I went on a free day which definitely influences my review, but the rainy weather also impacted…read morethis specific experience. Regardless, the free entry automatically made the visit a great value. This is a small museum (and even smaller now due to unfortunate damage caused by landslides in recent years) with a gorgeous interior, a vibrant garden, and regal ocean views. The interior includes many collected works of fine art that betray quite good taste, something to be attributed to the provenance of the home. I liked that because it was during the winter holiday season, the house was decorated accordingly; I wonder what the house looks like during other times of year! I am not sure how involved the museum docents are meant to be, but they appeared happy to show us around and give further explanation on some details of the house. Important note: public restrooms are available, and also there are even functional in-situ bathrooms. Using one made me feel like I was a proper guest to the home. This will probably be a good time for the whole family, if art and culture is something yours values. I'm bringing my mother on my next visit, hopefully on another free day.

Such a lovely and peaceful location just off the beaches of San Clemente and walkable from the…read morepier. I forgot how close San Clemente is to where we live in South O.C. - we paid for pier parking ($1.50 per hour) and decided to spend the day strolling around town and decided to visit the Casa Romantica. We paid the $8 entry fee and walked around the outside and inside of the property; it was a Thursday and there weren't many people (maybe 3-4 others). Amazing views and gorgeous garden areas. The butterfly garden area was my favorite and a lovely gentleman at the front desk answered many questions for us and even gave us some Milkweed seeds to take home for our garden so we can help with the Monarch Butterfly population in SoCal. The outside deck area is still being shored up from the landslide but we were told it should be open to access soon. The architecture of the buildings and the wooden flooring are beautiful and there is a wood-burning fireplace with seating as well as tables and chairs on the artificial grass area. Make sure to keep your entry receipt as the fee is good for all-day access to the facility (closes at 4PM) M-F and 2:00 PM on weekends (due to weddings and events). After walking back to the beach to dip our toes in the water we got our car out of the parking area and drove the short distance back to the Casa Romantica and enjoyed another stroll looking at all the different flowers and for a photo-op overlooking the ocean. If you're looking for a place to just relax before hitting the 5 freeway after a trip to the beach, this is your place.

This is a historic landmark maintained by the California Parks service. It commemorates the first…read moreChristian baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity that occurred in Old California. The first convert to Christianity in California was a little Indian girl. "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun, doth his successive journeys run."

I saw this on instagram and decided to check it out. It's a cute little spot with great views…read more Not really big but you can't beat the view!! If you are nearby, definitely worth stopping by.

Stumbled upon these beautiful arches while walking my dog. Feels like you're in Europe! The view of…read morethe marina is beautiful on a clear day. Nice stroll to take after lunch in Dana Point.

We had a wonderful time! We made it a point to stop here when driving from Temecula as we had never…read morebeen to a mission before, and we are so glad that we did. When getting the tickets, the lady helping us was so nice! We got our audio tour and started along the way. It really was beautiful and full of history! It's as old as the country! The audio tour and plaques along the way provided a lot of information and we spent at least 2 hours here wandering around and taking everything in, you could easily spend more time than that here. Beautiful grounds and it was amazing to see the original and uncovered structures that existed so long ago. You end up at the gift shop at the end and we left with a postcard and a magnet for home. Very reasonable prices in there and some cute things! Overall we had an amazing time and would love to visit other missions. Give this one a go!

What a great, historic site. Mission San Juan Capistrano was built in 1776 and is the seventh…read moreoldest Mission in California. View is truly grand and majestic. As soon as you enter you will see a gorgeous garden and remnants of The Great Stone Church, which was destroyed by earthquake in 1812. I also liked Serra Chapel, which is the oldest building in California that's still in use, based on online search. I felt at peace just sitting inside the chapel for few minutes. Current admission fee is $19 for adults and $11 for youth (5-17) years of age). Admission fee includes a self-guided audio tour but the device was kind of difficult to hear. There isn't a designated parking lot for the Mission but there are few public parking lots near the area. I was here on a weekday so was able to find street parking along Camino Capistrano. Most of the street parking is limited to 5 hours. There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance so it's a great location. You will definitely smell BBQ smoke coming from Heritage BBQ restaurant across the street.

The San Onofre Power Plant might be shut down, but its "boobies" are still the most iconic landmark…read moreon the 5 freeway. You can't miss 'em! SoCal's biggest inside joke! Iykyk

Where to begin... this majestic "set" overlooking the west coast has gotten me through many hard…read moretimes. Driving to LA makes any man think about ending at times but getting there by the 5 and looking to your left to see a real life Greek goddess's set makes it all worth it. After hearing the rumors that they will be torn down I can't help but wonder how many young men will dream of them from years to come. I pray I don't forget the look of the sun setting in-between those two gorgeous reactors.

This little hidden area of San Juan Capistrano is definitely worth a visit! In fact, Los Rios…read moreStreet Historic District is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in California, and it features historic structures dating back to the late 1700s. This area also preserves three original adobe homes built around 1794--the Rios, Montanez, and Silvas adobes. Later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, wooden board-and-batten houses and Victorian buildings were added to the street. There's a spacious park including a butterfly garden, Hidden House coffee shop, a tea shop & a few little stores and several restaurants. There's also an adorable petting zoo! It's quaint and easy to see in under an hour, or you could spend a few hours relaxing & taking your time. It's easy to access to Los Rios from the 5 & there is plenty of free or low cost parking. Additionally, the train stops right in SJC and you can easily access this area from the stop. Peace.

7/26/26 What a gorgeous place to take the family out for a lazy Sunday afternoon! There are plenty…read moreof adorable places to visit and take a stroll. My family took the Metrolink from the Anaheim station ($10 per person) and it took about 45 minutes. Hubby and I drove from San Gabriel which took a little over an hour. My usual go to is The Hidden House Coffee shop with affordable and well made drinks, offering a sizable outdoor patio. The Ramos House Cafe is a few steps away, as well as the Los Rios Tea house. All of these are historic homes, vintage and picturesque. Within a few feet from the public parking lot is the Montanez building, where a nearby butterfly sanctuary is located. The Los Rios Cottages are for rent which are located next door to the Ramos House, very pretty but these are right alongside the train tracks, if you don't mind that racket, it'll be fine. It's an easy stroll and a beautiful destination. Come check it out. There are plenty more shops that I haven't visited. Today, I am limited as I have a medical boot (and a crutch) that's preventing me from my usual nosiness in discovering things on foot, until next time.

Oman House lockdown 8/8/26. Pretty active night. Always have a good time with this group. They…read morekeep things going on a good schedule and are a good group of people.

Our group had a great time on the tour; very fun, interesting, and informative :) Hope to do…read moreBlackstar in the future

I like walks on the beach. Or more like, by the beach. A favorite of beach trails that I've enjoyed…read morecoming to - lots to see and explore with vibrant flowers, the horizon of the ocean, the sounds of the Amtrak and Metrolink trains passing by. All of it is just amazing. And the best part is, there's so many ways to just have a good time and a good workout on this trail. The Beach Trail is about 2.3 miles long in total, but it can feel like a pretty long walk. AND that's only one-way. Coming back, you have to do another 2.3 miles, if you're returning to the beginning of your route. But you'll really see everything. Love the Beach Trail!

This is still one of my favorite walks when I want to enjoy the beautiful California weather and my…read morehappy place by the ocean. It is a level easy walk right along the ocean and train tracks and if you start at North Beach and head south just passed Calafia Beach you can get in over 6 miles down and back. Between watching the surfliner pass you by, watching people play sand volleyball or just watching the waves crash along the shore it just makes me happy! Plus I'm getting my steps in too! Note: part of the boardwalk is closed due to the hillside being unstable but if you catch low tide you can just walk along the beach.

This Nature Interpretive Center is small, but good learning opportunities for small kids. It…read moreprovides information on geology, biology, and history on Dana Point Headlands. We spent about 20 minutes learning about animals, marine life, and surrounding plants. It explains how compact this place is. So will take you most about 30 minutes. Very informative displays and artifacts to explore. Parking is free and located in front of the facility. Afterwards, head down to the trail overlooking magnificent ocean views and lush green surroundings. Perfect activity to spend with your family.

Nice little spot to take the kids or even yourself to learn some of the local history. There are…read moredisplays inside and outside of the nature center. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to see it all. You can go on a short hike that has magnificent ocean views . There is a marked trail available right behind the center.Parking is available right in front of the center.

After my trips to LA or OC, I love stopping here to enjoy the scenic view especially the…read moresunset...the timing is always perrrfect. I'm glad to see other motorists making this pit stop too. The birds like to join in on the fun...gotta love them. On a clear day, you can actually see Catalina Island far out from the distance. Despite this spot's popularity, it's a shame there's trash around (Smh).

It's really nice seeing the ocean and the birds around and for a photo shoot! Nice, beautiful…read moresunset. I had a good time stopping by and take a picture.