Newport Beach/Laguna Beach Vacation Ideas!

Las Brisas is a yummy Mexican restaurant right on the beach in Laguna.

5 Crowns is a great steakhouse in Newport (maybe technically in Corona Del Mar, but close enough to Newport).

For a great treat, check out the Shake Shack in Crystal Cove. http://www.yelp.com/biz/rubys-shake-shack-newport-coast

Sherman Library & Gardens also in Newport/Corona Del Mar is a beautiful place to walk around.

Laguna is really nice just to walk around. There are lots of art galleries, shops, and boutiques. There are good little cafes and ice cream shops, and a nice path to walk along the beach.

You will be able to catch the last few days of the Sawdust Festival in Laguna. Don't miss it! http://www.sawdustartfestival.org/

Pageant of the Masters, also in Laguna, closes on August 31. If you can find a way to get tickets, it is truly an amazing show. It is VERY much worth the price to get good seats - in the middle and not too far back. The show is much, much better if you can see it well. No matter where you sit, bring binoculars. Most likely, it is sold out through the box office, but try craigslist for tickets. There is also a Festival of Arts on the same grounds as the Pageant and that is also definitely worth a visit. www.foapom.com

Roy's is a good restaurant in Newport (I think in the Fashion Island mall). It is a chain, mostly in Hawaii and So Cal of Hawaiian fusion style food. Their chocolate souffle is great!

If you can get a reservation at Pizzeria Mozza (owned by famous chef Mario Batali), that is also worth it! I think you can call a month in advance. Lunch reservations will be easier than dinner.

Have fun! Laguna is one of my absolute favorite places!

Love the Newport Beach area!!
http://www.visitnewportbeach.com/ ~ Info on dining, hotels and more.
http://attractions.uptake.com/california/newport_beach/97... ~ Attractions.

Laguna Beach is known for the arts, soak it all in.
http://www.lagunabeachinfo.com/things-to-do/attractions/
http://www.lagunabeachinfo.com/things-to-do/events/ ~ Calendar of Events
http://www.sawdustartfestival.org/ ~ Don't miss the Sawdust Festival, it's running through Sept 2nd.

I'm so jealous! I lived on Balboa Island (Newport Beach) for seven years and loved every minute of it.

Balboa Island is very crowded on the weekends in the summer, but if you can go on a weekday, it is a very nice experience. You can park the car, browse the shops, and take a walk around the island. You can also drive the car onto the Balboa Ferry and cross over onto the Balboa Penninsula. There are boat tours of Newport Harbor that are pretty fun. They'll point out fun facts and celebrity houses.

I love Wahoo's fish tacos (chain restaurant found all over Orange County). It is a true So Cal casual dining experience. There is also a small chain called Baja Fish Tacos that I like even more than Wahoo's.

If you don't mind driving up north to Huntington Beach, Duke's is a great restaurant that is at the beach at Huntington Pier. The food is great, prices are reasonable, and people watching is fun.

The Orange County Swap Meet is really fun too. Be sure to print out a coupon for free admission.

Have a great time!

We have recently used homeaway.com to find vacation rentals and have been very pleased. The accomodations are great and less expensive than hotels.
We loved the aquarium in Newport beach.

I used to live about 2 miles south of Laguna Beach. I miss it there. There is a lot you can do there. Go to the beach for one, lol! Take a walk around all the shops in Laguna. Have lunch in the Dana Point harbor (small coffee type shops). Nice resturants are Salt Creek Grill (in Dana Point, but on the border to Laguna). Very nice and super yummy food! You could also check out the chart house (also in Dana Point). You will need a reservation. Their salad bar is amazing! I can't remember if the Pageant of the Masters is going on in August, but I went once and it was a lot of fun.
I don't really know Newport very well. It was about 1-2 hours north of us so we didn't really go there. Have fun and say hello to the beach for me!