Disneyland Resort and Huntington Beach

How to Make the Most of Your Vacation West to Disneyland in California

Disneyland Resort in California is a wonderful family destination. As the very first Disney Park (and the first theme park anywhere in the world), Disneyland holds a prominent place in history as well.

However, since Disneyland is not nearly as big as Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, you don’t really need to spend an entire week there. If you’re a Disney Parks fan from anywhere in the east, a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California means you may also want to spend some time visiting another California destination. This way you can get the most out of your vacation while enjoying some of the best that the Golden State has to offer.

One important point to note is that I recommend July or August for these California itineraries in order to get the most out of the Beach portion of your vacation.

In a recent post I documented a Luxury Disney California itinerary that includes Disneyland Resort and Coronado Island/San Diego. In this post, I will outline another of my personal favourite options for how to visit two California destinations in one trip.

One of the best parts about these itineraries is that the seven nights and eight days actually feel more like two weeks. This itinerary includes a stay at both Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and a luxury beachfront resort in Huntington Beach, California.

The one advantage that this option may have over the Coronado option is that Huntington Beach is much closer to Disneyland and you will not need to rent a car for this itinerary (unless you really want to have a car).

Luxury Disney California Vacation Itinerary: Huntington Beach and Disneyland Resort

The first half of the trip takes place at the Hyatt Regency, Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. The second half takes place at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa at Disneyland. We chose to spend four nights at the beach and three nights at Disneyland.

This was our day-by-day itinerary; feel free to adjust to your liking.

Day 1: Arrive in L.A.

Arrive at LAX airport and make your way to the Hyatt Regency, Huntington Beach Resort and Spa either via shuttle or taxi. We chose to take a shuttle as there was a pretty good option that got us right to our hotel in Huntington Beach fairly quickly and for a fraction of the cost of a taxi. However, a taxi is a very efficient option depending on what is available in terms of shuttles and the time of day (traffic).

Note: If you can fly to John Wayne Airport (SNA) from your home base, this is much closer to Huntington Beach and is a better option.

• Checked-in at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.
• Explored resort grounds and sampled some onsite dining.
• Visited Huntington Beach across the street (via convenient resort bridge) and took in a dazzling Pacific sunset (see title photo above).

Day 2: Huntington Beach

• Early morning walk on the beach as the sun came up. Watched the dawn patrol early morning surfers.
• Walked to the Huntington Beach Pier to take in the sites of this amazingly vibrant beachfront community.
• Dined and shopped at local establishments.
• Watched another amazing California sunset over the Pacific.

Day 3: Huntington Beach

• Early morning walk on the beach as the sun came up. Watched the dawn patrol early morning surfers.
• Walked to the Huntington Beach shopping district near the pier and browsed the beach area shops.
• Spent time on Huntington Beach and swimming in the ocean.
• Relaxed at the hotel in the evening for outdoor entertainment and dining in the Hyatt’s fabulous courtyard.
• Swam in the hotel pool later that evening — quite an active environment after dark with lasers.

Day 4: Huntington Beach

• Early morning walk on the beach as the sun came up. Watched the dawn patrol early morning surfers.
• Walked to the Huntington Beach pier and spent timing walking and shopping on the pier and watching the surfers.
• Swam in the hotel pool in the afternoon.
• Headed back to the Huntington Beach Pier area for a fantastic evening street party. Lots of fun with booths, food and live entertainment.

Day 5: Disneyland Resort

• Checked out of Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach and took a taxi to Disney’s Grand Californian Resort.
• Checked in to resort and visited Disney California Adventure Park through the hotel’s private entrance.
• Swam at hotel pools in the afternoon then dined in Downtown Disney area.
• Closed out the day at Disneyland Park watching the fireworkds.

Day 6: Disneyland Resort

• Began day at Disneyland Park then late morning Character Breakfast with Minnie and friends at the Plaza.
• Returned to hotel around noon and relaxed at the pools for the afternoon.
• Shopped Downtown Disney area late afternoon.
• Returned to Disney California Adventure Park for rides, dinner and to watch the evening show.

Day 7: Disneyland Resort

• Began day at Disney California Adventure Park and stayed until noon (ate lunch before heading back to hotel).
• Lounged and played in the hotel pools for a couple of hours.
• Headed back to Disney California Adventure for more fun and attractions.
• Spent the evening strolling, shopping and dining in Downtown Disney area.
• Closed out the final night watching the nighttime show at Disney California Adventure Park from the rooftop viewing area at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort.

Day 8: Farewell to Disneyland Resort

• Checked out of Grand Californian and took a taxi back to LAX for the flight home.

This seven-night itinerary is just one example of the many great ways to experience two picture perfect pieces of California history and beauty. Be sure to read my post on our other favourite option, which combines Disneyland Resort with the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego.

You can also read my blog post about Disneyland for the Walt Disney World traveler.

Are You Planning a Disneyland Vacation?

As a Luxury Travel Advisor, I specialize in Deluxe Disney vacations and other luxury resort destinations, including Huntington Beach and many more. If you are considering a Disneyland Luxury Vacation and would like assistance with your options and itinerary, please feel free to contact me. Or, request a no-obligation Disney travel quote using my online form to get things started.

My services include recommendations on Disney Deluxe Resort hotel accommodations, Disney dining, special events and activities, and your Disneyland itinerary, to name just a few. With nearly 50 years of Deluxe Disney travel experience, it would be my pleasure to assist you. I can also assist with some excellent recommendations on a combination Disney and California vacation, such as the example itinerary covered in this post.

Mike Belobradic: The Finer Side of Disney Travel
Luxury Travel Advisor – Deluxe Disney Travel Specialist

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