Over 101 Outdoor Places to Visit for Kids
Over 101 outdoor places to visit for kids in Orange County, with family-friendly beaches, parks, gardens, farms, nature walks, and fitness.
Finding Orange County Parks
Things to Do Outdoors in Orange County
Parks with Mommy and Me Baby Swings
List of parks with “Mommy and Me” baby swings or what I call “Swing with Me” swings for Orange County, CA. Swing face-to-face with your baby.
Orange County Workout Parks with Outdoor Fitness Equipment
Orange County workout parks with outdoor fitness equipment for exercise, and usually walking trails when you want exercise outdoors.
25+ Sand Free Parks in Orange County
It’s easy to find parks without sand or “Sand Free Parks in Orange County” with this list. Thanks to the reader who wrote in requesting the information. “I am looking for …
Spiderweb Parks in Orange County
Spiderweb parks in Orange County! This is the master list you’ve always wanted! These rope or rubber-coated climbers are especially popular with older kids. Remember playing on those playground domes when …
7+ Kid-Friendly Farm and Garden Outings
Are you looking for kid-friendly farm and garden outings around Southern California? I remember being allowed to wander through botanic gardens on my own. I guess my mom was probably …
Fenced Parks in Orange County
Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach lead the count for most fenced parks in Orange County. The list started out with only 7 parks, but has grown to over 10! Some …
5 Family Walks in Orange County
I could walk for miles — with friends, with kids, with pets. Family walks are a gift of time. It’s time for the little ones to get their wiggles out. …
Southern California Aquarium Trips & Touch Tanks
Southern California aquarium trips and touch tidepools are almost rites of passage for California kids. Most feature local sea life, and some include tropical highlights from Mexico or the South Pacific. …
Beaches
5 Best Toddler Beaches with No Waves
Here are 5 of the best toddler beaches with no waves in OC — because sometimes you want it to be extra mellow for your toddler!
Beach Trips: What To Bring To The Beach and How One Parent Can Carry It All
What to bring to the beach on beach trips for families — and how one person can carry it all – from a SoCal beach family mom with checklist!
How to Barbecue Near the Beach: Places and Tips for Grilling in OC
Figuring out how to barbecue near the beach is easy with suggestions for places to find grills near Orange County beaches + grilling tips.
7 Beach Playgrounds Right in the Sand
I never realized how many OC beach playgrounds we actually have for playing right in the sand! But, then again, why am I surprised with so many Orange County beaches …
Destination Playgrounds
Pavion Park in Mission Viejo
Pavion Park in Mission Viejo is a colorful universally accessible playground with flat play surfaces, spinners, and ramps for wheelchairs.
Courtney’s SandCastle Universal Playground & Sensory Garden in San Clemente
Courtney’s SandCastle Universal Playground & Sensory Garden in San Clemente provides inclusive play features in a contained setting.
Cherry Park in Lake Forest: Accessible Playground in the Neighborhood
Cherry Park in Lake Forest features fun and universally accessible playgrounds for 2-5 year olds and 5-12 year olds as of February 2021.
Box Canyon Park in Yorba Linda: Accessible Playground for All Pirates and Knights
Box Canyon Park in Yorba Linda was destroyed in the fires of 2008. It wowed me from the first time I drove by to check out the construction. They definitely …
Irvine Adventure Playground at University Park: Color It With Play
The Adventure Playground in Irvine at University Park allows children unstructured free play opportunities. Perfect for creativity & pretend!
Marina Park in Newport Beach on the Balboa Peninsula
Marina Park in the Newport Beach on the Balboa Peninsula is the first harbor-side playground on the Peninsula. There is already Peninsula Park playground at the Balboa Pier and the …
Catalina Island
How to Visit Catalina Island: A Brief Tutorial on the Basics
We go to Catalina Island every summer. We’ve been visiting Catalina ever since I was in high school – so that’s 20+ years. I’m surprised how many of my friends …
The Best Way to Cure Seasickness is Prevention: Tips for Whale Watching and Catalina Ferry Trips
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I’m a self-described “boat kid.” With over 30 years of boating experience with people who each have a different …
Two Harbors – Top 25 Things to Do on Catalina Island’s Quiet Side
Two Harbors is the other ferry drop-off I described in Friday’s post about how to get to Catalina Island. The photo above shows Isthmus Cove which makes up half of Two …
Avalon – Top 25 Things to Do in Catalina Island’s Popular Destination
We gave you the basics on how to get to Avalon on Catalina Island. As a family, we brainstormed 50 things to do on the island, split between Avalon and …