Expert: Steve Summers - 7/31/2003

Question
My wife and I will be spending 3 days in Laguna Niguel in about a month.  Do you have any recommendations for interesting places to see and good restaurants around there?  We will have a car.

Answer
Hi Norman!

Just down highway 133 is world famous Laguna Beach. In August, you can take advantage of the Pageant of the Masters, where reenactments of masterpiece paintings are presented with live models. Also, the Sawdust Festival comes to Laguna Beach. See www.foapom.com and www.sawdustartfestival.com.

Even if Laguna Beach wasn't a world-famous art town, the beach itself would make the trip worth it. The only problem in this town is finding a parking place. My advice is to arrive early.

Anyone can find popular national chains, so I will focus primarily on a handful of local specialties.

The retro look is popular today, and can be found in casual dining at the likes of Walt's Wharf seafood in Seal Beach, the Sugar Shack in Huntington Beach and ‘50s burger-themed Ruby's, a local chain with restaurants all along the coast. At Newport Pier, Charlie's Chili is an old-time local favorite (especially for late-night eats).

For other casual dining, try Zak's Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach, where you can grab some pizza or rent beach equipment. Duke's brought its classic Hawaiian restaurant right to Huntington Beach Pier, and gives you a taste of the surfing lifestyle. In Dana Point, the Harbor House is one of just a few places open 24 hours a day—but breakfast is what it does best, and you may find a bit of a line waiting for a table on weekends.

Mexican eateries are plentiful along the coast, with local chain Wahoo's Fish Tacos a particular favorite. In South Laguna Beach, try Coyote Grill for a real small-town feel. Or head south to Capistrano Beach where Lucy's El Patio is short on décor but has been feeding locals big portions of tasty traditional fare for 50 years. And the original Olamendi's in Capistrano Beach near Doheny State Beach is a classic, old-fashioned patio place right on Pacific Coast Highway.

More upscale Mexican fare can be found at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach, which has magnificent views of Main Beach and the picturesque seaside town, or at newcomer Javier's, a favorite with the local crowd. Chimayo at the Beach in Huntington Beach has drawn rave reviews since day one.

After a day at the beach, you might want to dress up (a little) and head for a leisurely dinner at a more upscale restaurant.

Head for Dana Point marina and you can pick from seafood places like the Chart House, Wind & Sea or Harpoon Henry's. Or try the funky Ribjoint on Coast Highway.

In Laguna Beach, special occasions might be celebrated at Splashes at the Surf & Sand Resort, which is just steps from the sand and offers magnificent sunset views. Across Coast Highway, French 75 is said by many to make you feel like you're in Paris.

Many of the most popular restaurants in Newport Beach are at regional mall Fashion Island, where you'll find Roy's of Newport steakhouse, the Cheesecake Factory, Chimayo Grill and other famous—and not-so-famous but popular—names. Or try the Riverboat in an old paddle-wheeler that sits right on the harbor. Numerous restaurants like Bluewater Grill & Oyster Bar and 21 Oceanfront dot the shores of Newport Harbor on the peninsula; on Balboa Island, Amelia's is a long-time Italian favorite. And The Arches on Coast Highway—the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the county--has satisfied diners since 1922!

In San Clemente, you'll find smaller restaurants, with Las Golondrinas and the New Mandarin Garden among the favorites, along with Fisherman's Pier.

Ready to shop? Whether you're window shopping or on a mission to spend money, Orange County has numerous options that can wear out your ATM card. Coastal favorites include South Coast Plaza, the largest “shopping resort” in the area in nearby Costa Mesa and Newport's Fashion Island. In Huntington Beach, 5 Points Plaza, Main Street and Pier Plaza offer the most options.
South Coast Plaza offers stores from 17 countries, spa facilities and fine dining as well as currency exchange and concierge services. Just about every major retailer is here, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's, Chanel and Versace. A Sport Chalet opened this year and Book Soup and Puzzle Zoo are slated to open this fall. It's one of the best-known centers in the U.S. It also has great dining at places like Wolfgang Puck Café, Rainforest Café, Antonello, Maggiano's Little Italy and Morton's Steakhouse, among many others.

Shopping is now the No. 1 activity for tourists in the U.S. As many as 10% of travelers even pick their destination based at least partly on a particular shopping venue. South Coast Plaza likes to think of itself as a shopping resort. It has recently added extra shuttle bus service to the Disneyland area and is working with Amtrak to offer shopping packages to visitors.

Fashion Island, an open-air mall, has more than 200 specialty stores that include Bloomingdale's, Robinsons-May and Neiman Marcus, 40 restaurants and 12 cinema screens. It also has a spa, two food courts and entertainment at places like Muldoon's and other restaurant/clubs.

Cities like Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Dana Point have a wide variety of surf shops, art galleries and water-sport stores as well as specialty clothes shops and—of course—souvenirs. And there are many more shopping options farther inland, including the Irvine Spectrum, complete with Ferris wheel.


Have fun,

Steve