Arrr, mateys! Fer those who love pirates or those lookin' fer sites off the beaten path, this be a…read morejolly stop to check out. If ye be sailin' in a dinghy, a kayak, or a pedal boat, ye best cruise on by this Instagram-worthy pirate attraction. Landlubbers, beware, parking is rare. Ye without peglegs will have a nice seaside-ish stroll.

The Pirate House is a must see if you are in the neighborhood. I particularly love it at night…read morebecause this is when the pirates come to life. Not IRL but, if you use your imagination....

Love that this museum is just sitting right next to the Santa Ana Airport like it's no big deal…read more The plane and car collection is awesome, and there's a whole spread of other historical artifacts scattered around that'll eat up most of your afternoon. What's cool is you can actually see inside some of the big planes, which really shows you what these crews were working with. Spoiler: hot, not much legroom and even less comfort. To add to the experience, there are docents/walking Wikipedias, roaming around ready to help. They're kind, friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and their stories are the kind that stick with you for days. I became a member partly because of them. My favorite part of the museum is being able to sit and watch takeoffs and landings from SNA the whole time you're there. I could genuinely camp out all day. Just wish the runway was bigger so we'd get some bigger planes like at LAX. Anyway, so this museum started in 2009 showing Major General William Lyon's personal collection. Every aircraft here is still kept airworthy, not just propped up for looks, which is crazy. That detail alone makes it feel less like a museum and more like a very well organized hangar of time machines. But the real main event is the monthly car and plane meetups. They roll open the massive hangar doors so you can walk straight out onto the tarmac, and suddenly you're watching planes take off from super up close. It's unreal. Members get in an hour early too, so you skip the crowds entirely. A lot of people don't know this place exists though, which is wild given how good it is. Glad we stumbled onto it. Go check it out!

Came to Lyon Air Museum to check out the collection of historic planes and cars. Admission was $15…read moreper adult with kids 5 and under free. The museum itself is fairly small since the exhibits are primarily limited to the indoor display area (at least during our visit). There's a pretty interesting collection of aircraft, vintage cars, and other historical items to walk around and look at. It's a nice place to spend an hour or so, especially if you have kids who are interested in planes and cars. There's also a small interactive area where visitors can actually climb into some of the vehicles which was a fun addition. The planes weren't available to enter when we visited, but we were able to get inside about four different cars. This was probably one of the more enjoyable parts for the kids since they could actually sit inside rather than just look at the exhibits. I do wish we would have been able to go outside to watch some of the planes taking off from John Wayne Airport. You can catch glimpses of some planes through the large garage-style doors, but being able to view them outdoors would have definitely made the experience more enjoyable. I'd highly recommend visiting during the cooler months especially if you're sensitive to heat. There is no air conditioning in the main display room. During our visit the space felt pretty dry, warm, and stuffy after walking around for a while. There is a small theater room with air conditioning where you can sit and watch videos and learn more about history. We enjoyed this area and thought it was a nice addition to the museum. Overall, it's a smaller museum so I wouldn't plan on spending several hours here, but it's a neat stop if you're interested in aviation or military history.

Noguchi gardens is a gorgeous spot to just relax for a little, enjoy a break from the hustle and…read morebustle of the world. It's a small space but the artwork is nice and instills a sense of calm that is appreciated

Fun and interesting little place to visit if you are in the area by South Coast Plaza mall…read more Not the easiest place to find since you can't see it from the street. It is behind the Mastros restaurant. There is a parking structure nearby that is like $3 or $4 for 15 minutes and you can probably run through in 15 minutes, but 30 minutes to be safe. You can also walk from the mall parking lot, it is a little bit of a stroll but manageable. There are plenty of pictures so you can see what you are getting into before you make the drive, pay for parking, and walk over. When we went there on a Sunday morning, there were only 2 or 3 other people, so it was very quiet and zen. I enjoyed the write-ups and the exhibits. If I worked right there I would probably visit all the time.

Tiny Balboa Island's history tucked into one building! The museum is on the main street on Balboa…read moreIsland, next to all the shops, eateries and other fun stories. Having just learned of Balboa Island, I was eager to learn a bit of history. I was surprised to learn about some of the former famous residents of Balboa Island (Shirley Temple Black, John Wayne, Buddy Ebsen, Laura Scudder), as well as many decorated veterans. There was a plethora of souvenir items and other keepsakes for purchase in the museum. If you're planning a visit to Balboa Island, please stop by the museum to learn of its unique history which adds to the charm.

My husband enjoys learning about the history of places we visit. The Balboa Island Museum is small…read morebut packed with so much information and fun activities. While my husband went through each area, my daughter tried putting together more pieces of the large puzzle at the long center table and I browsed through all the cute souvenirs. The museum is bright, modern, nicely laid out and clean. The volunteers are welcoming and helpful. Admission is free but leave a donation at the door if you can. And make sure to pick up The Scout Guide on your way out.

Very unique museum! Makes you think of the Holocaust in a different way! It's a small exhibit but…read moredefinitely worth a stop! The exhibit is based on one Holocaust survivor, Mel Mermelstein, and it's such a fascinating story! This museum is docent led and you may get a docent that are relatives of survivors! If you are a high school or middle school teacher and you are teaching your students about the Holocaust, this is definitely worth a field trip!

I came here today for a tour with my coworkers. It is incredibly impactful in so many ways. It is a…read morepersonal recollection of a survivor and his experience. It adds to what you know about the atrocities of the holocaust with a personal lens and personal connection. It is a absolute must to take time to come and learn and take away the lessons that the human spirit is what we need more of.

The legend lives on -- and we were there to prove it! We had…read morea great time at the Sagerstrom Shelby Event Center and Shelby Auto Museum! And celebrating the life and legacy at his tribute was evan better! The Carroll Shelby Anniversary Tribute event and car show was,in a word,Awesome! Superformance,Hillbank Motors,and The Sagerstrom Shelby Events Center participated in hosting the Carroll Shelby Car Show & Tribute -- a morning dedicated to honoring one of the greatest names in American automotive racing,engineering and design history. Shelby cars and trucks came rolling in early Saturday morning for great time and car talk! Their were Cobra's, GT350's, GT500's, and a terrific collection of all things Shelby machines! Their was also a super Hillbank lineup of Superformance (Shelby licensed), Shelby Cobras, Daytona Coupes, GT40's and performance cars on-site. The entire street in front of Hillbank Motors and the nearby Sagerstrom Shelby Events Center was lined with Shelby cars and trucks and bustling with Shelby nation fans and owners! All the proceeds from the event benefited the Carroll Shelby Foundation! . . . #CarrollShelby #ShelbyCobra #shelbysagerstomeventcenter

This is an amazing event center and the cars are beautiful. I attended a car show over the weekend…read moreand was blown away with this facility. I think it would be fun to attend a formal event/ party here. The car show was organized and everyone did a fantastic job.

Of course you all know who Huell Howser is! Before travel shows, before Yelp there were Huell…read moreHowser shows - "California Gold" among them that took us to unknown places of this beautiful state. Huell liked to dig deeper and look for off the beaten paths places and talk to locals like no one else could. Huell liked Orange and decided to leave his legacy (archive from his shows), library, art collection, personal objects to Chapman University. The University arranged a wonderful permanent exhibit dedicated to Howser's legacy and life. The exhibit is located on the lower level (follow signs) of Leatherby Libaries on the beautiful campus of Chapman. Take Glassell Street toward N from Orange Circle, a quick 2 minute walk, then take a right to University Dr. and you'll see the big library building (there are maps on the campus, too). The exhibit is fun to visit especially if you like California and want to learn more about it, about Howser's interesting life and career and get behind the scenes of "California Gold". It's a lot of fun memorabilia on display, videos, photos, notebooks, cameras, book, cool dessert art (created from found objects) that Huell collected, way ahead of his time. A Tennessee transplant, Huell fell in love with California and the desert where he bought some cool properties. There's more to Huell than you think, he was a fascinating person that left a wonderful legacy behind. The best way to learn about it all is to visit this nice exhibit, very well put together. Free to visit, closed on Mondays and Sundays. Tues- Friday - 9-5, Saturdays 10 am - 6 pm. So, plan wisely. Nice restrooms, water fountains, great staff. They offer free California maps, a Huell special. It'll take you around an hour to see everything? It could be a fun activity while you visit Orange. Great exhibit, it makes you keep discovering places and people. Great example to follow, Huell is inspiring and so is his legacy. Next time I'll stop by Stan's Donuts in Westwood, I'll have to grab a "Huell" donut, great excuse, right?

This exhibit was perfectly put together to honor Huell Howser. I wish it was bigger and had…read moresouvenirs for fans to buy, but they do have AAA road maps with Huell Howser on them for visitors to take. I thought it was really cool to see Huell's actual desk with his paperwork on display. The souvenirs, gift, and memorabilia collected by Huell throughout the years was really interesting to see; my favorite was the lint dryer art. I would like to see a gift shop open in the near future ;)

This museum is a very neat experience! It is intended for adults, but our little ones had a great…read moretime here too! The whole place is decorated with art and it is very immersive! It's a bit difficult to find parking, but after that's settled, knock 3 times on the door and upon entry, you are greeted and signed in. We were greeted by Sabrina and Alyssa. They were friendly and welcoming and made sure that all of our questions were answered. The whole experience is neat because in such a small area, there are so many things to see, smell, and read! They have their own section of a gift shop as well. I can't wait until they expand their location and I'm so glad they our family had the opportunity to experience the Museum of Make Believe.

A hidden gem (quite literally) in Laguna Beach, the Museum of Make Believe truly lives up to the…read morewhimsy and magic it seeks to bestow upon its travelers. Highly recommend to anyone seeking a trip of puzzle-mystery with a nostalgic edge. Huge shoutout to Sabrina & Sylvan for guiding us along the way and their warm hospitality.