La Vida Laguna!

La Vida Laguna!

A feature revealing locations shown on “Laguna Beach: The Real OC”

“Laguna Beach,” where the people and the drama are real … well, guess what else is real? The city itself! The beautiful beachfront locale has sunny skies, adorable shops, and great restaurants – not to mention it’s where LC, Kristin, Stephen, and the rest of the show’s cast grew up. Relive the drama, the breakups, the makeups, and all the fun of “Laguna Beach” in beautiful Orange County, California! …

If you’ve ever seen the show, you’re familiar with the main street of Laguna, where some of the cast’s favorite spots are located right on South Coast Highway. Make sure to stop into Gina’s Pizza at 1100 S. Coast Highway for a fun lunch – it’s where Lo and Jen told LC she’d end up married to Stephen in “Fast Cars and Fast Women.”

For dessert, step next door to Heidelberg Pastry Bistro to enjoy a sweet snack on the sidewalk-adjacent patio, where LC and Lo discussed the Cabo trip in the first season and where Jessica and Alex H. were asked to prom in the second season!

If you want to take a moment to relax, get a massage nearby at the Ivy Day Spa and Salon, where Alex H. and Jessica did in “You Can’t Trust Him.”

Don’t forget to stop into Laguna Surf & Sport at 1088 South Coast Highway, which is where Stephen worked during Season One! And just down the street at 1020 is Second Reef, where LC worked. Perhaps some former co-workers can dish on your favorite stars!

The South Coast Highway stretch also boasts Rumari Restaurant at 1826, where Stephen and Kristin went to dinner on Valentine’s Day in Season Two; Savoury’s at 1287, where Kristin and Talan went in “More Than Friends”; Koffee Klatch at 1440, where Kristin, Jessica, Alex H., Alex M., Taylor, Morgan S., LC, and Casey have all gone in various episodes; Talya Fashion and Art at 1259, where LC and Talan shopped in “Boys Are Like Purses”; Wahoo’s Fish Taco at 1133, where Kristin, Alex H., Morgan S., Jason, Cedric, Stephen, and Dieter have all eaten in various episodes; the Thalia Street Surf Shop at 915, where Alex M. and Taylor shopped in “What Goes Around”; Veronica M at 729, where Taylor worked and Kristin, Alex H. and Jessica shopped in “You Can’t Trust Him” (this is also the store where LC bought her famous Melie Bianco purse!); Locals Only Vintage Clothing at 664, where Stephen, Trey, Polster, and Dieter went in “A Black and White Affair”; C’est La Vie Restaurant and Bar at 373, where Kristin, Alex H., Alex M., and Taylor had dinner and found out about Jessica and Jason’s hookup; and the Surf and Sand Hotel at 155, which is where the Black and White Affair was held in Season One (in the Vista Suite). From South Coast Highway you can also catch a glimpse of Lauren Conrad’s house up on Vista del Sol (but you won’t be able to get close to it – it’s in a gated community).

For a fun dinner, try Ruby’s Auto Diner at 30622 South Coast Highway (Kristin and Jessica ate there in “Fast Cars and Fast Women,” and Jason, Talan, and Cedric went there in Season Two to catch up after the prom). Or, if you’re feeling romantic, head over to Pasta Pomodoro at 234 Forest Ave, where many a Laguna date has taken place – Kristin and Stephen in “A Black and White Affair” and “Fast Cars and Fast Women,” Lo and Michael in “Grin and Bear It,” and Jason and Jessica as well as LC and Stephen in “Since You’ve Been Gone.” Down the street is Muse, where Morgan worked in Season One and others shopped in Seasons One and Two; the Coffee Pub Café where Trey’s open mic night was held in Season One; as well as Dave and Buster’s, where Kristin and Jessica challenged Alex H. to get a guy’s number in “You Can’t Trust Him.” From Forest swing up to 625 Park Avenue and check out Laguna Beach High School, where the cast attended and (most of them) graduated!

On your way into or out of town, stop by the Oak Street Beach, which is a favorite of the cast and the site of Kristin and Stephen’s awkward reunion in “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

Of course, the cast of “Laguna Beach” does occasionally venture out of the bubble! Here are a few other destinations you can check out to get a taste of la vida Laguna:

Take a short jaunt over to Newport Beach to eat at Joe’s Crab Shack (2607 West Pacific Coast Highway), which is where Christina had her birthday party in “Eighteen Candles” or to Dana Point to eat at Salt Creek Grille (32802 Pacific Coast Hwy) like Jason and Alex M. did in “Get Over Him.” South Coast Plaza at 3333 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, CA is a major shopping destination for Orange County fashionistas – Alex M. and Taylor shopped there at Christian Dior, while LC and Lo hit up Laundry by Shelli Segal, Sephora, and MAC Cosmetics. Christina’s father’s church where she sang in “Grin and Bear It” is the Crystal Cathedral at 12141 Lewis Street in Garden Grove, CA. If you’re up for some kiddie fun, check out Lucky Strike Lanes in Orange, CA which is where Kristin and gang went bowling in “Since You’ve Been Gone.” You could even head down to the Wave House in San Diego where the gang went in “Don’t Hate The Game.” If you’re feeling adventurous, head up to Los Angeles! (And don’t forget to check out our story on “The Hills!”) When LC, Stephen and Trey went to the fashion show in “Fast Cars and Fast Women,” they stayed at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at 251 South Olive Street and attended the fashion show after-party at the Spider Room at 1737 Vine Street at Hollywood Boulevard.

For a taste of Stephen’s San Francisco, check out Grocery Store at 3625 Sacramento Street, and Iluna Basque at 701 Union Street, where he took LC for dinner in “Don’t Hate The Game.” If you need a place to stay, try Orchard Hotel at 665 Bush Street – it’s where Kristin stayed when she visited Stephen in “Lies and Goodbye.”

For some snowboarding and skiing, head up to Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, CA like LC, Kristin, Jessica, Talan, and others did in “Get Over Him.” Or if you’re up for some fun in the sun, why not hit up the ultimate Spring Break spot – Cabo, Cabo, Cabo! The “Laguna Beach” gang stayed at Melia San Lucas to party, relax, and – of course – hook up! For a different taste of Mexico, head down to Rosarita Beach in Baja California, where LC, Stephen, Dieter, and Kaitlyn went for LC’s birthday in “So Hard to Say Goodbye.” There they partied at the New York Jazz Club and stayed at the Rosarito Beach Hotel at Boulevard Benito Juarez # 31.

And if you’re traveling by air, why not fly in and out of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana like LC and Kristin did? Maybe you can have your own dramatic hello/goodbye moment!

Laguna Beach is a gorgeous place to visit no matter what, but it’s even better when you can walk in the footsteps of some of your favorite reality stars and spend a day living the fabulous Laguna life! Just don’t create too much drama, or your fun will be dunzo!

For an extensive, alphabetized listing of “Laguna Beach” locations, check out the “Laguna Beach” page in the TV Shows directory. And don’t miss our story on “The Hills” coming in August 2008!

- Story and Photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor