RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. We are so excited to announce, that after years of being closed, Adventure Playground in Huntington Beach will be open THIS summer!!!! We couldn't be happier because this adventure park is seriously one of my kiddies favorite places to visit in Orange County! Adventure Playground is a mud park for kids located in...
101 Things to do in Orange County with Kids [From a Local]
Looking for some fun things to do with kids in Orange County? Here are 101 of the best places to take kids in the OC. From the best beaches, parks and museums, to hidden gems and theme parks...they're all listed! And I know what I am talking about...because I've lived in Orange County my entire...
Fun Things to Do with Kids When it Rains in Orange County
Although rain is a big commodity here in Orange County, it still can be a bit of a nuisance when you are stuck inside the house. Since the most popular activities in Orange County are outdoors, rain eliminates a bulk of the activities to do in the OC. (updated January 2023) Us Southern Californians aren't...
11 Family-friendly Orange County Tide Pools
Besides the amazing weather here is Orange County, we also have some of the most the beautiful beaches. The summer weather is almost always nice enough to head down to one! Our family loves all of the beaches in Orange County, but we usually choose to go to the beaches with tide pools because there's...
Guide to Having the Best Beach Bonfire in Orange County
I get a ton of emails asking how and where is the best place to have a beach bonfire in Orange County. With Spring Break around the corner, and summer coming up thereafter, you're going to want to bookmark this post! I also get a lot of emails asking about the best free activities in...
I Tried HopSkipDrive Kids Car Service: What I Thought
When I was contacted by HopSkipDrive to possibly try out their service and share my experience with my readers, I'd have to say, I was very hesitant at first. The idea of someone else picking up my child and driving them to a destination without my supervision put my mom nerves into high gear. Why...
Free Fairview Park Train Rides in Costa Mesa, CA
Do you have a child who loves trains? Then the free model train rides at Goat Hill Junction Railroad at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa are a must! I've been taking my kids since they were two years old, and we still continue to go and ride them to this day. If you haven't been...
The New Amazon Fresh in Irvine, California
A new Amazon Fresh Grocery Store has come to Irvine, California! This is the first one of its kind to come to Orange County and the kids and I were excited to check it out. We wanted to see what it is all about and how things work. The new Amazon Fresh in Irvine is...
Tips for Visiting Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel
If you are looking for a scenic family-friendly nature adventure, then the Niguel Botanical Preserve in the city of Laguna Niguel is a great place to visit. Enjoy gardens, hundreds of different plant species, water features, artwork, and plant lined trails that will leave you feeling calm and relaxed. Niguel Botanical Preserve is 18.2-acre botanical garden,...
The Orange Empire Railway Museum Train to Santa's Workshop
Last year our family discovered a magical Christmas adventure! We loved it so much that it will now be a family tradition every year. We took the Train to Santa's Workshop at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris and what a special evening it was. Beginning at the end of November, you can take...
Family Dinner Fun at Mainplace Mall
if you have kids, then you probably have experienced the struggle that comes with taking them to a restaurant. i had finally gotten to the point in life with my boys, that going to restaurants with them was fun again. but now that Dani has come along, things are back to crazy! taking a two...
The Kids Loved Visiting Bricks & Minifigs Anaheim (Updated 2020)
Updated December 2020 - Today, I surprised the boys and took them to the newest store in Orange County - Bricks & Minifigs Anaheim (Although it is technically in Fullerton). As you probably guessed, Bricks & Minifigs sells LEGO! But...it's not like "the" Lego Store. It is an aftermarket LEGO shop specializing in used LEGO® items. Yep...they actually...
Orange County Summer Bucket List and Free Printable
Orange County is truly unique. our weather is beautiful, we have great beaches, lots of fun family-friendly amenities to enjoy in our communities, and did i mention the beaches...oh yeah, i did! well, i often get asked what are my favorite activities to enjoy with kids in Orange County, so i decided to put together...
Finding Fairy Houses on the Oso Creek Fairy Trail in Mission Viejo
Update: The fairies are returning November 3, 2019 and will stay throughout the Christmas season. This weekend, we headed over to see if we could spot the Caring Fairies of the Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo. these are the same Caring Fairies of the Aliso Summit Trail in Laguna Niguel. they found a new...
The New Café Nongshim at Pretend City Children's Museum
last week, miss Dani Kat and i took a trip to Pretend City for the Grand Opening of Café Nongshim. it is the new play cafe that Pretend City changes themes a couple times a year. we love the cafe because it is perfect for little hands to explore and create – and expose children to...
Strawberry Picking in San Juan Capistrano at South Coast Farms
Updated information on May 2020, not photos and story. Update: South Coast Farms has moved to a new farming location, Tree of Life Nursery at 33201 Ortega Hwy in San Juan Capistrano. A few weekends ago, we decided to head down to South Orange County and go strawberry picking in San Juan Capistrano at South...
Healthy Kitchen Kids Cooking Classes at Discovery Cube
If you don't know that Discovery Cube OC has kids cooking classes...you do now! my kids LOVE to cook, and ever since we started watching Master Chef Junior as a family, they've wanted to learn how to be little chefs. so we certainly were very thrilled that the Petersonville Healthy Kitchen has opened at Discovery Cube OC. The Healthy Kitchen...
75 Birthday Party Places for Kids in Orange County (2024)
Looking for Birthday Party Places for in Kids Orange County to host your child's birthday party? Look no further. This huge list has over 75 venues to choose from. There are some great choices for both boy and girl birthday parties, and all these birthday party facilities are located here in the OC. The best...
Family Visit to Crystal Cove Beach in Laguna
i knew it wouldn't be long before baby Dani would visit the beach for her first time. after giving birth to her at the beginning of this month, i was beginning to go stir crazy. staying in the house all day, had my boys begging to go on a family adventure. we're used to being...
101 Places to Find the Best Treats in Orange County
from ice cream to donuts, to shaved ice to cupcakes, Orange County has its share of yummy places to get unique and tasty treats. i am often asked where to go to get a decadent desserts or fun places to take the kiddies to get a special treat after school. so i thought, why not make...
Discovering Northgate Market in Anaheim
last week, the boys and i were invited to the Grand Opening of Northgate Market in Anaheim on the corner of St. College and Lincoln. Northgate Markets are a chain of Mexican markets founded and run by the Gonzales Reynoso family who immigrated from Mexico. the first store was opened in 1980 in Anaheim on Anaheim boulevard....
Extreme Dinosaurs at Discovery Cube OC
i've got a couple of dinosaur lovers at home who were really excited to hear about the new exhibit that has come to Discovery Cube OC. it's called Extreme Dinosaurs, and it will be at the Cube from May 28th - September 5th, 2016. of course we headed over to check it out a few weeks...
Family Fun at Sender City and Sender One Indoor Rock Climbing
On the weekend nights, we love to go out as a family and do fun activities around the OC. Whether it's the beach, the movies or exploring new places, we're always looking for something fun AND that the whole family will enjoy. One of our most favorite places to go in Orange County is to...
Our Family's Visit to the Great Wolf Lodge in Southern California
from the moment i found out about the Great Wolf Lodge, i knew that i wanted to take my family on a vacation there. it was about four years ago when i read a post on another blog about the Great Wolf Lodge in Texas. it looked AMAZING...like a rustic lodge with amazing experiences for kids...
A Killer Time at Zombee Donuts & Bakeshop in Fullerton
a couple of weeks ago, i asked my Facebook page followers some suggestions of the best places to get sweets, treats and donuts in Orange County. everyone answered with lots of yummy places to try out, and i decided that i was going to do my best to get to all the places that were suggested. well....last...
ALDI is Coming to Southern California and I am SO Excited!
This post is sponsored by ALDI.if you live in Orange County, then you may have heard the news that ALDI is coming to Southern California. up until now, ALDI Food Markets were mainly located in the Midwest and East Coast, but i am excited to say that us Southern Californians are about to experience a...
Orange Picking at Irvine Ranch Outdoor Educational Center
we are so lucky to live in Orange County...with the beautiful weather and the opportunities to explore the nature around us. getting outdoors and enjoying unique adventures is our family's favorite thing to do. so, when we found out that you could go orange picking in Orange County at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Educational Center, we decided...
A Tour of the New Whole Foods Market in Brea
early this week, the boys and i were able to take a tour of the brand new Whole Foods Market in Brea. this is very exciting for the people of north Orange County, because it's the first Whole Foods Market to open up in the north OC. let me tell you, it is beautiful and i am so...
Pizza Making Parties at Naples Ristorante in DownTown Disney
last weekend my family was invited to a Pizza Making Party at Naples Ristorante e Pizzaria. it's one of the fabulous Downtown Disney restaurants here in Orange County at Disneyland Resort. we were all very excited to attend because, besides loving pizza, we were going to get to make them ourselves. the boys have been...
Fun Giant Slides at Santiago Park Nature Preserve in Santa Ana
(Update: Unfortunately, the giant slides have been removed from the park.) it's always fun to find fun hidden gems in Orange County. these giant slides can be found tucked into the hillside of Santiago Park Nature Preserve in Santa Ana. they are super long and probably some of the last old-school playground slides left in...
Customize Your Own Donut at Poqet DONUTS in Irvine
for that past few weeks, the boys and i have been staying low and hanging out at home. but we decided to get out one day after school, and check out one of Orange County' newest donut stores, Irvine-based poqet DONUTS. it's the first doughnut shop around here that offers costumers the chance to customize their very...
101 Things to Do with Teens and Tweens in Orange County
Entertaining teens and tweens can be hard! Most of the time, they just want to be with their friends or playing on their electronic devices or social media. They're too big to play on park playgrounds. And many of the activities on my list of 101 Kid-friendly Things to do in Orange County aren't geared towards their age range. So...
Sneak Peek at The Ranch in Laguna Beach
this coming year, i will be partnering with The Ranch at Laguna Beach to share the latest news and all about what's happening at OC's newest hidden gem. just two weeks ago, the hubby and i got to check it out and enjoy a weekend stay so that i could share a sneak peek of what's...
Fun at Adventure Playground in Irvine
We love this interactive park that has opened in Orange County. Adventure Playground at University Park in Irvine is one of Orange County residents favorite parks. OC kids of all ages can enjoy unstructured play, a mud section, tunnels, obstacles and an amazing jungle gym. We couldn't wait to check it out, so we went over on...
The Outlets at San Clemente have Arrived in Orange County
Something new and exciting has come to Orange County...the all-new Outlets at San Clemente!!!! I had the opportunity to attend the ribbon cutting and tour the Outlets at San Clemente last week and wow....they are so beautiful. The Outlets at San Clemente is the first and only ocean-facing outdoor outlet shopping and dining destination in Orange County....
A Family Trip to Savers to Help Our Local Non-Profits
it's that time of year....back to school time! now that the kids are settled in their new routines, it's time for me to get the house in order. this is the time of year when i like clean out the house and get rid of everything we have outgrown or don't use anymore. with the...
Hard Hat Tour of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California
today was an exciting day! i have been anxiously awaiting the time when a Great Wolf Lodge would be built here in Orange County, and it looks like my dreams are going to come true in February of 2016. today i got to take a hard hat tour of the construction site and see for myself what...
Bluebird Park in Laguna Beach
I have been wanting to visit Bluebird Park in Laguna Beach for a while now. and since we were in Laguna Beach last weekend, we decided it was the perfect time to check it out. The day was hot, and the kids were a little crabby, so they complained that we were heading to the park...
Hidden Gem: Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach, CA
Laguna Beach. home to some of the most beautiful Southern California beaches you can see, and Victoria Beach is one of them. Nestled between cliffs and upscale beach homes, Victoria Beach is one of the hidden gems of Orange County. Many refer to this beach as Rapunzel's Castle or a Pirate Tower beach. And as you can...
A Day on the Beach in a Pacific Edge Hotel Bungalow
imagine spending the day enjoying this breathtaking view. turquoise water, crashing waves, sunshine and warm sand. that was my day a few weeks ago. it was heavenly. growing up in the OC, i am definitely a beach girl. we re so lucky to have many beaches to enjoy. Laguna beaches are among some of my...
Family Ice Cream Fun at Scoops N Scoops in Irvine
this week, me and the boys headed over to Scoops N Scoops in Irvine to try out their ice cream which is created and frozen on the spot with liquid nitrogen. it was not only a trip to an ice cream store, but also a fun and exciting experience to watch how they make the ice cream...
Old Fashioned Candy Making Demonstrations at Logan's Candies
If you've never seen candy canes made in real life or just want something fun to do, I highly recommend making the trek out to Ontario to visit Logan's Candies. This little mom and pop candy shop is located in historic downtown Ontario, and is where you can get a glimpse of the architecture of the city...