Spring (March–May) is the best time to visit Laguna Beach — mild temperatures, wildflowers in the hills, and far fewer people than summer. The town is genuinely crowded from late June through August when the Pageant of the Masters and the Sawdust Art Festival draw visitors from across Southern California; accommodation becomes expensive and parking nearly impossible without the free trolley.
Fall (September–October) is the second best season: the ocean is warmest after summer, the art festival crowds have thinned, and the light in late afternoon on the coastal coves is exceptional. Winter brings the marine layer most mornings but clears to bright days; the Sawdust Winter Fantasy festival runs in late November.