Long Beach Sand Sculpture Art and Music Festival/Facebook
Summer is here (or almost!) If your kids are already uttering the dreaded “b” word – “bored”, here is an amazing list of fun summer activities for the whole family. So get out, enjoy the beautiful southern California weather, and have fun!
Pick your own berries
Tanaka Farms Facebook
Strawberries – Visit Tanaka Farms and take a wagon ride out to the strawberry fields ($18). Go soon though, picking is only available through June. Your kids will love eating berries right off of the vine (just one or two!) and then taking home loads of luscious strawberries.
Blueberries – For blueberries, head down to Temecula Berry Company. The season is rapidly coming to a close, so hurry! On Fridays they have movie night and keep the farm open for picking until 8pm. Bring a chair, enjoy a food truck on site, pick some berries and watch a movie.
Visit one or both of the Adventure Playgrounds in Orange County
We have not one, but two adventure playgrounds in Orange County! Your kids will love the unstructured play –climbing a tree house, wading in the mud, building forts and just being a kid for awhile without the constraints of structured play. Visit the one in Irvine or Huntington Beach.
Take a chocolate factory tour
Chocxo Bean to Bar chocolatier/Facebook
Get a taste of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by taking a tour at Chocxo Bean to Bar Chocolatier in Irvine. You’ll get to see every detail of the chocolate-making process close-up and taste the chocolate in a variety of forms — cocoa nibs, pulp, and liquor.The factory tour takes 45 minutes ($10/adults and $7/kids). Show up hungry, because you will be sampling tons of decadent chocolates on this tasty tour! I’m sure you won’t hear the kids complain about that!
Go to the greatest sand castle contest around
Long Beach Sand Sculpture Art and Music Festival/Facebook
Held in August, this contest is complete with sculpture masterpieces of world-class professional sand artists, a semi-professional sculpting category, community competition and more. The contest is the longest standing of its kind in the nation and continues to be a staple of our community history and future. Don’t miss it!
Visit an arboretum or botanical garden
Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens/Facebook
If you’re seeking the shade on a hot day or just need to let the kids run and play, one of the nearby arboretums or botanical gardens is a great choice.
Fullerton Arboretum: A sprawling, 26-acre greenspace featuring 4,000+ types of plants, walking trails & a museum.
Los Angeles Arboretum: A unique 127-acre botanical garden and historical site located in what was the heart of the historic Rancho Santa Anita in the city of Arcadia. You’ll find a variety of gardens and landscapes that offer both beauty and tranquility.
Huntington Library Botanical Gardens: A gorgeous 120 acre garden near the San Bernardino Mountains that is a bit farther to get to, but worth the trip! There’s even a children’s garden for your kids to check out.
Take a nighttime paddle boarding tour
The Pirate Coast Paddle Co.
On Friday and Saturday nights this summer, you can take a guided SUP Glow Night tour of Newport Bay with The Pirate Coast Paddle Co. The SUPs have waterproof LED lighting, which lights up the calm waters of the bay with an amazing glow. Cost:$45 per person
Build a beach bonfire
Huntington State Beach/Ca.gov website
You can’t let summer go by without having a bonfire at the beach! Doheney State Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and San Clemente City Beach are the best local options. The fire rings are limited and people stake them out early in the morning, so this is an all-day commitment. Still, is there anything better during the summer than a beach bonfire with s’mores?
Staycation at a hotel with a great family pool
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach/Facebook
Craving a getaway but can’t get away? Consider a staycation at one of the great resorts in the Orange County area. If you’ve got kids, check out the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. They have three outdoor pools and their Oasis Pool features the only water slide in Newport Beach. There’s also a water fountain play area and a kids putting green.
