22 Things To Do in Orange County, California
Coming from a gal who lived there for 5 years! I’ve been meaning to put together this list for a while now. We lived in Newport Beach for the majority of our time in Cali and I honestly can’t believe we left :) It’s the most gorgeous place and there is SO much to do. We spent most of our time outside, going on hikes, and exploring the great state! Here are our favorites.
Oh, and here is a view from above of our little corner of the world in SoCal. You can see the peninsula in Newport on the left. And Balboa Island in the middle. We lived on 45th Street, which was a few blocks north of the pier. It was pretty great!
1. HIKE PETER’S CANYON
This was my all time favorite place to go when we lived in SoCal. Every Saturday and Sunday morning we would wake up, grab coffees, and head to Peter’s Canyon. It’s perfect for all types of hikes. One route has a steep hill and can be up to 5 miles long. Another route is great for a leisurely walk. I used to bring my out-of-towner friends here and we’d catch up for hours while walking around. http://www.ocparks.com/parks/peters
2. WATCH SURFERS AT THE WEDGE
In Newport Beach, people take their surfing seriously. And The Wedge is a great spot to watch surfers take on massive waves and tight turns. Once you get to the peninsula, where The Wedge is located, you can take the boardwalk up and down the coast and check out the gorgeous homes of Newport. Here’s the surf guide.
3. VISIT THE ORANGE COUNTY ZOO
This zoo is so fun and is part of an overall larger park in Orange. Plus it’s free!
4. CHECK OUT THE TIDE POOLS AT CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK
Fun fact: we got engaged here! I love this park because it’s a hike combined with tide pools and an ocean walk. On a clear day, you can spot whales off the coast. Don’t forget to visit their website and check the tide chart to see what time is best to go http://www.crystalcovestatepark.org/
5. RENT A DUFFY BOAT IN NEWPORT BAY
These are some of my fondest memories of our first few years in SoCal! We boated around the bay countless times with our friends and family when they came to town. The waters are calm and easy to navigate. Plus you can check out all of the mansions. https://www.duffyofnewportbeach.com/
6. VISIT CATALINA ISLAND
One of the most memorable things we did was visit Catalina Island. When you take a ferry, it’s only about an hour and a half to get there from Newport. You can see the island from anywhere on the peninsula. Once you’re on the island, there are a ton of things to do. From hiking, to having a drink at the local bar, to a Jeep eco tour - I should really do a whole post on just Catalina Island! We went twice. Once we took the ferry and stayed in a hotel. The second time we boated ourselves and camped for a night. You could even go for just a day trip. Definitely worth checking out if you have time!
7. CHECK OUT LAGUNA BEACH
Ok, Laguna Beach is not at all what you think it is. In my head, I had an expectation of what LB would be based on our favorite MTV show :) But, to my surprise, Laguna is gorgeous and low key. It’s filled with artists and art galleries. There are wine tasting rooms and restaurants on the water. There are cliff-side beaches and small windy streets. I think it is really magical and there are a ton of great restaurants to go to watch the sunset.
8. GET FISH TACOS AND POKE AT BEAR FLAG FISH CO.
Just trust me on this. They have moved locations a few times, but the tacos remain killer! We always make a pit stop here if we are back in town (even just for a few hours). Get the classic fish tacos and a side of ahi poke - you’ll thank me later.
https://www.bearflagfishco.com/
9. DATE NIGHT IN CORONA DEL MAR (AKA “CDM”)
Cornoa del Mar (or CDM as we called it) is a fabulous little stretch of coast between Newport Beach and Laguna. It’s filled with upscale restaurants and bars. It’s definitely the spot where the high-class locals go to grab a drink after shopping at Fashion Island. Some bars and restaurants we recommend are The Bungalow, Side Door, Javier’s, The Quiet Woman, and Mama D’s italian.
10. WHALE WATCHING
Whale watching in Newport Beach is pretty great. Sometimes you can sit on the beach and see the whales off the shore. But the more fun experience is to take a two hour whale watching tour out of Newport Harbor. At most, you’ll see some of the magnificent whales - at the least, you’ll see a bunch of dolphins. We always saw something.
11. COWBOY CANYON WINERY
This place is a bit of a secret in the hills of OC. We lived in Tustin for two years and we started to discover all of the hidden gems in inland OC. This winery is shared with Giracci vineyards and tucked away in the canyons. If you have a free afternoon, definitely check it out!
http://cowboycanyonwinery.com/
12. SHOPPING AT FASHION ISLAND
Fashion Island is well known as one of the best - if not fanciest - malls in SoCal. They have every designer you could want. The mall is a bit of indoor / outdoor. Check out Sprinkles Cupcakes while you’re there! If shopping is your thing, you can’t miss this mall.
https://www.fashionisland.com/
13. SURF IT UP IN HUNTINGTON BEACH
HB is pretty much the birthplace of surfing as we know it. There are lots of cool surf shops, as well as surf-themed restaurants to choose from. You can also take a surf lesson or buy a new board!
14. RENT BEACH CRUISERS ON THE PENINSULA
Riding bikes on the Newport peninsula is a really great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. You can stop along the way for food or drinks. I used to ride my beach cruiser to get my nails done or pick up a few groceries, even! You can take the boardwalk, which is split into walking or biking lanes, and just enjoy the sunshine!
https://www.beachandbikes.com/rentals
15. BEACH SUNSET PICNIC
The best way to end a fun day in Orange County is to grab a bottle of white wine and some plastic cups and head to the beach for sunset. We did this every Friday after work and it is such a special memory I have!
16. HAPPY HOUR AT THE JELLYFISH LOUNGE AT THE CANNERY
The Cannery is a staple restaurant on the Newport harbor. You can sit, dockside, and watch the boats pull in and out. The coolest spot, I think, is upstairs in the Jellyfish lounge. We would meet friends for a drink and appetizer here to kick off the weekend. They also have very good sushi and seafood (hello, seafood sampler platter). Definitely worth a try!
17. CAR FERRY TO BALBOA ISLAND
Balboa Island is located very close to the Newport Peninsula and there is a bridge that connects to it. However, the more FUN way to get there is by taking the auto ferry from Newport Harbor. You catch the ferry at the Fun Zone, you’ll see the ferris wheel and know you’re in the right place. The ferry takes all of five minutes and then you can drive onto the island and enjoy the shops!
18. CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANAS ON BALBOA ISLAND
Once on Balboa Island, you can walk around Main street and pop into the shops. There aren’t a ton of restaurant options that I would choose over the Newport spots, but if you’re hungry grab a chocolate covered banana - they’re famous for this!
19. SUSHI AT SUSHI ON FIRE
I would venture to say this was our favorite restaurant in all of OC. We went here any chance we got. Lines are sometimes long, so you put your name in and wait next door at the wine tasting room! The hostess will walk over and get you when a table opens up. The sushi is amazing, guys. Like - we dream about it from Chicago. Get the Refreshing Roll. Just do it. Better yet, ship me one please :)
20. STAND UP PADDLE BOARD IN NEWPORT BAY
You could really paddle board on the open water, as well. But we loved renting paddle boards - or kayaks - and going around the bay. For the same reasons I said about the duffy boat: the bay is calm, there are lots of other people out on the water just enjoying themselves and it’s a nice way to see the bay.
https://www.balboawatersports.com/paddle-boards.html
21. ENJOY A SCOONER AT MUTT LYNCH’S
Going to Mutt’s is basically a right of passage in Newport. We sat at the window and had a drink here way back when we were making the decision to move to California or not. Let’s just say, these views might have convinced us! The thing to order is the mimosa or beer scooner. It’s very large, but you’ll be in no rush to finish it while taking in the beach views.
22. SPEND A DAY AT DISNEY’S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE OR DISNEYLAND
Located in Anaheim, it is so easy to get to Disneyland for a day trip. We used to even go at night just for the fireworks and dinner -hey, parking is free after 5pm! Definitely worth stopping there if you are a huge Pixar fan - all of California Adventure is dedicated to Pixar movies, like Cars and Bugs Life. It’s pretty fun and much less busy than Disney World.
I hope you have a great time! Wherever you go in Orange County, you can’t go wrong!
