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Recs for Southern California (around Orange County)

Reynolds Woodcock

By Reynolds Woodcock
in Food and Travel

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Frieda’s Boss

Frieda’s Boss 181

Posted
Posted
On 6/7/2023 at 5:44 PM, Zepol87 said:

Flying out Saturday and gonna be there for a week. I’m staying in Pasadena because of work but only busy Monday-Wednesday. Kingkoopa and I gonna bring down the classiness of these joints down a bit 

I’ve only been to the Sun Valley location, but I know they opened up one in Pasadena: 786 Degrees pizza is legit.  

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3455

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, Frieda’s Boss said:

I’ve only been to the Sun Valley location, but I know they opened up one in Pasadena: 786 Degrees pizza is legit.  

Quoted for truth.

P.S.:  And 786 Degrees is just a couple blocks down from a liquor store (Mission Liquor) with a really good selection of bourbon, scotch, tequila, wine, beer, etc., etc.

Edited by Carl Spackler
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mdleast

mdleast 8016

Posted
Posted

I’ll soon be be in Orange County over the July 4th long weekend (and adding to this thread then). In the meantime, as I’m flying home to Dallas (and 100+ heat index) let’s appreciate the model of pleasant consistency that is Central Coast California over the 4 days I was there:

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978f46257c20e00053a9895710f81bdd.jpg

725dc884316c8a2b9285d42dff33feb2.jpg

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BearSchlong

BearSchlong 7963

Posted
Posted

I have midweek meetings in Costa Mesa next month and decided to make a long weekend of it. My wife is flying out to meet me. Staying at my work hotel Monday-Wednesday but looking for a cool but not over-the-top place in the Newport/Balboa area for Thursday-Saturday nights.

Any suggestions?

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alphahydro

alphahydro 332

Posted
Posted

no offense to gil, balboa bay club is fine but idk if I would describe it as "cool"  - service is good but it's got a 62 year old Newport Ned vibe, imo. 

if you are willing to go down to laguna, it's a nicer place to visit, imo. 

all kinda depends on what you want from the trip.  I know airbnb kinda sucks, but I would check out airbnbs on Balboa, in laguna, dana point, and San Clemente, depending on what you want from the trip.  if you just wanna chill and unwind near the beach, that's what I'd do.  south Orange County coast is a better place to live than to visit, imo. 

for hotels, if you want a nicer hotel, check out these places - blue = stay on the resort vibe.   surf and sand = walk around laguna/beach town; Balboa bay = drive around Newport area. 

  • surf & sand (service sucks, but nice place to chill - walkable to nice restaurants, bars, random shops, etc in a beach town)
  • montage laguna 
  • ritz Carlton/waldorf dana point  
  • pelican hill resort Newport coast
  • Balboa bay club

when I say check them out.  not all of those are for me personally.  but one may appeal to you.  surf and sand would be my go to rec.  or montage for someone bougie/older. 

there are also smaller boutique hotels in laguna, but they are hit and miss.   my info might be outdated.  haven't stayed in a hotel in Orange County in a minute.  but I've frequented all those places and they are fine.  just a matter of what you want.  if you want to save some money, there are some cheaper places in laguna that have a great location but just aren't super nice on the inside. 

for me, if you are going out of your way to move from Costa Mesa to somewhere closer to the coast, I would go beach vibe.  at the same time, keep in mind it may not be that warm in OC in 1 month.  

have fun.

 

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BearSchlong

BearSchlong 7963

Posted
Posted

So the current plan might be to rent a VRBO Villa at Casa Sirena at Hamilton point on Catalina and use a golf cart to get around. I’m thinking we would park at Balboa and ferry over. Is there enough to do on Catalina to fill a weekend?

She gets in late Thursday and we would spend Friday and Saturday night there and fly home Sunday.

How does this sound? [mention=1357]sbbruin[/mention] I know how much you love Catalina.

Alternative plan is really cute VRBO on Balboa Beach and a day trip to Catalina, plus a day exploring the mainland.

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21567

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

So the current plan might be to rent a VRBO Villa at Casa Sirena at Hamilton point on Catalina and use a golf cart to get around. I’m thinking we would park at Balboa and ferry over. Is there enough to do on Catalina to fill a weekend?

She gets in late Thursday and we would spend Friday and Saturday night there and fly home Sunday.

How does this sound? [mention=1357]sbbruin[/mention] I know how much you love Catalina.

Alternative plan is really cute VRBO on Balboa Beach and a day trip to Catalina, plus a day exploring the mainland.

Great call.  Only way to get a golf cart long term is to rent at Hamilton Cove.  Great views from every place there.  Plenty to do.  Zipline is fun.  Parasailing.  Mini golf.  Restaurant recs: dinner- Bluewater Grille, Steve’s Steakhouse, NDMK or Lobster Trap for more casual but awesome seafood, Jacks for breakfast or Antonio’s (on the water).  Also a secret awesome spot for casual food is the Sandtrap, located where there used to be a little 3 par.  I know you don’t drink but great bloodies and cheap other drinks.  Outdoor and inland.  Oh, another great spot since you have a cart is Buffalo Nickel.  Casual and a bit out of town where the barges come in.  

plenty to do for 2 days.  Plus you’ll want to chill at your Hamilton Villa.  Worth waking up for the sunrise.  Wish I was going out there myself.  Could take you sailing.

5 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

So is a day trip to Catalina the best option?

How does Laguna Beach differ from Newport/Balboa? Is it worth a drive over?

No, a day trip is too short imho.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 103139

Posted
Posted
So is a day trip to Catalina the best option?

How does Laguna Beach differ from Newport/Balboa? Is it worth a drive over?

Laguna is plenty cool (we vacation there with family every year). It’s a real beach town, lots of beachfront (so, different from balboa that way). Very walkable, and you can spend a day or two doing so. Also, you can just hang at the beach, or a pool. We stay at the Laguna Riviera, which is probably not what you’re looking for (more of a family place, not very fancy). Surf and Sand would be a good choice. Great sunsets, cocktail on the deck. Walk the town. Your gal will shop and spend money. Husky Boy Burgers on PCH is a classic lunch joint, greasy sammiches and such. There’s plenty of good places to eat, including some pretty nice ones.
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alphahydro

alphahydro 332

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Posted

laguna is more picturesque and walkable.  it's a beach town that started as an artist colony and has more art galleries and more one-off restaurants.  you can park at surf and sand and not really drive all weekend.  and still get good food/interesting bars/ beautiful beach. a lot of the beaches in laguna have coves, whereas in newport the beach is a long flat stretch of sand.   they're both cool. 

you def need a car in newport, imo.  i stayed at balboa bay club years ago and the only place you could walk to was a ferrari dealership and a taco bell.  but within a short drive from balboa bay club, you can standup paddle or kayak around balboa; you can stroll balboa island; there is some decent food nearby. 

newport and laguna used to be pretty different, but the difference isn't as radical as it used to be.  kinda like upper east side and west village.  still, way more laguna residents are wannabe artists and way more newport ppl wanna own a yacht.  idk if laguna has changed or i'm just getting older, but i don't like it as much as i used to.   still, if i were vacationing somwhere, its a little prettier and a little more unique than newport, imo. 

if you go to the instagram pages, you can see the vibe each hotel is going for and teh clientele they are looking to attract. 

https://www.instagram.com/balboabayclub/

https://www.instagram.com/surfandsandlaguna/

catalina has a totally different vibe, as do huntington, dana point, and san clemente.  i would just check out the one that seems like the best fit for you and your wife.  again, keep in mind the weather might not be fantastic. 

to get from balboa bay club to surf and sand is a 15 min drive, so you could stay in one place and get dinner one night in the other.  but i wouldn't try to do catalina + newport or laguna.  and i wouldn't switch hotels between cities.  just my $.02

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Zepol87

Zepol87 9015

Posted
Posted

Anyone have Big Bear tips? Some friends are going for spring break and invited the gf and I. She’s lived here her whole life and has never gone so no help there and I’ve never been. Cabins on Airbnb are pretty cheap for that 4 days that week. These damn storms are probably gonna add more snow and I have a 22 Accord so would I need to rent something to make it there safely? 

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25504

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'd carry chains, but yeah, you'll get there. 

Pro tip:  practice putting the chains on at home.  You don't want to try to figure it out on the side of a snowy road while freezing your arse off.

Edited by Gil Bang
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BearSchlong

BearSchlong 7963

Posted
Posted
no offense to gil, balboa bay club is fine but idk if I would describe it as "cool"  - service is good but it's got a 62 year old Newport Ned vibe, imo. 
if you are willing to go down to laguna, it's a nicer place to visit, imo. 
all kinda depends on what you want from the trip.  I know airbnb kinda sucks, but I would check out airbnbs on Balboa, in laguna, dana point, and San Clemente, depending on what you want from the trip.  if you just wanna chill and unwind near the beach, that's what I'd do.  south Orange County coast is a better place to live than to visit, imo. 
for hotels, if you want a nicer hotel, check out these places - blue = stay on the resort vibe.   surf and sand = walk around laguna/beach town; Balboa bay = drive around Newport area. 
  • surf & sand (service sucks, but nice place to chill - walkable to nice restaurants, bars, random shops, etc in a beach town)
  • montage laguna 
  • ritz Carlton/waldorf dana point  
  • pelican hill resort Newport coast
  • Balboa bay club
when I say check them out.  not all of those are for me personally.  but one may appeal to you.  surf and sand would be my go to rec.  or montage for someone bougie/older. 
there are also smaller boutique hotels in laguna, but they are hit and miss.   my info might be outdated.  haven't stayed in a hotel in Orange County in a minute.  but I've frequented all those places and they are fine.  just a matter of what you want.  if you want to save some money, there are some cheaper places in laguna that have a great location but just aren't super nice on the inside. 
for me, if you are going out of your way to move from Costa Mesa to somewhere closer to the coast, I would go beach vibe.  at the same time, keep in mind it may not be that warm in OC in 1 month.  
have fun.
 

After yesterday I gained more appreciation for your advice. In Dana Pt last night (Laguna Bluffs Marriott oceanfront room for a mere 40k pts????!!?!) but hung out in Laguna Beach yesterday which is totally more my vibe, especially after Newport.

My wife’s first day ever in CA and the weather is perfect.

About to go meander to Long Beach and take the ferry to Catalina.
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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3455

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, BearSchlong said:


About to go meander to Long Beach and take the ferry to Catalina.

There's a Yard House down near the LB marina area if you want beer.  

Or go to Joe Jost's on Anaheim St.. and get a schooner, a Joe's special sandwich, and a pickled egg.

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Zepol87

Zepol87 9015

Posted
Posted
On 1/26/2024 at 9:22 PM, Sbbruin said:

Great call.  Only way to get a golf cart long term is to rent at Hamilton Cove.  Great views from every place there.  Plenty to do.  Zipline is fun.  Parasailing.  Mini golf.  Restaurant recs: dinner- Bluewater Grille, Steve’s Steakhouse, NDMK or Lobster Trap for more casual but awesome seafood, Jacks for breakfast or Antonio’s (on the water).  Also a secret awesome spot for casual food is the Sandtrap, located where there used to be a little 3 par.  I know you don’t drink but great bloodies and cheap other drinks.  Outdoor and inland.  Oh, another great spot since you have a cart is Buffalo Nickel.  Casual and a bit out of town where the barges come in.  

plenty to do for 2 days.  Plus you’ll want to chill at your Hamilton Villa.  Worth waking up for the sunrise.  Wish I was going out there myself.  Could take you sailing.

No, a day trip is too short imho.

Thanks for this. Gf and I are going this weekend for a close birthday getaway, first time for both of us and looking forward to it. 

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25504

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

See any foxes and deer on your golf cart rides to town?

Not SoCal, but walking through the middle of fucking Central London on Xmas Eve...surrounded by concrete and asphalt, a tiny fox ran past me.   Poodle sized I'd say. 

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Sbbruin

Sbbruin 21567

Posted
Posted
19 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

See any foxes and deer on your golf cart rides to town?

There is a huge controversy regarding a proposed plan to eradicate the deer from the island.  Bad call in my opinion.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/at-least-being-humane-catalina-island-locals-respond-to-decision-to-eradicate-2000-deer/3265166/#:~:text=Plans to eradicate the species,bison%2C pigs%2C and goats.

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