Beach Resort for Post-Disneyland Stay

dwheaton

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Hello. We have a trip booked to California from May 27 to June 4th. We're going to Disneyland first and staying there for the first five nights. I'm looking to book a beach resort (or one near the beach) for the last three nights. I'll give the caveat up front that we may end up cancelling due to the coronavirus. I'm just working on planning for a situation where it's still feasible to travel. If we end up needing to postpone, this will still be helpful for a future trip. I'll be sure to book rates with a cancellation policy.

To give some background, there are four of us: me, my wife, and our two girls (11 and 7). We're looking for a more relaxing spot as we don't intend to do too much sightseeing. We're planning to visit the Warner Brothers Studio on one day. I'm not that concerned with being super close to it and figure that will be the one day we drive a significant amount. We're flying into and out of LAX, as the rates were a lot cheaper than John Wayne or the other small airports. We also were able to fly non-stop. Thankfully, our flight back doesn't leave until around 1 p.m.

I've been looking at resorts in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Santa Monica, and even Santa Barbara. In the final case, I considered a scenario where we would leave Disney and hit the Warner Brothers Studio on the day when we drove to our resort. So we'd already be going north and then continue there. The only downside is that the drive from Santa Barbara to LAX is 2 hours. It seems like you get more for your money there than at the other beaches.

I've found a few nice resorts in Huntington and Newport, but several don't have pools. That's a deal breaker for us with two kids and even more important than the beach being right there. I don't mind spending a decent amount, but some like Terranea that have been recommended are just too pricey. I'd like to find a nice resort that's not good for kids but also in a decent location. It's a balancing act to find the right mix.

I've read a lot of online lists and reviews, but they seem so general. If you have specific recommendations of resorts that you love and beaches that are the best for this stay, I'd really appreciate any input. Thanks!
 
The drive from SB might be a long one but it's worth it. Several great beach hotels with pools and the area is terrific.

I always recommend Cabrillo Inn at the Beach. Walk to the beach and zoo.

In the Newport area we've stayed at the Balboa Bay Resort - great pool. The Holiday Inn Express is a good place with a pool.

Huntington will be cheaper. You really can't go wrong with the Best Western there. Wanna spend some money? The Pasea Hotel is amazing.
 
Thanks! I've looked at both the Pasea and Balboa Bay Resorts. My hesitation with the Pasea is that the rooms are small for the price, and Balboa seems to not be very close to a beach, but it's hard to say for sure. I'm intrigued by the idea of Santa Barbara. You can stay at pretty nice places for a little less money too. The only downside is the distance, but that really just impacts the departure day.
 

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