Updated March 25, 2026
Looking for what to do when you’re not at the parks?
The following posts detail:
And this post links them all together with even more:
But, today we’re talking about day trips from Anaheim. Let’s check out some of my favorites.
San Clemente
About 45 minutes from the happiest place on earth, this beach community might be the cutest on earth.
Consider the following during your visit……
- Eat breakfast, lunch or dinner on the pier at Fisherman’s Restaurant. The views are fantastic.
- Walk the pier & spend time at the beach.
- Visit Casa Romantica for $8/person (kids 12 and under are free). First Sunday of each month is free for everyone.
- Explore Avenida Del Mar for dining and shopping.
- Visit the free San Clemente Art Gallery.
- Walk around the Ole Hansen Beach Club.
How to get to San Clemente…..
Head south on the 5 or take the train! From your Disneyland hotel, Uber to the ARTIC station in Anaheim and then hop on the Metrolink or Amtrak to the San Clemente Station. You’ll arrive right on the beach with plenty to do in walking distance. (Check the exact drop off location, as weekends sometimes alter the details of train travel.)
Metered parking or free 2 hour parking is available for all of these options. You can also use the free trolley to get around.
A few resources…..
This reel shows all of the above, and more, from San Clemente.
San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano is the most adorable town that you should consider for your next trip.
How to get there:
Located less than a half hour from Disneyland, it’s easily accessible via train or car. From your Disneyland hotel, uber to the ARTIC train station and then go south until the San Juan Capistrano station.
Everything is walkable from the train station. Driving instead? Find inexpensive pay lots near the train station. We paid $8 for 4 hours.
Our favorite stops include…..
- 3:16 Bakery is down the street from the train station and has award winning treats along with frozen yogurt and more. Grab coffee and breakfast here.
- Los Rios Historical District includes little shops, a tea house made famous on the Real Housewives of Orange County, Hidden House coffee, and some historical stops like the adobe house you see in my reel. Ramos House Cafe is a favorite restaurant here. We also like Trevor’s on the Tracks, where you can dine indoors or out with views of the trains.
- Mission at San Juan Capistrano is an amazing peek into California’s rich history. I highly recommend it.
- River Street Marketplace is a new shopping and dining district that absorbed the beloved Zoomars Petting Zoo into its 60,000 acres. Look for upscale businesses like Mendocino Farms, Tecovas, and Free People.
- Find parks and playgrounds and other open spaces in this area, too.
A few resources…..
- Mission San Juan Capistrano
- Trevor’s at the Tracks
- River Street Marketplace
- The Tea House on Los Rios
- The Swallows of San Juan Capistrano
For video of San Juan Capistrano, check out this reel.
Half Day in L.A.
Got a half day in L.A.? Here’s what to do…..
Grab food at Grand Central Market and then explore the (mostly free!) surroundings.
Park around Hill and 3rd Street for $10 and then after breakfast at the market, pay $1 to board the world’s shortest railway, Angels Flight, for a peek at the city and help with the walk up to The Broad Museum.
The railway is darling, featured in La La Land, and boasts lovely views after a 33% grade in only 315 feet. You can walk the stairs next to it, too. Wander through the museum and then back down to The Last Bookstore.
While en route, we strolled through a street market, walked into a few historical buildings and caught a car commercial being filmed. I love a loose itinerary like this where you just aren’t sure what you’ll find.
A few resources…..
This video shows everything listed above in Los Angeles.
The Grove and Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles
Located about an hour from Disneyland, The Grove is a bougie shopping center in Los Angeles that includes an eclectic group of popular stores like Nordstrom, Nike, an Apple Store with actual trees, Brandy Melville, Edikted, Dylan’s Candy Bar, and lots more.
It’s not a destination to do allllll your shopping, but I do love it for a distinctly upscale L.A. experience.
Hours for The Grove…..
- Monday: 10am-9pm
- Tuesday: 10am-9pm
- Wednesday: 10am-9pm
- Thursday: 10am-9pm
- Friday: 10am-10pm
- Saturday: 10am-10pm
- Sunday: 11am-8pm
After – or before shopping – wander through The Original Farmers Market. Steps away from The Grove, this L.A. icon got started in the late 1800’s. It’s filled with over 100 vendors and there’s literally something for everyone.
Check out its rich history, the celebrities who loved to frequent it, and other details here.
Hours for The Farmers Market….
- Monday-Friday: 9am-9pm
- Saturday: 10am-9pm
- Sunday: 10am-7pm
A few resources……
Check out video of the Grove area here.
Petersen Automotive Museum
This museum is ideal for car enthusiasts, but it really has something for everyone.
There are two ticket options – regular or “vault”. We did the regular version ($21/adult) but will return for the vault ($49/adult). Kids age 4-11 are $12 for regular and $24 for the vault.
It took us about 2 hours to go through the three floors of the museum. Look for many, many cars from around the world including some from your favorite movies. There’s an activity room for kids, too, with lots of fun things to do.
There’s a restaurant on site and Bernie Sanders’ coffee shop and restaurant is across the street, too.
Here’s the link to the Petersen Automotive Museum.
California Science Center and Exposition Park
While visiting the California Science Center, don’t miss walking through the Los Angeles Coliseum next door along with Exposition Park, too. I love L.A.!
Admission is free to the museum.
We paid $20 to park and walked this entire area for several hours. Bring cash for a snack from a street vendor in or around Exposition Park or dine onsite at the museum.
The Rose Garden is gorgeous and there are more museums to explore. This area has enough for a solid half day or more if you want to visit more museums.
Here’s a quick video of our day in this area.
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is pure California beauty, through and through.
It’s 30-45 minutes from Disneyland and definitely somewhere you should consider exploring.
While visiting, plan to:
- Walk Heisler Park along the beach for gorgeous views
- Enjoy a coffee and pastry at Equator Coffees and then wander through the Rivian Center ($18 for a mocha coffee and almond pastry)
- Visit Main Beach, in the heart of Laguna
- Explore the tide pools near Monument Point
- Shop and dine on Broadway, Ocean Ave, and surrounding streets near the beach
- Check out the free Pacific Marine Mammal Center
- Hike the Top of the World trail for amazing views
- Grab lunch at Husky Boy Burgers ($18 for a cheeseburger kids’ meal and onion rings!)
- Check out the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen in SoCal – Crescent Beach (at the north side of Laguna)
Park near Main Beach at metered spots or for around $15/day in nearby lots. Use the free Laguna Beach Trolley to get around.
A few resources:
- Laguna Beach general info
- Top of the World hike
- Laguna Beach free trolley
- Heisler Park
- Rivian Center
Check out my reel here for video of Laguna.
Pirate Tower in Laguna Beach
Pirate Tower at Victoria Beach looks like something out of a Disney movie
Find it about 40 minutes from the happiest place on earth in Laguna Beach. Enter “Pirate Tower Laguna Beach” in your gps to locate it.
Park on Coast Highway and walk down Dumond Drive all the way to the sand. Head north a bit, around the rocks and through a tide pool area to reach the tower.
Note: This beach is dreamy because of the tower, but Main Beach is ideal for a trip from Disneyland. Lots more amenities at Main.
See the Pirate Tower here.
Crystal Cove Shake Shack
Located between Laguna Beach and Newport/Balboa Island, this cute shake shack has been a favorite of ours for years.
But be prepared – parking is a nightmare. A line will form along Coast Highway with guests waiting forever to get in because there are literally only a dozen or so spots. Arrive early in the day to ease that pain. We pulled up at 10:25am and waited behind only 2 people, for about 10 minutes, to park.
If you want to avoid the parking mess – and if you intend to explore the adorable Crystal Cove area below the shake shack – consider parking in the nearby Los Trancos paid lot. Find it on the east side of Coast Highway.
It’s open from 6am to 10pm with hourly rates. Walk from here or take the Beachcomber trolley for $2 each way. This shuttle runs between the Los Trancos lot and the historic district of Crystal Cove. Children under 12 and guests with disabilities ride free.
Taking the shuttle allows you to dine and then explore all the fun below without worry. I recommend it. From its drop off point, walk into the cove and then up the stairs to the Crystal Cove Shake Shack.
Check out a quick reel of this treasure at this link.
Here’s all about this darling stop along the 101
More about the Crystal Cove historic district here.
Treasure Island Beach and Goff Island in Laguna
This area of Laguna Beach is gorgeous. It doesn’t have the same dining and shopping nearby that Main Beach does, but there are fewer people and parking is easier, so I love that! Most of this area is managed by Montage Resort, so it’s picture perfect.
Park near the Lost Pier Cafe just off Coast Highway in the paid lot for about $15. Have a bite to eat and then start walking north. There’s a gorgeous path that follows the coast, all the way up to Goff Island. You can also park at Wesley in a paid lot, but near the lot by Lost Pier Cafe will get you closer to the beach.
The walk along the coast is about 2 miles to Goff Island, but it’s pathed and easily navigated. If you prefer a more direct route to the island, park in lot 7 or 8 near the Montage Resort and walk down a set of wooden stairs from the resort.
There are several spots to stop and take in the views with benches and tables. And you can explore tide pools at Goff Cove near Goff Island. (Please don’t take any critters home!)
Goff Island is a large rock, about 42’ high, just off the coast that is often connected to the beach when the tide is right. Climbing is not permitted, but I’ve never seen that stop anyone here.
Here’s more about the Montage Resort I mentioned above.
Newport Beach and Balboa Island
These two charming communities are so much fun to visit.
Located about 45 minutes from Disneyland, there’s so much to do. Park your car for free in some areas or pay the meter.
Consider renting a bike to ride between the two piers – Newport Pier and Balboa Pier. This is a 2 mile stretch along the beach. You can find bike rentals on site, both regular and electric.
Favorites of ours in this area include:
- From Balboa, take the ferry over to Balboa Island for $1.75 a person (one way). This gets you on the water – even just for a few minutes. My kids loved this when they were little.
- On the island, we enjoy taking a long walk to see all the cute houses. Shop or dine on Marine Street, the main business area on the island.
- Grab the famous frozen banana for around $7.
- Play arcade games at the Balboa Fun Zone.
- Dine at Ruby’s on the Balboa Pier.
- For an upscale (and delicious!) meal, go to Harborside Restaurant.
Check out my instagram reel here for video of Newport and Balboa.
Dana Point
Located about 45 minutes from Disneyland, Dana Point is a great option for a day trip.
Park for up to 3 hours for free at the Dana Point Harbor. While there…..
- Walk the boardwalk from end to end to see the ships.
- Visit the Ocean Institute, which has low admission costs and lots for kids to learn. We love this place!
- Explore the tide pools just behind the Ocean Institute along with the often empty beach adjacent to it.
- For a tide free, easy beach for little ones to play in, Baby Beach is the best. There are nearby restrooms, picnic tables, and you can watch the paddle boarders and other adventurers head out to sea while you hang out with the kids. Baby Beach is next to the Ocean Institute at the north end of Dana Point Harbor.
- Eat at Beach Harbor Pizza.
- Grab a treat at The Coffee Importers and people watch along the boardwalk.
- Shop and dine in the Lantern District.
- Visit the Dana Point Bluff Top Trail for gorgeous views of the harbor.
- Take a whale watching tour.
There’s only one hotel in the harbor, the Dana Point Marina Inn, and we stayed there years ago. It’s a quaint little place with a small pool and pretty basic amenities but we had a good time. There are more luxurious accommodations nearby, outside the harbor like The Ritz and the Laguna Cliffs Marriott.
Seal Beach
Seal Beach is a quiet little community, north of Huntington and south of Long Beach. This would be ideal for a guest who wants to avoid the busyness of the more popular beaches like Laguna. It’s also a great stop if you’re setting sail on a cruise out of Long Beach!
Park for free for under 2 hours near the coast. Or pay $2 an hour or $10 all day in a pay lot near the pier.
Consider stops at:
- Jane’s Corndogs for classic beach food
- Bogarts for coffee and pastries
- The Hangout or Seal Beach Grill for lunch or dinner with table service
- Bruster’s for Ice Cream
- A Slice of New York Pizza for pizza slices
- Taco Surf for good Mexican food
- Driftwood and Jennings & Allen for cute home decor
- Nick’s for sandwiches
***All of the above are on Main Street or are directly facing the beach. Seal Beach is tiny.
Griffith Observatory
Visit this mostly free Los Angeles icon for:
- Amazing views of Los Angeles
- Free exhibits
- Public telescopes
- And you can see the Hollywood sign!
A few key tips:
- Arrive early for the best weather
- Park just outside the observatory for $10 an hour or use street parking down the hill for free
I recommend you pay for parking. It’s so close to the observatory and that walk up the hill can be brutal. We paid $20 for 2 hours and had 10 minutes to spare. We didn’t do the Planetarium, which would have added more time.
We walked through the exhibits and then out to all of the viewing decks, as well, in about 2 hours. We opted out of the Planetarium, which would have added more time. I had a breakfast burrito at the little cafe, which was pretty good. There’s a gift shop on site, too. Everywhere you go, there are amazing views. Go outside to take a look.
The architecture is phenomenal. Look for beautiful little design details inside, too, in the floors and ceilings. They don’t make buildings like this anymore.
The mid-day heat is tough for sites like these, so if at all possible, visit early in the day. Good parking will be more attainable, too.
The front lawn is gorgeous. Pack a picnic or grab a snack from the cafe and enjoy the area. There’s a viewing deck, too, for the Hollywood sign as well as nice public bathrooms/sinks nearby.
Here are 20 photos from a recent visit.
| Take a look at how Get Away Today can help with your vacation |
 |
