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Amusement Parks/Family Fun Attractions
Wild Rivers Waterpark (Back to top)
www.wildrivers.com
8770 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
949.768.9453
"The Ultimate Family Waterpark Experience."
The Queen Mary (Back to top)
www.queenmary.com
1126 Queens Highway
Long Beach, CA 90802
562.499.1740
A floating city awash in elegance, the Queen Mary remains one of the most famous ships in history. The Queen Mary features an on-board hotel, an elaborate Champagne Sunday Brunch, a variety of restaurants, a wedding chapel and 16 Art Deco reception salons for private celebration.
Balboa Fun Zone (Back to top)
www.thebalboafunzone.com
600 East Bay Avenue #B
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.673.0408
Attractions include a Ferris wheel; a carousel; harbor cruises; arcades & game room; quaint shops and great restaurants. Located right near the beach.
Legoland (Back to top)
http://california.legoland.com
One Legoland Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92008
888.771.8877
Legoland is located 45 minutes south of Dana Point and half an hour north of Sea World in San Diego.
Enjoy any of the popular shows and rides at this unique theme park. Eat lunch in the fresh, open-air market atmosphere, and shop the specialty shops throughout the park.
Disneyland (Back to top)
www.disneyland.com
Guest Relations Office: 714.781.7290
Visit the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Enjoy Mickey's Toontown, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Mainstreet U.S.A., Tomorrowland and Adventure Land.
California Adventure (Back to top)
www.disneyland.com
Visit Disney's new California Adventure and Downtown Disney California next to Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.
Knott's Berry Farm (Back to top)
www.knotts.com
8039 Beach Boulevard
Buena Park, CA 90620
714.220.5200
Open every day except Christmas.
Enjoy world-class thrills, fun and family entertainment. They are guided by the principles of safety, service, courtesy, cleanliness and integrity.
Six Flags Magic Mountain (Back to top)
www.sixflags.com
Six Flags Magic Mountain is located in Valencia north of Hollywood and is home to several of the most exciting thrill rides in the world, with 10 themed areas packed with exciting rides and attractions.
Universal Studios (Back to top)
www.universalstudioshollywood.com
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
818.777.1000
800.959.9688
Visit Universal Studios Hollywood, the World's Largest Movie Studio and Theme Park to see how the magic is made. Get a behind-the-scenes look at special effects techniques. You can visit street scenes from famous Hollywood attractions.
Museums/Galleries
Laguna Art Museum (Back to top)
www.lagunaartmuseum.org
307 Cliff Drive
Corner of Cliff Drive and Pacific Coast Highway, between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach on Pacific Coast Highway (#1)
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.494.6531
This museum is focused on research and education dedicated to American Art and particularly art in California. The Laguna Art Museum promotes understanding of the role of art and artists in American culture through collection, exhibition, research and instruction. The Museum features continuously changing exhibitions.
Wyland Galleries (Back to top)
www.wyland.com
509 South Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.376.8000
Dive into the world of Wyland, the world's leading environmental marine life artist. Visit one of three Laguna Beach Wyland Galleries at 2171 Laguna Canyon, 509 South Coast Highway or 218 Forest Avenue.
Museum of Tolerance (Back to top)
www.wiesenthal.com
Simon Wiesenthal Plaza
9786 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90035
310.553.8403
The Museum of Tolerance is a high tech, hands-on experiential museum that focuses on two central themes through unique interactive exhibits:
The dynamics of racism and prejudice in America and the history of the Holocaust - the ultimate example of man's inhumanity to man.
The Museum, the educational arm of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, was founded to challenge visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts.
Petersen Automotive Museum (Back to top)
www.petersen.org
6060 Wilshire Boulevard (at Fairfax)
Los Angeles, CA 90035
323.930.CARS (2277)
Closed on Mondays
Experience history, technology, science, architecture and more through the windshield of the automobile at the Petersen Automotive Museum, one of the world's largest and most innovative of its kind. Walk through time experiencing the changes of car culture over the centuries and witness the impact of the automobile on U.S. history and culture. View the rotating galleries and see classic cars and motorcycles.
The Getty Museum (Back to top)
www.getty.edu/museum
1200 Getty Center
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310.440.7300
Free Admission, but advance reservations are required.
(Closed Mondays)
The Getty Museum is designed around a central courtyard that has changing exhibits and a permanent collection of the pre-20th century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, decorative arts and photographs. The museum features an art information room where visitors may see live demonstrations, participate in hands-on- exhibits, browse through books and examine how things are made. Visit the Institutive Gallery, the library or restaurant located within the Getty Center.
Bowers Museum (Back to top)
www.bowers.org
The Bowers Museum is located at the corner of 20th and Main Street in Santa Ana.
Museum 714.567.3600
Kidseum 714.480.1520
This museum of Cultural art features many special events such as field trips, lectures and hands-on activities. Permanently displayed are works of art that convey certain meaning for diverse cultures. The Bowers Museum is truly a sight to see.
Pageant of the Masters (Back to top)
www.foapom.com
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
888.487.3378
The Pageant of the Masters is part of the world's most respected outdoor art show, "The Festival of Arts." Sit back and watch artistic wizardry that magically transforms live actors and intricate sets into remarkable re-creations of magnificent works of art. The Pageant is staged nightly during the season in a beautiful starlit amphitheater with full orchestra and inspiring narration.
Nature/Parks
The Environmental Nature Center (Back to top)
1601 16th Street
Between Irvine Avenue and Dover Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92663-5977
949.645.8489
The Environmental Nature Center offers guided walking tours in its two-and-a-half acre wildlife habitat, featuring a unique combination of California plant communities, wildlife habitats, walking trails, outdoor classroom and interpretive center. Call to schedule guided tours. Open to individuals and small groups to wander and enjoy with staff available to answer questions.
Heisler Park (Back to top)
From Aster Street to Diver's Cove
South Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.497.0716 ext. 6
Take a stroll along the bluffs of Cliff Drive. This one-mile-long walking trail includes views of beautiful flower and cactus groups. Enjoy the walking trails, gardens, a marine refuge, tide pools, picnic tables, barbecues and lawn bowling.
The Hortense Miller Garden (Back to top)
949.497.0716 ext. 6
Free Admission
Established in 1959, the gardens cover 2.5 acres of an upper slope area of North Laguna. On a two-hour tour, see more than 1,500 plant species, a natural history and horticultural library. Docent-led tours. No children under thirteen. Address and directions are given at time of reservation as the Garden is at a private residence. Two-week advance reservations are usually required.
Quail Botanical Gardens (Back to top)
www.qbgardens.com
230 Quail Gardens Drive
Encinitas, CA 92024
760.436.3036
Quail Botanical Garden is a place of beauty in all seasons. Ancient cycads, majestic palms, flowering trees and the largest bamboo collection in the United States are part of the diverse and botanically important collections you will discover here.
Roger's Gardens (Back to top)
www.rogersgardens.com
2301 San Joaquin Hills Road
Corner of San Joaquin Hills Road and MacArthur Boulevard
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625-1195
949.640.5800
"Its soul is the garden as a place and as a state of mind." Seven acres of shops and gardens unfold to offer visitors an oasis of enjoyment. Located across from the popular Fashion Island shopping center, Roger's Gardens is nearly hidden from view by mature pines and shrubs. Roger's features arboretum-quality gardens, thousands of hanging baskets and color-filled splashes of flowers year-round.
Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park (Back to top)
The park entrance is east of San Juan Capistrano on Highway 74 (Ortega Highway), seven miles east of Interstate 5.
949.728.0235
Spanning 7,600 acres of the western Santa Ana Mountains, this is Orange County's largest county park. The 30-mile trail network is open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. The visitor's center features a small museum and open-air observation tower.
Sherman Library and Gardens (Back to top)
www.slgardens.org
2647 East Pacific Coast Highway
Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Gardens: 949.673.2261
Library: 949.673.1880
Free Admission
Occupying an entire city block, the Sherman Library and Gardens is Corona del Mar's educational and cultural center. The library specializes in the history of the Pacific Southwest and houses exhibits and extensive reference materials from the region. The botanical gardens display plants from all over the world. Group tours are available.
The Flower Fields (Back to top)
www.theflowerfields.com
619.930.9123
Located just east of Interstate 5 at Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad, California, 30 miles north of San Diego.
With each new-year, the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are in full bloom. Thousands of ranunculus plants are grown on fifty acres of hillside, above the Pacific shoreline. Separated into ribbon-like bands of color, the ranunculus blooms create a sea of flowers. The fields attract visitors from all over the world who are amazed and delighted by this unique attraction and magnificent vista. Take yourself out of the ordinary and spend a few hours in one of nature's wonders. Browse in a special nursery, garden, and gift shop at Armstrong Garden Centers.
Zoos & Wildlife
San Diego Wild Animal Park (Back to top)
www.sandiegozoo.org
15500 San Pasqual Valley Road
Escondido, CA 92027-7017
760.747.8702
Open 365 days a year
Spend a busy day at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Wander through the grounds and look at the animals or view the shows at the park, which include a bird show and a rare animal show. Then dine on Italian or Asian specialties before browsing the shops for intriguing gifts from around the world.
San Diego Zoo (Back to top)
www.sandiegozoo.com
2920 Zoo Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
619.234.3153
Open 365 days a year.
The San Diego Zoo is home to many special animals. View the animals, see a show or stop by the gift shops for African art, objects, books, music, clothes or souvenirs.
Zoomars Petting Zoo (Back to top)
www.zoomars.com
31791 Los Rios
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92027-7017
949-831-6550
Open 365 days a year, 10-5, rain or shine.
San Diego Zoo (Back to top)
www.sandiegozoo.com
2920 Zoo Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
619.234.3153
Open 365 days a year.
The San Diego Zoo is home to many special animals. View the animals, see a show or stop by the gift shops for African art, objects, books, music, clothes or souvenirs.
Performing Arts
South Coast Repertory (Back to top)
www.scr.org
655 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Box Office 714.708.5555
Main Office 714.708.5500
South Coast Repertory has established itself as a major force in American theatre and a leader in the booming arts scene in Orange County, California.
The South Coast Repertory is one of the leading institutions in the American resident theatre movement, having won a Tony Award and Emmes. The theatre houses a two-stage complex and has 13 productions per season. The South Coast Repertory is theatrical enlightenment. With plays, special events, tours and acting lessons, there is constant activity that will keep you enthralled and amused.
Orange County Performing Arts Center (Back to top)
www.ocpac.org
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.556.2121
Experience live performances from some of the world's greatest singers, dancers, actors and musicians from ballet to Broadway.
Mission San Luis Rey (Back to top)
www.sanluisrey.org
Mission San Luis Rey, 4050 Mission Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92057
760.757.3651
Tucked away in a quiet North San Diego County valley, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, you will find a majestic jewel of early California history called Mission San Luis Rey. Walking through the Sunken Gardens or along the arched colonnade, you will be transported to the past, imagining the everyday life of the Franciscan Friars and Indians who inhabited the Mission more than two centuries ago. Mission San Luis Rey truly lives up to its title as King of the Missions.
Mission San Juan Capistrano (Back to top)
www.missionsjc.com
Corner of Ortega Highway and Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
949.248.2040
One of California's most important historical, cultural, and educational centers, Mission San Juan Capistrano is the seventh of 21 Spanish Missions established in California by Franciscan Padres. It is the destination of the returning Swallows of Capistrano.
The Laguna Playhouse (Back to top)
www.lagunaplayhouse.com
606 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.494.8021
This award winning, critically acclaimed professional theater company, the West Coast's oldest, offers a Main stage and a Youth Theater season year-round.
Sealife
Long Beach Aquarium (Back to top)
www.aquariumofpacific.org
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
562.590.3100
Open every day except Christmas, this non-profit organization serves the community by educating children and families. See the colorful fish and view the exhibits.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps (Back to top)
www.aquarium.ucsd.edu
2300 Expedition Way
La Jolla, CA 92037
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days
The Birch Aquarium is the interpretive center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Dive into science and have fun learning about sea horses, kelp, sharks, coral spawning, climate change, jelly fish, gray whales, cuttle fish and much more. Enjoy hands-on learning adventures like tide pooling, Baja Whale Watching, Sea Kayaking.
Sea World (Back to top)
www.seaworld.com
500 SeaWorld Drive
San Diego, CA 92109
619.226.3901
Attractions include the Shamu Adventure; Wings of the World Bird Show; a Manatee Rescue; DIP (Dolphin Interaction Program); and both shark and penguin encounters.
Shopping
Fashion Island Shopping Center (Back to top)
www.shopfashionisland.com
905 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.721.2000
Enjoy Fashion Island's upscale department stores and boutiques.
South Coast Plaza (Back to top)
www.southcoastplaza.com
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92656
800.782.8888
You will find every store imaginable at South Coast Plaza. Visit their web site for a listing of all the stores and restaurants.
The Shops at Mission Viejo (Back to top)
www.shops-at-mission-viejo.com
555 The Shops at Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Enjoy shopping and dining at The Shops at Mission Viejo.
Rodeo Drive (Back to top)
Rodeo Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Whether it's the sunshine or the notion that at any moment you might just brush shoulders with a famous celebrity, Rodeo Drive is renowned as the most American of streets with a uniquely Southern California attitude.
Ocean Activities
Dana Point Harbor (Back to top)
www.danapointharbor.com
Pacific Coast Highway & Dana Point
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.496.1094
Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego on the southern Orange County coast, Dana Point Harbor is truly one of the most spectacular man-made harbors in the world. Dana Point Harbor is a cool place to be, the weather is always cooler in summer, warmer in the winter and there are a wide variety of things to do, places to shop and dine and endless ways to be entertained. Take in the tide pools, the Orange County Marine Institute and the brig "Pilgrim". Two marinas located inside the mile and a half jetty are home to 2,500 yachts with complete marina facilities including guest slips, launching ramps, boat rentals, sales, instruction, yacht clubs and sailing associations. Relax in one of the many picnic barbecue areas, on a grassy knoll or a harbor side bench and watch the boats sail in and out of the harbor; the sea gulls cavort and listen to the voice of the sea.
Newport Sailing Club & Academy of Sailing (Back to top)
3424 Via Oporto # 204
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.675.7100
Newport Sailing Club offers rigorous instruction on sailing, seamanship and safety. A fleet of sailing vessels from 25 to 55 feet long with professional skippers for charters in the Newport Harbor and off shore is also available.
Marina Watersports (Back to top)
600 East Edgewater Avenue
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.673.3372
Newport's largest and most diversified water activity center offers something for everyone. There are water bikes, paddleboats and kayaks for great family fun. Perhaps a relaxing self-guided tour of the beautiful homes and yachts of Newport Bay in a late model runabout, pontoon boat, luxury electric bay cruiser, or high performance sailboat. For the more adventurous, you can jump the swells off the gorgeous Newport Coast in an awesome Seadoo jet boat, or soar 400 feet above it all on a peaceful, serene para-sail flight. Located in the heart of the Balboa Fun Zone on the waterfront.
Catalina Express to Catalina Island (Back to top)
www.catalinaexpress.com
800.481.3470
Passengers on board one of Catalina Express' high speed catamarans can expect to arrive in Catalina in about an hour, from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point. Catalina Express offers year round service and the convenience of up to 30 round trips daily.
Orange County Marine Institute (Back to top)
www.ocean-institute.org/index.html
24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.496.2274
Situated at the far west end of Dana Point Harbor, the Orange County Marine Institute is a unique educational facility. The Institute features marine mammal and other cruises. Kids love the displays of tide pool life, nautical sailing gear and the huge replica of a gray whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.
The brig Pilgrim is a full-sized replica of the square-rigged vessel on which Richard Henry Dana sailed from Boston to the coast of California. It lies docked near the Orange County Marine Institute and offers school children an extraordinary re-creation of life at sea during the 19th century. The public is invited aboard for tours every Sunday.
The Dana Point Marine Life Refuge, adjacent to the Marine Institute is open to the public year-round and affords a unique opportunity to explore a rocky inter-tidal habitat.
Doheny State Beach (Back to top)
www.dohenystatebeach.org
25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.496.6172
Doheny State Beach offers campgrounds, but also much more - five aquariums and a 500-gallon simulated tide pool. They offer a tide pool introduction program into marine ecology where one can observe sea life in their inter-tidal habitats. Also offered is a Wildlife Program and Bird watching - of 25 different specimens.
Dana Wharf Sportfishing (Back to top)
www.danawharfsportfishing.com
34675 Golden Lantern
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.496.5794
Specialized charters for sportfishing, sailing and whale watching are available.
Dana Island Yacht Sales, Inc. (Back to top)
www.danaislandyachts.com
34551 Casitas Place
Dana Point, CA 92629
949.248.7400
Two-hour whale-watching tours are a must-see when in the Dana Point area.
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