Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [225]
DIVING
With its coves, reefs and rocky outcroppings, Laguna is one of the best beaches on the SoCal coast for scuba diving and snorkeling. One of the most famous spots is Diver’s Cove just below Heisler Park. It’s part of the Glenn E Vedder Ecological Reserve, an underwater park stretching to the northern border of Main Beach. Also popular is Shaw’s Cove just to the north. Check conditions before heading out: since 1997, 23 divers have drowned off the Laguna coast.
The visitors bureau Click here has tidal charts. For rentals or a place to rinse your gear, stop by Laguna Sea Sports ( 949-494-6965; www.lagunaseasports.com; 925 N Coast Hwy) near Shaw’s Cove. Check out its website for info about local dive spots and diving etiquette.
SPAS
Follow the giant flower pots from the Surf & Sand Resort lobby to the tranquil charms of Aquaterra Spa ( 949-376-2772; www.aquaterraspa.com; 1555 S Coast Hwy). The signature massage is $110 for 50 minutes.
Spa Montage ( 866-271-6953; www.spamontage.com; 30801 S Coast Hwy), at the luxurious Montage Resort, allows you to relax until your strings squeak with a ‘Symphony in Massage’, with two massage therapists pounding out your pain in tandem for $440 to $600. A 60-minute facial is $220.
SURFING
Because of the coves, the surfing here isn’t as stellar as it is further north. If you must, try the beaches at Thalia St and Brooks St (beware of the rocks). Rent a board or get instruction from Costa Azul Surf Co ( 949-497-1423; www.costaazul.net; 689 S Coast Hwy). Rental boards cost $30, wet suits $20. Lessons include board rental and cost $95 per hour for one person or $75 each per hour for two to three people. Also consider classes with Toes on the Nose ( 949-494-4988; www.toesonthenose.com; 276 S Coast Hwy). They cost $100 each for two hours for one person and $90 for two hours for two to three people.
Tours
Stop by the visitors bureau to pick up brochures detailing self-guided tours. The Heritage Walking Companion is a tour of the town’s architecture with an emphasis on Laguna’s many bungalows and cottages, most dating from the 1920s and ’30s. The Self-Guided Tour Laguna by Bus gives a more general overview. Each involves riding public transportation (which is a relief: if you tried to take the tours using your own car, you’d go nuts trying to find parking, especially on weekends.
On the first Thursday of the month, downtown gets festive during the popular First Thursdays Gallery Art Walk ( 949-683-6871; www.firstthursdaysartwalk.com). During this free event, make the rounds between 40 local galleries and the Laguna Art Museum from 6pm to 9pm. Free shuttles run from the Laguna Art Museum and the Bluebird Center (1590 S Coast Hwy) to various participating galleries between 6:15pm and 8:45pm.
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LAGUNA ART FESTIVALS
With a stunning 6-acre canyon as its backdrop, Laguna’s Festival of the Arts (650 Laguna Canyon Rd; 10am-11:30pm Jul & Aug; adults/students/seniors $7/4/4) is a two-month celebration of original artwork in almost all its forms. The 140 exhibiting artists – all approved pursuant to a juried selection process – display artwork ranging from paintings and hand-crafted furniture to scrimshaw. Begun in 1932 by local artists who needed to drum up buyers, the festival now attracts patrons and tourists from around the world. In addition to the art, there are free daily artists’ workshops, docent tours and live entertainment. Look for the slightly more indie-minded art show, the Sawdust Festival ( 949-494-3030; www.sawdustartfestival.org; 935 Laguna Canyon Rd; adult/child/senior $7/3/6; 10am-10pm Jul & Aug) across the street.
The most thrilling part of the main festival, a tremendous experience that will leave you rubbing your eyes in disbelief, is the Pageant of the Masters ( 949-497-6582, 800-487-3378; www.pageanttickets.com; admission $25-300), where human models are blended seamlessly into re-creations of famous paintings. It began in 1933 as a sideshow to the main festival. Tickets are hard to secure, unless you order weeks or months in advance – though you may