Los Olivos Community Park near Irvine Spectrum opened in March 2019. It's near the site of the old Irvine Meadows Amphitheater off of Irvine Center Drive. This land was once home to Wild Rivers, Camp James, a Christmas tree lot and a huge parking lot to support those big entertainment venues. Now it's a … Continue Reading
Popular Posts
2019 Wildflowers and Kid-Friendly Spots to See Them
In Orange County, wildflowers tend to bloom starting in March. My husband and I accidentally stumbled upon a whole bunch when we took an … Continue reading
Places to Go in OC with Green Hills
I wanted to put together a little list of places to go in OC with green hills for family hikes. Having lived in places where the winter … Continue reading
Play Trips and Park Tips
Places for Babies to Play: A 1970s Visual Guide
“Where are places for babies to play?” That’s one of the top questions I get from you when you’re ready for your first playground trip, but feeling unsure where to go. You know play is good for them, but the world seems so big with a little one and they can’t really DO anything yet. Right? So my […]
Portola Springs Community Park in Irvine
Portola Springs Community Park in Irvine is more like a small neighborhood playground inside a huge community park which has ball fields and a community center. This is a great spot for younger kids with the challenge of climbers and boulders, but the intimacy of a small space with caregivers nearby. Location of Portola Springs […]
Seaview Park and Aliso Summit Trail in Laguna Niguel
Seaview Park in Laguna Niguel and the nearby Aliso Summit Trail saved us from one of those days when we were feeling the need to get into the great wide open outdoors. This trail was quiet and beautiful. We found it full of rocks to climb and views to take in. I would love to see a […]
Sidewalk Hiking
I could just as easily title this Sidewalk Hiking post: “Sidewalk Skipping” or “Urban Walks.” The point is that walking around your neighborhood counts as a hike. No matter what anyone else says! It counts. This is part of my Hummingbird Parenting blog series. When I introduced Hummingbird Parenting, I talked about a playground parenting style that […]
Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea: The $5 Park with $10 Worth of Fun
Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Brea is ridiculously fun. FOUR playgrounds lie in sprinting distance of one another – with views of a small lake. Bring a picnic and plan to stay all day for nature hikes and wildlife viewing. Kudos to Orange County for bringing the best in playgrounds to its kids. Directions to […]
How to Be a Hummingbird Parent
Exploring how to be a “Hummingbird Parent” is the next step after learning the story and loose definition of Hummingbird Parenting. Hummingbird parenting isn’t anything new, it’s just the name I gave to my personal parenting strategy when I got fed-up with the helicopter parenting bashing from the media or experts, many of whom weren’t […]
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 watching, but my eyes were facing forward and I was an explorer in a new world! What was around the next bend? What exotic plants […]
Pavion Park in Mission Viejo
Pavion Park in Mission Viejo existed for a long time before it opened with a completely new playground in December 2014 — designed to be a universally accessible playground and one of the most progressive playgrounds I’ve ever seen. When I first visited this park back in 2010, it was our “mystery destination” on a walk up […]