Laguna Beach residents vs. beachgoers: Tensions are reaching a boiling point (2024)

Good morning. It’s Thursday, Aug. 15. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

• Laguna Beach has been overrun by the four Ts: Traffic, trash, tempers and tourists.
• Adam Schiff expands already sizable lead over Steve Garvey in California Senate race, poll says.
• The Intuit Dome opens today, here’s what you need to know.
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper

Californians flock to the beach to escape the heat. Beach town residents don’t always like it.

California’s heat wave has continued into another week and there are few escapes from the oppressive temperatures. Beaches with their cool breezes and cooler water always beckon.

But here’s the problem with the beach: Most of us can’t afford to live there! In fact, there are 210 million-dollar cities in California (cities where the average home costs $1,000,000) and most of them are on the coast.

And so, conflict between those who call the beach home and those who travel to the beach is inevitable.

Especially in Laguna Beach. L.A. Times Reporter Hannah Fry went to Laguna to check in on its summer of discontent, as locals organize against the issues caused by an onslaught of tourists.

Here are four big things she learned.

Tourism to Laguna Beach has skyrocketed

Beachgoers enjoy Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach in June. Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the crowds of tourists who come to town, bringing traffic and trash problems.

See Also

Inside the rise of actress Hannah Waddingham ow?13 Things You Didn’t Know About Hannah Waddingham, From Showbiz Pals To Weird And Wonderful RolesThe Untold Truth Of Hannah Waddingham - Nicki Swift

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Laguna Beach has, of course, been popular for decades and tourism drives the local economy. But starting in summer 2020 the number of out-of-town beachgoers soared as people sought safe places to gather outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of tourists has barely fallen since then.

It’s not the only beach town in California seeing this wave of tourists, but locals say its unique geography (few roads in and out) makes it particularly difficult to manage.

Local opposition to tourism has become more organized

Officials in Laguna Beach formed a committee to address issues with visitors. The city also launched an ad campaign targeting misbehaving tourists that focuses on curtailing litter, cigarette smoke and loud vehicle exhaust.

Residents had been demanding the city take on overtourism for months, lining up at City Council meetings and begging staff to issue more tickets for illegal activity such as public drinking, littering and setting up beach tents that are too tall.

Tensions between visitors and residents reached a boiling point on TikTok

A homeowner was recorded in a July TikTok video screaming at a group of beachgoers (which included a child) as she used rope to cordon off a section of Victoria Beach. Her screams included an expletive.

The issue here: The 1976 California Coastal Act gives residents a right to the state’s beaches. But that right extends only to “the beach seaward of the mean high tide line.” That means the wet or damp sand area of a beach is open to the public.

It’s unclear whether the homeowner in the TikTok is on wet or dry sand.

Conflicts between tourists and residents aren’t unique to Laguna Beach, or even California

Let’s start close by: If you look hard enough, you can find a similarly themed video on TikTok from a Malibu beach. A tourist records a sign that reads, “This beach is on private lots. Trespassers will be prosecuted.”

The sign appears to be on wet sand, which is technically public.

Farther away, Venice, Italy, has started a program to charge day-trippers an entry fee for the city, hoping to discourage visits on peak days. And in Barcelona, protesters marched through the Spanish city spraying tourists with water pistols.

Today’s top stories

The Intuit Dome opens today

• L.A. is packed with live music arenas. How will Inglewood’s new Intuit Dome stand out?
• 8 upcoming shows we’re most excited for at Intuit Dome.
• Exclusive first look at the food at Intuit Dome, including Steph Curry’s favorite popcorn.
• Review: L.A.’s new Intuit Dome just might be one of the best arena designs in America. But there’s one missing link.
• ‘It’s crazy’: How Intuit Dome’s Halo Board changes Clippers fans’ experience.

New polls show Dems winning in California

• Adam Schiff expanded his already sizable lead over Steve Garvey in California’s Senate race, a new poll shows.
• Harris and Walz have built a huge lead among likely California voters, a poll also shows.

L.A. news

• ‘Our city is not an RV park’: L.A. will study a widespread RV parking ban.
• Who disciplines LAPD officers? Records show the same lawyers are picked repeatedly for the process.
• Olympic flags are headed to L.A. City Hall. Not everyone is happy.

Hollywood

• Hollywood is slowly getting back to work, but the days of peak TV aren’t coming back.
• Streaming makes the world go ’round. Here’s what it costs to watch around the globe.

Climate change and extreme heat

• Joshua trees bloom more often with climate change, study finds. Here’s why people are worried.
• California cuts back on safety enforcement as farmworkers toil in extreme heat.

More big stories

• California seizes 2.2 million illicit cannabis packages designed to look like candy, sweets.
• Could the Angels lose their Angel Stadium lease? A new state audit will probe the land deal.
• Disney says a man can’t sue them for wrongful death because he signed up for Disney+, bought parks tickets.
• He went to register the birth of his twins. He returned to find them killed in an Israeli strike.
• A high school student’s paper on the Mexican repatriation could lead to a new statue in L.A.
• Jordan Chiles’ bronze medal snatched by head of panel who represents Romanian interests.
• Many high school students can’t read. Is the solution teaching reading in every class?

Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.

• Anita Chabria: What the press gets wrong about Harris. And politics.
• Jackie Calmes: The full truth of 9/11 is still emerging.
• George Skelton: Trump is either delusional or confused. He’s unfit for the White House either way.

Today’s great reads

In Tim Walz’s rural hometown, his Democratic politics are an awkward fit. Tim Walz speaks of his Nebraska hometown with affection and pride. Will his small town roots appeal to rural voters?

Other great reads

• What Elmo — and his human friends — learned by asking Americans about their mental health.

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your downtime

Going out

• 🎟️ You go to this L.A. play. When you get there, you find out you have 60 minutes to escape.
• 🥪 Will the new Belle’s Bagels in Highland Park spark a deli culture comeback?

Staying in

• 🐻 Jamie Lee Curtis and ‘The Bear’ cast take us inside that high-tension ‘Fishes’ episode.
• 🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for peach frozen yogurt.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

And finally ... from our archives

“Apocalypse Now,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola, opened in theaters around the U.S. on Aug. 15, 1979. The acclaimed Vietnam War film starred Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper. Read The Times’ revisit of the film from 2010.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor and Saturday reporter
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.