Laguna Art Museum - Things to Do in Orange County 73

Ever feel a bit artistic with the need to want to be creative? Orange County's art scene is most prominent in Laguna Beach. There, you'll find all kinds of galleries that you can visit to get inspired. And if the art itself is not enough, just visit the beach right by to get some inspiration from the West Coast's best beaches.

Also in Laguna Beach is a little museum called the Laguna Art Museum. It's not a huge museum. You can probably look through the entire museum in about 30 minutes if you rush it.

Oftentimes, the Laguna Art Museum showcases art created by local artists in Orange County. When I visited, they had the "Art Shack" exhibition. It showcased little shacks that were artistically created. I personally loved the exhibition.

The cool thing about the Laguna Art Museum is that it changes around its exhibitions pretty often, thereby allowing you to enjoy all sorts of art. If you're a local, it maybe a place where you may want to consider getting an annual membership so that you can stop by every so often to check out their new exhibitions. It'll also give you a reason to visit Laguna Beach.

I'm not sure if this is a common thing lately, but the Laguna Art Museum had an iPhone and iPod Touch App where you can download to get a more detailed explanation of the exhibition going on. I didn't try it out, but seemed like something pretty cool thing to be able to try.

Well, next time you feel like seeing some art to get inspired in OC, I recommend the Laguna Art Museum.

Laguna Art Museum

Website

307 Cliff Dr
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 494-8971

Admission: $12

Parking: Meter Parking on Street

Star Vu Drive-In - Things to Do in Orange County 37

Movies in your Car! Enjoy the Drive-In Theater at the OC Fair & Event Center!

At the OC Fair & Event Center, you can snuggle in your car and watch a move at a Drive-In theater. The seats (or parking spaces) are first-come-first-serve basis, so if you want a good seat in the front, be sure to get to the Drive-In early. You’ll need to wait in line in your car by the gate until the people there let you in. Once you get the ok to go in, you’ll move forward to the ticket sales area then to the parking space. Just follow orders, and you should be good to go. For those of you who drive around in a big trucks or SUV, depending on the number of audience, you may need to park in the back so the others can see.

Once you are in the Drive-In, you can park forward or backward. Whichever way you prefer is okay with the Drive-In. If you have a car with a hatch back or a pickup truck, you may want to consider parking backward to watch the move from the back of the car. That’s exactly what we did, and we relaxed in the back part of the car, made ourselves a little bed, and enjoyed the movie. Others who had a truck had a mattress in the back to watch it from there. Whatever you decide to do, watching a movie from your car has a special feeling, and it’s really fun!

You’ll need to use your FM Radio in the car for the movie. They use a radio frequency to broadcast the movie here. I was worried about the battery because you need to shut off your engine, but everything was fine when the movie ended. If you’re worried about your batteries of your car, you may want to bring a portable radio so that you can listen to the movie there.

They say you aren’t allowed to bring any food or drinks into the Drive-In, but they rarely check for it. We brought our own snacks and drinks that we got from Walgreens before the movie. I love watching movies with my Raisinets! Of course you can buy hot dogs, popcorn, and drinks at the Drive-In, if you aren’t a cheapskate like me. :)

This is a once in a lifetime kind of experience, and you need to go check it out with your family, friends, or loved ones. It sure is a lot of fun!

*Update: It looks like Star Vu is closed for a few months. Come back and check out the website in a few weeks to see its status!

Star Vu Drive-In
http://www.star-vu.com/

88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Adult: $8.50
Children: $5
Children 5 and Under: Free

Open: Wednesday – Sunday Nights

Seal Beach - Things to Do in Orange County 32

Hang Out by the Longest Pier in Orange County – Seal Beach

Seal Beach is the last city in Orange County before it turns into LA. It is located on the most Northwestern corner of Orange County. The neighboring city, Belmont Shore is already in Los Angeles County.

A notable thing in Seal Beach is that the U.S. Navy’s Naval Weapons Station is located here. However, for the most part, Seal Beach is in well known around OC locals for having Leisure World, the gated senior community. The city has a relaxed atmosphere with a small town feel compared to other cities in Orange County.

A place to go in Seal Beach is the Main Street. On Main Street of Seal Beach, you can find all sorts of restaurants, gift shops, accessory shops, and ice cream parlors there. The movie American Pie 2 was actually filmed here. The place has got this “All American” kind of feel to it.
As you walk or drive through the Main Street, you’ll end by hitting the Seal Beach Pier. The Seal Beach Pier is the longest pier in Orange County. It is made out of wood, and it does take some time to walk all the way across it. There’s a Ruby’s on the end of the pier, but it looks tiny from the start of the pier. That’s how long the pier is!

Unlike Huntington Beach or Newport Beach where it’s always crowded with locals and tourists, Seal Beach has a more relaxed atmosphere. It’s great for people that want to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon by the beach. A lot of people come here for walks and enjoy the restaurants on Main Street.

The beach usually has more body boarders than surfers. And that usually means it’s family friendly too. On a nice sunny day, you can see the beautiful view of the port in Long Beach.
Seal Beach is a nice relaxing beach in Orange County. I hope you can check it out soon for a nice Sunday afternoon walk!

Seal Beach
http://www.ci.seal-beach.ca.us/

Parking: Free Street Parking and Meter Parking

Orange County Fair - Things to Do in Orange County 29

Summer Fun OC Style – Orange County Fair

One of the big summer events in Orange County is our Orange County Fair. Children and adults can equally enjoys this big summer festival each year. The Orange County Fair is held at the OC Fairgrounds from July to early August.

One of the first things you see as you enter the OC Fair is the barn. You’ll find all sorts of barn animals living there. You can find anything from horses, cows, to goats. One of the big hit each year are the piglets at the barn. There is always the mommy pig with her 5-8 piglets running around. It is one of the cutest things you can see at the fair. Pigs are a huge star at the OC Fair, and there is even a pig race where people cheer on for the fastest pig of them all.

When you get to the OC Fair, one thing you can’t miss is the food. You’ll find rows and rows of awesome “Fair food” at the event. It’s always so difficult to figure out what you will have at the fair. They all look too good. There are the traditional, funnel cakes, turkey leg, and barbeque ribs there. There are of course the crazy foods like the deep fried Oreo or the Twinkie. One of those things where you got to try it at least once in your life… My personal favorite is the battered potato at the fair. Pair that with a big glass of beer, and we are talking about a party!

Favorite thing for kids to do at the fair are the rides. And you’d be surprised to see the number of rides available at the fair. To get on, you will need to purchase the tokens at the booth first. You’ll exchange the tokens with the attendant on the ride to get on. You can find some scary roller coaster rides to a Ferris wheel at the fair. I always like to get on the Ferris wheel because the view is amazing up there, especially at night.

Orange County Fair is definitely the hottest summer event in Orange County! Combine all the activities at the fair with a concert by top notch performers every night, it sure is an awesome event to go to. Don’t miss the OC Fair this year at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa!


Orange County Fair

OC Fair & Event Center
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
http://www.ocfair.com/ocf/Calendar/TheFair.asp

Admission: ADULT (13-59) $9,
SENIOR (60+) $7,
YOUTH (6-12) $5,
CHILDREN (5 & UNDER) FREE

Hours：Tuesday - Friday: Noon - Midnight
Saturday - Sunday: 10 a.m. - midnight

Parking: $5 per car

Old Towne Orange - Things to Do in Orange County 28

Spend an Entire Day to Look for your Favorite Antique – Old Towne Orange

When you enter Old Towne Orange, you’ll get the feeling that you went back in time.

There is a circular intersection on the corner of Glassell Street and Chapman Ave, and that is the heart of the Old Town Orange. On the four streets that cross the circular intersection are antique shops, restaurants, and cafes, all of which are extremely cute!

Old Towne Orange is known for its antique shops in Orange County. There are so many antique stores here, that it’ll usually take an entire day if you want to see it all. There are locals and people from around the globe that actually come here to purchase antiques!

In order for you to shop till you drop, I recommend getting to Old Towne Orange early in the morning since most of the stores close at 5-6PM.

Other than the antiques available at the Old Towne Orange, there are also stores that carry products that are actually new, but with a retro design. So if antiques aren’t your cup of tea, this maybe a good way to go. And even if you aren’t looking to buy anything, simply window shopping at the Old Towne Orange is fun because it feels like you are walking through a museum!

There were a lot of cute little items here that tickled my shop-a-holic heart. Although I’m not much of an antique person, when I saw the Fire King glassware here, I just couldn’t resist it. They are just so cute!

For lunch we ate at the Blue Frog Bakery. The bakery is a casual café, and they have great sandwiches and desserts. There are also other famous OC restaurants at the Old Towne, one notable being the PJ’s Abbey. This restaurant is truly unique as they renovated a Gothic style Victorian Baptist Church built in 1891, and turned it into a fine dining restaurant. The unique atmosphere makes it a great place for a date or as a formal get together. The Sunday Brunch is excellent here as well!

There is also a Cuban food restaurant that I love to go to.

Old Towne Orange is filled with cute stores including a retro barber and a children’s clothing store. You can spend your entire day seeing all of the antiques here at the Old Towne Orange. Highly recommended place in Orange County!

Old Towne Orange
http://www.otpa.org/

Parking: Free 2 Hour Street Parking

Mission San Juan Capistrano - Things to Do in Orange County 27

The Oldest Church & Chapel in Orange County – Mission San Juan Capistrano

During the last 18th Century, the Spanish missionaries arrived in Orange County via Mexico. One of the great missions that they built was the Mission San Juan Capistrano. It is the oldest mission in Orange County.
There are over twenty missions in California, but the Mission San Juan Capistrano is considered a jewel among them all, and it is a very beautiful mission.

At the Mission San Juan Capistrano, when you walk in, you will be welcomed by the garden that is well maintained with a lot of flowers, plants, and cactus. It is best if you can visit the Mission San Juan Capistrano on a nice sunny day to get the most out of the trip. During the weekends, the mission frequently conducts a mini concert for its guest.

One of the “must see” at the mission is its stone made church. Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by the earthquake in the year 1812, but the remaining portion is still a sight to see. The church is massive, and you can feel its rich history and culture just by standing inside it!

The Mission San Juan Capistrano also has the oldest chapel in California. The mission also has an exhibition of how the missionaries interacted and lived with the locals when they first arrived in the area. It is interesting to learn about some of the early history of the OC when you visit here.

Lastly, the gold altar brought in from Spain is also a sight to see at the Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Mission San Juan Capistrano is located in the city of Sun Juan Capistrano. You can get here by car, or by train, as the Amtrak station is walking distance away from the mission. Visit the Mission San Juan Capistrano to experience the history and culture of Orange County!

Mission San Juan Capistrano
26801 Ortega Hwy
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 234-1300
http://www.missionsjc.com/

Hours: 8AM-5PM
Admission: $9 for Adult, $5 for Children
Parking: Free Parking on Street or Public Parking Area

The Queen Mary - Things to Do in Orange County 26

Romantic Evening or a Night of Terror on a Luxury Cruise Ship - The Queen Mary

Docked on the port of Long Beach is the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary was in service from 1934 to 1957 as a luxury cruise liner, and was used as a cargo carrier during World War II.

Today, the Queen Mary sits proudly at the port of Long Beach as the city’s icon. Inside the Queen Mary is an experience of its own, where you can stay at its cabin hotel, dine at its fine restaurants, enjoy an evening at its luxurious bar, or party on at its boiler room. The Queen Mary is about a 25 minute drive from Orange County.

During the day, the Queen Mary conducts tours that are popular to tourists. The prices of admission are $22.95 for adults, and $11.95 for children (5-11 years old).

In the evening, the night view of the city is the main reason you should visit the Queen Mary. It is stunning.

To enter the Queen Mary, you will need to purchase a ticket, or have a hotel or restaurant reservation for the evening. I was able to sneak in by telling the bouncers at the door that I’m going in to visit the bar. I’m not sure how lenient they are on admission, but this technique worked for me.

At the bar, you can enjoy the beautiful night view of the city with your favorite cocktail. This place is perfect for a romantic date.

The Queen Mary is also known for its “Ghosts and Legends.” During Halloween they have an annual Halloween Terror Fest where it turns haunted for a few weeks. Anybody courageous enough should definitely try it out.

You can enjoy the Queen Mary as a romantic night out, or as a night of terror. Whichever you choose, you will definitely enjoy the history and the atmosphere at the Queen Mary!  Just about a 20 minute drive from OC.

The Queen Mary
1126 Queen's Highway
Long Beach, Ca. 90802
(562) 435-3511
http://www.queenmary.com/index.php

Parking:
0 to 30 minutes: FREE
31 minutes to 1 hour: $3.00
1 hour to 24 hours: $10.00

Festival of Arts & The Pageant of the Masters - Things to Do in Orange County 23

The Annual Festival of Arts & Pageant of Masters in Laguna Beach is a Must See for all Artists

The art capital of Orange County is the beautiful city of Laguna Beach. In Laguna Beach, you’ll find many art galleries near the coast, and many of Orange County’s best artists live in the area. It is one of the most, culture rich cities in OC.

Every year, Laguna Beach hosts the Festival of Arts, and last year it was their 75th Anniversary. This is an art festival where you can enjoy the finest artwork from over 140 artists locally in Southern California. It is the best summer art festival hosted in Orange County! The Festival of Arts is held from early July to the end of August every year.

The Festival of Arts is divided into several sections, and each of the sections showcases great many pieces of artwork. At the Festival of Arts, you’ll find paintings, sculptures, ceramic, and other handmade accessories which are all very inspiring. It is always interesting and delightful to see all the different pieces of high quality art made by local artists at this festival.

One of the biggest attractions at the Festival of Arts is the Pageant of the Masters. This is truly a unique show where on stage, actual people imitate famous paintings and sculpture to make it look like the real thing. It’s a bit difficult to explain in words, so it’s best to see the picture on this post. You’ll see that the two real women are disguising themselves to be the actual painting. It’s a unique balance of color, lighting, and the actor’s patience that perfect the live artwork!

The Pageant of the Masters is an extremely popular event, so I would recommend you buy tickets well in advance to be able to experience this unique event. I would also suggest you bring a pair of binocular so that you can experience the live paintings in front of your very own eyes. It does become a bit difficult to see when you are sitting in the back.

The Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters is a premier summer art event in Orange County. It’s fun to browse through some of the best artworks made by local artists. I’m looking forward to getting a front row seat to this year’s Pageant of the Masters!! I hope you get a chance to visit Orange County’s best summer art festival this year too!

Festival of Arts
650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
http://www.foapom.com/index.asp

Admission: Adult $7, Students & Seniors $4
Parking on Laguna Canyon Road

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Things to Do in Orange County 11

Major League Baseball in Orange County! Become a fan of The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim!

It is almost the start of the baseball season! And in Orange County, that means going out to watch the Angels baseball game in Anaheim.
As you may know a few years ago, the Anaheim Angels changed its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It’s a bit weird since they’re in Orange County. But that is what it is now. I personally don’t like the name…

The Angels Stadium is conveniently located right off the 57 freeway. It will likely be about a 15-20 minute drive from most areas of Orange County. Next to the Angels Stadium, you’ll find the Anaheim Pond where the Anaheim Ducks play. Disneyland is also very close by to the Anaheim Stadium as well.

Some of the cheapest tickets that you can buy at the Anaheim Stadium will cost only about $7-9 a seat. And if it’s not a popular Angel’s game, you will most likely be able to buy the tickets at the door. The door ticket price will save you a few bucks on service fees that ticket agencies usually charge. Of course, if it is a popular game or if you want good seats, you may need to buy it ahead of time or use services like StubHub or RazorGator to buy it off a season ticket holder. Craigslist is also a good place to look as well. I’ve seen people sell tickets dirt cheap here because the game is tomorrow and they can’t make it.

There are some days that the Angels will give out a free hat, accessory, or a commemorative mug, so be sure to check out some of these games on their website to get a little freebie. We went on a day last year when there was a fireworks show, and that combined with some hot dog and beer was great!!

The parking was $10 last time I went. But they do change the prices around quite frequently. If you want to save some money, you can dine at a nearby restaurant prior to the Angel’s game and walk to the stadium. I did this before, and it was about a 10 minute walk. The car wasn’t towed either.

So I hope I got you excited enough to go check out an Angels game this year. Get a hot dog, a beer, and watch the game. Yes, the American pastime! It’s always fun to sing “Take me out to the ball game” at the 7th Inning too.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=ana


RazorGator - Buy Hard-to-Get Tickets

Crystal Cathedral - Things to Do in Orange County 9

Beautiful Church with a $2 Million Pipe Organ - Crystal Cathedral

In North Orange County, there’s a tall shiny tower next to The Block in Orange. Has anyone ever wondered what this was?

It’s the Crystal Cathedral! A Protestant, Christian megachurch in the city of Garden Grove!

The church is one of the largest in Orange County, and it has been around since 1955. Inside the shiny tower, there is a crystal piece with Jesus Christ inside of it. It is a stunning piece of work and one that draws a lot of crowd.

Next to the tower is an all glass building, and this is the church. The church is about the equivalent of a 12 story building, so it is massive. It can house 3,000 worshippers, and used over 10,000 rectangular panes of glass to build it.

Inside the church is a very exquisite architecture, and you will be amazed at the sheer magnificent of the church. One of the most talked about item at this church is their pipe organ. A loyal worshipper named Hazel Wright donated the pipe organ worth approximately $2 million at the time of donation. The pipe organ is rightly named the Hazel Wright Pipe Organ, and there are over 16,000 pipes that play together to produce its stunning sound.

Every Sunday, during the worship they use the pipe organ, so that would be a good time to visit should you want to listen to it. The Crystal Cathedral is free to visit, and be sure to visit their website for events and information.

Crystal Cathedral Ministries
12141 Lewis Street
Garden Grove, CA 92840
http://www.crystalcathedral.org/

Huntington Beach Dog Beach - Things to Do in Orange County 6

Go to the Beach with Your Dog- The Dog Beach at HB

If you love dogs, you’ll love this beach. It’s the Dog Beach in Huntington Beach. Located a little north of the Huntington Beach pier, this is one of the only places where dogs can be free to enjoy the waves at the beach.

Parking here can be limited at times, but with two lots, you’ll usually be able to find a spot. The parking meters will set you back a quarter ($0.25) for every 10 minutes, so be sure you bring a lot of change when you decide to come here.

This is one of the only dog beaches around in Orange County, so during the weekend, there are dogs everywhere! Look around and all you see are dogs all over the place, running around in joy. Sometimes it feels like there are more dogs than people because a lot of owners bring 2-3 dogs to the beach.

I personally live with six cats at my house, but when I get to the dog beach, I become a complete “dog person.” The dogs here are adorable, and they just have that loving feeling that cats don’t display very much.

It’s also amazing to see that all these dogs are never afraid of the waves that come crashing in. They jump into the water with joy to catch that Frisbee or the tennis ball. And with a lot of surfer’s in the area, you’ll see a collaboration of dogs and surfers here as well.

The dog beach allows you to free the dogs without any leashes, so you can walk freely with your buddy. Just be sure to be responsible and clean after then so that everyone can enjoy the beach.

Huntington Beach also has a lot of hotels where you can stay with your dogs and restaurants where you can eat with you dogs. Whether or not you have a dog, I recommend you to go visit the dog beach to see all the wave crashing and surfing dogs that are there. I guarantee after you come here, you’ll want to get your own dog to teach it surfing on the coast of Huntington Beach.

Huntington Dog Beach
21100 Pacific Coast Hwy
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
http://www.dogbeach.org/