Best Amusement Park
Boomers
Boomers remains a reader favorite and fixture for family fun. With the variety of activities offered at the park, it’s easy to see why. From Go Karts, miniature golf, bumper boats and other rides, laser 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, party-all-night venue.
boomersparks.com | Irvine
Best Arcade
Dave & Buster’s
Readers still love Dave & Buster’s arcade thanks to its longtime mix of food and games. There are billiards and bowling for the older kids as well as arcade classics and virtual reality. A full menu is available before, after or between games. And if you want to watch a pro game, grab a spot in front of one of the giant TV screens and cheer your favorite team.
daveandbusters.com | Orange and Irvine
Best Bowling Alley
Saddleback Lanes
Saddleback Lanes again claims the top spot with readers because it’s a versatile, family-friendly fun spot that provides wallet-friendly bowling by league, by game or by the hour. When you’re not bowling, you can be celebrating your game, birthday party or family night with the 90-minute Strike Package, or Cosmic Package, where the balls, pins and your light-colored clothing all glow while you bowl.
saddlebacklanes.com | Mission Viejo
Best Dog Beach/Park
Huntington Beach Dog Park
Huntington Beach Dog Beach is the favorite again with dogs and their humans. 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 and play in the sun, 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
The Orange County Fair is an essential part of any Orange County summer. Residents absolutely love their fair for its famous fried and sugary fair foods; the barns with cows, miniature donkeys, llamas, camels and honey-making beehive, but also a petting zoo full of goats, pigs and sheep; various carnival rides; and weeks of live music performances and events. It’s a family-friendly extravaganza that 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 remain a reader favorite because of their uniqueness. 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. Famous tide pools dot the shoreline. 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 via West Ridge Trail
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 Indoor Play Center
Pretend City Children’s Museum
Pretend City’s kid-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. They can be a dentist, go to the beach, the gas station, work on a farm or build a construction site and more. There are always plenty of pretend activities to choose while they learn about the adult world. The nonprofit is a unique community resource offering developmental screenings and tools for families.
pretendcity.org | Irvine
Best Kid’s Bike Trail
Back Bay Drive
The unique Back Bay Loop Trail is a readers’ favorite once again. The 10.5-mile, well-marked trail goes around Upper Newport Bay and is a favorite 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 18th time. The park, with one of the longest histories in Orange County, features close to 500 acres of picnic areas, sports fields, hiking and equestrian trails. Other activities include the renovated and expanded Orange County Zoo, the Irvine Park Railroad, pony rides for children, a lake where you can ride aquacycle rentals and more.
ocparks.com/irvinepark | Orange
Best Place to Catch Your 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
Best Place to See Sea Creatures
Aquarium of the Pacific
The Aquarium of the Pacific is Southern California’s largest and most popular aquarium and displays about 11,000 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 sea life from anywhere.
aquariumofpacific.org | Long Beach
Best Science Museum
Discovery Cube
Discovery Cube Orange County claims its eighth time at the top-ranking spot on our list. The interactive activities at the kids’ museum make science education fun and engaging for young visitors. Visitors can jump into a hurricane, get behind the camera in the broadcast booth, explore the science of hockey, explore the solar system or go on a dinosaur quest. The immersive attractions can easily offer hours of entertainment.
discoverycube.org | Santa Ana
Best Museum
Pretend City Children’s Museum
Pretend City Children’s Museum is designed for kids to learn how the world works while stoking their curiosities and imaginations. Pretend City offers a child-size interconnected city balancing educational learning experiences with fun, where kids can try on real-world roles and let their creativity rule.
pretendcity.org | Irvine
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 considered a leader in education of nature.
encenter.org | Newport Beach
Best Theme Park
Disneyland
It is not called The Happiest Place on Earth for nothing. Disneyland remains tops as families continue making memories at the theme parks resort. From Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the Avengers Campus and nighttime fireworks and water shows, there’s always something exciting to see and do — especially with recent announcements that lots of new things are coming. During the holiday season, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure go all out to decorate and celebrate.
disneyland.disney.go.com | Anaheim
Best Theme Park for Thrills
Knott’s Berry Farm
The farm has come a long way in a century. Readers love Knott’s Berry Farm and its thrill rides and attractions in four themed areas inspired by California history and culture. Old West Ghost Town will get your heart racing with the Silver Bullet inverted roller-coaster and GhostRider, the fastest, longest and tallest wooden roller-coaster on the West Coast. Spring is the Boysenberry Festival and Halloween season turns the park into Knott’s Scary Farm and Knott’s Spooky Farm.
knotts.com | Buena Park
Best Theme Park for Tots
Legoland California
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the theme park based on a toy line remains a favorite with parents and their little ones. It features more than 60 rides, shows and attractions and hands-on interactive experience for kids and adults. The Brick-or-Treat Monster Party gets the Halloween season in swing.
legoland.com/california | Carlsbad
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 OC Zoo
Orange County Zoo
The OC Zoo specializes in animals and plants native to the southwestern U.S. Most 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 expanded large mammal exhibit houses mountain lions and jaguars.
ocparks.com/oc-zoo | Orange
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 and seasonal productions. 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
Cinepolis Luxury Theaters
Parents can get dinner and a movie all in one at Cinepolis. There are sandwiches, pizzas, bowls as well as nachos and quesadillas. Non-alcoholic drinks and a full selection of wine, beer and cocktails are served as you recline and enjoy the show.
cinepolisusa.com | Laguna Niguel and Rancho Santa Margarita
Best Animal Encounters
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Diego Zoo Safari Park is one of the biggest attractions in San Diego County. Visitors can explore several safari experiences or venture around the park to see giraffes, rhinos, elephants, gorillas, bats and more. There is also a petting kraal with gentle goats and play areas for kids throughout.
sdzsafaripark.org | Escondido
Best OC Animal Encounters
Zoomars
Family owned and operated in Los Rios Historic District and now known as River Street Ranch, this petting zoo gets families close-up with more than 80 animals, including 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 and mine for gems, among other attractions.
riverstreetranch.com | San Juan Capistrano
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