The SoCal trip that'll exhaust you (book it anyway)

Read Time: 6m 30s

I proposed to my wife Tori on a Saturday afternoon in April 2023 at Dana Point Strands Beach.

Our families were there. The sun was out. The Pacific was doing what it does.

No crowd. No performance. Just a 40-minute coastal walk that ends where ocean meets cliff.

Last year, my brother got married at Inn at the Mission in San Juan Capistrano—10 minutes inland from that same beach.

July 2024. Same stretch of Orange County coast where my family keeps celebrating the big moments.

Here's what makes this place special:

That beach sits 90 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, 2 hours from Big Bear Lake, and 2.5 hours from Palm Desert's best golf courses.

Most people fly over all of it to get somewhere else.

They drop $1,200+ on flights to Aspen when four completely different trips exist within a 250-mile loop.

Here's what you get:

City energy. Desert golf. Mountain hiking. Coastal cliffs.

Four days. Four ecosystems.

Here's the reality:

This trip will exhaust you.

You're moving every day. Packing every night. Driving through three climate zones.

It's not relaxing. It's not supposed to be.

This is proof that Southern California delivers more variety than anywhere else in the country—and you can see all of it in 96 hours.

Book a massage for day 5. You'll absolutely need it.

Spring break rates jump 40% after Christmas. Book before December 25.

Why This Loop Works

The route: LA → Palm Desert → Big Bear → San Juan Capistrano/Dana Point

Total drive time: 6 hours spread across 4 days (90 minutes max per leg)

What you save vs flying: $1,600+ in airfare for a family of four

Take that $1,600 and spend it on better hotels, Indian Wells golf, upgraded meals.

Time off strategy:

Book Thursday/Friday off during spring break. Travel Saturday-Tuesday. Back Wednesday.

You just turned 2 PTO days into a 6-day trip.

Day 1: Los Angeles (Skip the Obvious)

Where to stay:

Ritz-Carlton Downtown LA ($540/night)

JW Marriott LA Live ($395/night)

Both put you in the middle of restaurants, museums, and sports venues. Everything is walkable.

What to do:

Dodgers game (April-September)

Lakers game (October-April)

Buy tickets day-of if you're flexible. The energy beats any tourist attraction in the city.

Where to eat:

Lunch: Langer's Deli. #19 pastrami sandwich. Cash only. It's been here since 1947 for a reason.

Dinner: Arts District. Bestia if you planned ahead (book 3 weeks out). Guerrilla Tacos if you didn't.

What to skip:

Hollywood Boulevard

Venice Beach

Santa Monica Pier

All three are overcrowded, overrated, and require 90+ minutes in traffic from downtown.

Jeff's take:

LA's reputation is stuck in 2010.

Downtown has better food than the westside, great coffe and zero beach traffic.

The best part of Los Angeles is the diversity of food options. It’s like New York but more spread out. Defintely rent a car!

Day 2: Palm Desert (Desert, Golf, Heat)

Drive time: 2 hours from LA

Where to stay:

Palm Desert or La Quinta (not Palm Springs—quieter and closer to the best golf).

Airbnb with pool ($240/night) or mid-range resort.

What to do:

Golf at The Classic Club ($150) or Indian Wells Golf Resort ($180-220).

If playing Indian Wells, book the Celebrity Course over the Players Course. Better layout, more interesting holes.

Skip TPC Stadium. I don't like the artificial Pete Dye architecture. It's visual tricks over good golf design. Not worth $300+.

Must-eat:

Date shake at Hadley's Fruit Orchards.

Dates are grown locally. Shakes are thick, cold, and perfect in 95°F heat. $7. Right off I-10.

Afternoon:

Aerial Tramway up San Jacinto Peak.

You ride from 100°F desert floor to 50°F alpine forest in 10 minutes. The temperature drop is shocking.

Hike the easy 2-mile loop at the top. Down by 5pm. Pool and drink by 5:30pm.

This is the whole point of Palm Desert.

Jeff's tip:

Book March or early April. Desert wildflowers peak mid-March through early April with perfect golf weather (75-85°F).

Summer hits 110°F+ and you'll spend every afternoon hiding indoors.

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Day 3: Big Bear (Mountains, Altitude, Reality Check)

Drive time: 1.5 hours from Palm Desert

Where to stay:

Day trip or Airbnb cabin ($160/night)

Honest take: Big Bear is beautiful but there isn't much to do beyond lake activities and hiking.

I'd spend the day and head to Orange County by evening.

What to do:

Rent bikes and ride the Alpine Pedal Path (flat lakeside trail, easy for anyone).

Hike Castle Rock Trail (2.6 miles, moderate elevation, 360° views at summit).

Kayak or paddleboard Big Bear Lake if weather cooperates.

Where to eat:

Peppercorn Grille (lakefront, best views)

Grizzly Manor Cafe (huge breakfasts)

Nottingham's Tavern (pizza, beer)

Jeff's warning:

Big Bear sits at 7,000 feet. The altitude hits harder than you expect.

Drink twice as much water as normal. Bring a jacket even in summer—temperature drops 30 degrees after sunset.

Don't plan to stay more than one night. It's a beautiful stop but not a multi-day destination unless you're skiing.

Day 4: Southern Orange County (Where My Family Celebrates Everything)

Drive time: 2 hours from Big Bear

Where to stay:

Inn at the Mission, San Juan Capistrano ($210/night)

This is where my brother got married in July 2024.

Marriott property, historic building, walking distance to the Spanish mission, 10 minutes from Dana Point Harbor.

Book this hotel. It's special.

What to do:

Kayak Dana Point Harbor (calm water, sea lions, easy rentals at $35/hour).

Walk Dana Point Strands Beach.

40-minute coastal loop with cliff views, tide pools, and waves hitting rocks below.

This is where I proposed to Tori with our families watching. April 2023.

Low-key, beautiful, never crowded.

It's the best beach walk in Southern California that nobody talks about.

Where to eat:

Brunch: Plumeria in Laguna Niguel (modern American, excellent coffee)

Lunch: Seasurf Kitchen in Dana Point (fish tacos, poke bowls)

Dinner: Fisherman's Restaurant on San Clemente Pier (seafood, sunset, right on the water)

Dana Point vs Laguna Beach:

Dana Point just finished a major harbor renovation. Cleaner, quieter, better parking, fewer crowds.

Laguna Beach is prettier but packed with tourists. Skip it entirely in summer unless you enjoy beach traffic.

Stay in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. Drive to Laguna for dinner if you want the scenery.

Jeff's tip:

Check tide schedules before you visit.

Low tide is the only time tide pools are worth exploring.

This stretch of Orange County coast has the best beach walking in California—bring comfortable shoes and just wander.

Book Before December 25

Spring break season (March 15 - April 30) books up fast and rates spike after Christmas.

Current rates vs late March rates:

Ritz-Carlton LA: $240/night now → $340/night in March

Palm Desert Airbnb: $180/night now → $280/night peak spring break

Inn at the Mission: $210/night now → $295/night in April

Best travel window: March 20 - April 15

Perfect weather everywhere. Desert wildflowers peak. Gray whales migrate past Dana Point.

Book now and lock in 30-40% savings.

What It Actually Costs

Total trip cost for a family of four (4 days/3 nights):

Lodging: $830 (if you book before Christmas)

Gas: $110 (full loop in standard SUV)

Food: $960 ($60/person/day, includes nice dinners)

Activities: $350 (golf, aerial tramway, kayak, museum entries, rentals)

Total: $2,250

Compare that to a long weekend elsewhere:

Aspen: $5,800

Jackson Hole: $6,400

Park City: $4,900

Cabo: $4,200

You're saving $2,600-4,000 and seeing more ecosystem variety than any single-destination resort offers.

Check Google Flights to see what you'd actually pay to fly somewhere—then book this trip instead.

YouTube Videos Worth Watching

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Until next Thursday,
Jeff