Which Beach for Overnight Stay?

lindyv321

DIS Veteran
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
I’ve searched the threads and it looks like most posts are about day trips to the beach and we want to spend one night/day somewhere. We did a day trip to Huntington on our last trip and loved it but the hotels are spendy or get terrible reviews. Any recommendations?
 
Rent a beach house for a night. There aren't too many hotels that are actually good right by the beaches, as the So Cal beach towns are largely residential vs tourist spots. I would recommend a house on the beach in Newport. It's not gonna be cheap, though.
 




How far do you want to travel?
As others have said, finding beachside places to say is remarkably hard to do in So Cal. We've stayed at the Blue Lantern in Dana Point, The Portofino in Redondo Beach, and Marriott Newport Coast just north of Laguna (for families - these are 2BR's). There are some smaller hotels in Laguna Beach proper that are not too outrageous.
 
We are driving so aren’t limited by location, it’s been more about price for one night!
 
I have a 19 year old (who may not come) and a 14 year old
In that case I would definitely try for Crystal Cove - they'd love it.

Edit to add;
Have you considered The Queen Mary in Long Beach? It's good for a night's stay - no more than that. That's more of a unique place to stay rather than a beach stay though.
 
I’ll check them both out! We are now also considering going to Knott’s Berry Farm too!
 
If you're looking for more budget-friendly properties, consider Oceanside. Oceanside is about an hour's drive (excluding rush hour) from Disneyland. It's a straight shot down the 5, which runs alongside the ocean between San Clemente and Oceanside, yielding a beautiful drive. Equivalent properties are significantly less than those in the O.C. / L.A., and weather / activities / sights are pretty much the same. Food tends to be cheaper, too, so if you were planning a night out at a local restaurant, it'll pay for your gas.

An alternative - you can ride the Metrolink Trains all day for $10 on the weekends. Parking at the Anaheim station is free; your train ticket also entitles you to free ART access for that day. The train runs to Oceanside, and it's an enjoyable way to see the coast. Makes for a budget-friendly side-trip. You can also checkout Amtrak for the same trip - more comfortable trains, but fares are generally much higher. Sometimes you can score a deal, and riding with Amtrak entitles you to discounted Disneyland tickets that are often the cheapest in town.
 
Crystal Cove is a great place, but extremely difficult to get a reservation. You have to use the state campground reservation system and book first thing in the morning 6 months prior.

DoubleTree Doheny State Beach is a choice next to a state beach/campground. It isn't the most pristine beach, though.

You can certainly find great views in Laguna Beach, but you will pay a premium for that.

Balboa Island in Newport Beach has some places to stay.
 
I second the Oceanside suggestion. Oceanside is very relaxed and not quite as popular as other beach locations, so your odds are better of finding a more affordable place to stay that's super close to the beach.
 
For hotels, definitely Laguna Beach. For Huntington or Newport, the best way to go is to rent a beach house. We've gotten great ones through vrbo and actually rented our last one last July through booking.com in a great location four houses up from the beach.
 
For hotels, the nicest ones are in Newport & Laguna Beaches. They are the spendiest areas though.

If you want a tip, sometimes the hotels in Irvine near SNA and the Irvine Spectrum have some great deals, and it's a quick drive to Newport Beach & Laguna Beach from there.
 
For hotels, the nicest ones are in Newport & Laguna Beaches. They are the spendiest areas though.

If you want a tip, sometimes the hotels in Irvine near SNA and the Irvine Spectrum have some great deals, and it's a quick drive to Newport Beach & Laguna Beach from there.

Huntington has the largest selection of hotels, literally right across the street.
 
Huntington has the largest selection of LARGE hotels, literally right across the street.

Fixed. I think Laguna Beach actually has a greater number of actual hotels than Huntington. They're generally all on the smaller side though, other than the Montage.
 

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