Orange County’s Great Walks
What’s the difference between a walk and a hike? We pondered this question to help narrow our list of the county's best walks. Walks are local by nature. People outside the immediate area don’t tend to even know about them—which is why we’re sharing 10 of O.C.'s best with you.
What’s an 83-year-old doing in the Dana Point Turkey Trot?
Willa Porter climbs out of a silver Mustang convertible in the Dana Point Harbor parking lot and greets me with a smile. Long blond...
Open Streets Event Coming to Garden Grove
Imagine downtown Garden Grove without cars. Now, imagine that you can casually stroll down the middle of the block, ride a bike, skateboard, or...
The Nature Dorks: Orange County’s Wildflower Experts
‘Want to come up and see my daisy?Robert Allen asked that question the first time I met him. Well past my ingenue days, I don’t get many offers like that.
9 Seconds of Pure Joy Courtesy of a Wildflower
In our story—click here to read—we cover wildflower dork Bob Allen, who shares his joy as he finds the Santiago Peak phacelia. This 9-second capture pre-dates Vine!
More Hidden Orange County: “Intolerable” Bridge
In a national survey released this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation tagged more than 50 local bridges as “structurally deficient,” which, we have been assured, is a technical term that includes such deficiencies as needing a paint job; it doesn’t mean that they’re not safe.
Undercover: Thousand Steps Sea Cave
Cool factor: Probably Orange County’s most dramatic cave landscape. The entrance takes you into the rocky cliffs at this South Laguna beach. Visit during low tide when access is easier and safer.
Where to find: Concrete stairs at Ninth Avenue and South Coast Highway to Thousand Steps Beach, walk to the south end
Best of 2013: Ecofriendly Field Trip
The ECOLOGY CENTER aims to inspire good environmental practices in food production, home building, and recycling, and teaches practical ways to live that life.
Down the Garden Path
Tourists and locals sing Laguna Beach’s praises as one of the most picturesque towns in Orange County. The coastal village is a garden spot. Roads wind through greenery, and many streets have bucolic patches tucked into staircases and other pathways that lead to the beach. Among the city’s two dozen public parks, which range from pocket-size to 7 acres, you’ll find native species, seasonal flowers, and, often, original art. Here are eight favorites.
