Manhattan Beach to Laguna Beach
 

Hi everyone,
We are driving from Manhattan Beach over to Laguna Beach (November 16th) spending a couple of nights there - is there a scenic route we can take? I see 405 is a toll road we have a rental car so not sure how that would work? Any tips?

Thanks again
Kiwianna

Just drive it - get on the 405 head south to the exit that says Laguna Beach. You don't have to take the 73 toll road.

There really is no scenic route except surface streets through busy beach towns.

If you have some time and don't mind a couple of detours, here's a route I'd strongly recommend - https://goo.gl/maps/xjyRVxLcWB52 .

Head south on the San Diego Fwy (I-405) to the Studebaker Road exit in Long Beach. So south on Studebaker to E. 2nd Street, turn right (north/west) and go over the bridge to the Belmont Shore and Naples district of Long Beach.

Naples, like Venice near the airport, is a canal community full of incredibly picturesque homes on quiet canals. It's worth a half hour's (or longer) meandering. 2nd Street is a commercial district full of very nice restaurants and shops; the whole area is very much "under the radar" as one of southern California's most attractive residential areas. https://goo.gl/maps/G3zBn5d1nQU2

From there, head south on 2nd (CA Hwy 1) through Huntington Beach and much of Newport Beach to your next destination, "Little Bal" - the residential village on Balboa Island in Balboa Bay. Note that there's only one narrow bridge to the island, so take your time in navigating the area.

This is another incredibly picturesque little enclave surrounded by water. You can take the ferry from Balboa Island to the Balboa peninsula, where there's an old fashioned amusement park, or you can just drive around while you decide which bank to rob so you can afford to move here. https://goo.gl/maps/mz8tRjSvd672

Then it's back to the PCH for the short drive down to Laguna.

You'll see a lot of beaches and a couple of southern California's hidden gems. Well worth the time.

The 405 is not a toll road, there is a 73 in Orange County but it is well marked and easily avoided.
I'd get on the 405 in Manhattan Beach (closest would be the onramp off Rosecrans Blvd.) and stay on it until you get to maybe Seal Beach Blvd then exit and take PCH south.
There is nothing scenic about the PCH through Hermosa, Redondo, Torrance, Lomita, Harbor City, Wilmington and Long Beach and all the stop lights will add a lot of delay time.
Seal Beach is a lovely small beach town and you will also pass through Huntington Beach, Newport and Corona del Mar en route.

As most others have said, 405 is not a toll road, but 73 is.

Exit the 405 on Seal Beach Blvd, to Pacific Coast Hwy. I don't see any real reason to drive through Naples in Long Beach since 2nd Street is all houses and nothing scenic. If you want a stop with a nice walk, Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach has a small but free parking lot.... YOu'll need to drive past it and make a u turn on PCH. to backtrack to enter the lot.

You don't say how long you will have been in Man. Beach and if you will have already explored any of the beach towns. If you are just moving hotels -- I would drive directly to Laguna (no tolls involved).

Otherwise, use the Seal Beach Blvd exit that jamie and mlgb recommended.

Thanks, that's great information.
We have one night in Manhattan Beach and want to spend half a day exploring it before heading off to Laguna so not a ton of time so maybe we will take 405 to Naples and go up PCH to Laguna from there.

Thanks again
Kiwianna

And how much time do you have for Laguna Beach? How long is "a couple of nights"? If you have anything less than 4 nights for the Laguna/Newport/Corona Del Mar/Dana Point area - I would get on 405 & head to Laguna Beach as fast as possible. We loved that region in November after the tourists have left. My wife & I spent almost every Tuesday night for 2 years - meeting after work at the Newport Pier & then riding our bikes along the boardwalk & small streets through Newport & Balboa and having drinks somewhere near the Balboa Pier. Then dinner at the Newport Pier/McFadden's Wharf area (Sid's Blue Beat/Alley West/Crab Cooker) in the early 70s.

Stu Dudley - former Newport/Laguna Beach resident.

>> I would get on 405 & head to Laguna Beach as fast as possible.<<

I agree 1000000%

Don't faff around. Go directly from Manhattan Beach to Laguna. The late afternoon traffic in that area is horrendous.

I drive between Seal Beach and Laguna Beach/Dana Point quite often and I always enjoy the drive on Coast Highway even tho I have seen it a million times. Unless pressed for time, I would take that route from Seal Beach to Laguna and enjoy some So. CA beaches rather than sit on the 405 Freeway.

I'm with Cali..the coastal drive is often faster than the 405..and I would still skip the stretch between Long Beach (Naples) and Seal Beach..current resident of Long Beach who drives that stretch frequently.

BTW do you know about the Google Maps Street View function? You can drag the little man along the route(s) discussed. And decide about scenery for yourself.

>>I drive between Seal Beach and Laguna Beach/Dana Point<<

>>the coastal drive is often faster than the 405<<

"Drive" is why we moved from Southern Calif where I was raised, to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975. It seemed that everywhere we wanted to go In Southern Calif involved a long drive. Even going out for an ice cream involved a 20 min drive from Laguna Beach to Corona Del Mar.

Our most memorable times in Laguna/Newport were spent riding bikes along the Newport/Balboa boardwalk, taking the ferry to Balboa Island & riding them around the island, walking through the small streets on Balboa Island, proposing to my wife on Collins Island after biking there, strolling on Victoria Beach near where we lived, visiting shops in Laguna Beach, walking out on the Newport & Balboa Pier, drinks at Mackeral Flats at the Balboa Pier, dinner at Rusty Pelican or the Ancient Mariner. The "drives" we enjoyed were slow drives around the cliffs in Corona Del Mar, Laguna, & Dana Point cliffs. IMO, compared to the Big Sur Coast, San Mateo coast, Marin/Somona/Mendicino coast - the LA coast between Manhattan Beach and Newport Beach is not as interesting. Too much development. Newport is fun to explore by bike, and the many coves in Laguna Beach are quite different/more interesting than most beach areas between Manhattan & Huntington Beach.

That's why I "push" getting to Laguna as fast as possible, get out of the car, rent bikes in Newport Beach, and explore the "nooks & crannies" at a slow pace - not a fast drive-by.

Stu Dudley