Best Amusement Park for Tots
Adventure City
At a little more than two acres, Adventure City is one of the smallest them parks in California and has more fun packed in per foot than parks that are much bigger. There are kid-sized coasters, mini-trains, rides, a carousel, arcade and petting farm, plus birthday party packages and family-friendly Halloween parties weekly in October.
adventurecity.com | Anaheim
Best Amusement Park for Every Age Group
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. 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, Irvine
Best Bowling Alley
Concourse Bowling
With 40 lanes featuring league bowling and cosmic bowling as well as billiards, and a full-service bar and grill serving beer, wine and cocktails, and American eats like pizza, sliders, nachos, and taquitos. Happy hours are every weekday evening and all day Monday.
concoursebowling.com | Anaheim
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 attracts major crowds and wins over visitors of all ages.
ocfair.com | Costa Mesa
Best Family Beach
Crystal Cove
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
Irvine Regional Park Loop Trail
One of the easiest and family-friendly trails loops around the more than century-old park. Just 3.1 miles with slight elevation gain, the trail can be walked in just more than an hour and offers great views of the park on Puma Ridge, but then descends over Santiago Creek and Horseshoe Trail, then back to the creek and through the Children’s Garden Trail that takes you back the start.
ocparks.com/irvinepark | Orange
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 Family Biking
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
Huntington Beach Pier
Built in 1904 and rebuilt after storms in the 1980s, the local landmark and year-round fishing spot is known for its white seabass and halibut action. A fishing license is not required but all other regulations (including minimum size, bag limits, report cards, and seasons) apply while fishing from a public pier. If you aren’t catching any fish, you can still enjoy the great views of ocean and coastline, including the surfers below.
surfcityusa.com | Huntington Beach
Best Fishing at Sea
Dana Wharf
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 ninth 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, perform virtual land, sea and air rescue missions, read the news, or go on a dinosaur quest. The immersive attractions can easily offer hours of entertainment.
discoverycube.org | Santa Ana
Best Nature Center
Oak Canyon Nature Center
The 58-acre nature park nestled in Anaheim Hills features zones of coastal sage scrub, oak woodland and riparian. The John J. Collier Interpretive Center features a museum with live animal and regional natural history exhibits on weekends. More than 4 miles of trails are available, with trails ranging from flat to moderate incline. A typical trail is less than a mile in length.
anaheim.net/1096/Oak-Canyon-Nature-Center | Anaheim
Best Swim Facility
Aqua Duks Swim School
Kids can learn to swim from fully certified instructors and lessons can be tailored to the individual needs of the student, from toddlers to pre-teens, from beginners to advanced. Classes are also available with parent and toddler swimming. Private and group classes are also available.
aquaduks.com | Anaheim
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 resort theme parks. 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 — and there have been 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 Tots
Legoland California
For more than a quarter century, the theme park based on a toy line remains a favorite with parents and their little ones. With more than 60 rides, shows and attractions and a hands-on interactive experience for kids and adults, and the Brick-or-Treat Monster Party gets the Halloween season in swing.
legoland.com/california | Carlsbad
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 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
OC 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. The 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 Family Live Shows
Honda Center Anaheim
The Honda Center spends much of the year as home to the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, but with a capacity of more than 19,000, the arena has hosted UFC matches, truck shows and concerts from Barry Manilow to Gwen Stefani and the Jonas Brothers.
hondacenter.com | Anaheim
Best Movie Theater
Regal Irvine Spectrum
The popular movie palace is also one of OC’s best attended. It’s high-tech offerings include movie with state of the digital projection and sound, as well films shown in IMAX, theater X, 4DX, and RPX. most theaters include fulling reclining seats and food that can be ordered online and served to you in your seats. A full bar is also available to movie goers over 21 years of age.
irvinespectrumcenter.com/entertainment/movies | Irvine
Best Animal Encounters
San Diego 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 Farm Experience
Tanaka Farms
Long-running interactive farm that connects families and the community with their food, with wagon rides through the farm, melon tasting tours, Rise n Shine breakfast served on summer weekends, seasonal market stand, U-pick fruit, the annual pumpkin patch & barnyard birthday bashes.
tanakafarms.com | Irvine
Best Historical Outing
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Founded in 1776 — the same year as the United States — in colonial Las Californias by Spanish Catholic missionaries of the Franciscan Order, it was named for Saint John of Capistrano, a 14th century so-called “warrior priest.” Though it functions mostly as a museum these days, it also hold regular Catholic mass and has featured concerts the famously returning swallows every spring.
missionsjc.com | San Juan Capistrano
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Best Animal Encounters
The Reptile Zoo
If you’re looking for animal encounters, The Reptile Zoo is the place to go. The unique entertainment facility is home to more than 100 exotic species of reptiles, amphibians and arachnids from around the world. Visitors can learn about the animals through interactive displays and exhibitions and can even hold, feed or get a picture with one.
thereptilezoo.com | Fountain Valley
Best Family Theater
Laguna Playhouse
Laguna Playhouse, located in the arts colony of Laguna Beach, was founded as a community theater in 1920. Its mission is to enrich lives and provide educational opportunities for children and adults. The theater is known for its year-round season of dramas, comedies, musicals, stand-up comedy and family shows. Laguna Playhouse also allows actors of all ages to share their talents through Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre.
lagunaplayhouse.com | Laguna Beach
Best Bowling Alley
Irvine Lanes
Irvine Lanes is no stranger to our ranking. The 40-lane bowling center features state-of-the-art automatic scoring and bumpers for the little ones. All skill levels and ages are welcome to come for individual sessions or to join a league. Galaxy Bowling during special times takes the experience to the next level with black lights, lasers and music. They also host birthday parties.
irvinelanes.com | Irvine
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