Pirate Tower in Laguna Beach is absolutely worth the effort to get to. There are two ways in: the…read moreTreasure Island Beach side, which involves walking over a rocky cliff area, so definitely check tide levels before you go. The other option is a hidden residential staircase that leads down directly, but it's hit or miss and not always open. Parking can be a bit tricky. From the residential aide straight across meter parking. From the Montage Resort area paid parking nearby do not park in the plaza across you will get towed or ticketed. Once you make it down, it opens up into crystal clear water and a stunning stretch of beach. The tower itself is incredibly unique and photogenic, almost like something tucked into a seaside storybook. Just a heads up, it is not dog friendly. Overall, a memorable spot that feels like a little hidden treasure along the coast.

This place is as fantastical as it looks on social media. It took a while for me to find out how to…read moreget to it. The entrance is in a residential area, and you take some stairs between houses down. There are some sharp rocks being lapped with ways on the way there, so bring some flip flops to walk over to it.

Really cool place to take a stroll at. They offer free tours so you can go inside four of the…read morebuildings. We did the 11 am tour on a Saturday and our guide Victor was terrific. The tour lasted a little over an hour. Even my teen said it was a lot more fun than she had anticipated. Definitely worth a stop.

My family moved to Orange County in the late 70s, I used to…read moresee this Historical Landmark Church down by the railroad tracks off El Toro Rd. Does anybody else remember this ? So happy I get to see it transferred here. Happy to see that they put a diorama here too, great educational tool. (See pic) This is the place to go to enjoy ac Candlelight, walk-through during the Christmas Holidays. In October, they have the non-scary family harvest activities. In Springtime they do the Easter Bunny egg hunt etc. Used to know a couple that were married here as well. Wondering if they still do that? My favorite thing to do here, is visit one of the nearby restaurants, take the food to go, and enjoy a picnic Table with benches. A beautiful thing to do here at Heritage Hill Park.

This little hidden area of San Juan Capistrano is definitely worth a visit! In fact, Los Rios…read moreStreet Historic District is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in California, and it features historic structures dating back to the late 1700s. This area also preserves three original adobe homes built around 1794--the Rios, Montanez, and Silvas adobes. Later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, wooden board-and-batten houses and Victorian buildings were added to the street. There's a spacious park including a butterfly garden, Hidden House coffee shop, a tea shop & a few little stores and several restaurants. There's also an adorable petting zoo! It's quaint and easy to see in under an hour, or you could spend a few hours relaxing & taking your time. It's easy to access to Los Rios from the 5 & there is plenty of free or low cost parking. Additionally, the train stops right in SJC and you can easily access this area from the stop. Peace.

7/26/26 What a gorgeous place to take the family out for a lazy Sunday afternoon! There are plenty…read moreof adorable places to visit and take a stroll. My family took the Metrolink from the Anaheim station ($10 per person) and it took about 45 minutes. Hubby and I drove from San Gabriel which took a little over an hour. My usual go to is The Hidden House Coffee shop with affordable and well made drinks, offering a sizable outdoor patio. The Ramos House Cafe is a few steps away, as well as the Los Rios Tea house. All of these are historic homes, vintage and picturesque. Within a few feet from the public parking lot is the Montanez building, where a nearby butterfly sanctuary is located. The Los Rios Cottages are for rent which are located next door to the Ramos House, very pretty but these are right alongside the train tracks, if you don't mind that racket, it'll be fine. It's an easy stroll and a beautiful destination. Come check it out. There are plenty more shops that I haven't visited. Today, I am limited as I have a medical boot (and a crutch) that's preventing me from my usual nosiness in discovering things on foot, until next time.

This Nature Interpretive Center is small, but good learning opportunities for small kids. It…read moreprovides information on geology, biology, and history on Dana Point Headlands. We spent about 20 minutes learning about animals, marine life, and surrounding plants. It explains how compact this place is. So will take you most about 30 minutes. Very informative displays and artifacts to explore. Parking is free and located in front of the facility. Afterwards, head down to the trail overlooking magnificent ocean views and lush green surroundings. Perfect activity to spend with your family.

Nice little spot to take the kids or even yourself to learn some of the local history. There are…read moredisplays inside and outside of the nature center. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to see it all. You can go on a short hike that has magnificent ocean views . There is a marked trail available right behind the center.Parking is available right in front of the center.

Tough to get a parking spot, but there are some businesses with tiny little free lots, and as long…read moreas you are a paying customer, you can park, make your purchase, and take a walk along the beach before heading out.

I have been walking on this pier since I was a kid. Newport Beach was a longtime party destination…read morefor me back in my college days. We would grab drinks at one of the nearby bars and then walk on the bike trail afterwards. Then we would head over to the pier to enjoy the ocean breeze. Newport Pier was constructed in the 1940s and replaced the original pier that was built in the 1800s. It is 1,032 feet long and made of mostly wood. Today, Newport Pier is a place for people to fish or to go on a stroll while enjoying the sunny weather and the fresh ocean breeze. Even through this area is touristy, I still like this pier because it is not as crazy packed as some of the other popular piers like the ones in Santa Monica or in Huntington. It has been some time since I have visited Newport Beach. I was recently in town and grabbed a bite at the Crab Cooker. I caught a beautiful sunset while walking on the Newport Pier. Not much has changed around here since I was last in town. The Life Guard Headquarters and Dory Fleet still reside at the base of the pier. There are gift shops and restaurants within walking distance. I was able to grab some great photos of the sunset before heading out. I enjoyed my quick visit and walk down memory lane while passing through Newport Beach.

I love visiting the Old Town wherever I go. Old Town Seal Beach has lots of little shops,…read morerestaurants, bakeries, and other businesses. There are plenty of benches to sit and relax. At the end of Main street you will run into the beach and the pier. Several businesses have water bowls out for the puppies to get a drink. There's also a nice park halfway down Main street

Grew up surfing and hanging out with friends at the beach here in the 80's. Have so many beautiful…read morememories of the pier and Grandma's cookie shop that was at the corner.

Many, many restaurants and shops. It is worth taking the day to explore this area of Dana Point…read more There is plenty of street parking. I luv how the palm trees line the streets and signs of "Lantern District" on both ends. A side note, during the holidays, the palm trees are all lit up!! Must drive by.

Dana point Lantern district is a district with a history. The streets name are so different they…read morenamed after different color lanterns which are maritime signals. like Ruby Lantern, Blue Lantern and etc and they are on The main avenue Del Prado. There is also Elephants on Parade which is my fav part of this beautiful district. It's very walkable, full of restaurants, art galleries, boutique shoos and etc. the other cute thing about the city is the free trolley...It gives SF vibes. The area is full of bikes, and golf carts so be-careful when driving around. The sign itself its picturesque surrounded with gorgeous palms...The weather today was gorgeous so we spend longer tike walking around neighborhood...lil bit busy so parking is challenging...Heavy parking limited spots so it's important when you arrive. There are different events going on like car shows and etc. by saying this, if you are going there for restaurants check the local news to skip the crowded places....

WOW!! You're not from California if you've never been to Ziggurat Xing!! So awesome to see where RC…read moreDoMinion filmed his music video for New Years Song!! This place is the BEST.