Has anyone been on the Orange County Beach Bus Tour? It's offered on the Anaheim Visitor & Postal Center website:
http://www.anaheim411.com/oc_beach_tours.html

It's a daily tour from the Anaheim area on an old style "woody" bus, which offers on-and-off privileges. It costs $39 and has 8 stops:
- Huntington Beach
- Newport Beach Pier
- Balboa Fun Zone
- Balboa Island
- Corona del Mar
- Laguna Beach Tide Pools
- Main Beach Laguna
- The Laguna Sawdust Festival

I will be in LA/Anaheim (from Australia) next August for 5.5 days (without a car) and wondered whether anyone had been on this tour and whether they recommended it? I thought it might be an easy way to see some of the So-Cal beach communities in one day. I don't want to sit on the beach, or sunbathe or swim, but am interested in seeing the scenery and mooching around in little unique shops and just taking in some of the California atmosphere etc. I don't have enough time to do all the things I want to in LA/Anaheim, but my flights are booked, so I have to make the most of the time I have.

I have not taken this tour but it looks perfect for what you want. I have been to all the places mentioned on the tour. Have a good time.

Hi Spreckles,

I questions on tour specifics would be, is admission to the Sawdust Festival included? (probably not for that price) and how does the on/off work? Do they stop at a location for 1 hour and load up again for the next?

Know also that it will be very crowded at the beaches and festival during August. Traffic will be incredible and it will take a while to drive from place to place, however, you're in no hurry and will enjoy the scenery - and the people watching!

Have a good time and a Balboa Bar for me!

I do intend to ask the tour company about how the on-off works as I am unsure how rigid the schedule is and whether you have to decide your stops and times in advance. I will also have to look into the Sawdust Festival to see exactly what it is about. I know it will be crowded and hot in August, but due to work commitments it was the best available time for me to go.

Spreckels,

The Sawdust Festival is fun for a first timer. It started many years ago when some of the local artists wanted an event to show their work. It has an interesting variety of inexpensive and expensive artwork of all types. Used to be free admission, but they started charging admission long ago when it really got commercial.

It's not the kind of thing you want to go to every year, because the artists control who shows, and it's the same people every year.

Thanks Dayle. I've checked out the Sawdust Festival and it does look interesting. It's nice on holidays, to buy something that has been locally made, as a souvenir, rather than the Chinese-made, mass-produced trinkets that are the same design in every city, just with a different name on them.

I've found more information on the OC Beach Bus Tour regarding the on-off privileges:

"The OC Beach Bus Tour is a 3 hour loop of Orange County with 7 stops along the beautiful pacific coast.

With daily pick up locations throughout the Anaheim Resort, the OC Beach Bus Tour allows guests to exit the tour at any stop for about 3 hours and explore, sightsee, shop or enjoy the beach. Then, when the next Cruiser comes along, you re-enter the tour and continue on the loop.

The convenient "Off and On Along the Way" service gives you the flexibility to take a 3 hour tour, a 7 hour tour or a 10 hour tour... all for the same price!"

It might be a nice alternative tour for those staying in Anaheim who are all Disneyed-out.

Spreckles,

Isn't that the truth about tacky souveniers! I'm with you on that one.

Out of the stops named on the tour, I could see you easily spending 3 hours or more at the Sawdust Festival and around town in Laguna.

Newport Beach would be fun on a nice day if you wanted to rent a bike and go for a ride along the "boardwalk". It's just a long, wide sidewalk that goes all the way from the south end of Newport Beach to Huntington Beach and beyond! Great exercise and people watching.