Things to Do in Laguna Niguel

On Fridays, Frank Sinatra songs drift amid skeins of yarn. On Saturday mornings, The Beatles harmonize over a community table spread with coffee, tea, and British breakfast treats. Located in Newport Beach, Knit Schtick is a meeting place for knitters of all experience levels to hone their skills in good company. In Knitting 101 classes, beginners learn basics such as how to purl and how to produce a full-body cocoon out of three feet of thread. In general classes, those who already possess a solid knowledge of knitting techniques work on individual projects, looping yarn into scarves, wraps, socks, or blankets.

The meaning of art may be subjective, but Mission: Renaissance Fine Art Classes believes that the basic, technical skills needed to create art are learnable, regardless of a student’s age or experience. The instructors at the studio, which was originally founded in 1975, illuminate the Gluck Method, which focuses on the classic rendering techniques that the great masters used on their first computers. The classes can accommodate students as young as 5, and they explore a number of different mediums—including charcoal, watercolors, and oils—while giving attendees the experience they need to appreciate art, as well as create it. Spread across 19 studio locations in southern California, attendance is capped at around six students per instructor, which allows them to offer artists more personalized feedback and more fitting nicknames.

Modest Spot Salon is a full-service salon that hosts an atmosphere framed by vintage chic decor. Stylists offer a variety of services that include cuts, color treatments, highlights, and conditioning. The salon also hosts a makeup and styling bar where groups can enjoy blow-drying and makeup application in the evening.

Catalina Island may reside a mere 75 minutes from Newport Beach, but that's no reason why visitors shouldn't travel there in style. The Catalina Flyer allows them to do just that, accommodating as many as 600 passengers who spend their speedy journey relaxing on the sun decks, enjoying a drink in one of two full-service cocktail lounges, or gazing out the viewing windows and watching for migrating schools of sushi rice.

After disembarking in Avalon, visitors are encouraged to take advantage of Catalina Island's many shopping, dining, and recreational opportunities, which include everything from golf and ziplines to horseback riding, undersea tours, and even buffalo watching. Hotel accommodations facilitate overnight stays, ensuring that weekenders have ample time to enjoy the island before taking the afternoon voyage back to the mainland.

Though Newport Beach Tennis Club has hosted such legends as Rod Laver and Roy Emerson, its 19 lighted courts welcome players of all stripes. Established in 1966, the club enriches members’ enjoyment of the sport with tournaments, clinics, and private lessons. It also keeps guests in shape as they work up a sweat at the fitness center, equipped with stationary bikes, ellipticals, and free weights, or cool off with laps in the junior Olympic-size saline pool. In the restaurant, chefs frequently change up the menu, filling the spacious dining room with daily specials ranging from grilled red snapper to filet mignon with béarnaise sauce. At The Clipper Ship salon and barbershop, members can transform their hair into any style, such as Andre Agassi’s legendary mullet or John McEnroe’s afro, in which he stored extra tennis balls.