Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

I wanted to do a post on our Top 5 Orange County parks in case anyone might be looking for a fabulous new park to visit on this holiday (weather permitting!)

And of course, for the most comprehensive, awesome site to visit for information on OC parks and playgrounds, visit my friend Michele’s blog, FunOrangeCountyParks.com.

Here are my Top 5 Picks:

1. Bluebird Park Laguna Beach – Hands down my absolute favorite park in Orange County. A must visit. Worth the drive!

2. Irvine Terrace Park Corona del Mar - Beautiful, peek-a-boo views of Newport Harbor. Great equipment for all ages.

3. Dinosaur Park Laguna Hills – Unique attractions like “fossils” and a huge dinosaur skeleton for the kiddos to explore.

4. Castle Park Irvine – The kids love the huge castle that they can run around. Fab winter park, gets toasty in the summer.

5. Balboa Pier Playground – Love this “smack on the sand” playground. This is a multifaceted outing…in one trip you can hit the playground, walk out on the pier to get a shake at Ruby’s Diner, explore and get in a game of skee ball at the Balboa Fun Zone, even take the ferry over to Balboa Island in the same trip.

PLEASE do comment below on your absolute favorite OC parks to visit – I always love new playgrounds to explore.  Have a super fun day of play everyone!

xo

Jen

Last Thursday I found myself with an open morning with my girls so I went on over to Daytripping Mom for ideas on something fun to do.  Her first post that day was on the OC Great Park, and since riding the OC Great Park Balloon has been on my list to do for quite some time now I thought it would be the perfect outing.

My girls loved it.  And, it was all free! Gotta love a fun free OC outing for kids!

Something to note!  The Great Park is open just Thursday – Sunday. For hours and times the park is open click HERE.

We got there right around 10am on a Thursday.  You can park close (it’s convenient) and the parking lot was nearly empty.  First thing you will want to do is go into this visitor center building (pictured below) and get your balloon pager and hand stamp for the carousel.  Again, both rides are FREE.

It only took about 5 minutes until we were paged, which meant it was time for us to go on the balloon.  My girls were very excited and very intrigued.

It is a standing only ride and I was able to take Morgan in her stroller on the balloon.  The guy helped me lift it on.

It goes up VERY slowly = not scary. I was expecting that loud fire sound of a hot air balloon, but it was totally quiet because they told me it is HELIUM!  So cool – and I learned it is one of the largest and first of it’s kind in the US. Plus, it is environmentally safe, non-polluting and virtually silent.  Who knew?!

Neither girl was scared and in fact, I thought I might be, but I wasn’t!  It was SO cool!

We could see the ocean, Catalina, and the guy standing next to me said he could even see the Hollywood sign. I looked and looked but couldn’t make it out myself – but the guy was certainly excited about it!

Here was the view from up top to the ocean…

After the balloon ride the girls ran around on the huge grassy area for awhile and then we headed over to Kids Rock, which is a grouping of climbing rocks, tunnels, slides and structures.   Above there are also sphere-shaped shade structures and even misters.  I can imagine it gets pretty hot out there, so this would be key.

And then there was the carousel.

Again, it is FREE!  You can imagine how many times the girls wanted to keep riding. I had to put a stop to it after two rides.  Mommy was getting dizzy, but baby didn’t leave without putting up a good fight. So, just a warning, you might have to fib to the kids and tell them there is a two ride maximum!

All in all, the outing cost me a bag of chips I picked up at the gas station on the way into the park.

So, I can honestly say, this outing is ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS!

Click HERE to visit the OC Great Park visitor information page.  I have their Sunday Farmers’ Market on my list next! For more posts about this GREAT park, visit Fun Orange County Parks!

I have had this park on my list to blog about since we visited last April and I don’t know why it has taken me so long to get the post up! Before I start my post about  Citrus Ranch Park in Tustin I wanted to remind you the Urban Kids Consignment Sale runs today through Sunday in Los Alamitos!  I went last night to the presale & it was awesome!  Tons of baby/kid stuff at super reasonable prices.  For $26 I scored a Little People riding toy & Stride Rite tennies {in great shape} for Morgan and a DARLING Hanna Andersson cardigan & the cutest hot pink rain jacket for Emma!  Click HERE for hours & info.

Now onto the park!

Citrus Ranch Park is a lovely new OC park and playground that just opened this past February.  It’s located on the corner of Jamboree and Portola Pkwy (past Tustin Marketplace if coming from the 5 fwy.)

You can click here to visit the fabulous Citrus Ranch feature on Fun Orange County Parks and get lots of great scoop, a map and info on this particular playground!  LOVE her site. The absolute best resource for Orange County parks and playgrounds!

We loved this  park!  First off, with having a site named Tiny Oranges, I have a soft spot in my heart for a park/playground with a CITRUS theme!  And what a cute theme it is!  Adorned with vintage California-type pictures, this park celebrates the “orange” in Orange County.

I also love new parks.  Everything feels so fresh and clean.  But maybe it’s those lemon image above that are also conjuring up images of the word “fresh” too!

There was great equipment for all ages, and my daughter loved “entering” the park over this big lemon-lined bridge.

I am also a big fan of the squishy material vs. sand at playgrounds. I love being able to let Morgan toddle around on it without tripping in the sand. Or eating it.

One warning, as with lots of new parks, there were no real shaded areas or grown trees to keep you cool, so this park probably has the tendency to get hot on warm days.

Up top there were lots of picnic tables & a clean restroom.  Clean potties = essential!

So, put this park on your “must visit” if you haven’t been already.  I know you and your kids will love it! Have a great weekend everyone! See you back on Monday!

Click HERE for more parks & playgrounds featured on Tiny Oranges!

{Disclosure: Urban Kids Consignment is a Tiny Oranges Sponsor}

Since the weather is warming up (woo hoo!!)  and springtime is in the air, it’s the perfect week to get outdoors and take advantage of this fabulous weather.  I pulled out my flip flops today and painted my toes red to celebrate!   Yippee!

Here is an awesome guest blog written by Stroller Suspenders on the “Best OC Spots to Stroll.” Perfect timing for this gorgeous week.

Stroller Suspenders are suspenders that are designed to secure a baby blanket in position to cover the stroller for warmth, shade or privacy.  They are great for traveling or strolling around the block. They come in a variety of colors to coordinate with your blankets and strollers and are reasonably priced.  The Basic Series is $9.99 and Designer Series is $18.00. Click HERE to visit their website.

Best OC Spots to Stroll

Balboa Island – When in doubt, this is our “go to” walk. Not only is it beautiful to be right on the bay, but if you do both Islands it is almost 3 miles. Kids love the boats, dogs and the Balboa Island Fire Station.  Reward yourself with a latte afterwards.

The Castaway’s Loop – This is an easy walk that lets you feel the ocean breeze while getting a great view of the Harbor.  Bonus: After your walk, stop at the Bob Henry Park for some extra play time.

Dana Point Harbor – Stroll along this scenic path and watch the ships roll in.

The Circle in Old Town Orange – From the vintage Drug Store fountain shop to the beautiful antiques and made over service station turned café, this is a great place to stroll, shop and get a taste of OC history.

Irvine Regional Park – Stroll along with the wild peacocks through the beautiful oak tree lined paths then take a ride on the train and/or the ponies, play at one of the many play areas, have a picnic lunch and don’t leave without visiting the bears at the Zoo!

Main Beach in Laguna -  No place is better for an early morning or late afternoon walk than this beach but you must have a good running stroller so your wheels don’t get stuck in the sand.

Woodbridge Lake, Irvine – The kids will get a kick out of feeding the ducks and swans as you stroll lakeside in Irvine.

Mission San Juan Capistrano – Take in some of California’s rich history, stroll the great shops and restaurants along Camino Capistrano.

Crystal Cove – If you are looking for a short stroll, park your car and walk down to the beach, making a stop at the Beachcomber for breakfast, lunch or dinner or just play on the sand. Don’t be fooled by the short distance. The walk up the hill to get back to your car will have you feeling the burn.

Your neighborhood – For when you need to quickly get out of the house before the kids meltdown, walk around your own neighborhood.  It is the best way to get ideas for your future dream home and get fresh air at the same time!

If you live close to Newport Beach, this is a great little park on Lido Island we love to visit.   It is at the intersection of Via Lido Nord & Via Genoa.  Click HERE for a map.

It’s a small community park, no restrooms, but right on the bay with a beautiful view.   We have gone on the weekdays, and there has always been plenty of street parking.

The park is on the sand, and my daughter loves the 70′s style merry-go-round.  Hard to find those anymore!  Being on sand makes for a good landing in case anyone takes a spill!

There is also a teeter totter, swings and a nice structure with slides.  Bring your pails and buckets for sand play as well.

Make sure to use the potty before going and the sign says “no picnicking” so it more of a quick stop by sort of park.   But it is a little gem, and one of our faves!

Congratulations to the Hot Mama Designs Jewelry Giveaway Winner…NICOLE…who’s “Be” necklace would say

“Be Strong”!