If Memorial Day weekend is warm, West St Beach – south Laguna’s LGBTQ gay international destination will be busy.
Whether you come by car, Laguna’s free trolleys or OCTA #1 bus — when you go down the West St. stairway and walk north, you will find a new lifeguard tower painted in bright gay rainbow colors and volleyball courts, restrooms, Laguna Beach lifeguards and a huge expanse of sand. Note the signs on accessways warning of west streets shore break with waves crashing down and causing even me to dislocate my left arm and many other injuries. Green flag days are the best for going in the water, and checking with a lifeguard before going is a good idea.
For food, the Lost Pier Cafe on Aliso Beach is a ten-minute walk north, and south Laguna has some good restaurants. The Ranch is a fifteen-minute walk up Aliso Canyon, and it serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on its patio with a beautiful view of Aliso Canyon. The Ranch also has a hotel, pool, and nine-hole golf course, and it’s 1,400 feet from the ocean in what some call Laguna’s little Yosemite. Go north to Wesley Dr., and you will find Treasure Island Park. Across the street in the shopping center, you will find pizza, Asian fusion food, and Mexican and Japanese cuisine. Enjoy West Street Beach in 2024.
Roger Carter, Laguna Beach
