Tour Orange County's Other Attractions

Even if you have a day, or a weekend, you'll find plenty of ways to experience the local scene, learn about the history, and immerse yourself in the culture of a county that boasts a cluster of seaside communities that are at once unique but all together charming.

It starts with where you stay. Does a room with a balcony overlooking Pacific waves, with an ocean-front pool and hydro spa terraced over the soft sands of Laguna Beach sound good? Then the Surf and Sand Hotel is for you. Blissfully far from the maddening crowds of theme parks, you may be tempted to while away the hours cradled in the comfort and serenity of this popular coastal paradise. But you need to see the sights, so set off to find fuel first.

Less than a quarter mile down the South Coast Highway is the La Casa del Camino Hotel, where you'll find a sumptuous breakfast at K'ya. Designed in the Spanish Mission style with arched windows overlooking the beach, the setting is as picturesque as the presentation of the plates. Choose from a selection of egg scrambles or try the "Hawaiian Classic" Loco Moco with sticky rice, Kobe beef, eggs and brown gravy.

You're probably itching to head outdoors after glimpsing it from your table. Set your sights on Crystal Cove State Park. Spend some time sauntering along three miles of beach, taking in the tidepools and sandy coves or wander through the 2400-acre woodland. Here you may scuba or skin dive as the underwater areas are part of the protected park as well.

All this natural beauty is undeniably inspiring. It has, in fact, prompted many an artist to pick up a brush or camera in an attempt to capture the golden light and the shifting colors of the sea. To witness some of the finest regional art, step into the Laguna Art Museum.  Laguna Beach was home to one of the most prolific artists' colonies on the West Coast from the turn of the 20th century through the 1930s, and the museum has preserved this history by featuring an outstanding collection of photography, painting and sculpture.

Speaking of turn of the century, you'll want to immerse yourself in another bit of history by the sea, the Mission San Juan Capistrano. Originally constructed in 1776, a chapel still stands where Fr. Serra once celebrated Mass. This monument to a multi-cultural California embraces its Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European heritages. With 10 acres of lush gardens and cool fountains, cloistered by old adobe walls, it is not difficult to imagine why the swallows return to this haven each year.