Shopper shuttle

It’ll be easier than ever this holiday season to get around Laguna Beach and shop ‘till you drop.

The Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau is providing free shuttle transportation throughout Laguna on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and during the week between Christmas and New Year’s through New Year’s Eve. The shuttles will not run on Christmas Day.

The shuttles started running during Thanksgiving weekend, and already about 250 riders have climbed aboard, said Judy Biljani, executive director of the bureau.

The holiday shuttles — which can’t be missed with their bright orange color and woody-like sidings with surfboards attached to the roof — will pick up passengers at marked Orange County Transit Authority stops from the north end of Laguna Beach at Boat Canyon and Pacific Coast Highway to the south end of Coast Highway near Aliso Creek Inn.

One additional stop is located at the OCTA bus center near Beach and Broadway in downtown Laguna. Service will also extend to the Sawdust Art Festival’s Winter Fantasy in Laguna Canyon.

The vehicles from OC Cruiser can hold up to 34 passengers. Service will run approximately every 30 minutes during scheduled times.

The shuttles will replace the bureau’s traditional “bagging” of downtown parking meters to provide free parking. It is the first time the bureau has offered a free shuttle service.

“We found that more than half of the bagged meter spots were being used by residents with shoppers’ parking stickers,” Biljani said. “We felt our money would be better directed with helping people to get around.

“We want our guests and residents to navigate easily around the city and to the Sawdust’s Festival in the canyon. This transportation service makes it even easier when visiting our hotels, shops and restaurants that dot the coastline,” she added.

The bureau is also donating use of two Laguna Beach trolleys on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., to assist in moving revelers to and from the downtown Laguna Beach Hospitality Night.

The “cruiser” shuttles will run on the following days and times:

Sat., Dec. 2 — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 3 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 9 — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 10 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 16 — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 17 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 23 — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 24 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tues., Dec. 26 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 27 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 28 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 29 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 30 — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 31 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.