Ice Skating in Orange County

This weekend our family will be celebrating winter in Orange County by enjoying one of the many ice skating rinks in Orange County. In the last few years, Orange County has added a few new rinks that we can enjoy. Although we do not have the snow that winter brings to our norther neighbors, we can still enjoy some of the winter activities such as ice skating.

Here are a list of the ice skating rinks in Orange County.

Ice Palace in Aliso Viejo
Ice Palace is a great rink that offers a great skating experience for $12 plus $3 skate rentals. They are open for public skating Monday-Friday 2:15pm - 4:45pm, Saturday & Sunday 12:30pm - 3:00pm, Wednesday 6:15pm - 8:00pm and Fridays 7:30pm - 9:30pm. On Friday nights you can enjoy music videos on their 12 foot screen and color lights show. They are located at 9 Journey in Aliso Viejo. We have had great luck with their skate school.

Anaheim Ice in Anaheim
This amazing skating rink has an NHL and an Olympic size rink. They have a great modern, hip decor and the kids love this place. They offer ice skating classes and hockey leagues available for adults and kids. Anaheim Ice is the official training facility for the Anaheim Ducks. You may just catch one of your favorite Ducks practicing. The price is $5 for kids under 6 years old including skates, $7 for those 15 years old and younger plus $3 skate rental, and $9 for those 16 and over plus $3 skate rental. They have an extensive list of public skate times available on their website. This is one of the greatest skating rinks in Orange County.

There a re a couple of seasonal skating rinks in Orange County at Orange County Great Park this one is free but requires reservations) and at the Irvine Spectrum. You can find information on both of these skating rinks here.

For more information on fun family activities in Orange County be sure to visit OC Fun Guide.

Happy Skating!

Photo Credit: OC Great Park

Sid the Science Kid & Pretend Cty Giveaway

Big News for all your little ones! Sid the Science Kid will be at Pretend City this Friday, June 11th from 10am - 2pm for a very special Way to Play Day. During this fun celebrity visit Sid will be inviting all attendees to join in the various activities during the day including Special photos with Sid the Science Kid, VIP Viewings of a Brand New Sid the Science Kid episode titled "No School Singalong Special" which won't air until June 21st, a sing along parade with Sid featuring "I'm looking for my friends" (my daughter's fav), and of course prize giveaways from Sid the Science Kid and Pretend City Museum. This is a day you won't want to miss.

Giveaway time: One Lucky reader of OC Fun Guide's Blog will win two ( 2) tickets to this Friday's Way to Play Day with Sid the Science Kid at Pretend City AND their very own special "Sid the Science Kid, Gotta Know" microphone. Just leave a comment here telling us why your child would love to win! My daughter absolutely loves Sid the Science Kid and cannot wait to see him live! Getting a chance to interact and play with Sid will be a highlight and an awesome memory for years to come. Be sure to bring your camera for all the photo ops. This is a short giveaway and will run until Thursday, June 10th at 12noon. The winner will be announced at 1pm.

We also have a special coupon for you for this day! A 2 for 1 admission for this Friday's Way to Play Day at Pretend City Museum. The Way to Play Day with Sid the Science Kid is a partnership between KCET and Pretend City's Good to Go From Head to Toe. On this special Way to Play Day with Sid, activities will focus on the importance of exercise, discovering healthy foods and more.

Can't wait to see you all there!

Happy Pretending!

Winner must be a Southern California Resident or able to attend Way to Play Day on Friday June 11th. Prize will be redeemed at Pretend City along with a special goodie bag for your little one.

OC Fun Guide received complimentary tickets to museum and a Sid the Science Kid Gotta Know Microphone as compensation for this post.

FREE Summer Fun in The OC

Memorial Day really kicks the summer off with a grand celebration. In Orange County, this summer will be filled with FREE fun activities to keep your little ones busy. Besides the obvious trips to the beach, pool and of course the parks, FREE Family Movies movies will be hitting the Regal Cinemas participating locations next month. There are 7 Orange County theaters who will feature family friendly G & PG films at 10:00am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with two different movies playing each week. They will feature movies such as Night at the Museum II, Monsters Vs. Aliens, and Alvin & the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel. The movies are first come, first serve so come a little early and bring some snacks. This is one of our favorite fun activities to enjoy on a lazy summer morning. Be sure to sign up for our monthly calendar (to be available on soon to be newly launched website). Sign up here to receive access to FREE and Low Cost OC Monthly Activity Calendar.

In addition to Regal Cinema's FREE Family Film Festival, The Newport Beach Library is known for bringing great entertainment to its branches during the summer. FREE entertainment will be hosted at The Newport Beach Public Library. Such acts as "The Wild Life Company" where you will be able to come and meet live wild animals and learn about their habitat, and "Fratello Marionette" which is a live puppet show feature such fairy tales as Three Little Pigs.

Stay tuned for the release of OC Fun Guide's new calendar featuring FREE and Low Cost summer fun in the OC. Be sure to visit www.ocfunguide.com for fun things to do in Orange County.

Happy Memorial Day!

What's This Great Park All About?

I am sure that most of you have all seen that Great Big Orange Circle floating up in the air over Irvine. Well the OC Great Park is host to some great FREE activities, one of them being The FREE Balloon Ride. The calendar at the Great Park is filling up with some other cool stuff to do as well. Their most recent news is The OC Great Park will soon be the new home to the the former Fashion Island Carousel. This will be a year round attraction which will be a part of The Great Park's Kids Rock Playground projected to open late this summer.

Firstly, for those of you who are not petrified of heights, if you have not yet had the opportunity to soar in this Great Orange Balloon 400 feet above the ground to see OC at its finest, I would highly recommend you hop on over. This is the largest helium tethered balloon and the first of its kind in the entire United States, according to the OC Great Park. The balloon can hold up to 30 passengers at once in its gondola which takes you soaring into the sky but don't worry, you won't fly away because it stays tethered to the ground with very strong steel wires that can hold much more than the estimated 99,000 lbs.

Once you have experienced the Great Orange Balloon, you will be able to now enjoy an array of FREE activities, lessons and events offered at the OC Great Park in the coming weeks.


Saturday, April 25th and May 1st two FREE Self Defense classes will be offered each day. One at 12:30 and another at 1:30pm each lasting an hour. This is a beginners basic martial arts of Kook Sool Kwan. This class is not just for self defense but the focus will also be on the concept of balance, equilibrium in mental, physical and spiritual traits. The classes will take place in Hanger 244.

Starting May 1 FREE Admission and Parking for Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Real Fitness Boot Camp classes are being offered. The recommended ages for each of these classes is 7 years old and up with the exception of the Boot Camp which is 12 and up so bring your kids and start toning up for the summer. No excuses here. You can't beat FREE! Head over to The Great Park's website for the full schedule with times and dates.


May 1st & 15th 10am - 12pm Spring Garden Workshops
are being offered FREE. This is for all of us who need some help because our green thumb is in need of some advice. They will cover topics like what gardening tools you need in your garden to what type of irrigation, soil and pest control is best to create the healthiest garden. Now that Spring is in full bloom the gardening hobby is a bit contagious. Visit The Great Park's website for more information on these Garden Workshops.



Sunday, May 9th at 10 & 11am FREE Guitar Lessons will be offered. This is recommended for ages 8 and up. Just bring your guitar and the instructor will teach you the basics. Space is limited and pre-registration is required so be sure to visit The Great Park's website for all the info and to register. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.




Friday, May 14th 7:45-945pm FREE Star Gazing led by Astronomy4U will be hosted at The OC Great Park. Spend the evening learning about the solar system through the informational star maps and have a chance to view Saturn and the Moon through a telescope. This is recommended for ages 9 and older so bring the family and enjoy a night under the stars. Be sure to visit the Great Park's website for more information.

There are so many fun activities to choose from and best of all they are FREE. For address and directions visit The OC Great Park's website.

Fore more information on FREE and Low COst Fun in Orange County please visit http://www.ocfunguide.com/ . Be sure to Sign Up for our monthly activities and events calendar so you won't miss another great event and hear about it after.

Happy Exploring!

Celebrate Earth Day OC Style

Earth Day is officially Thursday, April 22nd but the celebrations are well underway in the OC. Some of the events for the next two weeks of celebrations and festivals kicking off this great day of awareness are listed below.

Saturday, April 17th @ UCI 10am - 6pm
Aldrich Park hosts carnival style games, multicultural foods, a car show and multiple stages featuring student performances.

Saturday, April 17th @ Huntington Beach Wetlands 10am - 4pm
This educational and exciting family event will feature interactive booths and a touch tank. The goal is to educate families on how our local wetlands affect our everyday lives. A highlight for this day will feature a release of rehabilitated Pelicans.

Saturday, April 17th & Sunday, April 18th @ San Clemente Park 1:00- 8:30pm
Featuring family fun and educational booths, this affordable carnival and expo will be host to several live performances. Enjoy the day and on into the evening with this fun-filled event.

Earth Day Thursday, April 22nd
Visit the official Earth Day website to find events in your local area to participate in. You can search for events that will be in your city or search by zip code. The website is also filled with ways to reuse, recycle and reduce for greener living.


Sunday, April 25th @ Peter & Mary Muth Upper Newport Interpretive Center
This family friendly day will include the Sharkmobile touch tank, science discovery booths, event scavenger hunt, and arts and crafts. It is a fabulous way to discover the natural resources and beauty of our great planet.

For more information on FREE and Low Cost activities in Orange County visit OC Fun Guide.

Be sure to sign up for our monthly OC Activities and Events Calendar so you won't miss another great OC event and hear about it later.

Happy Earth Day!

Fun Things to do this weekend!

Friday, March 19th






FREE Shark Lagoon Nights at Aquarium of the Pacific

Experience The Shark Lagoon Night (tonight) Friday at The Aquarium of the Pacific from 6-9pm. This is a great opportunity to get up close and personal. You will be able to touch Bamboo Sharks and see large sharks such as sand tigers as well as rays. This is a fun evening for the family and best off all it's FREE. For more information on The Aquarium of the Pacific visit their website. There is so much to do in Long Beach in this area and a ton of restaurants and fun at Rainbow Harbor to enjoy before or after your visit to the Aquarium.

Saturday, March 20th







Easter Eggstravaganza at Irvine Park Railroad

The Easter Eggstravaganza is finally here! The first egg hunt for ages 2-4 will begin at 10am. Be sure to arrive very early because last year the park was full by 8:30am. There will be face painting, games, bounce houses, pictures with the Easter Bunny and of course train rides. Tickets are $4 each. I have heard this called by many people the greatest Easter Egg Hunt in Orange County so bring your kiddies out for some fun! For more information on the Easter Eggstravaganza and schedules for the Egg Hunts be sure to visit Irvine Park Railroad's website.

Sunday, March 21st




FREE Rockin' Recorders Beginning Lessons at Pretend City

Pretend City is offering FREE beginning recorder lessons from 10:15-10:45am for ages 6-8 (parents must remain on premises) every Sunday in March in honor of "Music in our Museum" Month. This class teaches basis of music with simple rhythms, time signatures, note reading along with breath control and finger coordination. Wow! That sounds like so much fun! For more information on this class and many more just like it, you can visit Pretend City's website.

Fore more fun activities in Orange County visit OC Fun Guide . Be sure to sign up for our monthly email activity calendar for FREE and Low Cost events in Orange County. Don't miss out on a great event and hear about it after.

Happy Spring!

Still looking for that perfect Valentine night in the OC?

You are in luck! Kooza by Cirque du Soleil is performing at The Orange County Great Park and to top this off they are now offering 1/2 price tickets in Irvine now through February 14th.

If the normal $60-90 price tag was too high for you, this is the time to see this amazing show for half this price. Click here for the Irvine half price page. It will knock your socks off. The talent is unbelievable.

If you haven't firmed up your V-Day plans yet, this will be the perfect night out. The show is based on a loner attempting to find his place in the world. The mix of Clowning and Acrobats is a spectacular performance that leaves you shocked yet amazingly intrigued. Another Cirque du Soleil magical presentation showing how the human body can defy it's own boundaries.

Parking is available at The Orange County Great Park for $10 or you can find information about shuttles on their website.

For information on FREE and Low Cost activities in Orange County, visit OC Fun Guide! You can also sign up for our NEW Activities Calendar so you won't miss an event in Orange County and hear about it after.

Happy Valentines!

FREE Ice Skating Anyone?

What could be better than a winter afternoon full of fun with the family? Without a doubt, an afternoon of FREE fun at The OC Great Park's Great Skate Ice Rink! The Ice Skating Rink is offering FREE admission and skate rentals all season. The opening day was January 30th and they will have sessions through February 28th. Take advantage of this great activity in Orange County. If you have your own ice skates, you can bring those along. They will also have helmets for children which are recommended at no extra charge. There's no better time to get out and enjoy the winter. To top it off, parking is absolutely FREE as well.

On Sunday evenings the Skating Rink will feature "Sounds of the Hour" skating to '70's, '80's and '90's music. You can reserve advance tickets up to a 6 ticket maximum for any given session but each ticket holder must be present 15 minutes before the session begins. You can take a look at the session schedules on their website Great Skate Ice Rink.

For more fun FREE and low cost activities visit http://www.ocfunguide.com/. Be sure to sign up for the New OC Fun Calendar. You will receive monthly emails with FREE and low cost activities in Orange County.

Happy Skating!

Halloween Fun in Orange County

Halloween is a fun time to enjoy all of the great family activities in Orange County. There are many Harvest Festivals and Haunted Houses to enjoy this season. Our family loves these special, once a year pastimes that mark the beginning of Fall. I have listed below the Halloween Haunted Houses and Fun Houses in Orange County to help make your Halloween season fun. Most all of the Haunted Houses are geared towards children 10 years and older and would not be appropriate for a younger child. There are several Fun Houses and Pumpkin Patches that offer fun festivities for the little ones. We do enjoy going to both because with a 12 year old and a 5 year old we have a wide spectrum of activities to be sure everyone has a fun filled Halloween.

Aliso Viejo:
Soka University 8th Annual Haunted House and Fun House

Anaheim:
Terry Haunt - Oct. 23rd - Oct 31st
The Empty Grave Haunted Attraction - Fri & Sat until Halloween

Brea:
Sinister Pointe Haunted House

Fullerton:
Haunted Fullerton Walking Tour
Fullerton Arboretum's 6th Annual Haunted Garden - Oct. 23rd & 24th
Fullerton Arboretum's Garden Halloween Party (3-5 yrs old) - Oct 24th

Irvine:
Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

Laguna:
Haunted Trails - Oct 22nd-24th

Mission Viejo:
Higgin's Manor - Oct 31st

Newport Beach:
Mariner's Harvest Carnival - Oct. 23rd

Orange:
Haunted Tour at Blackstone Canyon - Oct 24th
Halloween at the OC Zoo - Oct 31st
Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch

San Juan Capistrano:
Los Rios Street Ghost Walk - Oct. 24th

Santa Ana:
Boo at the Zoo - Fri & Sat until Halloween (for younger children)

Please feel free to add to the list with your comments. It is always great to hear what other activities are happening in Orange County we can all enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

For more information on fun family activities in Orange County please visit www.ocfunguide.com.

Pretend City! Children's Museum

What an amazing place Pretend City is. Upon arrival we were given a map to the city where each child can choose to visit, work and play. There was a doctor's office, Post office, Fire Station, Police Station, Gas Station, a cafe, a working farm, a theater, and many many more pint size buildings/offices inside this museum. It is definitley not your typical "look but don't touch" museum that we are all used to.

This imagination emporium stimulates creativity through pretend play using props right down to the pedal cars, street lights and stop signs.

My daughter gassed up her car, which was a pink cadillac, on the way to her pretend jobs at the cafe and the doctor's office. At the cafe, she took my order, made me an amazing pizza and served it right to my table. At the doctor's office she reviewed x-rays and tended to patients, giving them their shots and taking their vital signs. There was even a volunteer doctor on hand to help along with this pretend office.

After she worked at each job site she clocked out with her time card given to us upon our arrival. She was then able to take her time card to the ATM and received her pretend cash where she indulged herself shopping at the pretend Ralph's grocery store buying pretend eggs, milk and produce.

She was then ready for a little playtime at the beach equipped with sand, toys to build sand castles, beach chairs and umbrellas. After her exciting day at work and playing at the beach, she drove home along pretend streets stopping for pedestrians and all. Once she arrived to the pretend house fully equipped with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom she played house for quite some time.

Each station is set up with a telephone that can be used to call the other stations. My daughter called the cafe from the doctor's office to let them know that she would see them tomorrow when she returned to work.

There was a theater stage with lights and music. The backstage area was full of costumes ranging from butterfly wings to wedding dresses where your child can be the star they always wanted to be.

Pretend City is such a great experience because there are so many stations that appeal to different interest and age levels. We saw infants on up to older school aged children that were stimulated by what this place has to offer each child on their own learning and absorbtion level.

We will definitley be returning to this museum many times in the future. The regular admission price is $10 for adults and children. If you visit after 4pm the price is only $5 per person but that only allows an hour of play time which from my experience is not enough. They do have memberships ranging in price from $90 and up.

For more information about Pretend City click here.

Can't wait for our next trip to Pretend City!

Happy Pretending!