This is such a wonderful place to take your family or explore yourself. Admission is free, though…read moredonations are appreciated and they even have a free parking lot available. Gorgeous hiking trails, ocean and lake views, so much to explore. They have a small gift shop and animals to observe and learn about. Also a very nice play area for kids, plenty of hands on experience for them. I so glad that places like this exist, my sons had a blast here, highly recommended!

Much larger nature center than expected. Super informative, interactive, and plenty to do with the…read morekids. It's free and great to pair with a hike for the whole family! When we arrived, the very knowledgeable park rangers talked to us and welcomed us into the theater for a 10 minute movie. I would highly recommend this as an activity for anyone who loves hiking/nature or is looking for a free activity with their little ones.

Possibilities are endless here at Jeffrey Open Space Trail. When they say "open space trail", they…read morereally mean it. It's a beautiful trail. Clean. Well maintained. Scenic and peaceful. And it seems to literally stretch forever. The trail is mostly pavement, with little sections of dirt trail. I used to train for a marathon out here, and I never reached the end of the trail. Mostly turned around out of fear of getting lost (and sometimes I did end up getting lost lol). But whether you are walking, biking, jogging or training for a run, this trail is the perfect trail for it all. Parking is easy, I park at the Cypress City Park. There is a bathroom right before you enter the trail, and I remember seeing another one along the trail. It is never too crowded, a perfect place to get lost in your thoughts and get some cardio in.

This trail is peaceful, quite with beautiful sounds of wind, trees, animals, water, so forth…read more You walk across street, bridge, and pass by so many trees. You get to see some art as well. There are bathrooms and drinking fountains along the way. ***Please listen to the song I am parodying, "Star Vicino" by Salvator Rosa.*** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0G3EqjNt0&list=RD6z0G3EqjNt0&start_radio=1 While you are reading my song parody portion of my review below. I see trees flow into air above us Birds and bees fly over with such an amor See the kids and the dogs Kids and the dogs Kids and the do-o-o-o-o-ogs Play freely and more All the couples walking for their heart And us foodies with all of our weight loss goals This park is mo-o-o-o-o-o-re amore This park brings people such health and such joy This park is mo-o-o-o-o-o-re amore This park brings people such health and such joy

I did enjoy the cute French homes but I was expecting lots of close by eatery, bakery, and cafes…read more They didn't have any. We drove to 4th street market afterwards for food.

To my surprise we have a Historic French Park in OC!!…read more Thanks to the one and only Miguel R http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=VWmuhCSYSJyAuXRyckp1tA I learned about it He was really nice and organized and drew a map with the streets where we were supposed to see the best houses. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8zO5dHp3SSuE8A97t_GeUA?select=aQ2biEO70qnwTt0wA1n_zw#2PUuyoNdkswVOk-MIg-IqQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/8zO5dHp3SSuE8A97t_GeUA?select=aQ2biEO70qnwTt0wA1n_zw#Se0fTizyT5VlKSQv2ug37g The walk was pretty nice, the weather helped a lot! But event though there are some nice colorful houses, most of them are not well preserved. Some need serious maintenance and some have been repaired without being consistent with their original style. You will also see some apartments in a not so Victorian style (sigh...) C'est la vie it's functionality vs historical preservation... The streets are quiet and is a nice walk, nothing breathtaking but nice for a spring afternoon. My next stop to continuing my Victorian education will be Carroll Avenue in Angelino Heights.

One of the most peaceful spots in OC. The creek is special. Support the gift shop. Enjoy the…read morehummingbirds.

Came here today on a whim after visiting the Modjeska House just down the street from this place…read more The gift shop was open and we ended up buying some soap, 2 finger puppets for the kids, and a ENC tucker magnet. The gift shop was a museum too and had lots of interactive exhibits for the kids. We saw live snakes and frogs on display as well. Across the street from the gift shop was the actual sanctuary which is a 0.25 mile loop - you can finish it within 10-15 minutes if you want fast. An amphitheater and bird viewing area is in there as well. The creek was dry when we went but did see a small pond with lots of tadpoles. Also be aware of rattlesnakes as we heard they come out in the summer time. Trail was 80% shaded so was not so hot. Found out that TUCKER was acquired by ENC of Newport Beach in 2022 so you'll see lots of ENC gear in the gift shop. There are essentially 2 ENC locations now - one here and one in Newport Beach. Pretty interesting!

What amazing park! We only walked through a fraction of it! There's a lot of stairways which are…read moregreat but also pathways for those who have mobility issues. There are a variety of plants and the flowers attract butterflies and bees. We met these two young women who were doing a bumble bee study at UC Irvine. It was an interesting conversation about their work. A number of people we encountered were very friendly. I mean, how could you not be in nature? Definitely worth checking out. I am looking forward to seeing more on the next trip. It is dog friendly too! Cako Approves!

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.

WOW! I'm a history buff, so this property is just PURE MAGIC to me! Such an amazing representation,…read morepreservation and staging of the home of a true Renaissance Woman, a multi-talented artisan, celebrated the world over, whom you've probably never heard of. Madame Modjeska aside, my favorite discovery pertaining to the history of this property: Theodore Payne arrived to Arden from England after his scientific studies drove the interests that would lead him to become an amazing botanist, landscape designer, seed harvest and processing expert, horticulturist and preservationist of native California flowers, trees and shrubs. The Theodore Payne Foundation is still active in teaching, stewardship, propagation and garden design throughout Los Angeles. It's main nursery is in Sun Valley! What a fantastic find that the foundation nursery where I buy my native plants started with Payne taking a job as Head Gardener at Arden in 1893! But that was just the outside! The inside of this beautiful home is so meticulously preserved and staged to really bring the observer into Helena Modjeska's life. If you pay attention, you may even realize some scandalous questions to ask the docent on site. My questions were answered, but I felt my enthusiasm for the property outpaced the docents by a very large margin. I wish there was a bit more excitement for his subject, and more of a guided storied aspect, rather than simple answers to our many questions. While this is not a living history adventure and docents are volunteers, it's great that there was someone there allowing us to tour the property, but a more engaging docent would be appreciated. I am looking forward to returning this Fall. There are tables for picnicking, restrooms and free parking. Reservations are encouraged, for a space in the small dirt parking area and the limited time the house and grounds are open. Cheers! "CC" NOTE/TIP: The directions initially took us to a property at the intersection of Santiago and Modjeska Cyn roads, which apparently the OC Parks Dept uses as parking for events at Arden House. The actual property is much further along Modjeska Cyn Road, through residential properties and before the canyon road ends at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. If you have the same challenge, navigate to Tucker and you'll see Arden House, on the right, just before TWS.

First heard about this historic land mark from Pageant of the Masters. Decided we needed to come…read morefor a visit and see what it's all about. Call OC Parks to get a docent led tour on either Wednesday or Saturday 10am. Each tour is only 10 people to keep it small and the interior is small so we need as much space as possible. House is air conditioned on inside which was perfect for hot days. We were lucky to get a reservation for Saturday in September 2025. Our docent was Bob, he was super chill and even allowed us to see parts of the house that we missed since we arrived late to the tour. The tour lasts 90min to 2 hours, there's just lots of information to share. You get to view the interior of the home and outside guest houses, pool and storage shed. Plenty to parking spots. Bryan from OC parks mentioned this place is closed starting in October 2025 because they are doing construction on the roof of the house. Be sure to get your tours in before that occurs, since the tours will temporarily end soon. Have fun!

Went for a nice stroll this morning, and thought it'd be a perfect time to update some pictures…read more This is my favorite trail loop. I usually run this loop, and it is a lot of fun! Mostly easy running, with a little incline challenge at the end of the circle. There is a parking lot and bathroom right outside the trail, which is nice if you plan to do multi loops. I find this trail very peaceful, and look forward to coming back no matter how many times I return. Loops circles about 1.8 miles total.

Quail Hill Loop is an easy, relaxed hike that wasn't busy during our visit, though I imagine it…read moregets much more crowded during spring and superbloom season. With the fog and chilly weather, it had an almost European countryside feel, which was a pleasant surprise for Southern California. It genuinely didn't feel like Irvine at all. A big plus is the location. Being so close to Tanaka Farms makes this an easy stop to pair with a produce run, and I can see it becoming part of our regular routine when we're in the area. The main downside: dog owners who don't pick up after their pets. We spent a good portion of the walk playing dodge the poop with our dogs, which definitely took away from the experience. Overall, a lovely trail, just wish people were more considerate.

A cute park tucked away in the Tustin hills! The drive to the park is a bit of a pain but worth it!…read more There is a large field along the hillside that is big enough for a sports game or two. A lot of people picnic on the hilly side of the field to enjoy the beautiful view of the OC skyline. There is a small playground but it's kept up very well and there are lots of fun things for kids to play on! The slide is fun and there are swings and pillars to climb up on. Our 2 year old has a lot of fun at the park and I like it right now because it is one of the less crowded playgrounds. Sometimes we take a walk up the hill from the playground. My little one likes to play in the sand of the volleyball court and explore the little hiking path toward Peter's Canyon. We will be visiting this park again soon!

This is a great, small community park. It's cleaned pretty often, but I have on occasion seen some…read moreremnants of teenagers hanging out on the equipment, such as cans and bottles. I believe the park is meant for five years old to twelve year olds, but I usually see small toddlers there with their parents playing in the sand and on the equipment. There is just one big slide, sand, swings, and some digging equipment. It is a nice serene little spot, with a huge open grass area, and lots of trees around. There are no restrooms available here, so tends not to be super busy.