As an archaeologist, I know every museum in Southern CA or that was what I thought until I came…read moreacross this museum on Yelp. I was like where is this place and how I have never knew about this being 15 mins away from my house. I had it on my list of places to visit and finally I went there last week and I am so happy that I did. The kind docent Nicole gave me a quick tour of the museum. The museum is all about the history of Southen OC cities which was owned by a guy named Lewis Moulton. The museum is not open every day so check their website before going there. It is for sure worth checking it out!

A hidden gem! This place is so special. Filled with history and knowledge. We were pleasantly…read moresurprised with the American Revolution exhibit. I didn't know that would be there. I felt immersed in the 1770s and learned so much.

Walking through Old Town Tustin on El Camino Real and discovered the Tustin Area Museum. It is a…read morevery interesting museum full of local memorabilia and history. It was founded in 1976 during the Bicentennial and features many artifacts, maps, homes, telephone switchboard, Red Hill Fire truck. It is operated by knowledgeable volunteers and open on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Their website is www.tustinhistory.com.

I love this small-town museum with so many interesting displays about Tustin's past. They start…read morewith the original native Indian tribes, then into the early days of the city's founding, then to what life was like in early Tustin, then up to semi-modern things like Tustin sports heroes and military vets. They have a good number of displays showing actual products in use during the early 20th century (butter churn, as one super yelper said; telephone switchboard; early washer; and so much more). And they have the original fire engine (a converted 1912 Buick touring car) right in the middle for kids (and big kids) to enjoy. The museum is free and open three days a week. The docents are friendly and the information signage is plentiful. (And after, you can wander next door to American Grub for a good meal.)

A small little hanger located in the Great Park in Irvine. It's very small and can easily be walked…read morethrough in under 5 minutes. They have a few small airplanes as well as some historical things you can look at. Totally free so worth checking out if you're already in the area.

An incredible collection of classic autos and muscle cars. What makes it most impressive is that…read morethe interior of this huge museum has life-sized dioramas of drive-ins and buildings (i.e. a courthouse and barber shop from Mayberry) to serve as backdrops for the vehicles. This museum is not open to the public but can be seen by invitation only or special appointment.

This place has been on my radar since Timmy S posted his review and it's been bookmarked since…read more 5 - 6 months ago my car club announces an upcoming tour of this collection and I thought "perfect excuse to go!" Then a couple months ago, 50 or so peeps from the club show up, about half bringing their own classic cars to show off. 10 am comes and we all gather by the entrance. Collection curator Ed tells us all about the owners, the collection and some of the cars we will see. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#KOF0rgBm4mxnXQXejZKDHA PLEASE NOTE: This is a privately owned collection and is not open to the general public who just "show up". They are open only to groups by appointment (with a donation?). With our group, the "donation" collected by our club was $15 a head, HOWEVER 100% of that went to the Children's Hospital of OC and other children's charities in Southern California. Great causes indeed. Once inside you will see some rare and high quality cars on display. But not like in someone's garage or an empty warehouse, no. They are displayed like a true museum, some with dioramas to showcase the vehicle. You will see everything from very small cars... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#TJvU16kHoFQv4Y8qRynJCA To very large cars... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#DGV0LrMkyKWxh-ZodRBtww http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#IoJCKjlvEYcJD0Vg7-lLSQ To muscle cars... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#dFhL_fi2Pit82vDrOQyV7w http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#WHm7TaEOtNiuvx3NN7oeuQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#n_K-aIQqj0-7PKWIz4bylw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#XjlmK6jQj6ZZgP27uVh6GA To a couple old Texaco gas trucks.... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#OggVHuR22LDzoyNoyOSB7A To the actual police car Andy and Barney drove during the making of the Andy Griffith Show. It even has both of their signatures on the driver's door! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#K8gzNEhJpgZ2iHIfC9ciEA Has anyone ever wanted a supercharged table for their house? This could fit into any car guys dream! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#ncSPaSWVXVKdZNvMTHmSQg They even have a drive-in inside showing movies! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#BTMIb1rzvGKGtKvB7yIWsA Lots and lots and lots of really neat cars to see! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?userid=Jcbj338NjXtSiqvK3LYghQ#LLmVY7ejNh7GefhIEKyGUA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#GKhHvMuWI4LJIgsZfHDojg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#2Q1S0bI9LDNaLnzQSoDqgQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/day-family-classic-cars-corona?select=GzbSWwXuYRudvch2wkZC1g#EHREuaFZvApBCBEP50ovvw If you appreciate cars and ever have opportunity to tour this very neat collection, DO NOT pass it up!

Oh my, what a lovely tour they put on! This historic neighborhood with its beautiful houses and…read moregardens is so charming! And their tour event with music, food, drink, a car show, and vendors is very fun! I do recommend it!

Such nicely maintained homes and yards. We went on the Floral Park Home Tour today and it was…read morefabulous! We toured 7 homes and 5 gardens. Each had it' unique character and touch. The neighbors are friendly and has a strong sense of community and connection.

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 ;)

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.

Hosted by the Orange Sunrise Rotary Club…read more Runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year's (2013) will be on April 21st... let's hope for some awesome weather! Free to spectators so that's awesome! Local restaurants and other type businesses will definitely appreciate your business. Huge amount and fairly good variety of cars (425 pre-1975 Street Rods to be exact!) I enjoy coming out to this show despite the large crowds of people (it's estimated that this show brings upwards of 15,000 spectators!) It proves to make for a nice walk around the whole plaza area of Old Town Orange and the vehicle owners have all been nice and informative. Despite all of my pictures it still proves kind of challenging to get a shot without a random stranger photobombing you! There are lots of great places to eat around here no matter what time of day you show up. Despite being way before their time kids seem to enjoy getting a look at these classic cars and trucks so it proves a good and inexpensive way to "wear them out!"

The Annual Orange Plaza Car Show put on by the Rotary Club of Orange Plaza is something to look…read moreforward to! With 400+ classic cars on display in Old Towne Orange, there is something for everyone! The Rotarians work hard to put on a successful show and enjoy seeing 15,000+ spectators and their smiling faces.