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CinderBelle
01-16-2007, 12:50 PM
Does anyone know what beach(s) are closest to DL and whether any of the hotel's near disney provide transportation to them? Thanks!

MollyTrolly
01-16-2007, 01:01 PM
The closest beaches (and nicest for that matter) are Long Beach, Newport andHuntington Beach. I love long beach because the aquarium is there and they have a great boardwalk area with restaurants and shops. And of course the Queen Mary is there. I am not sure about transportation, but I would think there would be some sort of shuttle that woudl move people between Disneyland and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

yohomama212
01-16-2007, 01:09 PM
Newport and Balboa are definately worth the trip if you have time (and our stoopud weather warms up). The Newport Pier area is nice, lots of local shopping places and a fabulous diner there called Charlie's Chili. We take our dads there every year for Father's Day. Balboa Pier has a Ruby's resturant at the end of it and the Balboa Fun Zone just a ferry trip away. The Fun Zone is being refurbished at the moment according to my DH who's in the area once a week, but most of the rides and attractions are open at some point. Those are both great locations if you want to go to the beach without bringing home the sand!

Liz :cool:

lagunachadling
01-16-2007, 01:36 PM
A trip to Laguna Beach is well worth the commute......it is an artist community, and has a charming small beach side town feel to it........good restaurants, shops, and art galleries.

Disney Vault
01-16-2007, 01:48 PM
Go to Huntington Beach. Then tell us when you will be there so we can go to Hollister and watch the live video of the beach to look for you.:D

raediance
01-16-2007, 04:28 PM
My favorite beach is Bolsa Chica. No idea where it is, though, so google it if you'd like.

Bytebear
01-16-2007, 04:44 PM
Bolsa Chica State beach is north Huntington Beach. It is a bird santuary wildlife preserve, so it is truly beach. Head to Huntington Beach pier for shops and surfers.

raediance
01-17-2007, 02:48 PM
Thanks, lol.
The thing about Bolsa Chica, I remember, is that you have to pay for parking. But it wasn't crowded whenever we went last summer (we parked the closest possible, practically empty parking lot). The worst part was the bees.

Bytebear
01-17-2007, 03:04 PM
Yes, Bolsa Chica has paid parking. You could try to get away with parking at Sunset beach and walking up, but the parking is horrible as it is residential. The parking fee is a flat rate per vehicle. Alternatively you can go up the coast to Huntington Beach pier which has restaurants and such. but it also has pay parking garages. you could even rent a bike and ride down the beach.

Magicinthestars
01-18-2007, 03:59 PM
Bolsa Chica is ok, but Newport and Crystal Cove state park are worth the drive. After moving from Washington my crew and I are slowly becoming beach "conissures". Bolsa and Huntington are the traditional drive-up california beaches. That is you park and walk 20 steps and your on the beach. This is both good and bad, good that it easy and acessible, bad that these beaches are soooo crowded on the summer days.

Crystal Cove in Newport is different beacsue you have to hike down to the water, good beacsue the beaches are cleaner, more natural and less crowded beacsue locals don't want to hike down to the beaches. Also, if you have ever dreamed of seeing the beaches and the sites from the TV shows like the OC. This is where its at. On the Newport Beach chamber of commerce they actually have a pdf map of where different locations were filmed for the OC.

Ok, ok I'm getting off the subject, but just note each beach has its own personality!

zombie pirate
01-18-2007, 04:04 PM
Venice, thats a whole new amusement park.:eek:

Bytebear
01-18-2007, 04:33 PM
Ah, Venice Beach. It is way farther than the other beaches mentioned, and it is a hippy beach. The water is so polluted that you cannot swim there. Bottom line, if you are into the alternative scene, or just want to see freaky L.A. people, go, but it isn't a good place to take small children, and the parking is horrible.

If you want a "singles" beach experience, go to Hermosa or Manhattan beach. They have professional volleyball tourneys that are free in the summer and you will see the most beautiful perfect people. This is baywatch and 90210 combined. Not great for small kids, but perfect for single 20 somethings.

The OC beaches are the family friendly beaches. Oh, and if you do pick a secluded beach, make sure there is a lifeguard on duty, especially if you have kids. The bigger more accessable beaches should have lifeguards. Just look for the lifeguard tower and make sure the flag is flying.

MinnieMomma
01-19-2007, 04:45 PM
Longfellow Street beach in Hermosa is a great beach. They have swings for the kids there and a lifeguard station. There tend to be bigger waves and rougher water in the Santa Monica Bay than in the OC beaches.

Klutch
01-19-2007, 07:05 PM
Don't know where you're from, CinderBelle, but I wanted to make sure you are aware, compared to other beach areas in the US, the eastern Pacific is c-c-c-old! However, the beaches themselves are awesome; especially the OC beaches.

DizneyMommy
01-19-2007, 07:16 PM
Huntington Beach is great, I have lived there for over 25 years. There is a nice little strip of beachy shops and restaurants on Main St capped off by our awesome pier at the end. If you end up there, plan to have lunch at Ruby's at the end of the pier, ocean views all around. You can easily get free parking in HB if you know where to go, too, especially on a week day. Just drive a couple of short blocks in from PCH on any street before or after Main and after about 2 or 3 (maybe 4) blocks there are no more meters (this is not true on Main St itself). It is not a long walk at all. But it is cold, I believe I heard on the news yesterday that the water temps were in the 50's YIKES!

TTFN92
01-19-2007, 09:09 PM
My favorite beach is Huntington. I don't know if it is because it is the one we went to when I was little and we lived there, or if I just really like the beach. But when we take our kids to the beach, that is the one we go to. I also think it is really easy to get to from DL. I like to look at the houses off of Beach Blvd. There is one that is on the end of a street that is at an angle to Beach Blvd. It is sooo cute! I always look for it when we go and dream of living someplace like that, only not so close to a main highway ;) .

Koukla
01-20-2007, 01:18 AM
Hi Cinder,
I grew up across the street from the ocean in Huntington Beach and can remember taking days off from high school (yes, ditching) to spend the day at Disneyland. I know on more than one occasion we took the bus back and forth, up Harbor Boulevard. You might want to Google the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) to see if you can find a bus schedule. I doubt the local hotels offer shuttle service. Once you get down Harbor Boulevard, there should be a bus running up and down Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that will get you to all OC beaches. If memory serves me, it was the #1 bus. The prettiest beaches in the area are Laguna Beach, Newport, Corona del Mar, and my favorite, Balboa Island. Have a great trip! :D ~Koukla

pisces
01-20-2007, 08:29 AM
The closest beach is Newport.

Huntington is a lot farther.

Newport is directly down Harbor Blvd. going south. Harbor Blvd turns into Newport Blvd and goes right to the Newport pier.

Or, you can take the freeway , which may or may not get you there faster...5 south to the 55 south. The 55 leads right into Newport Blvd and the Newport/Balboa pier etc.

Huntington Beach is distinctly farther. You'd have to take Newport Blvd and then make a right on PCH heading north, and then go at least 5-7 miles more, to get to the Huntington Pier.

SifuJustin
01-20-2007, 10:42 AM
I think Newport is the easiest to get to (5 south to 55 south, stop at the ocean). Also, it is now whale watching season. Whale watching boats leave out of the Balboa Pavillion a couple times a day. You should make reservations if you go whale watching on a weekend (just google Newport Whale Watching). And bring a jacket! It gets cold out on the open ocean. I went last year late in the season. We didn't see any whales but hundreds and hundreds of dolphins swam around our boat. It was sur-real.

Me

Omnitographer
01-20-2007, 06:59 PM
Huntington beach is a very nice beach, and the pier has great views. If you go there, there is a candy shop just off main street that has a nice large variety :D

DizneyMommy
01-21-2007, 05:18 PM
Huntington Beach is distinctly farther. You'd have to take Newport Blvd and then make a right on PCH heading north, and then go at least 5-7 miles more, to get to the Huntington Pier.

Actually, I live there (HB) and it only takes me 20-25 minutes to get to Disneyland. I also drive to work in Newport near the end of Newport Blvd and it takes me about 10 minutes with traffic to get from the HB pier to Newport Blvd. Taking Harbor takes WAY longer, congested side streets and lots of traffic the whole way. The 2 beaches are within minutes of each other and much much faster if you take the freeway to either one.

D-lander 1956
01-21-2007, 07:13 PM
Huntington is a lot farther . . .
Huntington Beach is distinctly farther. You'd have to take Newport Blvd and then make a right on PCH heading north, and then go at least 5-7 miles more, to get to the Huntington Pier.

Wrong! :|
You are correct about Newport being right at the end of the 55/Newport Blvd and probably the closest and easiest beach to reach from DL. But HB is right next to Newport, just minutes north on PCH not 5-7 miles.


Actually, I live there (HB) and it only takes me 20-25 minutes to get to Disneyland. I also drive to work in Newport near the end of Newport Blvd and it takes me about 10 minutes with traffic to get from the HB pier to Newport Blvd. Taking Harbor takes WAY longer, congested side streets and lots of traffic the whole way. The 2 beaches are within minutes of each other and much much faster if you take the freeway to either one.

You are so smart DizneyMommy - agreed totally! ;)
Jodi ~ Another 30 year HB homie!

:D :D

pisces
01-21-2007, 09:07 PM
Wrong! :|
You are correct about Newport being right at the end of the 55/Newport Blvd and probably the closest and easiest beach to reach from DL. But HB is right next to Newport, just minutes north on PCH not 5-7 miles.





:D :D

But not the pier. The pier is very far from Newport. It's way down past Brookhurst, past Beach Blvd, even.

Huntington is a very wide beach and stretches for miles, and the pier is way down at the other end, more towards Bolsa Chica.

But, yes if all you want is Huntington, without the Pier, then it is right next door to Newport.