Laguna Beach has plenty of places to get a drink with an ocean view, but The Rooftop Lounge at La Casa del Camino comes with something extra: history.

The bar sits on top of La Casa del Camino, a Spanish Revival-style hotel that opened in 1929 and has been part of Laguna Beach’s social scene for nearly a century. From the beginning, it was meant to be more than a hotel. Builder William W. Riddell envisioned it as a gathering place for travelers, locals, artists, business groups, and social clubs.

In its early years, La Casa del Camino attracted artists, locals, visitors, and Hollywood names drawn to the hotel’s coastal views and social atmosphere. According to the hotel’s history, people connected to films including Evangeline and All Quiet on the Western Front stayed there while filming in the area in 1929 and 1930. There is also a very Laguna rumor that J. Paul Getty and Howard Hughes once played backgammon in the lobby.

That gives the rooftop a little more character than your average “nice view, expensive drink” situation. You are having a cocktail on top of a place where Laguna history, old Hollywood, artists, and beach-town social life have been crossing paths for decades.

The Rooftop Lounge itself is relaxed and easygoing, with Pacific Ocean views, cocktails, and California-style food on the fourth floor of the hotel. The restaurant describes the space as being on the uppermost floor of La Casa del Camino, with panoramic views of the Pacific.

It works for birthdays, sunset drinks, visiting friends, a casual date, or a post-beach bite when you want a view without feeling like you need to arrive with a publicist.

Happy hour is one of the best reasons to go.

Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 2 pm to 5 pm

On our visit, food items were $10 and the drinks were affordable, which is not always a sentence you get to say in Laguna Beach without laughing into your receipt.

Here is the very Laguna part: parking.

La Casa del Camino’s event FAQ says the hotel and restaurants do not offer valet as a regular amenity, and non-hotel guests should plan on self-parking on the street or at a meter. We parked on PCH. I recommend going midweek to avoid parking drama.

Translation: give yourself a little extra time, especially if you are going near sunset or on a weekend. The view is gorgeous. The parking gods may require a small sacrifice.

The Rooftop Lounge at La Casa del Camino
1289 S. Coast Highway, 4th Floor Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: 949-497-2446

Happy Hour: Monday through Friday, 2 pm to 5 pm
Parking: Street or metered parking for non-hotel guests