Since likely most of you have kids off school today and because I am ALWAYS looking for fun new places to go with my kids in OC, I wanted to share my team’s (Susanne, Christy & Aimee’s) favorite things to do with kids in Orange County to add some new ideas to the mix!
Susanne’s favorite things to do with kids in OC
Fashion Island koi pond & fountains- My girls love running around and checking out the fish and sitting and watching the fountains dance.
Manhattan Beach Pier Roundhouse Museum ~ Not OC, but definitely a fun excursion on a day without a plan! Make the drive up and go and check out the small, old school/interactive museum at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier. Afterwards, walk one block up the hill to Manhattan Beach Creamery for the best ice cream sandwich you’ll ever meet!
We love to make the beautiful drive along the coast to go eat at El Ranchito Laguna Beach for a delicious family friendly lunch or early dinner and then walk down the steps to play on the beach for a bit. It’s even fun during the winter months, just be sure to pack cozy jackets.
Pack a picnic lunch for the backyard! Sometimes on a day off I don’t want to go anywhere, but it’s still nice to add a fun twist to the day.
We love to take a family bike ride to Castaways Park in Newport Beach to take in the gorgeous views. (Disclaimer: no playground, but a nice path if you wanted to walk or ride bikes or scooters around the loop)
Christy’s favorite OC outings with kids
IHOP breakfast in jammies (my MOM’S Club typically does this on days off from school)
Aliso Creek Beach in Laguna Beach for playtime on the playground and a picnic lunch
Mission Viejo Library ~ they have a “play room” for little ones, coloring pages and crayons, couches for sitting down and reading to your munchkins…we pick books and DVDs for the week and do a coloring project.
Chick-fil-A for an early lunch – lunch and playtime in their enclosed play area (this gives mama a little break!)
Irvine Regional Park ~ train rides, OC Zoo, playgrounds, lots of places for running, playing and picnic lunches
Aimee’s fun things to do with your family in OC
We love taking the kids to Bowlmar Lanes in Tustin, and the atmosphere is great for adults too. Try meeting up with another family for a little friendly competition. Note: Their prices are higher than your average bowling alley, so if planning to parktake in food and beverages, visit during “happy hour”, which is every Sunday – Friday from 4pm – 7pm for special deals.
Pack a lunch and head to Top of the World park in Laguna beach. The view is amazing and every time we’re there I remember how lucky we are to live so close to the beach.
If it’s warm enough we love to go to Crystal Cove beach and eat at the Beachcomber. Waiting for a table isn’t so bad if you’re lounging at the beach watching the kids play.
Hike on Salt Creek Trail. We have a new puppy, that is very energetic, so we’ve been taking a lot of family hikes to get everyone’s extra energy out. Salt Creek Trail is an easy one to do with kids.
We just had my daughter’s birthday party at Young Chef’s Academy in Irvine and I really love their program. They offer cooking workshops and classes for kids taught by lively and entertaining chefs. A great spot if your kids like to help out in the kitchen!
Thanks ladies! Fun ideas!
In case you missed this post before, here you can find my picks of 29 fun things to do in Orange County with children. You can also visit our Outing Ideas category for lots and lots of other ideas.
I take my daughter to the Irvine Spectrum a lot, Disneyland once a week usually, and meet up with Daddy on his lunch break once a week. Can’t wait til the summer for swimming season!
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I love the Spectrum too! We also do Crystal Court at South Coast a lot. Wahoo’s lunch and carousel ride = happy 3 year old!
I love the idea of meeting your husband for lunch. I admit we don’t hardly ever do that – what a great idea!