California Road Trips Guide - 2023 - 22

ITINERARIES
Newport Beach
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TOP STOPS
a Sleeping Beauty
START: JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT, SANTA ANA
237 MILES * 6-7 DAYS
Coasters to Waves
AN ACTION-PACKED WEEK OF THEME PARKS AND BEAUTIFUL BEACHES
Pack up the kids and dial up the fun-ometer
for this feast of high-octane thrills
and sun-drenched sand.
Start smiling when you land at John
Wayne Airport, an easygoing hub with
acoustic guitar performances. Hop in
your rental car and sing " M-I-C-KE-Y... "
as you dash 15 miles to Anaheim.
Devote your first day to Disneyland,
the park that has doled out fairytale
pixie dust to generations of fans. In
2023, the Walt Disney Company is
celebrating its 100th birthday, and The
Happiest Place on Earth is whooping it
up with new rides and nighttime shows,
a decked-out Sleeping Beauty Castle,
and festive merchandise. (You definitely
want the platinum " Disney100 " ears.)
You'll need a few more days to
explore the new Avengers Campus at
Disney California Adventure Park and
ride the gravity-defying rides at Knott's
Berry Farm, only seven miles away
in Buena Park. After you've checked
every box, drive northwest on U.S.
101 through Los Angeles, passing cool
landmarks like the circular Capitol
Records tower. You're headed to
Universal Studios Hollywood, where you
can step into a life-sized version of your
favorite video game at Super Nintendo
22 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
World. Put on AR goggles and battle
Bowser on the multi-sensory Mario Kart
ride, then dine at Toadstool Café.
Six Flags Magic Mountain lies 26
miles north in Valencia. This thrill
mecca boasts 20 roller coasters, more
than any other U.S. park. The newest
is Wonder Woman Flight of Courage,
famous for its swooping dives and heartstopping
180-degree stall.
Take a day to decompress in Santa
Clarita. Walk woodsy trails at Placerita
Canyon Nature Center and visit the
farm animals at The Gentle
Barn. Then zip south on I-405
to Torrance, where you can spot
birds at Madrona Marsh, sip beers
at a dozen breweries, and view
amazing aircraft at the Western
Museum of Flight.
Next, luxuriate along Newport
Beach's chic coastline and follow
the Pacific Coast Highway south
past one gorgeous beach after
another: Surf, sunbathe, or watch
the volleyball pros at Corona del
Mar. Wander 3 miles of pristine
coastline at Crystal Cove State
Park. Stick your toes in the sand
in Laguna Beach, an artsy enclave
dotted with secluded coves.
Reserve a stay at the
Disneyland Hotel so you
can splash in monorail
waterslides and enter the
park an extra 30 minutes
before official opening.
b Burger and beer
Refuel after USH with
Stout Burger's Truffle
Shuffle made with beef or
vegan patties.
c Monkey business
Learn about endangered
gibbons at the Gibbon
Conservation Center, a
nonprofit that promotes
their conservation and care.
d Meet the pinnipeds
Visit the Laguna Beach
Pacific Marine Mammal
Center, which rehabilitates
California sea lions,
northern elephant seals,
and Pacific harbor seals.
AREA OF
DETAIL
c Santa Clarita
b Studio City
Anaheim
a
Santa
Ana
Laguna
Beach
N
d
KEVIN KOZICKI/IMAGE SOURCE ON OFFSET
http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
California Road Trips Guide - 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Road Trips Guide - 2023
