A Top Ten List for Families at the Monarch Beach Resort

Electric bikes have soared in popularity recently, and once you ride one the appeal soon becomes obvious: Who couldn’t use a little help now and then getting up a hill? The Monarch Beach Resort’s two-hour electric bike tours, open to kids 13 and older, are an ideal way to try one out. You’ll follow the resort’s trail with its stunning views of canyons and the beach below. At the end of the tour, you’ll have some great photos and perhaps a new favorite activity.

This special event introduces kids to the namesake of Monarch Beach and, in turn, the Monarch Beach Resort: the striking orange and black butterflies that have practically become an icon of the Golden State. Every year, tens of thousands of monarch butterflies migrate to California to ride out the winter in its groves of eucalyptus and Monterey Pine. Butterflies & Friends is led by a naturalist from the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach and kids will learn about the monarchs’ fascinating life cycle and their epic migrations when they act out the part of the butterflies in their own drama.

Located along the bluffs on Cliff Drive, Heisler Park is a walker’s paradise. Visitors looking to get some exercise can start at the lifeguard tower on Main Street and follow a one-mile loop through the park, passing more than a dozen art installations—not to mention six Laguna landmarks and sweeping ocean views–along the way. For those seeking something more relaxing, Heisler Park is also home to beautifully landscaped gardens, a marine refuge with tide pools, barbecues, picnic tables, and grassy lawns for lounging in the sun.