Laguna Ranked Among Best Beach Towns In U.S.

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Laguna Beach, with its miles of white sandy beaches and eclectic small village vibe, was ranked no. 2 of the best oceanside towns in the nation, according to a June report from Wallethub.

The small, yet sprawling beach town has so much to offer for both tourists and locals with semi-annual art festivals, dozens of galleries and a surprisingly bustling nightlife.

For those looking for a spectacular view of the town and coastline, grab a drink at Skyloft. If it's cardio you're after, climb up to the Top of The World through Canyon Acres Trail and drink in the well-earned view at its peak. If you want to feast your eyes on an impossibly paradisiacal beach, Make your way down to Thousands Steps Beach.

Laguna Beach has so much to offer for those looking to move or to merely visit.

Two other Golden State beach towns made WalletHub's top ten list for the best ocean beach towns in the nation, and two California lakeside towns landed on the top 10 lake beach towns in the U.S.

Newport Beach came in at no. 4 and is known for its nightlife and harbor. The city is also home to Crystal Cove, arguably one of the best beaches, possibly anywhere, to hike down to and catch the sunset.

Santa Monica, known for its glamor and deeply rooted history with Hollywood stars and musicians, ranked no. 10. The beach has 3.5 miles of soft sand and is within walking distance to restaurants, shops and hotels. In the middle of the main beach is the iconic Santa Monica pier, which has an amusement park, an aquarium and a variety of eateries.

"Sadly, some people don't pursue their dream of living by the water, precisely because of the misconception that beach towns are relatively more expensive and generally less livable than landlocked cities," Wallethub analysts said. "Contrary to popular belief, however, many beach towns are suitable to everyday life — and easy on the wallet."

The financial advice website compared 191 cities across 62 indicators of livability such as the lowest median annual property taxes, the highest percentage of for-sale waterfront homes, highest water temperatures, lowest violent crime rates and more.

See the full list here: 2021's Best Beach Towns to Live in

Top 10 Ocean Beach Towns

1. Naples, FL

2. Laguna Beach, CA

3. Lahaina, HI

4. Newport Beach, CA

5. North Myrtle Beach, SC

6. Sarasota, FL

7. Kailua, HI

8. Boca Raton, FL

9. Destin, FL

10. Santa Monica, CA

Top 10 Lake Beach Towns

1. Traverse City, MI

2. Folsom, CA

3. Redmond, WA

4. Mercer Island, WA

5. Cornelius, NC

6. Davidson, NC

7. Kirkland, WA

8. South Lake Tahoe, CA

9. Highland Park, IL

10. Brookfield, WI