Surf, Kayak and Outdoor Sporting Adventures in Laguna Beach

If you are planning a trip to Laguna Beach, California, you probably are looking forward to spending time in the sun, having fun, and engaging in a variety of outdoor activities. This is one of the reasons that people choose Laguna Beach as a family vacation destination.

You may look forward to hiking, surfing, kayaking or learning to use a paddleboard. Whether you are experienced or a beginner, you may be looking forward to a new experience. Laguna Beach is the perfect beach community for people who love the outdoors. The weather is mild the year around and the surf is perfect for a variety of activities.

My family lives on the edge of Laguna Beach. Several members of our family regularly go kayaking and paddleboarding ... which is a wonderful way to enjoy the ocean. My husband used to be a regular surfer, although he gave it up a few years ago, as it is a physically demanding sport. However, there are still plenty of other ways to enjoy our local beaches.

When I walk along the shore nearly every morning, it is not unusual for me to see the tourists (and a few locals) taking a variety of lessons. As a result, I decided to find out which companies offer the most comprehensive lessons in our community. Taking a class or a few private lessons is a wonderful way to enjoy a Laguna Beach vacation and really get the most out of spending time along the Southern California coastline.

If this describes you and your vacation plans, what are some of the sports and activities that are available in Laguna Beach, and how can you make arrangements to participate in them?

Have fun on your trip!

For the more adventurous vacationer, you may decide to spend your Laguna Beach holiday learning how to surf. There are many places where you can take private or group lessons for a couple of hours, and teens can even attend a week of surf school. La Vida Laguna is one of the companies that offers surfing lessons. Here are some of the other companies:

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Billabong Surf Camp at 949-240-2000

Soul SurfingSchool at 949-497-5918

Laguna Beach Second Reef Surf Shop at 949-497-6742

Laguna Beach SurfSchool at 949-280-3005

City of Laguna BeachRecreationDept.SurfSchool at 949-497-0352

A popular new sport in Southern California is Stand Up Paddleboarding, also know as SUP. There are several locations in Laguna Beach that will give you beginning paddleboard lessons, and even tours of some of the local spots you can visit while on the water. A popular site to visit is Seal Rock, which is a nature sanctuary and home to the local colony of California sea lions. Among the local schools offering this service are:

La Vida Laguna at 949-275-7544

Kajubi at 888-545-8247

Paddle Board Bliss in Laguna Beach at 949-371-9433

If you want to visit the Seal Rock nature sanctuary in a kayak, rather than on a paddleboard, you can rent your kayak in Laguna Beach and either explore on your own or take a tour. La Vida Laguna and Kajubi, both mentioned above, also offer their customers these options. Another choice for kayaking in Laguna Beach is:

North Laguna Float Company at 949-494-5910

As you travel into the town of Laguna Beach from Interstate 5 or Interstate 405, you will pass through the Laguna Coast Wilderness Area. It is a 20,000 acre wilderness park that offers an opportunity for residents and tourists to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, jogging, and bird watching along the many paths and trails that traverse the preserve. There are also volunteer guides and naturalists who lead scheduled hikes in the wilderness area. If you want to go on your own, you just need to park in one of the many designated parking areas along LagunaCanyon, and set out on your own. Make sure you observe the signs, however. They close the gates before dark each evening and it is easy to get your car locked in. This actually happened to one of our daughters once. She barely caught the ranger who had just locked her car in the parking lot in time to have him unlock the gate for her.

There are many other ways to keep yourself busy and active outdoors in the Laguna Beach area.  MainBeach has sand volleyball courts and a paved basketball court for your enjoyment.  Just north of MainBeach is a fascinating area of tidepools.  You can spend hours exploring them, and watching all the little sea creatures that get trapped there for a day.  You can also bring your own beach things and swim, sunbathe, jog on the beach, play paddle tennis, body surf, or engage in just about any other water or beach sport that interests you.  Whatever sport you enjoy, you are likely to find a way to pursue it when you come to Laguna Beach!