Laguna Beach is such a beautiful beach town and for being less than an hour from LA, I’m surprised I don’t visit it that often. The other weekend Matthew and I decided to make a day trip to Laguna Beach down the coast to Tommy Bahama. The weather was gorgeous with clear skies and surprisingly warm temperatures. It felt like a peaceful retreat from the craziness of city life. It was just what we needed before heading into a jam packed holiday season!
Laguna Beach has a beautiful beachfront with an old school boardwalk and an iconic lifeguard tower. It’s right across from the town so it’s easy to walk over, sit on a bench and watch the waves roll up. You’ll always find someone playing Frisbee or flying a kit. The beach and boardwalk really has that peaceful old time feel to it; you feel like you’re transported back to the 1950s!
When you’re visiting a beach town you have to stop for a double scoop of ice cream! Laguna Beach has a local favorite shop called Chantilly Ice Cream with tons of great flavors. We ordered a waffle cone with strawberry for me and mint chip for Matthew. It was the perfect treat for walking around and doing some window shopping. 
Matthew and I went to get lunch at the Tommy Bahama Bar and Grill. I love their California coastal dishes with an island twist, plus the live music is always so fun! I started with a Cucumber Smash Cocktail with gin, St-Germain, and muddled cucumber, topped with a hibiscus flower. It was so pretty and delicious! To eat, we shared the ahi tuna tacos and the crispy fish sandwich. The fish is beer battered with a local brew, and then fried to perfection. It’s a perfect meal for a warm day! 
Afterwards, we did a little bit of shopping for the holidays! Tommy Bahama has the best knits, like this cable knit one I’m wearing. My best friend and I both live in sweaters during the fall so I knew she’d love one for the holidays. Classic button-ups have my brother’s name all over them, so I picked up a classic plaid for him, along with a fun island print for Matthew. You gotta live the Aloha spirit year round! 
Before heading back to LA we stopped at an old school candy shop called Candy Baron. They have barrels and barrels of all sorts of great candy, from taffy to chocolates. The shop has a retro feel and candy is the perfect treat to pick up before a drive home! 
On Mara: sweater c/o Tommy Bahama, jeans c/o Tommy Bahama, shoes c/o Tommy Bahama, tote c/o Tommy Bahama
On Matthew: sweater c/o Tommy Bahama, shirt c/o Tommy Bahama, pants c/o Tommy Bahama, overnight bag c/o Tommy Bahama
I can’t wait make another day trip to Laguna Beach! Next time, for a day on the sand!
xox
Disclosure: Thank you to Tommy Bahama for collaborating with me on this post! All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. Thanks for supporting my sponsors who allow me to bring fresh content to the site!
photos by Taylor Cole
