No tickets needed, it's free. It is an amazing view. It's one of my fav places to visit, read a…read morebook, chill, party, or hangout with some friends. Also very romantic for a date spot. Watch out for mountain lions at night!

Came here with my daughter and her friend, went on hiking trails, this place is absolute to go…read moreplace for a walk, hiking and there also has a small park where you can take kids to play. This place has an amazing view and lots of trails for you to go walking and hiking as well. Theres plenty of parking, rite next to the park and it has restroom as well. It's a free parking. Some places you can park on the street and hike up.

Oops my secret is out! This is probably one of my most favorite spot to go for a walk or a mini…read morehike! Even better, if you're there when it's sunny because the ocean views are breathtaking!! This is also dog friendly since there are poop bags provided at intermittent part of the trail. Please keep in mind that this is in a neighborhood so there will be houses really close to the trail (almost like we're in their backyard) and private property that you can't enter. There are signs to guide you so just stick to the signs and you'll be ok.

Hidden gem in LN. Quick hike around the area to the park area to see the interesting…read moregeology/history. Hike also wraps around the mountain side, giving you a view of the ocean.

Great place to walk, bike, hike, roller skate, etc. and enjoy nature. There is a paved path and…read morethen a wide variety of trails of all difficulty levels. You'll love it! You can park for $3 for the day right next to the visitors center or you can park on the street. It's super accessible.

Great place to do any type of activities. Walk, run, hike, bike anything you can think of.read more

Pretty easy hike. 4.8 mile loop. The cave itself was a bit underwhelming but worth checking out. Be…read moresure to start early because there is barely any shade. Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park opens at 7am. It does get busy and there's a lot of bikers.

I had read some reviews - some said is moderate and some said is easy. What I found out is…read moredepending on which trails you take I went with family w/ 5 yrs old & one with having issue walking, I need to find the easy trail and start at Aliso and Wood Canyons Parking to Cave Rock to Dipping Cave. Cave Rock is small cave, is good stop and let little one rest. We turn to left at 2nd sign pole. 1st sign pole, we did not take since look like is go on top of the cave. Dripping cave have a small incline, that my 5 yrs old having fun sliding down. We saw fox on the way back to the car. Close to 5 mile RT - EASY - In and out Kid / stroller friendly Parking: Aliso Woods Parking Fee $3 parking station / Free street parking Bathrooms on side of Visitor center - clean and big Water bottle refill & water fountain is front of bathroom Trail is pavement / dirt - watch out the poop on dirt Parking to Cave Rock (2nd sign pole)- 1.85 mile (1.5 miles on pavement) 1 Portable bathroom / few picnic tables (1.5 mile from parking lot) Cave Rock to Dipping Cave back to parking lot (3.12 miles) Not much of shade - bring hat / sunblock

This is one of my favorite trails to walk through especially with my hound dogs. Parking is right…read moreoff of the trailhead on the street. You can grab a few poop bags before entering. The views are spectacular both on foggy days and clear days. You can see the Pacific Ocean and the varied topography gives a nice cardio workout. I just wish more people picked up after their dogs so I don't step on feces or worse, my dogs snacks on it. Otherwise, it's a beautiful local spot to hike with dogs.

One of the most picturesque trails in OC. The views are fantastic and it's not a difficult trail…read more I go there at least 2-3 times a week with my doggy.

This hike is moderate because it is short. It's about a mile round trip but the stairs can be…read morebrutal, especially if you are short. The views are worth it. There is only bench at the top.

this was steeper than I expected but so rewarding at the top! it's a short hike with lots of…read moreelevation, definitely got my heart rate up. there's a bench at the top where you can catch your breath while admiring views of the coastline + nearby golf course!

Sitting on the edge of Crown Valley Park, this 18-acre botanical garden is nestled into the…read morehillside and serves as a good place for a walk and to explore nature. The garden displays plants from the Mediterranean climate regions of the world. Some of the ones included are an Australian garden, California, Chilean, Formal, Rose, and South African garden. I liked how many of the bushes or plants had plaques with the plant names, so you knew what you were looking at. The preserve was a maze of little paths with a fair amount of stair climbing and some steep parts. This might not be the best for high heels if on a date or for bringing an elderly parent who can't walk too far. I loved all the wildflowers abound. Some highlights were the rose garden, (more rustic than manicured) the lily pond, and bridge.

Niguel Botanical Preserve located in Laguna Niguel, off of Crown Valley Parkway, was such a good…read morefind on a sunny, beautiful Saturday afternoon. My mom, sis & I wanted to spend some family time outdoors and Yelp didn't disappoint! This preserve was a breath of fresh air (literally) and the vitamin D we needed. It's an 18-acre public garden, featuring themed gardens, winding trails (cemented & rocky), and even a labyrinth. It's uber peaceful, with its well-curated botanical, natural landscapes ~ totally ideal for walking and exploring. We just wished we were dressed more appropriately for hiking lol (we were dressed more casual, from having brunch together in Newport). Lol Oh wells..next time for sure! The variety of different colored plants originating from all around the world ~ California, Chile, Australia, South Africa, and the Mediterranean were sooo pretty. The winding paths offered scenic walks with varying difficulty, including some uphill climbs and stairs. We saw wildlife of all sorts ~ birds, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits, cute lil lizards and bees. Beware of rattlesnakes in certain marked areas..which we stayed away from. Overall, a cool place to relax, get some exercise & fresh air. There are MANY cute photo op sceneries. We will definitely be back again to explore more of the trails. RxFoodie recommend and YAY, for an added trail for my weekend hikes!!!

This is a really cool trail that starts out from Pacific Island Street goes past some residential…read moreneighborhoods and ends up with a beautiful view of Pacific Ocean it can continue down to PCH as well

Aliso Peak Trail is a little gem with various combo of extension trails. The trail starts out flat…read morewith a few picnic tables on the side of the trail. Then you proceed down on a steep, narrow dirt/rocky path. There are just a few rolling hills before you reach the peak. Before the final peak, there are wooden planks to step on/assist in hiking up. On a clear day you can see the canyon with a clear coastal view of Laguna Beach; on a foggy day, you'd still enjoy the ethereal view where mountain meets water/coast. Distance: ~ 2 miles roundtrip Trailhead: Seaview Park at Talavera and Casalero Parking: free along residential street Condition: dirt path, steep climb with little rocks Level: Advanced beginner NOTE: there are no restroom nearby or on the trail. If you're on time constraint and want a short cardio workout (~ 2miles roundtrip), start from Seaview park and descend down for a view of the ocean coast, coastal fog, and breezy wind. For more mileage, start from Aliso Summit Trail (Ridgeview and Highland, add about 6 miles roundtrip) then connect to Aliso Peak (total ~8 miles roundtrip); for additional adventure, descend via Valido trail to the beach.

Thousand Steps Beach is gorgeous and the cave makes it totally worth all of the steps down to it…read more There are only about 219 steps (not a thousand). The steps are no joke though. They are pretty steep and concrete. I wouldn't recommend them for little kids. Make sure you go at low tide. They close the cave area when the tide comes in. The cave is on the far left side of the beach. You have to go over rocks to get there. It can be slippery. There were lifeguards on duty. It's so fun to explore inside the cave. We parked on PCH. There is no parking lot. I definitely recommend going in the morning. It's hard to find parking if you try to go in the afternoon/evening on a weekend/holiday. There is a crosswalk and stoplight at 9th Ave. to cross PCH and then the entrance is right there. There is a bathroom, but it is the typical beach bathroom--not very clean. There's a volleyball net on the left side of the beach. There are no restaurants/cafes. Bring whatever you want with you.

1000 Steps Beach in Laguna Beach (off PCH and 9th) is absolutely worth the visit! First off, don't…read morelet the name intimidate you, the stairs are not literally 1000 steps one way or even round trip... unless you decide to go up and down a few times, then yeah, you'll definitely hit that number!! We went on a Monday and it was pretty busy lots of college-aged people, maybe even some high schoolers, but the beach itself still felt pretty secluded, and there were hardly any kids around maybe like a handful of them. It was overcast when we went, which actually made it perfect, not too hot and super comfortable. Parking is street parking only, just make sure to read the signs carefully. Once you head down, you'll find restrooms and showers right at the bottom of the stairs, which is super convenient. The restroom is clean earlier in the day (before noon), but like most beach spots, it gets a bit wet as the day goes on. There's plenty of space to set up and relax. One thing to watch out for--seagulls! They will go after your food, so definitely cover it with towels if you're hopping in the water. The stairs themselves are pretty narrow, and people usually stick to one side going down and the other going up, so just be mindful and take your time, they tend to also get wet as the day goes on so it's a little slippery.

IYKYK~ PICKLEBALL IS LIFE…read more.. LAGUNA NIGUEL REGIONAL PARK, California! IYKYK, then you know about the LNRP, because you can find Pickleball Courts Here! There are 8 courts currently and 4 more coming! And who knew, that the LNRP would someday be a Destination Hot Spot for Pickleball! Lol, I knew, from day one, from the moment my Husband and I started playing here. The first 4 original pickleball courts were opened back on January 10, 2018! And we've been playing here, ever since! And if you don't know what Pickleball is, you soon will, because Pickleball is So Much Freaking Fun, and I promise you, 100%, it will Change your life because... #PickleballisLife #PickleballFriendsROCK #FindUsAtThePickleballCourts

This is a nice local park to visit and walk around in if you don't go with dogs. I say this because…read moreof the copious amounts of goose poops everywhere and the amount of shrieking children it contains. Parking is plentiful but you will be paying $3-5 per vehicle. It's best to use the OC Park pass if you have one or just park at the nearby shopping center. Another gripe I have is the foul stench of the lake / reservoir. Not long ago, hundreds of dead fishes floated about and it was left like that for days. It's near the water reclamation facilities and even on sunnier clearer days, it just seems not worth walking nearby with dogs. So as much as I like the convenient location and the recreational facilities perfect for those with kids, it's just not for dog owners like me.