Fashion Island is a higher end outdoor mall with some interesting shops and an amazing food court…read more The grounds are beautiful, and it can be fun to just walk around and check everything out. If you have young children, the koi pond with its giant koi fishing can be a huge hit, as there are stepping stones through the middle of the pond and the layout is just gorgeous. There are also several quite amazing water fountains that they'll love running around. Plus it can even give you an excuse to do so! Not to mention, there are numerous stores to visit, including a legendary three or four-story Restoration Hardware with ocean views, an Apple store, tons of boutique clothing shops, Nordstroms, and a few places to enjoy lunch. There is also a PF Chang's with ocean views. Don't forget the amazing gelato place either! It moved from its old location so check the map. It's still there. Service-wise, this is higher end so you can expect decent service wherever you're at. Overall five stars. This is an OC institution.

Update on HUGE cockroach infestation at Fashion Island (FI), Newport Beach…read more Went to FI this 2026 summer and after three summers, I am happy to report the cockroaches are gone. The Irvine company that owns and runs FI never responded to my emails requesting they rid their sewers of the infestation but finally they have acted and now, FI is clean and cockroach free. Hope it stays that way because it was so tragic to experience such a traumatic event year after year. Now they must act and remove the rats scurrying around between Lululemon and Macys. Rats are easier to eliminate than cockroaches but shame on FI for allowing rats to roam freely. Rats are so gross!!!

Was sitting with a friend outside a restaurant in the evening when it was dark and couldn't believe…read morehow many rats ran from one bush to another. Not afraid of us. Can't imagine what it is like when people aren't around. Otherwise a good center but not sure I will sit outside anymore. Do love the Trader Joe's.

The center is great. My complaint is about the parking. Pulled up on a Friday evening to do a…read morereturn at Banana Republic. The parking lot was full with an army of cars circling looking for a spot. Javier's has about 100 spots roped off for their valet. I ended up having to pay the valet fee just to go shop. Won't be doing that again. I suppose a mid day weekday is the way to go but I'm soured on the whole place now.

4 years since my last review, so time for an upgrade! For me, the Irvine Spectrum is a planned trip…read moreas it's about a 30-minute drive each way. The important thing to know is that if you come during the holidays or on a weekend, it will be busy. The good thing is, as long as you don't mind parking on the very upper levels and walking a bit, I've always been able to find parking. But if you don't like walking at all, this probably isn't the center for you, and there's a lot of walking if you want to explore everything! What I love about this center is that you have everything from Nordstrom to Target, literally! You can find some very unique restaurants, along with typical chains, so there's something for everyone. We'll occasionally see a movie here as well, but that's another review. What impresses me the most is how well-maintained and clean everything is. Even the elevators in the parking garages are graffiti-free, which is very unusual. Now, not all the locations have maintained their interiors as well, but that's on them and not the Irvine Spectrum. My favorite time to come is still in December. We've always found the night atmosphere to have a lot of great energy. And yes, there are a lot of teens who hang around and have loud fun; they're harmless and add to the energy.

I think this is a great place for shopping and a good experience…read more There is plenty of parking and several parking structures in addition to uncovered parking. It is free parking which is nice and that is a good value. There are several shops, restaurants, Target, Apple store, cheesecake factory, a comedy club, a movie theater, a ferris wheel and much more. Some of the shops are more high end, so expensive. It is usually very crowded and it seems like everyone in OC is there on the weekends. I haven't really dealt with any of the mall staff, so can't talk about their service but I do see some of them cleaning pretty regularly, so that is good. There are a few bathrooms scattered around the mall, that are not in the restaurants. There are some nice water fountains too. It is a pretty large open air mall, hopefully you plan your shopping experience out well, otherwise prepare to walk a lot. Enjoy the photos.

Even though I'm a Yelp SGV/Yelp IE Elite, I still some times drive out to the OC area. This is one…read moreof the South OC plazas I like driving to quite a bit due to Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar and Peets Coffee right next to each other on the same side of the block! I find it quite convenient driving down to this plaza despite all the freeway changes starting from 57S since I have never hit any traffic during the early AM hrs I drive down for Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar's opening hour at 11am. I only took a star off because this past trip I drove, I stumbled upon 2 loading trucks which made driving through lanes a bit difficult, so I had to drive around those loading trucks. I find parking easy~by the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar side, there has always been plenty of spaces especially when they open from 11am for brunch and take out orders, bar side and dine in. I only always had enough time for take out orders. Aside from TBMB and Peets, there exists Bristol Farms supermarket and a ton of other businesses I have not had time to check out: but will do so my next take out trip down South OC. Thanks for being where you are, Corona Del Mar Plaza, Newport Beach. Will see you again soon.

Corona Del Mar Plaza is located in Newport Beach, CA. It features a grocery store and restaurants…read more I came here for 2 reasons: Sprinkles Cupcakes and the Tommy Bahama restaurant. Both spots are amazing! Check it out when you're in Newport Beach.

South Coast Plaza is my favorite mall in SoCal! There's such a great variety of stores, from…read moreeveryday shopping to luxury brands, and you can easily spend hours here. The location is also a huge plus, with several other great shopping centers nearby, so you have even more options without having to go far. Definitely one of my go-to shopping destinations whenever I'm in the area!

South Coast plaza is a great place to walk around and beat…read morethe heat of a hot summer day. There are a few fun places to eat like Mian and Dynasty. I do wish there were more stores for the middle class, like myself. It would be more fun if they developed more of a food court with bakeries and coffee shops? Places to get a quick bite and sit in a garden area. It is a wonderful place to walk around and enjoy the scenery.

Lido Marina Village is a waterside shopping and dining center with high-end retail shops. I…read morerecently came here to check out a pop-up market event in December 2025. [Parking]: There's a designated parking structure for the village. The rate is $10.00 for the first hour, $2.50 each 15 minutes, and $50.00 daily max. Visitors can get a complimentary all day self-parking when spending $250 or more at any of retail merchants within the village - just show receipt(s) totaling $250 or more to the parking attendant. Complimentary 1 hour self-parking with validation with any tenant listed in the Lido Marina Village's directory. [IMPORTANT SPECIAL NOTE]: Herst Coffee Roasters does NOT validate the parking ticket! Only the following dine & drink places validate: Circle Hook, La La Land Kind Cafe (coming soon), Lido Bottle Works, Malibu Farm, Nobu, Skal Pizza, and Zinque. Basically there's no easy "affordable" way to get your ticket validated except for one tip. [PARKING TIP]: I was able to get a free validation at Malibu Farm Lido Home Collection. I simply walked up to the cashier counter and said that I need ticket validation & cashier validated my ticket without asking for any receipts. [Experience]: The village has a nice shoreline view. Check the event page on their website for live music on the Lido Deck performance, floral workshops, etc. [Conclusion]: If I compare this village to other high-end shopping centers in LA/Orange County, then I think retail shop options are pretty mediocre (I like 2ND & PCH a lot better). Good spot to take Instagrammable pictures, but expect doing mostly window shopping than actual shopping at this village.

so this is for the shore marina at lido. great events. ive gone to two pilates events here. soo…read moremuch fun. parking is kinda hard to find but ya great views

Pleasant medium-sized shopping plaza. I was fascinated by the existence of the Engine Ear Toys…read morestore here and thought to check it out. I left disappointed that it was more of a general toy store than a store specifically catered to enhancing kids' STEM aptitude. I like that the Newport Coast Shopping Center has a grocery store, a pilates studio, and a huge parking lot here. I also appreciate its proximity to the other Center. Boy, was their parking lot PACKED during my visit.

This place had everything for all kinds of shopping. I was tickled at going to 'Pavillions' whuch…read moreis an upscale Safeway. Lol! The difference was the parking lot! It was filled with Bentleys, Rolls Royces, Maybach's, McLaren's, Tesla's, occasional Mercedes and BMW. It was a car lovers dream. The store wasn't too bad either :)

I didn't know this place existed. Such a fun walk through. The surfliner Amtrak train stop is…read moreright here and this marketplace was so lively on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with lots of food options and music. Parking garages all over and it's $2.00 per hour to park. Please come and create your own adventure.

River Street Marketplace is a development and shopping area located in San Juan Capistrano. There…read moreis ample parking ($2/hour) but you can also take the train as the Metrolink station is right there. It reminds me of the SoCo plaza in Costa Mesa but it has a pretty common vibe where there are indoor shops, outdoor seating, play areas, and restaurants. This place in particular also has some old school charms like the River Street Ranch (a petting zoo) with modern boutique shops and a food hall. It's a place to hang out when it's nice outside and it's packed with people.

My sister and I decided to stop by The LAB Anti-Mall while exploring Orange County. This place is…read moresuch a fun and unique spot, especially if you enjoy shopping, art, and discovering local businesses. The whole area has a cool, laid back vibe that feels different from your typical shopping center. There are lots of unique shops to browse, along with great food and drink options like Seabirds, Stella Jean's, and other local favorites. Since it's an outdoor shopping center, we got to enjoy the beautiful California sunshine while walking around. One of my favorite parts was all of the art installations scattered throughout the property. They add so much character to the space and make it feel creative and fun. Plus, there are plenty of Instagram worthy spots if you love taking photos. We spent some time checking out the different shops and ended up stopping by Blends. The service there was excellent. The staff was friendly, helpful, and took the time to answer my questions without making me feel pressured to buy anything. I ended up finding a pair of Asics sneakers that I absolutely loved. The pricing was also surprisingly good, which made the purchase even better. Whether you're hanging out with friends, looking for unique stores, or exploring Orange County for the day, it's definitely worth a visit. I'll definitely be back!

The LAB has a good selection of many cute and unique areas to chill or to take pictures. They have…read moreshops and restaurants as well. It's for everyone at all ages. My kids and I usually come here to check on new stickers, card tradings or just enjoy the crowd. The prices are very reasonable and all the staff are always friendly and welcoming. Take your time to look at each shop and you might find the next treasure :)