Orange County Coast

The Orange County coast begins at Huntington Beach [1] and stretches south across a collection of sunny scenic beaches until ending at San Juan Capistrano [2].

Along the way, Newport Beach [3], Huntington Beach [1], Laguna Beach [4], and Dana Point [5] provide surf, sun, and sand galore.

Information

Need assistance upon arriving on the O.C. coast? A good place to get it is the Huntington Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (301 Main St., Ste 208, 800/729-6232, www.surfcityusa.com [6], Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m.).

Getting There

Two airports serve the O.C. coast region. On the coast side, the Long Beach Airport (4100 Donald Douglas Dr., 562/570-2600, www.longbeach.gov/airport [7]) serves as one of L.A.’s metropolitan satellite airports. Lots of commercial flights go in and out of Long Beach [8], making it a good alternative to LAX for the coast-bound. The other regional airport is John Wayne International.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA (www.octa.net [9]) runs buses along the O.C. coast. The appropriately numbered Route 1 Bus runs right along the Pacific Coast Highway from Long Beach down to San Clemente and back. Other routes can get you to and from inland O.C. [10] destinations, including Anaheim. Regular bus fares run $1.25 per ride, payable in cash on the bus with exact change. You can also buy a day pass from the bus driver for $3.

The one true highway on the O.C. coast is the Pacific Coast Highway, often called the PCH for short and officially designated as Highway 1. You can get to the PCH from I-405 near Seal Beach, or catch I-710 to Long Beach and then drive south from there. From Disneyland [11], you’ll take I-5 to Route 55, which takes you into Newport Beach [3]. If you stay on I-5 going south, you’ll eventually find yourself in San Juan Capistrano [2].

Parking along the beaches of the O.C. on a sunny summer day has been compared to one of Dante’s circles of Hell. You’re far better off staying near the beach and walking out to your perfect spot in the sand. Other options include public transit and pay parking, which means “up to $40 per day and still six blocks to the beach.”