My husband has business meetings at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim for 3 days. I'm not interested in the Magic Kingdom or Downtown Disney. I'm interested in renting a car and, with a friend also staying at the hotel, daytripping to a beautiful, relaxing, charming destination from this location. Ideas? Preferably not more than an hours drive...thanks for ideas! (Incidentally, the when is this upcoming week.)

Hi dorkforcemom,

You might enjoy just heading down PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy). Take the 5 fwy (next to Dland) to the 55 fwy towards Newport Beach. About a 20 min drive to Balboa.

You could wander around Balboa Island, still some cute "beach cottages" left amongst the mansions and a Main Street to enjoy. Be sure to try a Balboa Bar.

Then continue south past Corona del Mar to Laguna Beach. Lots of nice art galleries and restaurants (many with fabulous views)for a late lunch. there is also a nice walking path along the cliff for views!

Nice time of year for the beach communities, summer hoards are gone and nicest weather.

Another recommendation would be the Getty Museum.

How about a trip to Catalina out of Long Beach?? It would make for a great day!

You don't say where your from but for something different to most people and an experience that is uniquely Californian (or at last southwestern) consider a visit to the Mission San Juan Capistrano.

It is one of a chain of missions that were central to the non-native settlement of California and one of the 3-4 best preserved in the chain. Founded in 1776, it is located in a charming little town that, more than most, still retains a flavor of Old California and is less than an hour south of Disneyland on I-5.

Ditto on Catalina Island. I took it out of San Pedro 5 years ago, and enjoy it. It's like being in a CA beach town in the 50s/ early 60s.

Hi dorkforcemom,
I would suggest the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, or if you would like to walk in a more natural area, the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. There is a newly redone loop trail that leads around the wetlands and up onto the Bolsa Chica Mesa. Over 800 acres of wetlands have just been recently restored, and a new tidal inlet is now allowing ocean water a more direct path into the wetlands. Bring binoculars and have fun looking at the early birds arriving during the fall migration. Aftwards head South on Pacific Coast Highway to Main Street in Huntington Beach for lunch at one of the restaurants and walk out on the pier. Chimyos Restaurant is just to the south of the pier on the sand.
Have fun!

These are exactly the kind of ideas of which I am interested. I have now realized I have 3 days to explore so,hopefully, I can include all these ideas for this upcoming week. Thanks ever so much...I'm going to look at maps online now to locate these suggestions.

How about a day at the Getty, or visiting La Brea Tar Pits (sounds hokey, but it's really pretty neat).

laguna beach or catalina island