15 Memorable Issues to do in Orange County with Children…
1. Huntington Seashore and Pier
There’s nothing like sitting at a pub with a Californian native speaking about life within the outdated California days over a pint of native brew.
Huntington Seashore Pier is the place the native surfers used to leap off to catch a wave. I’m unsure if as we speak’s society would allow them to be so daring, however the waves certain haven’t gone away in protest.
Huntington Seashore, California is famous for its constant waves that brings surfers from throughout the globe.
Many come right here to artfully weave between the pier pylons. Solely for many who know what they’re doing!
Each August, the US Browsing Open is held right here.
This large skilled browsing occasion has contributed to the seaside city’s speedy development and the storefront home windows being plastered with photos of Mick Fanning.
Hey, no complaints right here. Preserve that Aussie gold coming.
It’s not simply the water that entices sport lovers.
Alongside the seaside entrance, you’ll discover rows of seaside volleyball nets, that are utilized by professionals and Olympic gold medalists, and naturally you!
Nets are free, and you may hire volleyballs from concessionaires down by the seaside.
You too can hire get up paddle boards and surf boards, bikes and surreys.
Need to learn to surf? HB is without doubt one of the best seashores in Orange County for browsing and that can be one of many coolest issues to do in Orange County with children!
Huntington takes seaside reminiscence making a step additional.
You should purchase firewood and smores to make use of in over 500 concrete fireplace rings obtainable totally free on the seaside. It’s the Huntington Seashore means and one thing I’ve by no means heard of some other seaside on the planet doing.
Have you ever?
And the Huntington seaside sunsets are fairly superior – the most effective free issues to do in Orange County California!
There’s 10-mile paved boardwalk runs the total size of the shoreline parallel to the Pacific Coast Freeway, or PCH because the cool children name it.
Soar in your bike and go discover.
Huntington has loads of Eco tourism and nature experiences with the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Shipley Nature Heart and Huntington Seashore Wetlands.
Huntington State Seashore is without doubt one of the cleanest in California.
On Fridays, 11am- 7pm there’s a native arts and craft honest on the backside of the pier.
2. Downtown Huntington Seashore
Major Avenue Huntington Seashore is the place you’ll discover your cafes, eating places, bars and surf put on.
Plus, there’s a browsing stroll of fame, and the Worldwide Browsing museum, the place we popped in for a brief go to.
It’s sufficiently small to not take up an excessive amount of of your time, however there’s sufficient to maintain you with its assortment of outdated and new skate and surf boards.
I notably appreciated seeing the Guinness Ebook of World Information this browsing city holds, together with most quantity of individuals using a surfboard for 12 seconds – let’s make that depend at 66!
You possibly can even see this gigantic sized surfboard – the world’s largest – hanging from the constructing within the car parking zone.
If you happen to love all issues browsing, this is without doubt one of the fascinating issues to do in Orange County with children!
Each my women love to buy (hazard forward) so that they beloved strolling up and down Major Avenue trying out the gross sales within the surf outlets and making their very own Havaianas within the Havaiana retailer.
Huntington Seashore Occasions
On Tuesday evenings, Surf Metropolis Nights turns Major Avenue right into a pedestrian farmer’s markets with reside music, meals samples and actions for youths.
three. Pacific Metropolis
Pacific Metropolis is a contemporary retail, leisure and eating area overlooking Huntington seaside.
And Pacific Metropolis was the unique title of the early oceanfront village that we now know as Huntington Seashore.
It was named in honor of that village to as soon as once more convey to life a vibrantly wealthy place that celebrated the distinctive and pure magnificence surrounding it.
It’s a wonderful area and positively has a vibrant and celebratory fashion whereas preserving in tune with the pure great thing about Huntington.
You get outside lounges, fireplace pits and Huntington Seashore views from each plaza, patio and deck.
It’s an actual gathering place of tourists and locals and I can see why.
Lot 579 is a contemporary meals corridor that includes burgers, and beer, espresso and our favourite the Pie Not, An Aussie bakery crammed with meat pies, sausage rolls and lamingtons.
Inform Mick to pop in!
four. Keep at Kimpton Shorebreak Resort, Huntington Seashore
The Kimpton Shorebreak Resort in Huntington Seashore on the nook of fifth and PCH was so nice, we’re dedicating a future weblog put up assessment of it.
There may be an excessive amount of to say about it and this put up is already gigantic for you.
It was implausible.
Not only for its seaside entrance location, the views from our room, and its fashionable funky design.
And nor was it for the free wine social hour, free smore’s by the hearth pits, ping pong tables, corn gap, a completely superb restaurant, however for the social ambiance.
It was like staying in a hostel, however with the beautiful luxurious comforts of a four-star lodge.
The vibe was relaxed and family-friendly.
We spent our evenings sitting across the fireplace pits chatting with strangers swapping journey tales and suggestions.
You’d greet one another the following day within the foyer or courtyard and compensate for the day’s actions.
If you happen to journey along with your pets; it’s additionally pet pleasant.
The Kimpton Shorebreak Resort is an absolute winner and positively is in our high 5 favourite resorts up to now in our America Unplugged highway journey journey.
Ebook your keep at Kimpton with our affiliate associate Reserving.com
Learn extra opinions on Journey Advisor
5. Eat at Pacific Hideaway, Kimpton Shorebreak
Even in case you don’t keep at Kimpton Shorebreak Resort, in case you’re curiosity in foodie things to do in Huntington Seashore eat at their restaurant Pacific Hideaway.
Breakfast or dinner take your choose, the meals was distinctive.
Select whether or not you wish to sit on the deck with views of PCH and the palm bushes leaning over to worship HB, (don’t fear they’ve Mexican blankets in case of night chills).
Or inside on one of many swing bench chairs. They don’t really swing, however they’re darn cute.
You may have Southeast Asian or Latin American influences within the Pacific Hideaway.
Don’t look previous the… The flavors of this dish had been scrumptious – in our high 10 of the US up to now.
And the breakfast bowl was delicious. You’d by no means realize it’s so wholesome for you.
And the woman’s pancakes and French Toast had been dished up with shade and sweetness to match the gorgeous bouquet of flowers on Frida’s Kahlo’s head.
How stunning is that this mural on the wall of the restaurant?
Learn extra opinions for Pacific Hideaway right here.
Need extra strategies for eating places in Huntington Seashore Ca?
We grabbed a takeaway lunch from well-known Wahoo’s Fish Taco and ate down on the grass space subsequent to the pier.
One other place that got here really helpful by many and appeared widespread every morning was the Sugar Shack Cafe.
And for absolute seaside entrance place try legendary Duke’s.
Issues to do in Orange County with children, exterior of Huntington Seashore
Aw, do we’ve got to depart Huntington?
Sure! As a result of Orange County is an thrilling vacation spot with loads of enjoyable issues to do with the youngsters.
There may be in fact Anaheim. You might have heard of Disneyland. There are plenty of cool issues to do in Anaheim beside Disneyland as nicely.
We’ll let you know extra about that after September.
On this journey, we wished to keep away from the theme parks and have extra native Kidifornia adventures.
People who confirmed us the pure magnificence, just a little historical past, and immersed us into the Orange County tradition.
6. Ocean Institute Dana Level
Richard Henry Dana, the seaman who Dana Level is known as after, described this place as solemn and romantic.
It’s a really fairly location with the harbor sitting beneath the cliff tops that you just see a lot of in Southern Orange County.
Dana Level is a departure level for crusing adventures and whale and dolphin watching excursions, however, it’s additionally the house of the Ocean Institute.
The Dana Level Ocean Institute makes use of the ocean as their classroom to encourage youngsters to study.
As we wandered via the assorted elements of the services that included contact tanks, and life-sized shows of whales, and the rising life cycle of the jellyfish, teams of kids moved experimenting, enjoying video games and interacting with the ocean on varied summer season camps.
What a cool solution to find out about, and fall in love, with the ocean.
The ladies actually beloved the behind the scenes tour. It was means higher than me educating them these items from a textual content ebook.
The Institute additionally teaches about maritime life and historical past. Outdoors within the harbor sits the tall ship, The Pilgrim, a full-sized reproduction of the brig on which Dana as soon as sailed.
The ladies had been in a position to stroll aboard the ship picturing what life was like as a sailor spending six months on board crusing across the Americas from Boston to California to commerce for cow hides.
We put them to work elevating the mast too! I don’t suppose they’ll complain about cleansing their room once more.
The Ocean Institute is now open to the general public seven days per week the place you’ll be able to tour the power, take part in lab actions, go on a Whale Watching Cruise or head to sea aboard a historic tall ship.
Visiting the Institute is without doubt one of the finest academic issues to do in Orange County with children!
Admission:
On weekdays, a 1 tour ticket is $5. A day go (2+ excursions are $70)
On weekends it’s $10 for adults and $7.50 for youths (2-12) and seniors (55+)
7. Mission San Juan Capistrano
Orange County points of interest are not nearly theme parks and delightful seashores.
There may be additionally historic appeal only some miles away from the Dana Level shoreline.
A worthy cease in your Southern California highway journey, is Mission San Juan Capistrano, the birthplace of Orange County.
It was based by the Spanish in 1776, on the identical time the Founding Fathers had been signing these vital paperwork over within the East.
Mission San Juan Capistrano is gorgeous, particularly after we visited in June with the flowers setting the stoned partitions of the mission alight.
The 10-acre website is crammed with bougainvillea lined walkways, lush gardens, fountains and displays.
It’s so colourful and fairly inside with loads of area to wander and calm down.
A characteristic of the mission are the ruins of the Nice Stone Church. It took six years to construct and one minute to destroy within the 1812 earthquake that killed 40 individuals inside attending Mass.
It’s now a becoming memorial to the energy and resilience of the area people.
The Serra Chapel contained in the mission is the oldest church in California. Mass remains to be held right here.
Its notable characteristic is the gold plated Baroque altarpiece that’s adorned with 52 angel faces – one for each Sunday of the yr.
Don’t miss the Sacred Backyard and the Bell Wall beside the Nice Stone Church. As you’ll be able to see it’s actually stunning.
The Mission can be an area for the group.
Occasions are held right here year-round, together with the historic bell ringing for particular events, an annual battle of the mariachis pageant and a celebration for the Return of the Swallows.
The mission is well-known for the swallows that return right here every March to nest.
I’d like to return and expertise a summer season live performance collection beneath the celebrities within the stunning grounds of this mission, or the Native American storytelling that occurs on the primary Sundays and 2nd Saturdays of the month.
There’s a unhappy Native American historical past hooked up to the mission. As you realize the Missions had been constructed by the Spanish so as to convert the indigenous within the space to their way of life.
So, amongst this magnificence there’s a heavy historical past.
I like how the Mission now celebrates the Native American traditions through totally different interactive displays inside and honoring their spirit via experiences like this.
This Mission is one other one of the vital fascinating and academic issues to do in Orange County with children!
Admission & Excursions:
Multi language audio excursions are free with the $10 admission ticket or you’ll be able to take employees guided excursions.
To maintain the youngsters engaged with the historical past of Mission San Juan Capistrano, they obtain a Mission Passport, which is an exercise ebook crammed with historic details and video games.
Learn extra opinions of the Mission right here.
eight. Los Rios Historic District
Throughout the practice tracks from Mission San Juan Capistrano is the Los Rios historic district, a nice place to walk, eat, get pleasure from tea, and boutique store.
There are 31 houses alongside Los Rios Avenue, the earliest courting to 1794, they usually look as they did two centuries in the past.
Lots of the houses are nonetheless owned by the unique households.
Browse the gadgets that match the rooms they’re displayed in. Tea Towels and oven dishes sit within the kitchen, garments dangle up within the wardrobe and outdoors are all of your backyard items.
It was cute!
Pop into Ellie’s Desk which is positioned within the 1883 Decide Egan Home. It’s a scrumptious bakery and café excellent for a lunch break. And so they even have gluten free goodies.
I used to be too full from my pumpkin soup and quiche to suit certainly one of them in. The meals right here is home made and distinctive. It’s moderately priced and has a stunning native story.
The streets across the Mission show a wide range of architectural types.
Adobe, Victorian, Spanish and Revival, all of which home galleries, bookstores, boutique shops (Wildfire Mercantile is enjoyable), eating places and taverns.
9. Tanaka Farms Strawberry Tour in Irvine
Searching for fun locations to eat in Orange County?
Do you know that California produces 80% of America’s strawberries?
We beloved studying this and extra on a strawberry farm tour at Tanaka Farms, Irvine, which is about 30 minutes from Huntington Seashore.
Tanaka have been operating excursions of their farm right here for 20 years.
The one-hour wagon trip tour goes across the 30-acre farm the place you’ll study concerning the farm’s historical past and farming strategies and also you’ll see what’s rising.
Every little thing is natural so be at liberty to style away.
Have you ever ever tasted corn straight from the bottom?
I didn’t even know you might eat it uncooked and it was essentially the most scrumptious factor I tasted on the farm. It was candy and creamy and so contemporary.
We additionally tasted carrots, onions (go), bok choy, and coriander.
We then jumped off on the finish to run via the strawberry fields and choose a container filled with them. After all, we ate a couple of as we went.
Strawberry choosing was one of many woman’s favourite issues to do in Orange County California.
In addition to farm excursions, Tanaka Farms additionally promote their produce in a small market out entrance.
10. OC Night time Market in Costa Mesa
Searching for issues to do in Orange County at evening?
The Orange County Night time Market is the most important occasion of its sort within the US! They’re held each Friday evening within the fairgrounds and attended by hundreds of individuals.
The fairgrounds are lined with meals vehicles, merchandise, arts and leisure, together with males making an attempt to hold off the monkey bars for two minutes so as to win $100.
Should be exhausting as a result of the strongest trying man within the crowd solely lasted 46 seconds.
You’ll see lengthy queues for dishes like scorching Cheetos-encrusted corn canine or nachos, or fried peanut-butter meatballs from Chick n Charlie’s.
The multicultural ambiance on the OC Night time Markets is enjoyable and vibrant.
If you happen to love quirky drinks and tapioca balls, then make sure you seize an enormous child bottle of boba milk tea. If that’s not your fashion, they’ve drinks in big mild bulbs as nicely.
Admission:
There’s a $5 entry charge for the OC Markets. And parking is $eight.
The entry charge left us just a little bewildered as to why individuals would pay an entrance charge to eat from meals vehicles. However a whole lot flip up every week, and as one native mentioned,
“Oh, the OC evening markets are so enjoyable. I used to go each week once I was in school”
Newport Seashore California
Newport is claimed to be California’s Riviera.
On one facet of the Balboa Peninsula, you will have waterfront mansions, yacht crammed harbor and 6 resident islands of assorted sizes, certainly one of which, Collin’s Island, James Cagney is claimed to have one in a poker sport.
One other, Bay Island, is totally automotive free.
On the opposite facet of the Balboa peninsula you will have eight miles of browsing seashores.
We solely had one morning in, and I’m certain solely scratched the floor on things to do in Newport Seashore CA.
11. Duffy Boat Tour
What an exquisite solution to begin a day stress-free on a Duffy boat tour of Newport Bay.
When you arrive in Orange County, you’ll rapidly study the time period Duffy boat. It’s an electrical boat, much like a golf cart, which is excellent for the waters of Newport Bay.
To maintain a peaceful waterway for the locals, you can’t go quicker than 5 knots which meant Kalyra may play skipper for a bit.
Our information, Carolyn, from Newport at your Ft, was filled with vitality and fervour for Newport and Orange County and shared with us many tales about life in Newport.
Carolyn identified websites like Shirley Temple’s childhood residence, and the seaside the place a few of Gilligan’s Island was filmed.
She additionally identified the lot the place John Wayne used to have his residence.
There’s a brand new residence on it now – which was certainly one of my favorites on there – however they’ve stored the large signal out the entrance that mentioned, Dukes Level.
I took a photograph of it to ship to my dad. As chances are you’ll know from our put up about the Alamo, he’s the world’s largest John Wayne fan.
Balboa is essentially the most well-known of the islands and there’s cute automotive and passenger ferry which transports individuals backwards and forwards from the peninsula.
Apparently, the ice cream on the lovable most important purchasing road there makes it a worthy go to.
We completed our Duffy boat tour of Newport Bay with a favourite native’s exercise: Dock and Dine.
We docked in entrance of the Lighthouse Café for a spot of lunch. Fish Tacos, beignets and extraordinary views topped off a rare morning.
You possibly can hire a Duffy boat in your personal self-guided tour or be a part of a guided one like Carolyn gives.
12. Balboa Village Enjoyable Zone
The Enjoyable Zone on the harbor grabbed us for a trampoline bounce and a Ferris wheel trip earlier than leaving Newport.
This Ferris wheel could also be smaller than most, however it’s the longest Ferris wheel trip I’ve ever had. You’ll know from this put up I wrote on being trip dizzy, I used to be able to get off it.
Why do you get so dizzy on rides when you become older?
The ladies completely beloved it and we had beautiful views out over Newport from the highest.
The place else do you go after rotating via the air, however for ice cream?
Ready for you’re the refreshing flavors of a California summer season at Cowafornia ice cream. All ice lotions are made with actual California milk.
Cowafornia Child.
Pineapple Coconut was my excellent match for a day ice cream in Newport Seashore.
Cowafornia even have sugar free chocolate, which Craig mentioned was scrumptious. No ice cream guilt wanted!
Savannah went with cotton sweet!
So, put the Enjoyable Zone in your checklist of enjoyable issues to do in Orange County with children!
We ran out of time to discover extra of Newport, however when you have time make sure you try Corona Del Mar Seashore, Again Bay for mountain climbing and biking trails, and The Wedge, which is understood for large wave browsing.
The week earlier than we arrived that they had 12-foot waves.
However, they’ve been identified to succeed in 20 toes! Wowzer!
Try excursions on provide in Newport with our tour associate, Viator.
13. Laguna Seashore
Laguna Seashore California is a well-liked trip vacation spot and is a bit more upmarket than Huntington Seashore.
There’s loads of things to do in Laguna Seashore and it’s widespread for ’ breaks, households and artwork lovers.
Round Laguna you’ll discover seven miles of coves and canyons, providing you loads of outside actions and Laguna Seashore seashores to get pleasure from.
Laguna Seashore has totally different seashores to the remainder of Southern California, they’re smaller and extra sheltered relatively than the large sweeping seashores you discover alongside a lot of the shoreline.
A few of the finest seashores in Laguna seaside are additionally discovered on the backside of steep cliffs, just like the aptly named 1,000 Steps Seashore really helpful to us by locals, Megan and Scot from Bobo and Chichi.
I don’t suppose it has 1,000 steps however it actually feels prefer it. It’s price heading on down.
In addition they really helpful Desk Rock Seashore for sundown and Treasure Island Seashore.
Victoria Seashore, and its pure pirate tower additionally comes really helpful after which there’s the primary Laguna Seashore, which can most likely be extra crowded than the opposite seashores.
Simply throughout the highway from most important seaside are winding streets crammed with eating places, boutiques and galleries.
14. Fete de LA Musique
One in all my favourite journey recollections is an evening in Paris with buddies on the Fete de LA Musique.
We had been staying with an area Parisian and she or he prompt we stroll round to take a look at the pageant music enjoying within the streets.
Despite the fact that we didn’t perceive a single phrase we had a ball shifting from road nook to road nook listening to totally different music and dancing with the crowds.
What does this must do with Laguna seaside and the most effective issues to do in Orange County with children?
Properly, if you’re in Laguna Seashore in June, the Fete de LA Musique is without doubt one of the high Laguna Seashore occasions and brings the identical expertise to this Orange county seaside city.
This music pageant was really conceived by American musician Joel Cohen in 1976 whereas he was working at a radio station in France.
He proposed an all-night music celebration in the course of the summer season solstice. It started as a acknowledged cultural occasion in 1982.
Laguna Seashore is an inventive group, so it is smart that it’s held right here every year to have fun the approaching of summer season.
Stroll across the streets of Laguna Seashore downtown and the primary beachfront to hearken to all kinds of music from native musicians.
My favourite was the band on the seaside singing Purple Rain. Prince we love you.
As Laguna is an arts group, you may additionally wish to try the Laguna Artwork Museum, which collects, and displays artistic endeavors created by California artists or that signify California historical past and tradition.
15. Eat at Las Brisas
When it got here to Laguna Seashore eating places, Las Brisas was talked about to us by nearly everybody we spoke to about when visiting Laguna Seashore.
It’s a restaurant on the cliff high at Laguna Seashore and has unbelievable shoreline views.
It additionally has unbelievable Mexican meals as nicely. Craig’s rapture over his beef brisket tacos had me lamenting not ordering them.
Though my salmon alternative, was simply as scrumptious!
Learn extra opinions on TripAdvisor right here.
The cloudy skies cancelled our date with a Laguna seaside sundown.
We went again to the Kimpton for smores and purple wine across the firepits as a substitute.
Try excursions on provide in Laguna Seashore with our tour associate, Viator.
Do you will have any recommendations on issues to do with children in Orange County or counsel any extra Orange County points of interest? Please share within the feedback.
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