitchenettes) in five buildings, three of which are on the beach. Rates begin at $83 until June 26 and at $92 June 27-Aug. 31.
La Casa del Camino, 1289 S. Pacific Coast Highway; (888) 367-5232 or (949) 497-2446, fax (949) 494-5581, www.casacamino.com. A small European-style hotel in a landmark 1927 Mediterranean Revival building a short walk from the beach. It doesn’t have a pool, but there’s a rooftop deck. Rates through May 31 begin at $89, June 1-Sept. 1 at $129, including continental breakfast.
WHERE TO EAT:
Las Brisas, 361 Cliff Drive, (949) 497-5434, and the Beach House, 619 Sleepy Hollow Lane, (949) 494-9707, are two favorite view restaurants in Laguna, featuring mainly seafood. Dinner entrees at both, $15-$30.
Madison Square Garden Cafe, 320 N. Pacific Coast Highway, (949) 494-0137, open for breakfast and lunch; The Cottage, 308 N. Pacific Coast Highway, (949) 494-3023, breakfast, lunch and dinner; and the Sun Dried Tomato Cafe, 361 Forest Ave., (949) 494-3312, lunch and dinner. All are good spots for light meals of salad, pasta, sandwiches and soups. Lunch entrees, $7-$10; dinner, $10-$25.
Five Feet, 328 Glenneyre St., (949) 497-4955, is a popular downtown dinner spot, serving Asian fusion cuisine; entrees, $18-$35.
The Studio at Montage Resort & Spa (see above) serves sophisticated contemporary California cuisine, with dinner entrees such as seared Coronado Island yellowtail and roasted loin of lamb. Dinner entrees, $31-$35.
TO LEARN MORE:
Laguna Beach Visitors & Conference Bureau, 252 Broadway, P.O. Box 221, Laguna Beach, CA 92652; (800) 877-1115 or (949) 497-9229, fax (949) 376-0558,
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