Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach

90mi south of LA via 1-405 to Hwy. 133/Laguna Beach exit. Proceed south to the Pacific Coast Hwy. Laguna Beach Visitor's Bureau is located at 252 Broadway

A picture-postcard-perfect coastal community, Laguna Beach is an idyllic seaside haven that's long been popular with painters and Hollywood types. Rocky canyons studded with lagoons gave the town its name. Steep hillsides rise to about 1,000ft above the ocean, so the quaint, tree-shaded homes have magnificent ocean views. You can walk the boardwalk, hit the beach, kayak in the ocean, bike the hillsides, shop in the boutiques and 40 art galleries or lounge at a seaside restaurant. In summer, crowds flock here for major art events, such as the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, where visitors can buy paintings or watch performers re-create them in nightly tableaux vivants (living pictures).

Laguna Art Museum

307 Cliff Dr. Open year-round Thu-Tue 11am-5pm. $7.

Founded in 1918 as the Laguna Art Association, the museum was formed to champion local artists and their work. While both its facilities and its scope have expanded - all American artists are welcomed now, though Californians are preferred - t remains a fixture in the community. Rotating exhibits run the gamut from the historical to the cutting edge.

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