Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [229]
Galleries participating in the First Thursdays Gallery Art Walk are typically open that night until 9pm.
Getting There & Away
To reach Laguna Beach from I-405, take Hwy 133 (Laguna Canyon Rd) southwest. Laguna is served by OCTA bus 1, which runs along the coast.
Getting Around
Laguna is hemmed in by steep canyons, and parking is a perpetual problem. Pack quarters to feed the meters. If you’re spending the night, leave your car at the hotel and ride the local bus. Parking lots in the village charge $10 or more per entry and fill up early in the day in summer. Parking can be hard to find near the beaches on busy summer weekends. Arrive early and bring dollar bills and quarters. The coin-only meters cost $1 per hour and the pay-and-display lots cost $2 per hour. There’s a change machine on Cliff Dr just past Heisler Park and a few scattered throughout downtown. Alternatively, park a few blocks away from downtown, in the free residential areas near the beach.
Through town, PCH moves slowly in summer, especially in the afternoon on weekends. If you can’t find parking downtown, drive to the north end of town by the beach and ride the bus.
Laguna Beach Transit ( 949-497-0746; www.lagunabeachcity.net; 300 block of Broadway) has its central bus depot on Broadway, just north of the visitors bureau in the heart of the village. It operates three routes at hourly intervals (no service between 12:30pm and 1:30pm or on Sunday or holidays). Routes are color-coded and easy to follow but subject to change. For tourists, the most important route is the one that runs north–south along PCH. Pick up a brochure and schedule at your hotel or the visitors bureau. Rides cost $0.75.
To alleviate summer traffic, the city recently started a free shuttle service ( 949-497-0746) that travels between popular events such as the Sawdust Festival and the Pageant of the Masters between 9:30am and 11:30pm. Look for the big open trolley or transit buses with flags on top. Available between June 20 and the end of September.
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AROUND LAGUNA BEACH
San Juan Capistrano
Famous for its swallows that fly back to town every year on March 19 (though sometimes they’re just a bit early), San Juan Capistrano is also home to the ‘jewel of the California missions.’ It’s a little town, about 10 miles south and inland of Laguna Beach, but there’s enough history and charm here to make almost a day of it.
INFORMATION
Friends of San Juan Capistrano Library ( 949-493-2688; Public Library; 10am-8pm Mon-Wed, 10am-6pm Thu, 10am-5pm Sat, noon-5pm Sun) At the back of the main library complex. Here you’ll find great deals on used books and magazines, and an eclectic travel section.
Information Kiosk (Verdugo St at the train tracks; 8:30am-3:30pm) Staffed by volunteers, this is a good stop for maps and brochures.
Public Library ( 949-493-1752; www.ocpl.org; 31495 El Camino Real; 10am-8pm Mon-Thu, 10am-5pm Sat) Free internet access.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Located at the corner of Camino Capistrano and Ortega Hwy, Mission San Juan Capistrano ( 949-234-1300; www.missionsjc.com; 26801 Ortega Hwy; adult/4-11yr/senior $7/5/6; 8:30am-5pm) draws visitors from around the world. The charming Serra Chapel – whitewashed and decorated with colorful symbols – is believed to be the oldest building in California. It’s the only one still standing in which Father Junipero Serra gave Mass. Serra founded the mission on November 1, 1776, and tended it personally for many years, confirming 213