Art

24 Things to Do in Laguna Beach in 2026

July 24, 2024

1. Visit an Art Gallery

With more than 100 art galleries, Laguna Beach is the place to find your next piece to take home. Artists began arriving here in the early 1900s, and in 1918 they founded the Laguna Beach Art Association, which helped make Laguna the art colony it still is today. Walk along Coast Highway and you’ll pass gallery after gallery, each with its own point of view. At Wyland Galleries, Robert Wyland’s work takes you into the underwater world.

2. Explore the Tidepools

Make sure to check out Laguna’s fascinating tidepools. The town’s entire coastline is a protected marine reserve, and beaches including Main Beach, Shaw’s Cove and Treasure Island are home to rich intertidal habitats. Visit at low tide (and keep an eye on the swell) to look for sea stars, barnacles and hermit crabs. Locals look closely but leave everything as they found it: no touching, collecting or moving rocks, so these ecosystems stay healthy for the next visitor.

3. Listen to Live Music at The Ranch at Laguna Beach

The Ranch at Laguna Beach is one of the best places to check out the great local musicians around town. Live music is available every day from 4:00pm-8:00pm. Get the chance to enjoy a delicious cocktail while listening to your favorite genre of music! Make sure to look at their daily schedule to see which artist and genre fits best for you!

4. Go for a Hike at Alta Laguna Park

There are a variety of activities to do at Alta Laguna Park. From hiking, to pickleball, to basketball, to tennis, to soccer, to a playground for kids, there is something to do for everyone in the family! Not to mention the amazing views while on “Top of the World!”

5. View Public Art in Heisler Park

Not only can you find art in Laguna’s galleries, you can also find sculpture in its public outdoor spaces. Along the bluff-top paths of Heisler Park, look for Jon Seeman’s “Breached Whale” and Casey Parlette’s “Tide Pool Kraken” and “Strand of Life”, an octopus sculpture and bench overlooking Divers Cove.

6. Visit Our Art Festivals

Summer is festival season in Laguna, and it’s a must to visit one or all three. In 2026, Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair ran June 26 to September 6, and the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show ran July 7 to September 3. The $29 Passport to the Arts covers one admission to each festival, plus a one-time parking voucher for the Act V lot (1900 Laguna Canyon Road) and the free trolley. Buy it in person at any of the three festival box offices; it isn’t sold online. At the Festival of Arts, you can also get tickets (sold separately) to the Pageant of the Masters, where famous works of art are brought to life on stage.

7. Attend a Sunset Serenade

The free Sunset Serenades concerts fill the Heisler Park amphitheater on Friday evenings in spring and again in early fall. In 2026, the spring series ran Fridays in May and June starting at 6:30pm, and the fall series ran Fridays from September 11 to October 2 starting at 5:30pm. Bring a beach chair and a picnic, and stay until the sun goes down.

8. Check Out the Latest Exhibit at Laguna Art Museum

Laguna Art Museum is devoted entirely to California art, with a permanent collection of more than 3,500 works spanning the early 1800s to today, plus rotating exhibitions. It’s open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 5pm. General admission is $15, and $10 for students, seniors and military. Visitors 19 and under get in free, and admission is free for everyone on the first Thursday of each month from 6 to 9pm.

9. Visit the Aquaterra Spa at Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach

Relax and enjoy a spa day at the Aquaterra Spa at Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach. Services include massages, facials, body treatments and nail services, including a couple’s treatment in an ocean-view room. The spa opens daily at 9am, with closing times between 5 and 7pm depending on the day and season.

10. See a Play at Laguna Playhouse

Make sure to stop by the Laguna Playhouse and enjoy a day or evening out at the theatre! Laguna Playhouse shows plays, musicals, and stand up throughout their year-round season. Their mission is “to enrich lives through the magic of live theatre, to provide educational opportunities for children and adults, and to create experiences that stimulate cultural and social interaction and inspire our community.”

11. First Thursdays Art Walk

As an art colony, Laguna has made the First Thursdays Art Walk a local tradition. On the first Thursday of every month, from 6 to 9pm, galleries across town open their doors for this free, year-round event. It’s a great way to meet local artists and support the galleries, and Laguna Art Museum offers free admission that evening too. Check the art walk’s website for a map of participating galleries.

12. Enjoy a Round of Golf at The Ranch at Laguna Beach

Do you enjoy playing golf? Book a tee time online at the 9-hole course at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, set in Aliso Canyon, and enjoy a round with friends and family.

13. Visit the Local Farmers Market

Start your Saturday morning at the local Farmers Market in Laguna Beach! With over 40 vendors to choose from, you can find flowers, fresh produce, and more starting at 8:00am until 12 noon. You can find the Farmers Market located at 521 Forest Avenue (Lumberyard Parking Lot 12).

14. Fire Pit at Aliso Beach and Lost Pier

A bonfire is one of the best ways to end a beach day, and Aliso Beach is one of the few places in Laguna to have one. The city sets out a small number of wood-burning fire rings here seasonally (sand and surf can take some out of service), so arrive early and burn wood only. For an easier option, Lost Pier Café, right on the beach, rents fire pits you can book online and serves food daily from 8am until sunset.

15. Kayak or Paddleboard Tour with La Vida Laguna

“The Laguna Life” also known as La Vida Laguna, offers many lessons including kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing and even an electric bike tour! La Vida Laguna welcomes beginners and those who have a love for the ocean and outdoors! Taught by Laguna’s best instructors, you will not only have the time of your life, but you will feel safe while participating. Visit their website to book and learn the details of each activity.

16. Wine Tasting at Laguna Canyon Winery & Bianchi Laguna Beach

Do you love wine tasting? Laguna Canyon Winery is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 5:30pm. With grapes from Napa and Sonoma, it has a variety of award-winning wines to try, and it’s a great spot for a date or a group outing. You can also taste wine with an ocean view at the Bianchi Laguna Beach Tasting Room, 496 N. Coast Highway. The Paso Robles winery’s Laguna tasting room is open Monday to Thursday from 4pm, Friday from 2pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon, closing around 7 to 9pm depending on the day. Guests must be 21 or older.

17. Find Murals in Town

With art having a huge influence on Laguna, there are many public murals to see while exploring the city. Take a picture and tag #MyLagunaBeach. Here’s a list of murals to see around town: Your Guide to Murals in Laguna Beach.

18. Take an Art Class at LOCA or ARTime Barro

Not only can you see art in Laguna Beach, you can make your own to take home. Join a class or workshop through LOCA Arts Education, or try the pottery wheel at ARTime Barro, whose Ocean Avenue studio offers one-hour beginner classes for ages 13 and up.

19. Mountain Bike in Our Canyons

See Laguna from above while getting a workout on two wheels. The trails in the hills and canyons around town range from beginner to expert. Laguna local and world-renowned mountain biker Hans Rey shares his favorite rides in his guide to the best trails in town.

20. Enjoy a Cocktail at The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach During Sunset

The Loft at the Montage Laguna Beach is the perfect place to enjoy a signature cocktail and meal with a view! There is indoor seating as well as two outdoor patios to enjoy some of the best American Cuisine Laguna has to offer.

21. Walk the Boardwalk at Main Beach

One of the most popular spots in Laguna is Main Beach. Right in the heart of downtown, you can stroll the boardwalk and take a picture by the iconic lifeguard tower. You can also hang out on the sand with friends, or play a game of basketball or beach volleyball.

22. Have Dinner at Sapphire and Spot the Laguna Greeter

Enjoy a cocktail and a meal at Sapphire, Cellar.Craft.Cook, at Coast Highway and Brooks Street, with an outdoor patio and an indoor bar. It serves brunch on weekends, lunch on weekdays and dinner nightly. Afterward, keep an eye out for the Laguna Greeter, who’s often waving to passersby at the corner of Brooks Street and Coast Highway.

23. Go Dolphin and Whale Watching

Dolphin and whale watching is a great family-friendly activity. Choose from Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari and Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in Dana Point, or Newport Landing Whale Watching in Newport Beach. Boats often head into Laguna’s waters in search of whales.

24. Try Gelato Paradiso

When walking around downtown, whether it is after dinner or on a hot afternoon, grabbing some gelato at Gelato Paradiso is a must! You can smell the homemade waffle cones through the entire brick alleyway. There are so many flavors to choose from and you know it is good when there is always a line outside the door!