Visit the Santa Ana Zoo - Things to Do in Orange County 85

Living in Orange County, it's almost a daily thing to drive on the 405, 55, and 5 Freeway. But did you know right behind that freeway, there's a whole zoo that you can check out?

Where the 55 Freeway and 5 Freeway cross in Irvine/Santa Ana, there's actually a zoo where us OC residents can visit.

The zoo is actually pretty large considering its in the middle of the city. It's a bit hidden, but shouldn't be too difficult to find. It was fun to imagine that there's a bunch of animals behind that freeway wall off of the 5 freeway.

The Santa Ana Zoo is famous for their monkeys. They have a ton of monkeys here for you to see. And they're real cute.

The rumor is that the land owner here at the zoo is a big monkey lover, and the person lets the zoo operate as long as there are so many monkeys kept here. It's an interesting rumor, and maybe it's really true.

The zoo is a great place for families to visit. You can enjoy by checking out the variety of animals here. If you get bored, you can try to ride an elephant. That's a lot of fun.

After you ride the elephant, you can also ride the miniature train which runs around the zoo. That's also a big hit with the kids.

After checking out the zoo, I just couldn't get over the fact that there are so many animals living behind that freeway. It was a shocking experience for me since I've lived in OC for over 20 years, never knowing about the Santa Ana Zoo.

So next time you have time with the kids, I recommend you visiting the Santa Ana Zoo if you haven't already done so. It's going to be a fun experience for the entire family.

Santa Ana Zoo

1801 E Chestnut Ave
Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 835-7484

Mon-Sun 10 am - 4 pm

Adults (age 13+): $8.00
Seniors (age 60+): $5.00
Children (age 3-12): $5.00

MONDAY - FRIDAY AFTER 2PM
(excluding holidays)
Adults (age 13+): $4.00
Seniors (age 60+): $2.50
Children (age 3-12): $2.50

Ride the Great Balloon for Free at the Irvine Great Park - Things to Do in Orange County 83

Time always flies so fast, and though I always promise myself to post an article at least once a week, a month or two usually flies in between my Things to Do in Orange County, CA blog.

Well, this post is a really cool one.

Do you ever feel like riding on a hot air balloon? And what if I told you that the flight up is free? Hey, well in Orange County, this is possible to do.

At the Great Park in Irvine, you are able to ride on a hot air balloon Thursday through Sunday for FREE!!

Though this hot air balloon is free, there is also a catch. One is that it's popular, so if you go during the weekend, it can get difficult to secure a ticket. Two is that since it goes up to 400 feet, any kind of strong wind condition will stop the balloon from flying.

It actually took me three chances to finally get on the Great Balloon. First time it was the wind, second time it was packed, and third time was a charm. Your best bet is to call them before you go to see if they're flying, and if there is a lot of people waiting or not.

Upon arrival to the Great Balloon, you will enter the office to fill out a liability form. After you fill it out, you will get the ticket to the Great Balloon for free!

We went during the day on Thursday, and it was great. Perfect weather, and there were only 7 of us that flew on the balloon. So we got to walk around and talk to the other people on the balloon.

As I mentioned, this balloon goes up 400 feet, so it's pretty high. The view is wonderful from up there, so don't forget your camera. They also do a night flight, and the view up there at night must be very nice too.

All in all, this balloon is an awesome deal. It takes you up 400 feet above Orange County, and all expenses are paid for. The ride is about 10 minutes long, but that should be enough for you to enjoy the ride, and appreciate the beauty of the OC.

The Great Park Balloon

Webpage

Perimeter Rd
Irvine, CA 92614
(866) 829-3829

Thu-Fri 10 am - 3 pm
Thu-Sun 7 pm - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 3 pm