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LAGUNA BEACH Art and the outdoors COASTLINE VIEW, Laguna Beach, above. ARTS! Laguna Beach Visitors Center lagunabeachinfo.com 12 6 2013 travel guid e to c al ifo r n i a SINCE THE EARLY 1900s, artists have been drawn to Laguna Beach, one of Southern California's loveliest seaside towns. By 1918, the small community was an established art colony and held its first Festival of the Arts in 1932. Ever since, this annual festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to its fine arts show, along with the world-famous Pageant of the Masters featuring cast members staging famous works of art. The summer-long Sawdust Art Festival features more than 200 Laguna Beach artisans exhibiting and selling their artwork. But the art scene doesn't end when summer's over. The city is home to more than 100 galleries and hosts a monthly First Thursday Art Walk. Scattered among the galleries are classy boutiques and more than 70 restaurants serving everything from sushi to gourmet burgers. In fact, Laguna's dining scene is nearly as famous as its arts scene, thanks to its wide range of options, with celebrated chefs overseeing some kitchens while venerable restaurants claim some of the best ocean views in town. The intense focus on all things artistic is inspired by Laguna's natural beauty. Many of its finest hotels and most scenic neighborhoods sit on rugged bluffs above the city's seven-mile-long coastline. Main Beach, at the center of the picturesque village, serves as a playground for all with sand volleyball, halfcourt basketball and plenty of space for sandcastle building. Laguna's 20 coves and beaches offer perfect opportunities for everything from tidepooling to skimboarding, and there's plenty of room for sunbathing and sunset strolls. Laguna's wilderness is equally spectacular, with 20,000 acres of coastal canyons, rugged cliffs, marine sanctuaries, wetlands and the only natural lake in Orange County. Hiking and biking trails etch the wild landscape in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. At Crystal Cove State Park, trails lead through wooded backcountry to open bluffs and three miles of coastline facing an underwater reserve. Inspiration isn't hard to come by amid all these natural attributes—it's no wonder artists continue to migrate CA to Laguna Beach. LAGUNA BEACH VISITORS & CONFERENCE BUREAU » DINE, PLAY, ENJOY THE by maribeth mellin