The Ranch at Laguna Beach, California
Photo credit: Montage
Overview
We're always on the hunt for a coastal escape that's toddler-friendly, yet has a luxury-vibe to make it feel like we're actually on vacation - Laguna Beach in Orange County is only an hour and a half from Los Angeles so we began to search for “toddler-friendly boutique hotels” in this area.
Laguna Beach is undeniably a Southern California treasure, but a place we’ve avoided for most of our decade living in LA, because of its overly touristy vibe (which definitely wasn't helped by that famous early 2000s reality show).
While scrolling endlessly though mummy-blogs, I found a place called The Ranch at Laguna Beach. At first we thought this was strictly a golf resort, reserved for those ecstatic about the sport (which neither my husband nor I are). But after a little more digging, we discovered The Ranch is an amazing little hideaway tucked up in the hills looking over the stunning cliffs of Laguna Beach, and is known to be a failing-friendly boutique hotel.
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Car: The Ranch is 50 miles from Los Angeles, about an 1 hour and 15 minutes (without traffic) or a 2-2.5 hour drive in heavy traffic. Plan it around your toddler’s nap . If you have a flexible schedule, plan to drive around the off-peak times (it’ll make your trip much more enjoyable!).
Airplane: Orange County's John Wayne Airport which is only 18 miles from The Ranch. This is a much less-stressful option than flying into LAX (get ready for more traffic!).
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Families that like a relaxed atmosphere and want to be close to both the beach and mountains. Great for parents who like to golf!
Photo Credit - Mini Travel Club
Getting around
Shuttles: Complimentary shuttles in Rivian cars to local areas (mom and dad don’t need to drive!).
Beach Shuttle: The Ranch offers a complimentary shuttle service to and from Aliso Beach, guest access to beach chairs, umbrellas and towels at Aliso Beach from our Lost Pier Cafe! You can spend the whole day in the sand.
Parking: $35 per night for overnight hotel guests.
Electric Chargers: 2 universal electric vehicle chargers and 2 Tesla chargers are complimentary for resort guests.
Amenities parents love
Fitness center: access to our 24-hour (sneak in a workout after the kiddo sleeps!).
Group Classes: complimentary group fitness classes weekly on Saturdays and Sundays
Bottled water is complementary and comes n in refillable aluminum bottles, a great way to keep the kiddo hydrated.
Coffee & Tea: In room coffee and tea, Nespresso in Suites.
Cabana and Spa: to relax and rejuvenate.
Online Newspaper: Complimentary online access to the New York Times and Financial Times.
Property Wi-Fi: To catch up on emails (or download the next episode of Bluey for your kid!).
Bocce court: For some family fun.
Golf: Priority access to golf tee times for overnight guesses.
What kids love
Welcome gift: our toddler received a little deer stuffy upon arrival and we were gifted a goodie-bag with kid-friendly toiletries that was placed in a port-a-cot set up in our room! He was in the BEST mood in the ENTIRE day!
Farm Tour: Daily guided Farm Tours at 11:00am for resort guests. This is such a sweet experience for young kids who love gardening and chickens.
Meet The Birds: Kids love Orange County Birds of Prey Rescue Center meet live rescued hawks, owls every Saturday at 11:00am.
Stargazing: with a professional Astronomer every Friday night (weather permitting).
Heads Up
Not Pet Friendly: Pets and Emotional Support Animals are not allowed on property.
Non-Smoking Environment: smoking is not permitted on our property at any time (including vaping) n accordance with the City of Laguna Beach.
Resort Fee: A resort fee of $55.00 plus tax for a total of $62.70 is applied per night for room reservations (to cover the complimentary services listed above.
Overall
The Ranch at Laguna Beach is an excellent local escape from Los Angeles, especially for parents of young children. We were very impressed by the service, hospitality, amenities and feel-good vibe of this hotel. We got to enjoy the hustle-bustle of Laguna Beach but were able to escape it at The Ranch. We can’t wait for the next time we visit!
Book Now!
Ready to lock your vacay in? Click below to go straight to book a stay at The Ranch at Laguna Beach.