6 Family Activities to Explore in Orange County

Homemade Pizza Night

Chef prepare the pizzaa. Man in a white uniform

One of my all-time favorite activities to do when I was younger was make homemade pizzas with my family. Before Blaze Pizza was all the rage and the idea of customizing your pizza with anything your heart desires wasn’t mainstream, getting to decorate and flavor my personal pizza at home was just the best! Homemade or store-bought pizza dough works just fine for this. Grab your favorite sauces, cheeses, veggies, meats, and toppings and play around with new flavor combinations. Go with a white sauce or a pesto. Try mozzarella or vegan cheese. Try out every veggie imaginable or go meat-lovers. It is your choice, now at home! 

Who Says You Can’t DIY?

Photo Cred: DIY Inspired via Pinterest

Create some porch decorations, dining table centerpieces, or childhood memorabilia by crafting up some art projects! Tissue paper trees, turkey placemats, and fall leave mobiles are all possibilities. Check out this guide for eight cute fall crafts for kids, and be sure to visit Pinterest for more inspo!

Dessert in OTO

This one is self-explanatory, but stop by Watson’s Soda Fountain and Cafe, Afters Ice Cream, Pandor, Chunk-n-Chip Ice Cream, The Pie Hole, or any of the IHOTO restaurants for a delicious post-dinner dessert. Make an evening of it and grab dinner in the Circle beforehand or walk down with your family if you live close. There are so many sweet options in OTO, and you are sure to find something that satisfies everyone in the family… even if you have to make a few stops.

Picnic

Photo Credit: Chapman University

Avoid the crows and take your Old Towne dinner or desserts to a nice place to sit and enjoy OTO. Walk around to Chapman University’s Memorial Lawn, or the tables on Chapman’s campus hidden behind Memorial Lawn on Palm Ave. and Orange St. Walk over to the Musco Center for the arts lawn, grab a blanket, and enjoy!

Local OC Hiking

Black Star Canyon waterfall in Orange County

Source: Reddit

We are lucky to be a short drive from some of the best hiking in Orange County. Visit Santiago Canyon, Peter’s Canyon, or Black Star Canyon in Irvine Regional Park for some fantastic hikes (some that even include waterfalls). Take a short drive to the coast to hike Crystal Cove, Laguna Beach Cliff Hike, or Laurel Canyon Hiking Trail in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. There are so many hikes to explore in Orange County, and we recommend visiting the OC Parks website for more information on park hours, parking, hike difficulty, mileage, and more! 

Take Your Holiday Card Photo

Get one step ahead of your holiday to-do list and turn your fall family activity into your holiday card! Get the family coordinating in matching colors or just looking their best, and take a photo shoot in Old Towne Orange, on Chapman’s campus, through the breezy streets of OTO, or even just in your backyard! During these times apart, a holiday card will be sure to invite some joy and a sense of togetherness into the holiday season. 

We hope you have a great weekend with your family, and get to take some of our tips along the way. Enjoy the desserts and the hikes, and we will see you around Towne!

Last Updated on May 24, 2023 by Pattie Cordova