Things to Do in Laguna Beach, United States: Walking Guide

Things to do in Laguna Beach include exploring California art, visiting a historic church, and taking in the city’s setting above the Pacific Ocean. The compact coastal destination brings together a distinctive arts scene and places shaped by California’s cultural and religious history. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Laguna Beach with 2 narrated places, available in 11 languages.

What to See in Laguna Beach

Laguna Art Museum

The Laguna Art Museum is devoted exclusively to California art. Founded in 1918, it is the oldest cultural institution in the area and has also been known as the Laguna Beach Art Association and the Laguna Beach Museum of Art.

The museum stands high on the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, at the meeting point of Cliff Drive and Pacific Coast Highway. Its location connects the art inside with the landscape outside. The collection includes nearly 3,500 works, chiefly by California artists, with a focus on modern and contemporary art. For anyone interested in the state’s artistic heritage, the museum offers a concentrated introduction to California’s creative life.

St. Francis by-the-Sea American Catholic Church

St. Francis by-the-Sea American Catholic Church is a small historic church built in 1934. The building now houses the National Sick Call Set Museum, giving the site an additional place in Laguna Beach’s religious history.

The church is connected with several chapters of American Catholic history. Clarkson left the Episcopal priesthood in 1928 and became a bishop in the American Catholic Church in 1933, shortly before the church was built. St. Francis by-the-Sea was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, recognising the importance of this preserved building.

Explore California with Neywo

Neywo’s free Laguna Beach audio guide includes 2 narrated places. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Open the guide when you arrive, listen as you explore, and discover the city through its history and landmarks.

Laguna Beach is part of California, in the United States. If you are continuing along the coast, you can also explore nearby destinations such as Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and La Jolla.