I would do Big Sur and Santa Barbara. Though the last time I went to SB it was all "modernized", but still nice and quaint. Solvang is another one. As well as Ojai .
And check out this magazine, they have incredible suggestions, for both Northern and southern Ca.
http://www.sunset.com/
And Huntington Beach isn't near Laguna. One LA county and the other Orange county (south of LA county) I would do Laguna, much nicer. But not near LAX.