Fun times in Irvine
July 18, 2018 5:32 PM Subscribe
I will be heading to Irvine, CA this weekend and wanted to get some ideas on fun things to do. We are a group of three adults and wouldn't mind driving an hour or so out of Irvine, unless there's something we must absolutely visit that's a little farther out. We're looking more for things like nature-y experiences, festivals, cool museums, etc. rather than shopping or sitting on the beach. I'm not really sure what Irvine has to offer so would appreciate any suggestions at all.
UC Irvine grad here. Apart from the U, Irvine itself is not that exciting (and also super-unwalkable in most spots, so it's good that you have a car). It does, however, have nature, particularly in the form of the Open Space Preserve; there are also several other parks a relatively short drive away. The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is an interesting small collection, definitely doable in an afternoon, with a surprisingly high-powered restaurant attached. If you want to go into Long Beach, which will be c. one hour depending on traffic, you can visit the Queen Mary and the Museum of Latin American Art (about 3 miles from the QM).
posted by thomas j wise at 6:37 PM on July 18, 2018
posted by thomas j wise at 6:37 PM on July 18, 2018
Since you mentioned having access to natural beauty, I recommend this place. And seconding Crystal Cove.
posted by socialjusticeworrier at 7:12 PM on July 18, 2018
posted by socialjusticeworrier at 7:12 PM on July 18, 2018
There's a Metrolink train station in Irvine. $10 gets you a day pass on the weekend to anywhere on the system.
posted by luckynerd at 8:35 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by luckynerd at 8:35 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
My first reaction, as someone who grew up in Irvine, is: why the hell would you go to Irvine? There really is not very much to do there. Good Asian food, though. Try the Great Park or the park/scrubland near Sand Canyon, I guess? If you can rent bikes the bike path there is pretty decent.
posted by storytam at 8:44 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by storytam at 8:44 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Irvine itself has nothing interesting. I would recommend heading to Dana Point. Walking all around the harbor is fun. You can also take a whale watching charter from the Harbor. The Ocean Institute is a cool little spot if you are interested in ocean life. Behind the ocean institute there are picnic tables with a view of the harbor and if the tide is low you can walk down onto the tide pools there. You can also take a short hike around the headlands with amazing views if you park at the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center.
posted by scrubbles at 10:24 PM on July 18, 2018
posted by scrubbles at 10:24 PM on July 18, 2018
The Orange County Fair is going on right now and has some interesting looking craft/agriculture type exhibits.
In the summer UC Irvine used to have an inexpensive film screening series of usually classic or historic films; check the School of Humanities website to see if it’s going on while you are there.
Walking around Balboa Island to check out the fancy beach houses and eat a chocolate dipped banana is pretty fun - if you have seen Arrested Development this area is on the show.
posted by Red Desk at 10:54 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
In the summer UC Irvine used to have an inexpensive film screening series of usually classic or historic films; check the School of Humanities website to see if it’s going on while you are there.
Walking around Balboa Island to check out the fancy beach houses and eat a chocolate dipped banana is pretty fun - if you have seen Arrested Development this area is on the show.
posted by Red Desk at 10:54 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
Take a short drive to Laguna Beach. The area to the west of Pacific Coast Highway is crazy beautiful, it's easy to walk (or there's a free shuttle), tons of small art galleries, and you can continue south to Dana Point tidepools (pretty cool if you don't get regular beach visits) if you get bored. Dana Point is basically a rocky beach, not a sandy beach and you can see all sorts of tiny sealife and sheer cliffs above. The same area also has historical boat tours, and walking paths.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:10 AM on July 19, 2018
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:10 AM on July 19, 2018
If you are able to 'stretch that hour' a bit and are not traveling during rush hour, I also strongly recommend the La Brea tar pits in LA proper or Griffith Park, which has a cool abandoned zoo in one part and the Observatory in another part.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:14 AM on July 19, 2018
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:14 AM on July 19, 2018
It's San Diego Comic Con this weekend, so depending on your tolerance of crowds, you could take the train down to downtown San Diego and check out all of the con-adjacent stuff you can do without a badge in the Gaslamp district and the area surrounding the convention center. There's a ton of stuff to do and see but it will be hot and very crowded.
Besides that, there's a ton of great cuisine from all over Asia. If you want pho or ramen or sushi or k-bbq or banh mi or Vietnamese/Louisiana-style crawfish or Taiwanese pastries or {insert vaguely Asian cuisine here, fusion included}, I'd recommend you start at the Diamond Jamboree shopping center as it has every kind of food you can think of (and an escape room and a Korean Karaoke place)
posted by sleeping bear at 11:02 AM on July 19, 2018
Besides that, there's a ton of great cuisine from all over Asia. If you want pho or ramen or sushi or k-bbq or banh mi or Vietnamese/Louisiana-style crawfish or Taiwanese pastries or {insert vaguely Asian cuisine here, fusion included}, I'd recommend you start at the Diamond Jamboree shopping center as it has every kind of food you can think of (and an escape room and a Korean Karaoke place)
posted by sleeping bear at 11:02 AM on July 19, 2018
How do you feel about airplane museums? The LA area is old, established aerospace country, and there're a whole bunch of them here.
There're two in Chino, which is about 45 min. from Irvine, per Google Maps. These are Planes of Fame, which is fantastic---very good collection of early jets---and Yanks Air Museum, which I haven't been to, but which looks cool. They're right next to each other (both at Chino Airport), so you could make a day of it.
The Western Museum of Flight looks to be a bit over an hour from Irvine, but that's due to traffic.
The March Field Air Museum at March ARB also looks like great fun, but it's also a bit over an hour from Irvine. (This is definitely on my list to visit before I move away from the LA area.)
You might also enjoy the Battleship Iowa, in Long Beach.
posted by golwengaud at 3:05 PM on July 19, 2018
There're two in Chino, which is about 45 min. from Irvine, per Google Maps. These are Planes of Fame, which is fantastic---very good collection of early jets---and Yanks Air Museum, which I haven't been to, but which looks cool. They're right next to each other (both at Chino Airport), so you could make a day of it.
The Western Museum of Flight looks to be a bit over an hour from Irvine, but that's due to traffic.
The March Field Air Museum at March ARB also looks like great fun, but it's also a bit over an hour from Irvine. (This is definitely on my list to visit before I move away from the LA area.)
You might also enjoy the Battleship Iowa, in Long Beach.
posted by golwengaud at 3:05 PM on July 19, 2018
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Pageant of the Masters at the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts (although you might not be able to get tickets to the actual Pageant at this late date). And the Sawdust Festival. There is another art fair along Laguna Canyon Road going right now as well. The Festival of Arts is the really high caliber art, and the Sawdust Festival is more quirky, local, funky art. Both are super fun, and seeing the two is about a day. Also, right on the same road is a marine sanctuary (Pacific Marine Mammal Center) that has sea lions, seals, sea birds, etc. that are being rehabilitated. You can go visit and they have a docent tour that's fun. That's about an hour visit.
You're also not too far (Dana Point terminal is probably closest) from the ferries that go to Catalina Island, although this isn't the most beautiful time of year to go there (it's chaparral, so the hills look brown). You can go snorkeling, glass bottom boat rides, and other nature related fun over there. It's a day trip.
If you want to see sea creatures, a day in Long Beach is a good bet. This is Blue Whale season, and you can see lots of them from these whale watching cruises. Couple hour cruise maybe. Here's a whale watching cruise that leaves from Newport Beach (much closer to Irvine). Also, the Aquarium of the Pacific is in Long Beach and is super fun.
If you just want to experience Southern California summer culture, head down to Balboa Island, park at the pier, and just wander and eat and drink for the day. The Crab Cooker Restaurant is a local institution. You can rent a tiny electric boat, or kayaks, and toodle around in the bay (get them next to the Balboa Bay Club). If it's sunny, that is an exceptionally relaxing and beautiful thing to do. Newport Bay is beautiful. Or go up to Huntington Beach - there is usually a surfing competition of some type (dog or human or both) going on there.
I'd skip the Back Bay nature trail, unless you're nature starved and desperate. There isn't really too much for nice nature hikes without driving a furrrrrr piece, especially this time of year. I'd stick to ocean related nature activities, or drive to somewhere you can start near the top of a mountain.
There is the Laguna Art Museum and Newport Beach Museum of Art, but I haven't been to them so can't give a strong recommendation either way.
posted by bluesky78987 at 4:29 PM on July 19, 2018
You're also not too far (Dana Point terminal is probably closest) from the ferries that go to Catalina Island, although this isn't the most beautiful time of year to go there (it's chaparral, so the hills look brown). You can go snorkeling, glass bottom boat rides, and other nature related fun over there. It's a day trip.
If you want to see sea creatures, a day in Long Beach is a good bet. This is Blue Whale season, and you can see lots of them from these whale watching cruises. Couple hour cruise maybe. Here's a whale watching cruise that leaves from Newport Beach (much closer to Irvine). Also, the Aquarium of the Pacific is in Long Beach and is super fun.
If you just want to experience Southern California summer culture, head down to Balboa Island, park at the pier, and just wander and eat and drink for the day. The Crab Cooker Restaurant is a local institution. You can rent a tiny electric boat, or kayaks, and toodle around in the bay (get them next to the Balboa Bay Club). If it's sunny, that is an exceptionally relaxing and beautiful thing to do. Newport Bay is beautiful. Or go up to Huntington Beach - there is usually a surfing competition of some type (dog or human or both) going on there.
I'd skip the Back Bay nature trail, unless you're nature starved and desperate. There isn't really too much for nice nature hikes without driving a furrrrrr piece, especially this time of year. I'd stick to ocean related nature activities, or drive to somewhere you can start near the top of a mountain.
There is the Laguna Art Museum and Newport Beach Museum of Art, but I haven't been to them so can't give a strong recommendation either way.
posted by bluesky78987 at 4:29 PM on July 19, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
Seriously, though, here's the OC Weekly calendar and the LA Weekly calendar for all your nearby arts and entertainment stuff. Irvine is right next to Crystal Cove State Park (amazing tide pools, natural areas like Moro Canyon and Moro Ridge, and beachside cliffs -- it's not a "sit on the beach and sun yourself" type place) and historic district. If hiking's your thing, try the Holy Jim trail to Santiago Peak (warning: it's a rough hike for inexperienced/casual hikers, especially in summer -- start early in the day and bring a TON of water).
posted by erst at 6:35 PM on July 18, 2018