I wanted to spotlight websites and blogs designed to answer the "What to do in Orange County?" question. Just as each writer and blogger has a different style of presenting information, each reader has a different preference for how to receive and process the information.
Readers come to me for free or low cost outdoor activities, such as:
- Parks
- Beaches
- Museums and Zoos
- Nature Centers
- Family Nature Hikes
- Road Trips
- How to Plan Your Monthly Play Calendar (lots of links)
Here are more Orange County blogs, in no particular order, with a few details about what sets them apart:
- Just-Spotted.com is my go-to "spot" for everything family-friendly in Orange County. It has lists galore and a very comprehensive weekly calendar! I love the easy navigation buttons in the right margin.
- DaytrippingMom.com writes in real time with blog posts highlighting the calendar as it happens. Find out about secret or little known tours, general destinations, or stage shows.
- Orange County Mom Blog covers "Hot Happenings in OC." And I'll tell you from personal experience that the blogger, Shelby, knows all. I very rarely attend PR events, but Shelby's at every one and reports it all back to her readers.
- Sandy Toes & Popsicles writes a Weekly OC Activities post with tons of links. I can tell you it takes 3+ hours to create a calendar like this! Take advantage of it.
- Toddler Trails is written more as a directory and has a map similar to mine. She also spends quite a lot of time on her Events Calendar.
- PlanADayOut.com is a new site on the scene. She created a form where you can enter the date, the distance, and how many in your family to spit out activity idea results complete with how much it will cost.
These are bigger sites with multiple bloggers or writers, some of which incorporate email subscriptions.
What sites did I miss?
Disclosure: I know most of these bloggers and websites from either meeting them in person, email exchanges, or even blogging or writing for them.
