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What comes to your mind when you envision a West Coast getaway?
For most, it’s a mixed bag of big city excitement and beautiful beaches – and they’re not wrong.
Today I’m putting on my guide hat, with one exception: I’m going to be honest as your insider who has extensively covered every West Coast state from Bellingham, Washington to the Mexican border.
That’s right: no sugar coating, smoke and mirrors. That is what we strive for at Travel Off Path.
Without further ado, here’s our expert take on the 4 most overrated destinations on the West Coast and where you should really go:
4) Disneyland: You Can Put a price on happiness
Disney theme parks are commonly known as the “happiest places on earth.” That sentence should have an asterisk that reads: “You’re only happy if you don’t check your bank account.”
Sure, amusement park rides are always fun, but having to wake up at the crack of dawn to score primetime parking and spend a fortune to feel “lucky” doesn’t seem to be the formula.
I’m no Deepak Chopra, but I’ve felt a lot happier in so many other places, including another trendy beach town nearby where your kids will have as much fun as minimum-wage teenagers dressed in oversized rodent costumes.
The alternative: Carlsbad.
This up-and-coming seaside resort was considered the one by Travel + Leisure #1 destination in the world for 2026.
It is home to LegoLand, another theme park full of excitement for all ages.
Unlike Disney’s base Anaheim, Carlsbad is a beautiful beach town, so you get the best of both worlds. You can book at a hotel on the LegoLand grounds or opt for an underrated oceanfront resort within walking distance Carlsbad village.
Additionally, much to the chagrin of locals, Carlsbad’s relatively new commercial airport is now anchored by United and American, making a trip to this mid-sized city more feasible.
3) Laguna Beach: As inauthentic as MTV’s portrayal
To remind Laguna Beach on MTV?
Unfortunately, so do I. But the Real Laguna Beach is not as much of a destination for set jetters as that of The White Lotus.
In some ways it’s just like the show: materialistic, posh, and inauthentic to outsiders.
In other ways, it is truly one of SoCal’s most beautiful beaches. It’s not that I hate coming here in any way, it’s that I have to take a deep breath knowing that finding parking will be maddening, that the locals don’t care about anything other than surf conditions and how much crypto is in their trust funds, and that there’s no such thing as a cheap meal when Whole Foods is the place to stock up on beach snacks.
Don’t get me wrong: it’s beautiful. But the overall snooty atmosphere feels less like a laid-back paradise and more like the waiting room of a Botox clinic.
The alternative: San Clemente.
The gateway to Orange County heading north is San Clemente, and it’s a stunner.
This local gem exudes the charm of Spain with a whitewashed cityscape with red tile roofs and the easy-going character of small SoCal beach towns.
You’ll find fewer Ferraris and more skateboards, better prices and generally fewer crowds, especially during the holidays.
2) Portland: A once-in-a-lifetime city
I visited Portland for the first time last year and never had a dull moment exploring the city on my own.
That said, I can’t think of any real reason to go back.
It’s true that the city does things differently, both politically and socially – it’s their claim to fame.
For me it is a one-time destination. No matter how amazing the food, coffee, art and endless bizarre experiences were, once you’ve done it, you’ve done it.
Despite being surprisingly affordable, the biggest surprise was Portland’s cultural diversity. I didn’t expect a big Chinatown and Japantown here.
But let’s be honest: there are far better cities to sample Asia’s best cuisine and what I found was that Portland lacked the aesthetically beautiful architecture that draws you in.
The alternative: San Francisco.
If you want a vibrant waterfront city with a compelling culture, San Fran is your best bet, with vibrant neighborhoods dedicated to the Japanese, Chinese, Italians, and more.
It’s truly one of my favorite cities – a city I’d live in if homeownership didn’t break my soul.
It’s important to note that both Portland and San Francisco have been a PR agent’s worst nightmare, with ugly crime headlines and a host of homelessness issues.
Right now, travelers score Portland at 80/100, followed by San Fran’s 82/100, which is honestly better than I expected considering the zombie-like neighborhoods often portrayed in mainstream news.
1) Los Angeles: the fallen ‘angel’
I always loved weekend getaways in LA.
We’re talking Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Malibu, K-Town and the 4th of July parade in Pacific Palisades.
Nowadays you can’t afford to waste my time.
Clearly, the aforementioned Malibu and Pacific Palisades aren’t quite what they used to be given the out-of-control wildfires that occurred over a year ago.
But the rest of the city?
Crime/safety has been a big talking point and one that the mainstream media has basically gotten right about.
The alternative: San Diego.
That’s not to say my hometown doesn’t have problems; One look at the East Village certainly says so.
San Diego is where Angelenos go to escape their city, but not so much the other way around, unless it’s for business, given the snail’s pace and safety concerns.
SD feels safer, the traffic is less annoying, has better tacos (yes, I said it!), better beaches, and continues to grow, while LA feels it can’t possibly spread any more.
From a safety perspective, travelers score LA almost 10 points lower than San Diego. In fact, it is even lower than Medellin, Colombia.
Yes!
