Old Towne Orange is one of those places that is fun to explore even when you don't have a plan. There are antique stores, vintage shops, restaurants, historic buildings and little surprises everywhere you look. Did you know that Old Towne Orange has been a filming location for more than 20 feature films and even more television shows?
Old Towne Orange is one of my favorite places to walk around and enjoy the scenery. I've taken our family photos there more times than I can count. It has a vintage charm that really feels different from anywhere else in Orange County.
I wanted to include it on my list of 25+ Free Things to Do in Orange County with Kids and thought, why not make a fun scavenger hunt for kids to go with it?
Instead of just walking around the Orange Circle, kids can look for some of the unique stores, landmarks and quirky details that make Old Towne Orange special. And the best part is, you don't have to buy anything to have fun doing it.
Old Towne Orange is centered around the historic Plaza. It is filled with great antique and collectible shops, specialty stores and restaurants. The City of Orange also notes that the area is part of one of California's largest historic districts.
Old Towne Orange Scavenger Hunt
See how many of these you can find while exploring the Circle and surrounding streets.
☐ Find the oldest-looking building
☐ Find a building with a date on it
☐ Find your favorite storefront
☐ Find something that looks like it belongs in a movie
☐ Find the fountain in the center of the Orange Circle
☐ Find an antique that you have no idea what it was used for
☐ Find something that reminds you of your grandparents
☐ Find something from before you were born
☐ Find the strangest thing you can in an antique shop
☐ Find a vintage toy
☐ Find an old record or record player
☐ Find a piece of clothing from another decade
☐ Find an old sign or advertisement
☐ Find something orange
☐ Find a store you've never been inside before
☐ Find a building detail you think is really pretty
☐ Find something you've only seen in an old movie
☐ Find the tiniest antique you can
☐ Find something you wish they still made today
☐ Take a photo at your favorite spot around the Circle
Bonus Stops Around the Circle
☐ Find something unusual inside an antique shop
☐ Visit Dragonfly Shops & Gardens
☐ Stop inside Matoska Trading Company
☐ Explore an antique mall
☐ Browse a vintage shop
☐ Find one shop you want to come back to again
Bonus Challenge: Everyone in the family picks their favorite thing they found, but no one is allowed to pick the same thing.
Make Your Old Towne Orange Visit More Fun
The fun part about Old Towne Orange is that the stores are constantly changing. The antique stores and vintage shops get new inventory all the time. This means you could do this scavenger hunt more than once and probably find something different every visit.
I also wouldn't worry about doing every single item. Let the kids pick their favorites, wander around and see where you end up.
That's part of the fun.
Start the Scavenger Hunt at the Orange Circle
I would start your scavenger hunt at the Orange Circle itself, where the fountain is.
The Plaza is right in the middle of Old Towne Orange at Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street, so it makes an easy starting point before heading out in any direction to explore the shops. The historic downtown is very walkable, which makes this an easy activity to do at your own pace.
Don't Forget to Look at the Buildings
One of the things I love most about Old Towne Orange is that it doesn't feel like a typical shopping center.
A lot of the commercial buildings in the historic district date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, so tell the kids to look up while you're walking. You'll notice old storefronts, architectural details and buildings that feel very different from the rest of Orange County.
More Things to Do Around the Orange Circle
You really could spend a couple of hours just doing the scavenger hunt, but it's easy to turn it into a full afternoon.
Bring lunch, grab something to eat around the Circle, stop for a treat, or visit the Orange Public Library while you're there.
If you go on a Saturday, you can also pair your visit with the Orange Home Grown Farmers & Artisans Market. Casa Lulo also occasionally offers free mini screen-printing classes. They announce upcoming classes on social media, so check their latest posts before you go. The printing part is free, but you will need a shirt or bag to print on. So either bring one of your own, or stop by Walmart, Target or a craft store to pick up an inexpensive black shirt to screen print on.
We also love visiting the town's mom & pop toy store, Tiddlywinks located near the circle and our favorite, Dragonfly Shops & Gardens that is located just north of the circle on Glassell Street.
Here is my daughter trying screen printing for the first time at Casa Lulo! So fun and also educational.
Parking in Old Towne Orange
This is one section I would definitely keep current because parking has changed.
Old Towne Orange now has paid parking in some on-street spaces and public lots. The City says paid parking is generally in effect from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Rates vary by location.
So before you go, I'd check the City of Orange parking information rather than assuming parking will be free.
Make It a Free Orange County Adventure
This is one of those activities that proves you really don't have to spend a lot of money to have a fun day with kids in Orange County. You can walk around, explore the historic downtown, browse unique shops and turn the whole thing into a game.
And if you're looking for even more ideas, check out my guide to 25+ Free Things to Do in Orange County with Kids.
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