Seek out the best things to do in Orange County California for first-time visitors with our 3-day guide compiled by an Orange County local.
California
Explore Idyllwild: an Artsy Mountain Community in Southern California
Idyllwild is a popular getaway for Californians seeking refuge from their hectic lives. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the U.S. discovered this serene sanctuary town located on the western slope of the San Jacinto mountains about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs.
21 Things You Don’t Know About San Jacinto, CA
I’ve spent time in San Jacinto, CA on multiple occasions, and have discovered that this wonderful destination is the ideal place for anyone to visit and relax in Southern California. There are many little-known things about this hidden area of the region that I am excited to share with you. 21 Things You Don’t Know…
Escape the Winter Blues with a San Jacinto Valley Getaway
Blue skies and balmy temperatures welcomed me to the San Jacinto Valley in Southern California. That was all it took to place this location on my radar as a future destination to escape the cold Ohio winters. I hadn’t even finished my first visit to the Inland Empire before I began to formulate a plan…
5 Attractions that will make you Smarter in the San Jacinto Valley
As a former homeschool mom, I believe there is educational value in nearly every aspect of travel. My children have now graduated and we no longer travel as often as a family, but it’s only natural for me to continue to seek out educational attractions. A large portion of the homeschool schedule I kept for…
Roadside Attractions in California: Gumby and Pokey
I admit, I don’t know much about Gumby and Pokey. I’m a 70’s child so the Claymation characters featured in the 1960’s TV series was a bit before my time, and I never watched the movie made in the mid-90’s. But when I was searching for roadside attractions on my road trip to LA and…
Rock Art Roadside Attractions: Apple Boulders of Perris, California
Not only can I not pass by a roadside attraction, I think you should know by now that I actively seek them out and plan my routes around possible sightings. While returning to LAX from the San Jacinto Valley in SoCal, I made a slight detour with hopes of spotting the Apple Boulders in Perris,…
The Big Shoe Repair Shop Roadside Attraction in Bakersfield California
You may not believe me, but I WAS not looking for a roadside attraction when my family passed by this unique building in Bakersfield, California. We were on our way through an intersection on our epic California road trip, when I spotted this 25 feet tall, 32 feet long, big shoe repair shop roadside attraction….
Dolphin Spotting at El Capitan State Beach near Santa Barbara
Leaving Santa Barbara, my family hopped on Highway 101, following my trusty guidebook, Road Trip USA. Our intention was to drive until we found a beach that we wanted to stop and explore. We found it about a half hour after leaving the Oasis Inn & Suites, where we’d slept the night before. Entrance to…
California Road Trip Day 6: The Never-Ending Day
One thing I noticed on this road trip is that my body doesn’t adjust well to different time zones. It didn’t matter how late I fell into bed the night before, I still woke up way before everyone else. Day six of our road trip wasn’t any different. I woke up around four and tossed…
Oasis Inn & Suites in Santa Barbara
Another post from my daughter, Chelsea. My Mom’s goal on our California road trip, was to stay at as many “Mom- and- Pop” Hotels as we possibly could. But, of course, everyone else in the family had a different idea. After attempting to stop at a couple “Mom- and- pop” hotels along the way we…
Road Trip to California Day 4 & 5: We Made It!
As we continued closer to California, there began to be almost an urgency to get there. It didn’t matter that we were days ahead of schedule, every stop was carefully weighed to determine if it was worth a delay in our arrival. We passed up many roadside attractions (The London Bridge), drove past many national…
