Our Historic Town Center Park is exactly what it says it is, a small town town center where we all…read moregather for important events. It's homey, it's local and it's ours. There's not much to the park except a nice big stage. There's barely two picnic benches in it on a regular day and nothing else to mark it as interesting. The giant evergreen planted here is decorated each year for the annual tree lighting on the first Saturday of December. It's an 80 foot Charlie Brown Christmas Tree complete with twists and turns and bare spots. The tree is somewhat like our town, it's old, a little worn from wear but beloved nonetheless. Come to the tree lighting, have a tamale and some hot cocoa. Stay for the lively entertainment and above all the wonderful, quirky, loving people of San Juan Capistrano.

( getting back to normal #28) Beautiful park with a great history regarding America and southern…read moreCalifornia. I went on a beautiful day and heard some inspiring speakers today too

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.

Such a cute library! I love the drive here - so much beautiful nature on a road that is normally…read morepretty empty. Though the library isn't the biggest, the staff here are super friendly and they have unique offerings. Their Friends of the Library section is decently stocked, but what sets this location apart is they also sell cards! Many occasions - holidays, get well soon, just because - it's really cute. A few other things that makes this library unique: 1) They have free seed packets for bee-friendly flowers; 2) There's a scavenger hunt for kids - if they find everything, they can pick a small item out of a container to take home; 3) They have a play kitchen and market and a few tables where kids can do different activities; 4) Their selection of audiobooks for both kids and adults is pretty impressive. They also have a monthly calendar, some newspapers, and brochures, along with staff recommendations and board games to check out. Very cool!

This library is located in the Silverado-Trabuco Canyon area, surrounded by hills that went up in…read moreflames in 2020 (and thankfully saved by firefighters). It's a very small library in the OC system, half devoted to children and half to adults. Having driven by it countless times but never having a reason to stop (because until recently I've worked nextdoor to a library) I finally decided to check them out. They have an abundance of parking. Inside, there are a few computers for patron usage, one of which I used to sign up for a library card. With a library card you can check out things from the library as well as have free online access to Overdrive and Hoopla for ebooks. Staff were very friendly and helpful in answering a couple questions I had. Shelves were well-labeled for their little collection of books, audio books & DVDs (yes, they still exist). The children's section had a few play areas amidst the bookshelves and seemed very inviting for a youngster. In fact all of the patrons I saw here were moms with kids. They seem to have a lot of programs for children. For families in the area this is a wonderful library.

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.

Crowded but great place to study. Clean environment. Parking can be rough but overall great place.read more

This is a small local library that has all the usual offerings. They have plenty of computers you…read morecan use and printers. I always see school aged children studying here. In addition to books and computer services, they have park passes that you can borrow so you can park at the state parks for free. I believe they will be adding museum passes too at some point. There's also a nice selection of e-books to borrow. The staff is friendly and there is a small parking lot to the side. There are a few handicapped spots in the front and there is a side entrance where you can buy used books. There is also a park nearby if you wanted to take a walk after visiting the library.

If you are visiting Laguna Beach, the library is a must stop visit. I love visiting libraries and…read morealways wanted to check out this one. They have a little secret garden right outside the entrance for anyone to visit. It makes me want to try and build my own little fairy garden. The library is a pretty nice size with the children's on the left and the adults on the right and teens kind of in the middle. My daughter did a search in find and got a magnet book mark for completing it. The friends of the library have a book shop right below. Definitely check out if you love books and best of all it's free to visit the library.

This is one of the cutest libraries I have ever walked into…read more It's like an adorable boutique library, with a full on fairy garden with sculptures. And a super cute little bookstore connected to the library just to the right down a few steps, very dog, friendly extremely people friendly, and the price of the books are extraordinarily affordable. I found several. Some of them are for me and a few for friends that I know will appreciate the good reads.

The great city of Orange! :)…read more I love Orange. There's tons to do. It's relatively safe. Lots of older neighborhoods in the area. You've got the Orange Outlets which are the best for shopping! Orange has some amazing hidden gems as far as food goes. The only downside is the traffic. It can get really congested in the area. Trying to get around with the Angels Stadium right there, can be a nightmare.

ORANGE YOU FUN? The City of Orange is full of hotels, eateries, and shopping centers. It's right…read morenext door to Anaheim so it's easily accessible to sporting events and theme parks. As a whole, Orange has nice spaces to walk around and is less crowded than Anaheim. I enjoy visiting the downtown areas and bistros. Personally, I visit for local anime events and pop-ups. However, I've been known to visit the outlets on occasion. Would I live here? Probably not, but its good for a weekend or day trips.

Pirate Tower in Laguna Beach is absolutely worth the effort to get to. There are two ways in: the…read moreTreasure Island Beach side, which involves walking over a rocky cliff area, so definitely check tide levels before you go. The other option is a hidden residential staircase that leads down directly, but it's hit or miss and not always open. Parking can be a bit tricky. From the residential aide straight across meter parking. From the Montage Resort area paid parking nearby do not park in the plaza across you will get towed or ticketed. Once you make it down, it opens up into crystal clear water and a stunning stretch of beach. The tower itself is incredibly unique and photogenic, almost like something tucked into a seaside storybook. Just a heads up, it is not dog friendly. Overall, a memorable spot that feels like a little hidden treasure along the coast.

This place is as fantastical as it looks on social media. It took a while for me to find out how to…read moreget to it. The entrance is in a residential area, and you take some stairs between houses down. There are some sharp rocks being lapped with ways on the way there, so bring some flip flops to walk over to it.