Visit Joshua Tree National Park - Things to Do in Orange County

Though I know Joshua Tree isn't in Orange County, it is about a one and a half hour drive, so I wanted to post something about it.

Joshua Tree National Park is a pretty cool place. Filled with all kinds of funky trees, beautiful stars, and rock mountains, it really is a power spot where you can go and rejuvenate from all the daily stress. The Joshua Park National Park is a great hiking/camping/rock climbing spot, and you can walk through a variety of trails there.

We got to visit Joshua Tree this summer, and hiked through all kinds of trails in 106 degree weather. It was pretty hot when we went, so you will definitely need water, sun block, and a big hat to keep you away from the sun. You might want to go check out a swap meet in Orange County to buy a big farmer's hat for $4.

When we went, we stayed at the Spin and Margie's Desert Hide-a-Way. It was a cute little bed and breakfast (no breakfast though) type of hotel with only five rooms. The owners at this hotel did an awesome job with their hotel, and it surely is a place where you can re-energize from the daily hustle and bustle.

At night, the stars were amazingly beautiful since there really aren't any city lights in Joshua Tree. You can see all kinds of stars that you never knew existed above us. We went during a time when there were a bunch of shooting stars, so got to see a few of them while we were there.

If you're feeling stressed, or just want to get in touch with nature again, Joshua Tree National Park is one great place you go and check out. Only about an hour and a half from Orange County.

Joshua Tree National Park

74485 National Park Drive

Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

(760) 367-5500

http://www.nps.gov/jotr/

7-Day Vehicle Permit: $15

The Mission Inn - Things to Do in Orange County 39

Historic Hotel & Magical Event: Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn

About an hour away North East from Orange County, the Mission Inn stands tall in the City of Riverside. The Mission Inn is a historic hotel where celebrities and royalties have stayed.

Mission Inn opened its doors in the year 1876. With so much history, its courtyard, clock tower, and other architectural buildings in the hotel are now deemed California’s historic architecture. Inside the Mission Inn is like a maze where you can walk around to discover its beauty. The hotel will make you feel like you are in a European castle.

The courtyard in the hotel is an absolute beauty with well maintained flowers. The furniture and the stained glass are all antique-like and you can’t help but to appreciate it. You will feel like a royalty when visiting this hotel.

Some of the famous people who have been at the Mission Inn are President Nixon who had his wedding ceremony here, and President Regan who stayed at the Mission Inn for his honeymoon. There are about ten other Presidents of the United States who have stayed at the Mission Inn as well. Other famous people who stayed here include Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Henry Ford, as well as Kings and Queens from other countries.

The Mission Inn is famous for its annual tradition during Thanksgiving Weekend where they hold the Festival of Lights event. On the opening day of the event, people line up to see the Mission Inn get lit up with thousands of Christmas lights. There are fireworks that come up, and it’s a whole festival with people celebrating everywhere. It’s a true gem to see the entire hotel light up all at once.

When staying at the Mission Inn, make it one of your priority to explore the entire hotel. Just walking around and exploring the courtyard, the floors, and the rooftop is a fun activity. If you have kids, they will surely enjoy the magic the Mission Inn creates. Even if you do not have reservations, there is a hotel tour that is conducted occasionally for you to explore the hotel.

The best time to visit the Mission Inn is during the Thanksgiving Weekend through Christmas. If you have the opportunity, the Festival of Lights event is highly recommended!

Aside from the hotel, there are restaurants and antique stores near the hotel, and you can enjoy its relaxing atmosphere by the Mission Inn. The Mission Inn is a very nice, mini vacation you can take out of Orange County!

Mission Inn　
Website
3649 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501
(909) 784- 0300

Royal Caribbean - Things to Do in Orange County 38

Go on a Luxury Cruise from OC to Mexico!

From Orange County, you can enjoy a luxury cruise very easily. With only about a half an hour drive from OC, you can get to the port of San Pedro where you can board a luxury cruise line every week. The most popular cruise is the 3 night 4 day cruise that departs on Friday evening and arrives back at the port on Monday morning. You can also set sail on a 4 night 5 day cruise that departs every Monday, or the 7 day cruise that depart every Sunday.

Cruises can be awfully cheap when you go during the off season. On some of the cheapest months, it’s not rare to find a cruise that goes for only $199 per person for an interior room. Even during the peak season, cruises can go for $300 per person as long as you book ahead of time. It’s usually recommended to reserve your room 3-6 months before the cruise. Considering that the fare includes your stay, travel, and all-you-can-eat food, it’s a pretty good deal. You can bring in your own alcohol if you want to save even more too. Only thing not included in the fare are the optional excursion tours, tip, alcohol, and tax.

The cool thing about a cruise is that most activities on the ship are free. There are some activities, such as the wine tasting event, where you need to pay to participate. You just need to pick up a copy of the activity schedule, and go to the area of the ship to participate in it. They are always very fun. And of course, all meals on cruises are free. It’s a pretty amazing concept, but you eat as much as you want, whenever you want on a cruise. It’s no wonder that after a cruise, many of us come back 5-10 lbs., overweight.

On the cruise, you’ll see a lot of newlyweds, couples, families, and retirees enjoying their well earned vacation. You can meet and mingle with all sorts of people on a cruise ship.

On the destinations that you arrive at, you have the option to participate in an excursion tour where you can explore cool areas of Ensenada, Cabo, San Diego, or Catalina Island. The tours are optional, and there is a fee to participate in one. You can choose to do your own tour or hang out by the cruise ship to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. There’s always something to do on a cruise.

Cruise ships are well equipped with its own casino, theater, shops, restaurant, bar, pool, spa, basketball court, gym, and many other things. It is a truly amazing place. I recommend you try out a cruise for your next vacation in Orange County. It’s definitely going to be an experience you’ll never forget! Highly recommended!







Royal Caribbean　Home Page

4 Nights, 5 Days
Depart at 5PM on Monday from San Pedro > San Diego > Catalina Island > Mexico (Ensenada) > Arrive at 7AM on Friday

3 Nights, 4 Days
Depart on 5PM on Friday from San Pedro > Mexico (Ensanada) > Day in the Sea > Arrive at 7AM on Monday

cruisedirect.com << For Reservations

Catalina Island - Things to Do in Orange County 36

Enjoy the Nature or an Activity Filled Day at the Catalina Island!

A popular resort destination for Orange County residents is the Catalina Island. Because of its popularity during the weekend or summer, it can be difficult to get hotel or ferry reservations to the Catalina Island during its peak season. Marilyn Monroe has actually visited the Catalina Island as part of her honeymoon as well!

Using the ferry that departs out of Newport Beach, it will take a little over an hour to get to the Catalina Island.
The Catalina Island is protected to preserve its natural beauty. So you’ll find beautiful views and scenery when you arrive here.

On the Catalina Island, you won’t see a single car. All of the residents drive around in a little golf cart to get around the city. A visitor can easily rent a cart as well. Since it isn’t a big island, the cart should get you to where ever you want to go on the island. I guess it’s all part of the nature preserving efforts.

If you are an athlete, you can also try getting around on a bicycle as well.

The Catalina Island is filled with things you can do. You can take part in a rafting tour, go snorkeling, ride on a kayak, go parasailing, or even go sky diving on the island. The Catalina Island will always keep you busy with all the things you can do here.

You’ll find gift shops and restaurants around the coast of the Catalina Island. When the tourists are not visiting, the Catalina Island is a nice quiet town. The hotels are all relatively small in size, and they all resemble something of a Bed & Breakfast Inn. It’s a great place to come and relax.
The symbolic Casino of Catalina Island is now a museum and you’ll need to pay an admission fee to get in.

The Catalina Island is a great place for Orange County Residents to come and relax!

Access to Catalina Island from Orange County:

・Ferry Departing out of Newport Beach
Catalina Flyer
Adult Roundtrip Fare $61
Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes

・Ferry Departing from Dana Point
Catalina Express
Adult Roundtrip Fare $61

Catalina Island
http://www.catalina.com/main.html

Santa Barbara - Things to Do in Orange County 31

Beaches, Mountains, and Full of Greens – A Beautiful Mini Trip Destination, Santa Barbara

About a two hour drive Northwest of Orange County is a nice little tourist destination, Santa Barbara.

With a lot of tourist that visit this city each year, Santa Barbara is well maintained and public transportation is abundant here. You can get around Santa Barbara on a trolley that costs $0.25 a ride, or you can buy a one day pass to the red tour buses that ride along the most popular destinations. The tour buses are a great way to get around because they allow unlimited rides all day long.

One of the destinations that you must visit when visiting Santa Barbara is the Stearns Wharf right off the coast. The Stearns Wharf is California's oldest working wharf, and it is the most popular destination with good reasons. There are many places to eat at the wharf and the atmosphere here is just excellent. It‘s a great place to walk around and enjoy the sun with whomever you are travelling with. Stearns Wharf is definitely a great place to hang out!

State Street is also another destination you must visit while you are in Santa Barbara. There are a lot of cute accessory stores along this street that you will surely enjoy. If you get tired, you can grab a bite to eat at some of the most fashionable cafes along State Street.

A destination that I personally recommend is The Historic Courthouse on 1100 Anacapa Street. There is an observatory at the courthouse, where you can climb up for free to take a look at the beautiful Santa Barbara landscape. All of the buildings in Santa Barbara have reddish, Spanish influenced roof tops, and when you see that with the view of the ocean, it is a nice little moment for you to enjoy.

Mission Santa Barbara on 2201 Laguna Street is also another popular tourist destination. Here you can revisit Santa Barbara’s rich history and its culture.

Santa Barbara is also known for its wineries too. Actually, my favorite wine is from the Santa Barbara Winery, and that was the reason I went to Santa Barbara. Their Zinfandel is always excellent!

With a lot of green, the ocean, and the mountains around you, Santa Barbara is a perfect place to relax for a quick weekend mini trip. You will sure love the great architecture that surrounds this historic city. Only a 2 hour drive from OC, and you can even take the Amtrak there. Hope you get to visit this great destination for a relaxing weekend or some wine tasting soon!

Santa Barbara
http://www.santabarbara.com/

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

Pechanga Resort and Casino - Things to Do in Orange County 22

Experience Las Vegas like Atmosphere in an Hour– Pechanga Resort and Casino

If you like to gamble or like all of what Las Vegas has got to offer, I got some great news for you! With only a one hour drive from Orange County, you can experience Las Vegas like atmosphere at one of the best Indian Casinos, Pechanga Resort and Casino.

Pechanga Resort and Casino offers gambling, resort like atmosphere, and most importantly, an excellent all-you-can-eat gourmet buffet at its resort. Although I am not a big time gambler, I just love to go and visit Pechanga for everything else that they have to offer. Their spa is one of the best ways you can treat yourself for a nice relaxing vacation.

The Pechanga is located only about an hour away from OC in the city of Temecula. It’s a fast freeway ride to get out of the city to relax at a resort hotel. The rooms are beautiful, and even better, the prices are very reasonable as well. On most nights you can stay for $120-$150 for a resort room here. Considering its quality, and what the resort has got to offer, that is a wonderful deal!

Pechanga has a huge casino, spa, pool, bar, numerous restaurants, comedy club, and even a concert hall! The buffet here is one of my personal favorites!

Temecula is also known for its winery in the area. If you get to Temecula early or have an extra day, you can reserve a winery tour in the morning departing from the resort. You can go out for a day of wine tasting in a very scenic route along the Temecula hills. One more thing Temecula is famous for is the hot air balloon ride that you can reserve. I’ve never been on it myself, but it seems like a ride of your life to go on it. If you have the chance, I recommend you to look into riding the hot air balloon for some extra fun!

Here’s a tentative schedule for your trip:

Morning > Hot Air Balloon
Afternoon > Winery
Night > Casino, Buffet, and a Show

That will be an excellent Temecula vacation!

Pechanga Casino & Resort is a Las Vegas like resort with all of the benefits. It is only one hour away from Orange County, so for your next vacation, this is a great spot for you to enjoy!

Pechanga Casino & Resort
45000 Pechanga ParkwayFormerly Pala Road
Temecula, CA 92592
Phone: (951) 693-1819
Fax:　(951) 695-7410
http://www.pechanga.com/home.asp

The Huntington Library - Things to Do in Orange County 17

Enjoy a Gorgeous Garden Outside of Orange County – The Huntington Library

Henry Edwards Huntington (February 27, 1850–May 23, 1927) was a railroad magnate and business leader. What he left behind for us to enjoy is The Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, an educational and research institution known for its gorgeous gardens. This gem is located outside of Orange County in the city of San Marino. You will be able to see art collections and beautiful gardens at The Huntington Library.

The Huntington Library is one of my personal favorites, and it is a must see! It’s one of the most gorgeous places I have seen in my life. I would recommend you budget an entire day to walk around and see all of what The Huntington Library has to offer. This place is huge, but if you get tired, you can always relax alongside some of the most beautiful scenery that The Huntington has got to offer.

There are varieties of fun gardens that you can see at The Huntington Library. There’s the cactus garden, the rose garden, and the Japanese garden, all which have been landscaped magnificently. I particularly loved the rose garden because it had so many different varieties of roses for you to see.

If you can plan ahead of time, you should also make a reservation at the Tea Room for an afternoon tea at The Huntington Library. Since it’s a popular place, you’ll need to book ahead of time for you to enjoy your afternoon tea there. At the afternoon tea, they will amuse you with fresh-made scones, tea of the day, sandwiches, and dessert, all for only $15 per person. The clotted cream with my scones were so good! To reserve, call (626) 683-8131.

This is a wonderful place is great to go on a date, or with your family. It is a place where anybody can go to enjoy and appreciate its beauty. The Huntington Library is about an hour away from OC with no traffic. I hope you have the chance to go and visit soon!

Tune in tomorrow for more fun things to do in Orange County!

Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 405-2100
http://www.huntington.org/

Admission:
Adult: $15 Weekdays, $20 Weekends
Students: $10
Seniors: $12 Weekdays, $15 Weekends
Children: $6

Park Hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 12PM-4:30PM
Saturday & Sunday: 10:30AM-4:30PM

Parking is free at The Huntington