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I wasn't prepared for the abrupt transition. ere was tedious, stop-and-go traffic on Coast Highway before the turnoff onto Country Club Drive. en, for half a mile the road parallels Aliso Creek, a gurgling source of clear mountain water that runs west and gently dribbles into the Pacific Ocean. When you can't go any farther on Country Club Drive you've arrived at e Ranch at Laguna Beach. e 97-room property is spread out over 89 acres at the base of the steep Aliso Canyon. Before checking in, I paused outside the main campus building to get in alignment with the natural splendor. Minutes ago, I was inside a motorized metal cage, inching along on a choked freeway. at magically melted away into an otherworldly, vibrantly green oasis. Remember when the protagonists in the streaming series Westworld escaped through a portal that appeared as a crack in the fabric of reality? ey called their lush new world a "Virtual Eden," and the "Valley Beyond." e Ranch at Laguna Beach is a Valley Beyond. New ownership took over e Ranch late in 2016 aiming to operate a luxury resort and be earth-friendly stewards. In addition to resort- specific accolades from the major national travel publications, last year e Ranch was named the first "Ocean Friendly Hotel in California" by the Surfrider Foundation. at's a big deal in eco- conscious circles. Surfrider pointed to e Ranch's elimination of single-use plastics from all operations, replacing them with eco- friendly alternatives. For starters, there are reusable wooden room keys and toiletry bottles. Aluminum water cans instead of plastic bottles. Steeped coffee and tea bags are fully biodegradable. e property also uses reclaimed water for irrigation, saving 20 million gallons annually. Much of that water keeps a nine-hole executive golf course (mostly par-3 holes) fresh and verdant. I don't play golf (there, it's in print), but touring the course did make me want to smack some balls around. e history of the course is fun. It's the site of the annual ree Clubs Barefoot Canyon Classic golf - e Valley Beyond e Ranch at Laguna Beach is a topnotch, serene, and sustainable getaway BY RON DONOHO detour destinations The Ranch at Laguna Beach ranchandcoast.com 80 JUNE 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE