Holiday Fun-cation
Get your fix of holiday fun locally — at theme parks, theaters and more. You can almost set your watch for the falling snow. At many of our favorite places…
Where Adventure Awaits
Plan a fun-filled family day trip with mach-speed rollercoasters, carousels, or bumper cars found throughout OC's favorite theme and amusement parks.
Editor's Picks
Theme Park Fun
New adventures await at local theme parks this summer. Bright summer sunshine is the best medicine after a long El Niño winter. Southern California adventures
Pixar Haven
Get immersed at Disneyland Resort’s new Pixar Place Hotel. Splashes of color are everywhere you look at Disneyland Resort’s Pixar Place Hotel
Recent Articles
Boysenberries, Food and Wine
OC theme park food festivals are underway this spring.
Knott’s Berry Farm was just a farm and roadside restaurant for hungry travelers between L.A. and San…
A Disney Lunar New Year
Disney California Adventure Park celebrates the holiday with food, entertainment and more. Red and gold. The colors symbolize good luck, health and prosperity..
Holiday Fun-cation
Get your fix of holiday fun locally — at theme parks, theaters and more. You can almost set your watch for the falling snow. At many of our favorite places…
Halloween for All Ages
SoCal has Halloween covered, packed with special and reworked attractions, Halloween-themed food and live shows. Family-Friendly chills all spooky season long!
Theme Park Fun
New adventures await at local theme parks this summer. Bright summer sunshine is the best medicine after a long El Niño winter. Southern California adventures
Theme Park Foodie Fests
Spring time now means the return of annual food festivals at Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland Resort. The dark purple smear across the faces of the six people
Pixar Haven
Get immersed at Disneyland Resort’s new Pixar Place Hotel. Splashes of color are everywhere you look at Disneyland Resort’s Pixar Place Hotel
Take a Holiday Fun-cation!
Stay local and booked with these festivities. Experience snowfall at Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm and warm sunlight while you skate on the ice.
Halloween For Everyone
OC offers a wide range of spooky fun for all ages. Come October, Halloween pops up in all forms in and around Orange County. It’s both kid-friendly and scary.
Stay & Play
Cool down, chill out and zip along while staying close to home this summer vacation. The itch to get out and go do something only gets worse for the average kid
Fiesta Time
A new and improved Fiesta Village is back at Knott’s Berry Farm. The bright colors of Fiesta Village light up a little brighter this summer. Fires burn and a
Toon-Up
The redone Mickey’s Toontown awaits families with a freshly designed experience. Your kids might have been missing Mickey’s Toontown for a few years now…
Inclusive Adventures
Photo Courtesy of Disneyland Disneyland and Legoland have made some improvements — for children of all abilities. New and Improved Mickey’s Toontown Mickey’s Toontown has reopened at Disneyland and while the land has been updated extensively in design, there’s one big focus underlying many of the changes: inclusivity. “We got a lot of guests who utilize our parks in different ways, who see, hear, feel our experiences in different ways. And we wanted every child to know that when it came to this land, this land was designed for them. That they were seen and that this place was welcoming...
Summer At Sesame Place
Plunge into this new San Diego amusement and waterpark for a memorable family summer adventure. “Five, four, three, two, one!” Splash. “Here it comes again,”
Looking Back and Ahead With Disney100
(Photo Courtesy of Disneyland Resort) Disneyland Resort celebrates Disney100 with new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride, new Nighttime Spectaculars and more — while honoring the history of Disney. Oh, how different the country was in 1923. Just five years removed from World War I, women had just won the right to vote and the population of California was less than the population of Los Angeles today. Barely a third of Americans owned a phone, even less had indoor plumbing and electricity and Orange County was an agricultural community. When local developers erected massive letters on a hillside overlooking LA,...
Kids Who Haunt
Wyatt Stanley working on the Hatbox Ghost for the Haunted Mansion-themed yard display at his Aliso Viejo home. (Photo Courtesy of Ralph Palumbo) Younger generations of Halloween lovers are finding pathways to careers in theme parks, prop making and more. Jacob Larson was born into the haunting life. His dad, Dave, started a home haunt in Orange five years before Jacob was even born, in 1999. Now at 18, Jacob is busy working at Knott's Berry Farm as an FX technician in the Entertainment Department during the theme park’s biggest event: Knott’s Scary Farm. “In our department we create animatronics,...
Waterpark Nostalgia
(Photo Courtesy of Wild Rivers) Wild Rivers is back in Irvine to create new lasting memories for families. It’s been 11 years since Orange County waterpark Wild Rivers made a splash in Irvine. This summer, locals and visitors can make their way back for a new wave of memories as the iconic park returns to Irvine “bigger and better” than ever. “Wild Rivers President Mike Reidel has been tirelessly working for 12 years to bring an all-new Wild Rivers to Orange County by securing the funding and the ideal location in the heart of Orange County at the Great Park,...
Theme Park Holiday Fun
(Photo Courtesy of Jessica Peralta/Disneyland) Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland Resort are back in full holiday swing for 2021. Orange County’s theme parks are back this holiday season with lights, charismatic characters and lots of festive food. Both Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland Resort have returned for the 2021 holidays to offer families a variety of activities, shows and other ways to celebrate the merry season. “There are literally miles of garland throughout the park,” said Phil Rahn, senior manager of Resort Enhancement at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. “Seventy-five hundred feet of ribbon and we have about 800 bows, so...
Knott’s Is Nutty with Its Annual Peanuts Celebration
Charles M. Schulz gave us some of the most recognized and beloved characters through his comic strip, “Peanuts.” You and your family can celebrate Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and good ol’ Charlie Brown at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Peanuts Celebration each weekend now through March 1. Look out for unique photo opportunities that let you step right into the “Peanuts” comic strip at the park’s main entrance and throughout Camp Snoopy. Rock out to family-friendly band The Jelly of the Month Club at the Calico Mine Stage for Woodstock’s Music Festival. Kids can pen their own comic strip at Peanuts Sketch School...
Editor’s Picks: November 2019
PICK OF THE MONTH: Holidays at the Disneyland ResortFriday, November 8 - Monday, January 6“World of Color — Season of Light” again illuminates evenings at California Adventure, where you can also experience Disney Festival of Holidays and Santa’s Holiday Visits. Disneyland presents the festive “A Christmas Fantasy” parade and “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular, with its magical snowfall finale. You’ll discover more holiday attractions at both parks too. Hours vary; check the website for full details.Disneyland, 1313 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim714-781-4565 | disneyland.disney.go.com Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DayFriday, November 8 - Sunday, November 24Have a very...
Editor’s Picks: October 2019
PICK OF THE MONTHRoger’s Gardens Halloween Boutique: Malice in Wonderland Tuesday, October 1-Thursday, October 31 Roger’s Gardens has gone all Lewis Carroll for its Halloween Boutique (open 9 am-6 pm daily). Let the White Rabbit be your guide into this strange den of Halloween decorations, a labyrinth of decor ready to help make your home Halloween-ready. Explore the Mad Hatter’s treasure-stuffed workshop and perhaps sit down to celebrate a very merry un-birthday by pulling up a chair for a cup of tea at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. And watch out for the Red Queen — or you may just...
Editor’s Picks: August 2019
PICK OF THE MONTHVans U.S. Open of SurfingJuly 27 - August 5 For the past 60 years the US Open has stood as one of the world’s top surfing events. Over the years, however, it has evolved to include world-class BMX and skateboard competitions as well.Some new additions this year are the Vans Showdown, Vans Rebel Jam, Vans Vert Demos, Duct Tape Festival and Vans Street Market. The Vans Showdown is an invite-only street jam skate competition, featuring trick contests and cash prizes. The Vans Rebel Jam is an invite-only BMX street contest. The Vans Vert Demos showcase high-flying action...
Big Themed Attractions for the Entire Family in Orange County
[caption id="attachment_32494" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Courtesy of Disneyland Resort[/caption] Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge A new, otherworldly experience like no other has landed in a galaxy not so far away. The much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened to an enthusiastic public on May 31 at Disneyland Park in Anaheim. “It’s Star Tours on steroids at a level you can’t possibly believe,” said “Star Wars” films creator George Lucas at a dedication ceremony that took place in front of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction on May 29 and also included Disney CEO Bob Iger, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams....
Editor’s Picks: June 2019
PICK OF THE MONTHDuck-A-Thon May 31 to June 2 More than 2,500 tiny rubber ducks will be battling for prizes in this unique competition. The first 60 ducks to reach shore after being dropped from the pier will win a prize for their owners. The first place winner wins $1,000. However, the real winners of this three-day event are the recipients of this fundraising effort—those in the AltaMed Medical and Dental Group’s program for the uninsured and medically underserved patients. Ducks are dropped from the side of the pier into a controlled area monitored by volunteers on surfboards. Volunteers and...
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
May the 31st be with you — a day that will be extra special for all of our “Star Wars” fans around Southern California as the newest addition to the Happiest Place on Earth opens its doors to the public! The much-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is opening on May 31 so all of our young padawans, smugglers and clone troopers can step into the world of the Jedi. Separated into two opening stages, the newest region of Disneyland is set in the Outer Rim destination Batuu, a smuggler haven far from the prying eyes of the First Order. Guests...
Editor’s Picks: February 2019
PICK OF THE MONTH:Jamboree Summer Opportunities at the CubeMarch 2, 2019Parenting OC returns to the Discovery Cube for its 13th anniversary of the Free Kids’ Summer Opportunities Jamboree event. The event will take place on March 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is the fourth year the iconic Orange County family destination has partnered with Parenting OC to host the summer-fun planning extravaganza. And it gets even better. Make sure to enter your cute kid in Parenting OC’s Cute Kid Cover Contest. The contest will be taking place at the Jamboree event. Everyone who enters will receive a free...
Editor’s Picks: January 2019
PICK OF THE MONTH - SAVE THE DATE Ocean Institute's Jazz Festival Friday, March 29 - Saturday, March 30 A March event in January? Yes, because tickets go on sale this month for this amazing parents' night out. The Jazz Festival is Ocean Institute's biggest fundraiser of the year with proceeds directly going to their Adopt-A-Class program, supporting 10,000 underserved students from Title 1 schools throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County and San Diego County. The two-day event, held March 29-30, 2019, will include two unique evenings of jazz performances, five-star dining experiences and hosted bars. Funds raised from the...
Transforming Theme Parks for the Holidays
Working at night, crews with cranes & ladders transform theme parks for the holidays in a hurry. Visiting local theme parks is an extra special experience for families during the holidays as the parks are dressed in their holiday best. But it takes fast-working crews to, in a matter of weeks, transform Knott’s Scary Farm into Knott’s Merry Farm, turn Disneyland into something less spooky, take the Halloween Horror Nights out of Universal Studios and end the “Brick or Treat” at LEGOLAND. Getting those holiday decorations in place is an extra-special challenge for the decorating teams at the parks as...
Editor’s Picks: December 2018
PICK OF THE MONTH Winter Fest OC Thursday, December 20 - Sunday, January 6 This seasonal extravaganza comes packed with ice tubing, ice skating, and two real Snow Play areas, along with carnival rides, games and special events, like a Flying Santa. This year also presents 40,000 square feet of new wintry adventures - a Festival of Lights, a Candy and Snowflake Wonderland and a SoCal Dickens Village. The SoCal Dicken's Village takes guests through the 1800s with holidays past, present, and future. The Candy and Snowflake Wonderland is an interactive wonderland full of candy and snowflakes with a selfie...
Editor’s Picks: November 2018
PICK OF THE MONTH The Mom-Made Market Saturday, November 17 - Sunday, 18th This market is truly the mother of all invention. More than 150 local mompreneurs make this holiday market a very unique shopping experience. Come out for a weekend of gift-buying, food, and fun. This event is too monumental to miss so come on out to support these moms in business. Kids can get a free photo with Santa each day from 10 am-11:30 am. The market is open on November 17 from 10 am-5 pm and 10 am-4 pm on November 18. The Hangar at the OC...
Editor’s Picks: September 2018
Pick of the Month Parenting OC's Learn & Grow Expo Saturday, October 6 This health, education and special needs expo gives families the opportunity to connect with more than 60 exhibitors that focus on healthy living. These are experts in the community that can offer parents valuable tools, experience and wisdom to help them raise kids that are healthy in body and mind. The event includes free health screenings, nutrition and fitness demos and family activities, including face painting, balloon art and strolling entertainment. Families who attend will receive a free child admission for a full day at Discovery Cube...
Summer-Only Attractions at SoCal Theme Parks
Walkabout with kangaroos, go under the sea with sharks, hang out with Western characters, Kung Fu with a panda, or pal around with Pixar characters—all at Southern California theme parks this summer. Here are seven summer-exclusive attractions and theme park additions for families to enjoy: 1. Walkabout Australia at the San Diego Safari Park in Escondido offers visitors a chance to walk through a more than three-acre area filled with kangaroos, wallabies and other critters from the Land Down Under. The walking tour emulates the Australian landscape as the ‘roos and other critters hop close by. 2. See sharks, and...
Going Gourmet with Goofy
The Food & Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure might sound like it’s for adults, but Disney makes sure there’s plenty of things to do for children too. One of those offerings for kids is a chance to learn how to bake the right way at an event called “Jr. Chef.” But this is no simple live cooking show; after all, this is a Disney theme park – so the children chefs have a special teacher. “It’s Goofy’s show,” said Gary Maggetti, general manager of Disney California Adventure. “He does make a mess.” The baking takes place on the Hollywood...
Editor’s Picks: February 2018
PICK OF THE MONTH Jamboree Summer Opportunities at the Cube March 3, 2018 Parenting OC returns to the Discovery Cube for its 12th Anniversary Edition of the Kids’ Summer Opportunities Jamboree event. The free event will take place on March 3rd, 2018, from 10 AM to 2:00 PM. This is the third year the iconic Orange County family destination has partnered with Parenting OC to host the summer-fun planning extravaganza. This year, Jamboree will have special guests, along with games and many new exhibitors featuring family travel destination sports, summer camps, and school information. The Aquarium of the Pacific will be...
Editor’s Picks: October 2017
PICK OF THE MONTH Halloween at Disneyland October 1 to October 31 Halloween spirits will be haunting both Disneyland and California Adventure this year. Jack Skellington will prowl around the Haunted Mansion Holiday, while special spooks haunt a reimagined Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. A true crowd favorite, the Diá de los Muertos skeleton display, resides as always in Frontierland accompanied by a wild and ghoulish band. But the otherworldly fun isn’t restricted to just one park, this year. In California Adventure, Cars Land will receive an awesome new “Haul-A-Ween” makeover while seasonal surprises in the Guardian of the Galaxy ride...