I’ve lived in Orange County my entire life but I still feel as if I am always exploring and learning more about the place I call home. I’ve frequented the same old beaches since I was little and never really experienced the other coastal cities beyond Huntington or Seal Beach. I always considered myself a creature of habit, but after my first trip to Laguna Beach, I realized what I was missing out on. Nothing comes in comparison to Laguna Beach: the most picturesque place in OC. Seriously, no filters needed for these pictures. Specifically, Heisler Park has a breathtaking view of the ocean and on that perfectly sunny day, it seemed like all my anxieties and worries were completely washed away with the tides.
There is something about the ocean that is so entrancing but at the same time hauntingly beautiful as the water stretches out endlessly to the horizon. I was especially fascinated with the vibrantly colored tidepools and coves. I even managed to spot a lobster in one of them!
It was an incredible sight to see a lobster in its natural habitat instead of on a dinner plate (but still not enough to make me go vegan). I’d say Heisler Park is a great place to hang out with family and friends. They have plenty of tables and grills accessible for people to host their own barbeques or you can simply stretch out on the grass under the palm trees, taking in the sun’s rays. I also recommend putting on Kacey Musgrave’s Golden Hour album as it perfectly sets the mood and adds to the whole beachy vibe.
When lunchtime rolled around, my friends and I were looking forward to trying out Urth Cafe since it’s a Laguna hotspot, but as luck would have it, the line was awfully long. I mean, as such an iconic place to eat, it made sense that it was everyone’s choice to eat at too. So, we ended up walking around main street until we found a cozy little eatery called Zeytoon Cafe.
They serve a variety of Mediterranean food and my friends and I ended up ordering paninis and their Greek salad. Out of the many cafes we could have stumbled into, the decor of the cafe is what really lured me in: their mismatched chairs and eclectic decor. In the end, I thought it was better that we stumbled upon this place on our own rather than following the crowd.
We also checked out the local nursery and on a whim, I decided to take on the big responsibility of getting my first plant. This was the perfect place to get one because of the wide selection of succulents they had. I also thought it was great to support a local nursery instead of getting one from the nearest Home Depot. I picked out a “watch chain” succulent and so far it’s still living and thriving (so hopefully it remains that way). It was nice bringing home a little souvenir after my beach outing. After my outting, I realized there is so much more to do around Laguna Beach. I think it’s safe to say this won’t be my last visit, as I am already planning on checking out the hiking trails and art museum for my next excursion.