Even if you’ve never visited Orange County, it still probably has an air of familiarity—perhaps even a sense of déjà vu. For more than half a century it has enjoyed plenty of attention as the home of Disneyland. In more recent years, it has invaded American living rooms with such television shows as The OC, Laguna Beach, and The Real Housewives of Orange County. None of these dramas or reality shows were able to truly capture the real Orange County.
Sandwiched between Los Angeles and San Diego Counties and abutting Riverside County to the north, there is no urban center in this suburban county. But whatever cosmopolitan vibe it lacks, Orange County more than makes up for it with its traditional downtown areas and villages, including those belonging to Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, Orange, Huntington Beach, San Clemente, Seal Beach, and Fullerton, as well as its more than 40 miles of sandy beaches. In recent years, some cities have managed to fabricate their own town centers, including Brea, which completely bulldozed its original downtown and rebuilt it from the ground up, as well as Anaheim, which reinvented itself by creating residential lofts and adding restaurants and shops. South Coast Metro in Costa Mesa and Newport Center, home to Fashion Island, in Newport Beach are city-style developments that cater more to the business community with high-rise office space and weekday conveniences. Santa Ana serves as the county’s governmental seat, while Irvine gets kudos for being its business and financial hub.
Orange County’s population has climbed steadily in the last few decades with residents now exceeding three million spread across 34 incorporated cities, up from 2.85 million in 2000—a 5.8 percent increase. It is the second most densely inhabited county in California, trailing behind Los Angeles but surpassing San Diego. Orange County is also home to two major theme parks, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. It also has two of Southern California’s best shopping destinations, Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza, and is well known for its houses of worship, including the monumental Crystal Cathedral and Purpose Drive Life author Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church.
The county is divided into three regions: North, central, and south. North is home to the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Birthplace as well as the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland. Knott’s Berry Farm, the Crystal Cathedral, and South Coast Plaza all call the central portion of the county home. And Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente, all beach communities, are found in the south close to the San Diego County line. On the other end of the spectrum, the coastal communities of Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach are near the Los Angeles County line; in fact, Seal Beach abuts the LA County line.
The county is known for its affluence. The county-wide median home price is $429,000, but in communities such as Laguna Beach and Newport Beach the median home prices are $1.3 million and $2.7 million respectively. The median household income exceeds $73,000, with 8.9 percent of the population living below poverty level. And nearly one-third of Orange County residents 25 and older have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the 2000 census.
Orange County has several interesting neighborhoods, as well as many bedroom communities where there is not much more than strip malls and grocery stores. Visitors tend to gravitate towards two regions—the Anaheim resort area and the coastal enclaves with their glistening beaches and million-dollar homes.
Southern California is rich with amusement parks, and two of the largest are located in Orange County within minutes of one another. But in addition to roller coasters, water parks, and Mickey Mouse, the region has some alternative attractions that don’t necessarily cost a lot of money or require your entire day to enjoy. Some may be surprised to learn that Orange County, with its reputation for designer shopping and waterfront homes, has some rather down to earth offerings. The Balboa Peninsula and its vintage Fun Zone are just a swagger from the former estate of John Wayne and overlook the bay where million-dollar yachts bob year-round.
This chapter is categorized by interest and alphabetical order. We don’t list hours of operation or admission prices, as these are subject to change. If you’re planning on spending consecutive days enjoying Disneyland Resort, we do recommend that you consider staying at one of the Disney hotel properties or a nearby hotel to maximize your time. The park also offers multi-day passes and Hopper Passes, which allow you to go back and forth between Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.
A museum, at least in Orange County, isn’t defined by four walls or its collection of artifacts. A museum exists to enhance guests’ visits by exposing them to something new, offering an educational element, or simply welcoming visitors to a venue that is architecturally significant. Orange County’s museums consist of the usual suspects, as well as a few offbeat venues that are both innovative and interesting. There is a presidential library to explore as well as historic homes, beautiful gardens, works of art by renowned California artists, and even some ocean-inspired venues.
This chapter has been organized by category: art museums, historic venues, and those places that are a little unconventional but interesting nonetheless. At the end of this chapter you will find museums that offer free admission on various days of the month.
Because admission and hours are subject to change, we have omitted such details and suggest you call ahead or visit individual Web sites. Under each heading, museums are listed in alphabetical order.
The OC is the ultimate playground. And, when it comes to pint-size visitors, Orange County couldn’t be more kid-friendly or accommodating. There is a never-ending list of things to do, from sporting events and seaside playgrounds to interactive museums and outdoor activities. There are even cooking classes for aspiring chefs. From young children to those on the brink of adulthood, Orange County is a place of perpetual pleasures and unleashed excitement. There are, of course, the two major theme parks, Disneyland Resort and Knott’s Berry Farm, which we’ve covered in the Attractions chapter, but consider the other possibilities—the theme restaurants, water parks, playgrounds, arcades, and performing arts.
And, when you consider Orange County averages 329 days of sunshine, an average temperature of 70 degrees, and 42 miles of pristine coastline, the best and most affordable place to go is, of course, the beach. Take the kids down to the tide pools, build a giant sandcastle, fly a kite, do a little bodysurfing, or just collect seashells on a sunny afternoon. If the weather is overcast, head to a local library or bookstore for story time or a local park for a picnic and playground opportunities. City park and recreation departments also offer an abundance of mommy and me classes, sporting opportunities for adolescents, municipal pools for swimming, and art classes.
There are also a few outdoor shopping areas with activities for children. Fashion Island in Newport Beach has a mini-train and carousel (although rumor has it that these attractions will be retired when the center emerges from a major renovation), Downtown Disney has shops and restaurants that kids of all ages will enjoy, and The Block at Orange is home to the Vans Skatepark. South Coast Plaza, Orange County’s premiere indoor mall, features a pair of carousels and gigantic balloons shaped like Mickey Mouse ears available for purchase near Carousel Court. Of course, most every restaurant, fine dining excluded, is kid-friendly, offering children their own menus as well as crayons to help keep them occupied until the food arrives.
Two great resources for finding out where to take the kids are OC Parent and OC Family, which also serve as resources for finding babysitters, camps, and other essentials that parents may find helpful. Both publications can be accessed online at www.ocfamily.com and www.parentingoc.com. Kids Guide, www.kidsguidemagazine.com, is another excellent source.
Orange County is blessed with a central location where, within two hours or less, you can be strolling along the streets of an old mining town, delving beneath the sea off an enchanted island, sipping pinot noir among verdant vineyards, or basking in the sun under a leafy palm tree. Southern California doesn’t just have one resort area, it has many multifaceted destinations that lend themselves to an afternoon outing or, if time allows, a mini getaway. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to surf in the morning, ski in the afternoon, and retire in the evening beneath the desert sky. Of course, this would take some precise planning on your part not to mention pristine traffic conditions to make it a reality, but the point is that these destinations, which vary so drastically in climate and terrain, are all just a short distance from one another. Sometimes the roads leading to the local mountains may require chains in order to make the trek up the hill due to fresh fallen snow, but otherwise road conditions throughout Southern California, aside from everyday vehicle congestion that can add time to your drive, are rarely jeopardized due to weather conditions.