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Old 08-13-2009, 11:05 PM   #1
equ
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Things to do around OC/Newport Beach

I'll be there for a wedding this weekend. Will have one or two half-days free.

Any ideas on cool parks, sights, places of interest? Generally prefer not too touristy, a bit off the beaten track.

A nice, clean swimming beach (we're not surfers), or a state park with a nice 3-5 mile running loop would be of interest.

Went to San Juan Capistrano some fourteen years ago. Don't remember much other than it being cute and that I couldn't afford anything as a student.

Any nice nightlife spots?
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:11 PM   #2
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If you've got very early Saturday morning free, you could do the Cars'n'Coffee in Irvine. http://irvine.carsandcoffee.info/

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Welcome to Cars and Coffee™ Irvine. This site is dedicated to the car enthusiast. Cars and Coffee™ is a weekly Saturday morning gathering in Irvine, California where hundreds of proud drivers congregate to kick tires and have a cup of coffee. There is something for everyone to enjoy; classics, exotics, concepts, hotrods, motorcycles and motor-sport. And it’s all free, minus the coffee of course.

If you are located in Southern California, or are visiting the area, you may want to make it a point to stop by. If you are from outside of the area, then park your-self right here, join the forum and experience the event via the Internet. All are welcome and invited to participate. Exhaust fumes not included. This site is a place to revisit the cars that inspired us and see the ones we missed.
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:17 PM   #3
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If you've got evenings free, you could do the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. http://foapom.com/

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Each night during the summer season at 8:30 the Festival of Arts presents its most famous attraction, the Pageant of the Masters.

What is it?

Ninety minutes of "living pictures" - incredibly faithful art re-creations of classical and contemporary works with real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. An outdoor amphitheater, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, sophisticated lighting, expert staff, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers have won recognition for the Pageant as the best presentation of its kind.
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:19 PM   #4
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There is also Balboa Island.
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:19 PM   #5
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Laguna Beach area doesn't suck. I am not up on the night life there, but it is a pretty area, lots of artists and a nice beach
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:21 PM   #6
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http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc...ca&ns=1&rpp=10
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Old 08-13-2009, 11:45 PM   #7
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Great ideas folks... Sounds like Laguna Beach for the evenings. I'll keep an eye on the yelp list.
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Old 08-14-2009, 02:32 PM   #8
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-- Things to do in South Orange County --

Beaches/Parks

1. Crystal Cove (http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/) I believe you can park at the Crystal Cove Shopping Center (off of PCH) and take a shuttle bus to the beach for a few dollars.
2. Victoria Beach - Laguna (http://www.beachcalifornia.com/victo...a-beaches.html) Will be a rather busy on the weekend, and parking in Laguna is a nightmare, but it's more of a locals beach than most of the other Laguna beaches.
3. Wood and Aliso Canyon (http://www.ocparks.com/alisoandwoodcanyons/) The panoramic view from the top of the mountain/hill is quite nice.
4. Doheny or Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point (http://www.dohenystatebeach.org/, http://www.ocparks.com/Saltcreekbeach/) Both of these beaches are in Dana Point and have substantially more parking than the Laguna beaches.
5. Corona Del Mar Beach in CdM/Newport (http://www.beachcalifornia.com/coron...ate-beach.html) Little Corona is probably one of the most picturesque beaches in Southern California.

I recommend staying off of the Newport Peninsula on the weekend unless you want to show up at 6 in the morning. The beach is great and quite large, but there's essentially only one way on/off the peninsula and traffic is horrendous.


Nightlife/Restaurants

1. Nick's (http://www.thenickco.com/laguna.php)
2. Sorrento Grill (http://sorrento-grille.com/)
3. Hush (http://www.hushrestaurant.com/)
4. 230 Forest Ave (http://www.230forestavenue.com/)
5. The Crow Bar (http://www.crowbarcdm.com/)
6. The Rusty Pelican (http://www.rustypelican.com/)
7. Blue Fin (http://www.bluefinbyabe.com/)
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Old 08-15-2009, 04:29 PM   #9
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Checked in at 830pm, didn't bother renting a car for the evening...

Then we walked out of the hotel in a random direction.. Walking in OC, weird, huh?
Well it worked, the next direction we walked in we found a really nice restaurant, Ten. All red, trendy, eye-candy, etc. etc. And this would be nothing to write home about, but the food was excellent...

In the morning we picked up our 'stang vert, drove down to newport beach, futzed around, went to a cafe from Yelp, C'est si bon. Realized had no hat/cap with me for the 'vert or the beach so went to a nice surf shop, Jack's... So far so good.

Only bummer is that our hotel wants exorbitant amounts for parking. I just don't get it. Parking is expensive in NYC, but at least the place is dense. I feel funny being asked to pay $28 ($18 with some discount we have) per day to park in an area that's surrounded by square miles of empty asphalt office parking lots.
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Old 08-16-2009, 10:48 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by equ View Post
Only bummer is that our hotel wants exorbitant amounts for parking. I just don't get it. Parking is expensive in NYC, but at least the place is dense. I feel funny being asked to pay $28 ($18 with some discount we have) per day to park in an area that's surrounded by square miles of empty asphalt office parking lots.
Because So Cal is a desirable place to be and because of the housing/buillsin boom of a few years ago, the land is worth a lot of
money. All those empty office parking lots are costing their owner a pretty penny.
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