Best Amusement Park
Boomers
The most accessible family amusement park, Boomers remains a favorite in the Readers’ Choice Awards. Whether you’re going on a Go Kart, playing a few holes in miniature golf, cruising along in bumper boats, playing laser tag or your favorite arcade game, swinging away in the batting cages or climbing away on the climbing walls, there are a lot of ways to have fun. When you’re done, party all night in private banquet rooms for special occasions.
boomersparks.com | Irvine
Best Fair/Festival
OC Fair
The quintessential OC summer event, the Orange County Fair has been brightening summertimes for more than 135 years. Locals can ride all the carnival rides they like, but can really indulge in the deep-fried, sugary comfort food served up at the fairgrounds. Walk it off at the petting zoo and barns with cows, donkeys, goats, bunnies, pigs, sheep, and even llamas and camels. Close the night with a live show at Pacific Amphitheatre.
ocfair.com | Costa Mesa
Best Fishing at Sea
Dana Wharf
Feel the Pacific Ocean breeze in your face as you cast your line out aboard one of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching’s regular family-friendly fishing clinics or fishing trips. Venture just outside of Dana Point Harbor and get guidance from an experienced, expert crew. When you need a break, a full-service galley is ready with cold drinks, hot food and snacks. Of course, you can just stop anytime and enjoy the ocean view.
danawharf.com | Dana Point
Best Science Museum
Discovery Cube
The giant cube sitting almost atop the Discovery Cube building is a reminder of the unique kids-oriented science center right in the middle of Orange County. Since 1998, kids have been getting a STEM education every time they visit and play. Now a 10-time Readers’ Choice Award winner, curious young minds can go on a Dino Quest, get their hands wet in the Sea Lab, navigate across the moon’s surface or even jump into a hurricane.
discoverycube.org | Santa Ana
Best Waterpark
Wild Rivers
Now located in the Great Park — and 50 percent bigger — Wild Rivers remains a very popular place to splash around on a hot summer day. Topping the readers’ poll again, the 17 different slides offer a little something for the timid to the bold, including the relaxing Castaway River to the little-one friendly Cook’s Cove to the fast-paced Samoan Serpent, and after, grab a cold drink or snack at the park’s grill or snack shop.
wildrivers.com | Irvine
Best OC Zoo
OC Zoo
Unlike other zoos, the animals you meet at the OC Zoo are injured, orphaned, confiscated or not releasable into the wild. That gives visitors a unique look at the animals native to the American Southwest, including black bear, bald eagle, hawks, bobcat, ocelot, beaver, great-horned owl, porcupine and coyote as well as a petting zoo featuring goats and sheep. But the main mammal exhibit shows off a group of mountain lions and a jaguar.
ocparks.com/oc-zoo | Orange
By Jessie Dax-Setkus, Shawn Price and Vanessa Siguenza
