Best Amusement Park/Family Fun Center
Boomers!
Boomers maintains its top spot in the ranking. No surprise considering the variety of activities offered at the park. From miniature golf, Go Karts, rides, Lazer Tag and climbing walls to batting cages and arcade games, just about anyone can find something entertaining. Private banquet rooms are available for special occasions, and post-prom and grad night lock-ins provide a safe, all-night venue.
boomersparks.com | Irvine
Best Arcade
Dave & Buster’s
Dave & Buster’s is still a readers’ favorite thanks to its mix of food and games. From billiards and bowling to arcade classics and virtual reality, it is always game-on at the popular hangout. Prefer to watch a game? Pick a spot in front of one of the giant TV screens and cheer on your favorite team. Plus, you can order from the full-service restaurant.
daveandbusters.com | Orange and Irvine
Best Bowling Alley
Saddleback Lanes
Saddleback Lanes claimed the top spot with readers because it’s a flexible, family-friendly fun spot that provides affordable bowling by league, by the game or by the hour. When you’re not bowling, you can be celebrating your game, birthday party or family night with the Strike Package, or the Cosmic Package, where the balls, pins and your light-colored clothing all glow while you bowl.
saddlbacklanes.com | Mission Viejo
Best Dog Beach/Park
Huntington Beach Dog Park
Huntington Beach Dog Beach is the top ranked again. The designated 1.5-mile stretch of beach on Pacific Coast Highway between Goldenwest and Seapoint streets is an ideal place for dogs to run around, play in the sand and surf. With an off-leash optional policy, once you’re on the beach sand, it’s no wonder dogs and their owners continue to love it.
dogbeach.org | Huntington Beach
Best Fair/Festival
OC Fair
Year after year, Orange County residents absolutely love their OC Fair. From famous fried and sugary fair foods; the animal area with cows, miniature donkeys, llamas, camels and a honey-making beehive, as well as a petting zoo full of goats, pigs and sheep; and rides to live music performances and events, the family-friendly extravaganza attracts major crowds and wins over visitors of all ages.
ocfair.com | Costa Mesa
Best Family Beach
Crystal Cove State Beach
Crystal Cove and its four family-friendly beaches hold on to the top ranking. Moro Beach is for stand-up paddle boarders and kayakers, as well as campers looking for ocean views. Meanwhile, body surfers head to Reef Point. The Historic District features 46 vintage cottages while Pelican Point has bluff-top parking with beach access points, restroom facilities and outdoor showers.
crystalcovestatepark.org | Newport Beach/Laguna Beach
Best Family Hiking Trail
Top of the World
Top of the World via West Ridge Trail is an under-two-hour hike and 2.4-mile climb that can be a challenge for younger hikers, but the 360-degree view from the ocean to Saddleback Peak to Newport Beach is worth the effort. On clear days, you can see Catalina Island. You can also have someone pick you up at Alta Laguna Park.
alltrails.com | Laguna Beach/Newport Beach
Best Family Hiking Trail
Oso Creek Trail
The Oso Creek Trail is a flat, man-made, tree-lined hike of up to 5.5 miles through local park area featuring artwork, benches, a butterfly garden, hedge maze, a peace obelisk and more than 130,000 plants planted by volunteers as well as views of Oso Creek, that flows from the Santa Ana Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The trail is also adaptable lengths for families.
cityofmissionviejo.org | Mission Viejo
Best Indoor Play Center
My Gym Children’s Fitness Center
My Gym tops the readers’ list this year because of its innovative approach to kids’ fitness. Kids participate in energizing fitness games, non-competitive gymnastics, arts and crafts, music and more in a fun, physically-engaging environment. And birthday parties can be a perfectly-designed celebration with food, party favors and paper goods created especially for you and your children.
mygym.com | Multiple Locations
Best Kid’s Bike Trail
Back Bay Drive
The Back Bay Loop Trail returns as the readers’ favorite again. The 10.5-mile, well-marked trail goes around Upper Newport Bay and is frequented by outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. It has multiple entry points with options for scenic stops. The flat, paved trail easily accommodates bikes and strollers so the whole family can experience a day with the birds and the bay.
newportbeachca.gov | Newport Beach
Best Park
Irvine Regional Park
Irvine Regional Park tops our list for the 17th time. The park, which is celebrating its 126th birthday throughout this year, features close to 500 acres of picnic areas, sports fields, hiking and equestrian trails. Other activities include the newly renovated and expanded Orange County Zoo, the Irvine Park Railroad, pony rides for children, a lake where you can ride aquacycle rentals and much, much more.
ocparks.com/irvinepark | Orange
Best Place to Catch Your First Fish
Rancho Santa Margarita Lake
Near the Saddleback Mountains, the 11.5-acre lake offers multiple fishing points for first-time fishermen as well as their families. The man-made lake and nature park feature a butterfly garden, pine grove, amphitheater and meditation point, all peaceful places to stop and enjoy nature at work. Catch-and-release is welcome at the carefully managed ecosystem.
samlarc.org | Rancho Santa Margarita
Best Place to See Sea Creatures
Aquarium of the Pacific
The Aquarium of the Pacific is Southern California’s largest aquarium and displays about 12,000 animals and more than 100 exhibits for kids and adults, as well as educational programs, hands-on activities and lectures. Other activities include the Shark Lagoon, Coral Reefs, Sea Otter Habitat and June Keyes Penguin Habitat. Aquarium webcams even let you watch the sealife from anywhere.
aquariumofpacific.org | Long Beach
Best Museum
Discovery Cube
Discovery Cube Orange County claims the top-ranking spot on our list for the seventh time. The interactive activities at the kids’ museum make science education fun and engaging for young visitors. Visitors can jump into a hurricane, take a simulated helicopter ride, survive the bed of nails, explore the solar system or go on a dinosaur quest. The immersive attractions can easily offer hours of entertainment.
discoverycube.org | Santa Ana
Best Nature Center
Environmental Nature Center
The Environmental Nature Center is home to 15 California native plant communities from desert to redwood forest as well as walking trails, wildlife habitats and a sustainably designed learning center. It’s also a great place to see birds, butterflies and buy native plants. The ENC serves about 28,000 students and thousands of visitors a year and is known as a leader in education of nature.
encenter.org | Newport Beach
Best Swim Facility
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Costa Mesa
Aqua-Tots reached the top in this readers’ poll because of their mission to teach kids of all abilities up to 12 years old how to become safe and confident swimmers for life. Beginner, advanced and parent-and-tot group lessons or semi-private lessons are available one, two or three days a week in an indoor 90-degree pool.
aqua-tots.com/costamesa | Costa Mesa
Best Theme Park
Disneyland
It is not called The Happiest Place on Earth for nothing. Disneyland maintains the top ranking as families continue making memories at the resort theme parks. From Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the Avengers Campus and nighttime spectaculars, there’s always something exciting to see and do. During the holiday season, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure go all out to decorate and celebrate.
disneyland.disney.go.com | Anaheim
Best Water Park
Wild Rivers
Now in its new location on the other side of the 5 and 405 freeways in the Orange County Great Park, Wild Rivers tops the poll as a 50 percent bigger park. Featuring 17 different slides and attractions, from the serene Castaway River to the fast-paced Pelican Plunge, visitors can also get lunch and dinner, snacks and beverages at the park’s grill, snack shop and bar.
wildrivers.com | Irvine
Best Zoo
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is still a readers’ favorite for bringing the whole family to see wildlife from little critters to nature’s giants. Special experiences allow visitors to get up-close-and-personal to the animals with the help of the zoo’s experts. There are also youth programs exploring wildlife preservation, animal care and related careers. You can check on some of the animals through webcams.
sandiegozoo.com | San Diego
Best Family Theater
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is Orange County’s biggest nonprofit arts organization and one of the most respected cultural institutions in the country. The world-class venue hosts local and international artists, including Pacific Symphony. Additionally, there are fun and interactive community events, summer camps, art school for all abilities, musical theater class and dance classes at the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza.
scfta.org | Costa Mesa
Best Movie Theater
Regal Irvine Spectrum ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX, RPX & VIP
If you want to immerse yourself in the movie experience, the Regal movie theater at Irvine Spectrum is the place to go. From traditional stadium seating to auditoriums with recliners, to an eight-story screen to watch IMAX movies, Regal Irvine Spectrum ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX, RPX & VIP is striving to be the best it can be, and our readers are noticing.
irvinespectrumcenter.com | Irvine
Best Animal Encounters
Zoomars
Family-owned and -operated in Los Rios Historic District, Zoomars at River Street Ranch will get you and your family close-up with the likes of kunekune pigs, Guinea pigs, goats, horses, sheep, emu and cows. You can even feed the alpacas and llamas. When you’re done with the petting zoo, you can hit the playground at Zoomars and mine for gems, among other attractions.
riverstreetranch.com | San Juan Capistrano
EDITORS’ CHOICE WINNER
Best Place to Catch a First Fish
Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching
Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching offers fishing clinics and trips for kids and adults alike just outside Dana Point Harbor. Experienced, family-friendly crew and skippers are happy to guide you throughout the outing. The full-service galley is stocked with cold drinks, snacks and hot food for when you want to take a break and just admire the spectacular ocean views.
danawharf.com | Dana Point
EDITORS’ CHOICE WINNER
Best Indoor Play Center
Pretend City Children’s Museum
Pretend City’s miniature version of a city teaches children how the world works in a fun, creative and engaging way with the help of trained staff leading age-appropriate activities. Whether they shop at a grocery store, work on a farm or build at a construction site, kids have plenty of pretend activities to choose from. The nonprofit is a unique community resource offering developmental screenings and tools for families.
pretendcity.org | Irvine
EDITORS’ CHOICE WINNER
TIE: Best Zoo
Santa Ana Zoo
Just a few things going on at Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park are special events like Fascination of Orchids Show Sept. 22-24, and the annual Boo at the Zoo, Oct 21, 22, 28, 29. Guests can also meet new animal friends at the Goat Trails Habitat in the Crean Family Farm. Meanwhile, construction continues on the River’s Edge Habitat that will feature South American giant river otters, Capuchin monkeys and other primates.
santaanazoo.org | Santa Ana
EDITORS’ CHOICE WINNER
TIE: Best Zoo
OC Zoo
The OC Zoo specializes in animals and plants native to the southwestern U.S. Many of the animals are injured, orphaned, confiscated or not releasable into the wild. Animals include black bear, bald eagle, kit fox, ocelot, beaver, great-horned owl, porcupine, coyote, turkey vulture and more. The zoo also features a barnyard with domestic goats and sheep. A new large mammal exhibit opened to the public in 2022, and houses mountain lions and jaguars.
ocparks.com/oc-zoo | Orange
EDITORS’ CHOICE WINNER
Best Fair/Festival
Pageant of the Masters
This year, the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach’s Pageant of the Masters celebrated its 90th anniversary with the theme, “Art Colony: In the Company of Artists.” The summer production acknowledged the deep connections and memorable stories of artists assisting one another throughout the world and history. Presented under Laguna Beach’s starry-summer night sky, the 2023 Pageant also featured live, original music and narration, and theatrical illusions.
foapom.com | Laguna Beach
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