All Stories from Orange County

• 

  Right on Target!

  Grip, aim, draw, release: That’s all there is to archery! Not really, but a visit to Orange County Archery in Mission Viejo before or after a nearby hike will put you in a zen-of-a

  View
• 

  Buck Wild

  Buck Gully Reserve in Newport Beach is right in the middle of the city but feels like a hidden oasis. As the 5.2-mile (round-trip) out-and-back Buck Gully Trail crosses through the

  View
• 

  Electric Company

  With a paved bike trail between the Pacific Ocean and Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach is a cruising paradise. Its namesake bike trail runs along the edge of the beach and through grassy hills and palm tree–lined beach bluffs.

  View
• 

  Bolsa and a Nano Brewery

  Whether you’re a bird nerd or just like beautiful views, the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach is a must-do in these parts. Its 1,341 acres of coastal estuary are

  View
• 

  You Up for Yorba?

  Skip the overcrowded brunch joints and go al fresco with Mom at Orange County’s Yorba Regional Park. What’s on the menu? Picnic sites, bike trails, lake fun, and more, spread acros

  View
• 

  Little Cool Pool

  "Chiquito” means “little one,” and while Chiquito Falls is no Niagara, the waterfall was actually named for a ranger’s horse, and the 15-foot cascade that tumbles into a secluded w

  View
• 

  Anonymous Source

  Hidden in the Cleveland National Forest near Los Pinos Springs is a waterfall so unknown it doesn’t have a name yet and neither does the 2.6-mile (round-trip) out-and-back trail to

  View
• 

  Whale Watching from Shore

  Gray-whale season is upon us. The best way to see our majestic Baja-bound friends is, of course, by boat, but sharp eyes can spot them from shore too. Get in a good hike while admiring this great migration.

  View
• 

  Arboretum Season

  All is not always calm this time of year, but peace reigns at Fullerton Arboretum, a quiet 26-acre oasis in the middle of urban Orange County. It’s on the campus of Cal State Fulle

  View
• 

  A Pirate’s Cave for Me

  The sea caves of Dana Point may not hold any gold or gems (that we know of), but Pirate’s Cave is a treasure in and of itself. This 1.2-mile (round-trip) out-and-back trail along a

  View
• 

  Laguna Low Down

  Looking for the best tide pools in Orange County? Grab your water shoes and a tide chart, and head to Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach! The mix of shallow and deep pools provides a per

  View
• 

  Down Doheny Way

  For the best beach camping in SoCal, come down Doheny way, where everybody’s gone surfin’, surfin’ USA! Doheny State Beach, that is, situated on 62 acres of coastline in Dana Point

  View
• 

  A Valido Point of View

  When you reach Aliso Peak via Valido Trail in Laguna Beach, you’ll be close enough to the blue Pacific to see the detail of the waves crashing upon the shore, but high enough for a

  View
• 

  An Orange Shade of Red

  Which is closer: Zion or Orange County? For a quick red-rock fix, we vote for the OC. Namely, Red Rock Canyon in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park—a 4.2-mile (round-trip) out-and-back

  View
• 

  Owl the Best of Santa Ana

  Old town, new spirit! Historic downtown Santa Ana is home to the first craft distillery in Orange County. Blinking Owl Distillery, named for a once-iconic bar on the corner of Birc

  View
• 

  Extra Sweet Hike

  A weekend adventure along the Ortega Highway feels like a romantic road trip, even if you aren’t driving far. The road twists and turns and reveals breathtaking views and charming

  View
• 

  Mediterranean Diet

  Niguel Botanical Preserve features a variety of vegetation, both native and from the similar climates of Australia, Chile, South Africa. It's also got a cool little labyrinth.

  View
• 

  Little Corona’s Crown Jewels

  Everything is just a bit different at Little Corona, a secluded cove ideal for snorkeling just south of its glamorous neighbor, Corona Del Mar Beach (aka Big Corona). No glitz, no

  View
• 

  Send in the Eels!

  What can you see in the water at Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach? For starters, eel grass, rock formations, urchins, anemones, and many types of fish—including the California state fis

  View
• 

  Ramakrishna Monastery

  The Ramakrishna Monastery, perched on a foothill above Trabuco Canyon, accepts all religions as divinely inspired. For this reason, monks created the Shrine Trail, a mile-long loop

  View