2025 Orange County Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

Catalina Island is a hidden gem🏝️ located near Los Angeles. From the moment you step onto the island, it feels like summer has returned.👙 The entire island is incredibly comfortable and peaceful, making it perfect for a day trip or an overnight stay. Day Trip Itinerary👇 Arrival by Boat: You can book ferry tickets🚢 on the Catalina Express official website. Our route was from Long Beach👉Avalon, and the return trip was Avalon👉Long Beach. The ferry ride takes about an hour to reach the island.🏝️ 🚗Drive to Long Beach and park in the parking lot.🅿️ ⛳️Once on the island, you can rent a golf cart to explore various scenic spots without walking.📷 ⚠️Cash only. You'll need a driver's license🪪and must be 25 years or older to rent a golf cart. 🚲You can also rent bicycles, which are much cheaper. However, it's not recommended as the uphill climb can be quite strenuous. We saw others struggling to push their bikes uphill.😂 👣If you're up for hiking🚶, that's an option too. Actually, several photo spots are within walking distance. 📸Photo Spots: 📍Catalina Casino 📍Catalina Chimes Tower 📍Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook 📍Descanso Bay 📍Avalon Town Many places on the island are picturesque, and you can capture great shots effortlessly.🉑 I even brought my camera but didn't end up using it.😂 Photos taken with Dazz turned out great too.👀 🍴Restaurants: Bluewater Avalon: A popular seaside restaurant🌊on the island. You can choose outdoor seating by the ocean. We recommend the scallops🐚, which were incredibly delicious😋and unlike any we've had before. Other dishes were decent. Scoops: A popular ice cream shop🍧. We ordered three scoops, and the portion was huge – enough to last forever!😂The ice cream flavors were generally on the sweeter side. If you're staying overnight, you can also enjoy kayaking🚣, exploring the island in a convertible to see bison🦬, snorkeling🤿, taking a submarine tour to see fish🐟, parasailing🪂, and ziplining. Remember to book in advance.📧

Visiting Disneyland's Main Street during the Christmas season was like stepping into an American town of the 1900s that is full of festive cheer - cheery music filled the air, and the lights from the countless decorations twinkled brightly. We snagged ourselves a spot along the sidewalk of Main Street while waiting for the start of the Christmas Fantasy Parade. As the Christmas Fantasy Parade made its way down the street, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pure joy and nostalgia wash over me. The colorful floats, beloved characters in their holiday attire, and the infectious energy of the crowd created an unforgettable experience. Watching the parade reminded me of the magic of childhood and the importance of cherishing moments of wonder and happiness. Disneyland at Christmas truly captures the spirit of the season like no other place. #WinHKFlight #winhkflight To me, Hong Kong is a city that has so much to offer - culture, outdoors, nightlife, food and history! I want to travel to Hong Kong to visit Disneyland, Happy Valley on a Wednesday night, eat traditional dim sum at Lin Heung Tea House and...so much more!

Happy lamb, happy lamb🎶 Your meat is so delicious🎶 If you want to eat hot pot. This is an AYCE place. My favorite items in their menu are the Lamb Shank/US Beef/Pork and the best of both worlds hot pot. Accompanied by additional seafood and vegetables. It is such good value for money. 7271 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95823

Address: Located in Hanmi Plaza between Galway and Kerry. 9816 Garden Grove Blvd. Garden Grove, CA 92844 This casual Korean restaurant serves classics such as sulungtang & kimchi in a simple space. So far one my favorite spot for Korean soups! I've had their sullungtang, yookgaejang and galbitang... All of them were hearty in flavor and delicious! Their side dishes were very good, we kept asking for more! They are known for their kimchi and sulleongtang. Unfortunately I got the gamjatang this time but the gamjatang was delicious! Next time I will try the sulleongtang for sure! #SpooktacularTrip #foodie #gooutside

address: Disneyland park - 1313 Disneyland Dr Anaheim, CA 92802 location: Mickey toon toon within Disneyland park attraction: Mickey and Minnie’s house! for Mickey lover! can see Mickey everywhere in this world. it’s super cute. the house the fridge the car, Minnie vanity corner, their gym, their clothes etc. can take photo with Mickey himself as well (if you’re lucky) there are merchandise stores selling Mickey souvenirs as well. recommend to buy if you love Mickey like I do! there are stores selling drinks and mini bites if you’re hungry. full of places to sit and rest as alot of walking required here. cost: s$140 for disneyland park as I have no time for 2. it was very crowded as well. #meetlosangeles

Address: 2647 E Coast Hwy. Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 Sherman Gardens is an inspiring horticultural oasis and nationally renowned botanical garden. The Sherman Library & Gardens are botanical gardens in Corona del Mar, California. The Gardens’ collections include: - Over 100 species of palms from around the world - 130 unique varieties of begonias - A lush tropical conservatory featuring a koi pond, carnivorous plants and an extensive orchid collection - An artistic succulent garden - A formal garden - A tea garden with numerous hanging baskets of fuchsia, begonias, and seasonal favorites. #SpooktacularTrip #urbanexplorer

Address: 4790 Irvine Blvd. Ste 103. Irvine, CA 92620 Never frozen and always fresh, Hako’s Katsu’s come from the most prestigious farms in America. Hako’s locally sourced 3-tier panko is prepared in a superior oil imported from Japan. When choosing their name, just like the food they serve, they wanted to keep it simple. Hako in Japanese means “Box”. Their most popular orders from Hako are tho Chicken Katsu, Hako Tonkatsu, and Curry Tonkatsu. You can get extra side of curry on the side for an additional $3. The tonkatsu’s come with a salad and miso soup as well. #foodie #staycation #urbanexplorer #california

Address: 3333 BRISTOL ST., #1073 COSTA MESA, CA 92626 Marugame Udon provides hand crafted udon bowls, tempura, and beverages from a theater kitchen, allowing guests to watch as their food is prepared. The udon noodles here are made to order to ensure that we as customers are getting the best tasting Japanese food around in California. Born in Japan, Marugame Udon holds true to the authentic tradition of noodle making and its origins which started centuries ago in the Kagawa Prefecture in the southern part of Japan. #foodie #udon #california #summervacation #passionpassport #urbanexplorer

Literally on the beach is a bar called Sahara Sandbox & Pizza. Sahara is right on the beach and there’s a great biking / walking trail that is right next to this bar. People who bike stop by and grab a drink! When I went, I saw many bikers (including me) who took a pit stop to grab a beer and chill. There’s lots of games such as large-size connect four and more! Next time I want to come at night because the lights are colorful here from what I’ve heard! The vibes are super cool and I feel like the vibes here at night would be amazing 🤩 Definitely going back! #hungtingtonbeach #beachlife #beach #california socal #orangecounty #huntington #beaches #bar #biking

If you’re looking for a light brunch menu + delicious cocktails and amazing coffee, NEP Cafe is the perfect spot to go to. I got their Banh Mi Chao with Pork while my friend got it with Fillet Mignon. We also ordered the Xoi Man as well. I didn’t order alcoholic drinks but their alc drinks are very tasty! This time I ordered the Strawberry Matcha Latte 🍓 and it was super good as well! They make great coffee! Tip: Make a reservation before you go! Otherwise, you can end up waiting for an 1 hour and 40 minutes to get seated. NEP Cafe is a popular brunch spot in the area so make sure to reserve beforehand. Name: NEP Cafe Address: 10836 Warner Ave. Fountain Valley, CA 92708 #foodie #awesomepic #vietnamesefood #orangecounty #california #fountainvalley #nepcafe #oc #food

If you ever plan on traveling to Irvine, you have to go to the Irvine Spectrum Center! Also, yes, it is dog friendly!! 🐶 I went this past weekend and so many pets! Address: 670 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618 The outdoor shopping mall has tons of activities such as escape room, virtual reality labs (VR games and activities), arcade for kids and adults, bookstores, gift-stores, and tons of restaurants and dessert shops! The spectrum center also has a large movie theater as well. You’ll never get bored. The Spectrum Center is so huge, you can spend hours here! 🎡 Irvine Spectrum Ferris Wheel is one of its prettiest attractions and you can see it from the freeway! 🍴I went to Cucina Enoteca for brunch and I recommend to sit outside! The patio is beautiful. #irvine #foodie #irvinespectrumcenter #brunch

Finally got off work? Must hit an izakaya, order a pitcher of Sapporo, order a bunch of food, and just enjoy the rest of the evening with your friends. Tip: Make sure you get there before dinner rush because once you get here at 7PM, you’ll definitely be waiting for another 1.5 hours to get seated. Either come a bit earlier or later. The atmosphere is amazing and the food here is delicious 🤤 I haven’t tried a bad item here yet! Their chu-hi’s are great and they even have a matcha ipa beer that has a great matcha scent as an aftertaste. Love this restaurant! Name: Kappo Honda Address: 18450 Brookhurst Street, Fountain Valley, CA, 92708 #foodie #orangecounty #izakaya #food #drinks #awesomepic

Address - Irvine Spectrum Ambiance/Facilities - great location Highlights - clean room and amazing customer service Avg. Price per Person - 200usd per night Rating - 8/10 overall good experience for my 11 nights stay over there. breakfast is good but limited choice. they have a chef to cook/fry eggs of your choice. good customer service and support. room is clean with super big screen size of 60+ inches. enough charging ports as well as ironing board around for you to iron clothes. good choice for business travellers. coffee machine is there with coffee bean tea bag refill on a daily basis overall good experience

Enjoyed a nice relaxing day outside fishing with my dad and the kiddos

There are two California Disneyland Parks, one is Disneyland Park and the other is Disneyland California Adventure Park (the one we visited!). Really fun experience at Disneyland with lots of cool attractions and rides to play with! It’s definitely worth a visit! It was also really nice to see Disneyland incorporating Lunar New Year celebration as part of their decorations! Address - 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802, United States Highlights - Super amazing and interesting rides Avg. Price per Person - USD 100+ per pax (tip: you could also purchase a day pass on Klook which will give you some discount) Rating - 4/5 for an amusement park! #themepark #tigeryear2022 #california #disneyland #holiday

night life at it's finest.. good music laughs and nothing but great memories to happen.

I'm going to the Packing House at night Drink, eat, dessert🍮 A two-story place There is everything We tried the marshmallow milk tea. I was so happy! Drink in a light bulb I also tried the ball ice cream 🍦 Fire fire is super happy 🥳

#qingmingtravel

#tripaway #anaheimca #caligirl #anaheimmarriottsuites another getaway to orange county. I have a weakness for suites and private balconies. if I can score both it's a definite winner in my trip book. #tripaway

#triplocal There is always excitement in my city especially with this pandemic you cant travel far anyways so you just have to find happiness in this city born and raised. #triplocal

#triplocal Was very satisfied with my hotel view. had a very beautiful sunset as well as my sun rise. Very comfortable beds and helpful staffs I would recommend those on a budget to have a 3 star hotel with no problem or complaints #triplocal

#tripaway

Disney Haunted Mansion is a classic for a reason. You can go year after year and still find new things to see. Good for all ages. Use Fast pass to get in if you can because the lines are usually long. It is one of the more popular attractions. They say it is haunted by a former cast member. #merrychristmas #decembertravel

Step into a world of wonder at Disneyland Resort in California! 🏰✨ From thrilling rides to enchanting shows, every corner is filled with joy. Explore Disneyland Park, home to iconic attractions like Space Mountain 🚀 and Pirates of the Caribbean 🏴☠️. Then, dive into adventure at Disney California Adventure, where Cars Land 🏎️ and Avengers Campus 🦸♂️ bring stories to life. Meet beloved characters 🤩, enjoy dazzling parades 🎭, and indulge in delicious treats 🍭. Whether soaring through the skies on Soarin’ 🌍 or watching fireworks light up the night 🎆, every moment is unforgettable. With charming hotels 🏨, world-class dining 🍽️, and endless magic, Disneyland Resort is the ultimate escape for dreamers of all ages. So grab your Mickey ears 🐭 and let the adventure begin! 🎉✨

I visited several beaches in Orange County with short stay at Disney. Among them, Laguna Beach and Salty Creek Beach stand out as the most beautiful. A friend also recommended Crystal Cove Beach, but I was too tired to go there. I prefer the Laguna Beach’s picnic beach is the best. It’s part of Laguna Beach and offers a great view of the ocean creatures. The seawater here is surprisingly clean, and there’s good local restaurants and art museums nearby. Many people suggest that you need a car to travel around, but I found the bus system to be very helpful. The No. 1 bus connects Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach, and you can take it even further. If you’re looking for a relaxing activity, the daily unlimited pass of $4.5 is a great option. It allows you to enjoy the beach without worrying about parking or transportation costs, maybe just few Ubers to make it easier.

The staff is incredibly friendly. I checked in early at 9 AM and stored my luggage there until 6 PM the next day. It’s conveniently located near Newport Beach, and Uber rides there are $15. Of course, it’s also close to the airport. I also tried the restaurant as a hotel, the Warehouse 72. The salad there is amazing. It’s always visually appealing, and since it’s just been renovated, I found many smart applications inside the room.

📍Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge 🌸Recommended points I can't wait for the movie to be released next year🤍Star Wars fans should definitely go to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge😍✨✨ In 2019, Disney's first Star Wars area will open at Anaheim Disney in the US🇺🇸✨ This place is modeled after Black Spire Outpost, a trading port on the planet Batuu, a mysterious place where smugglers and illegal traders roam. It's a wonderful planet 🫣🪐 The first thing you see when you enter the area is the huge Millennium Falcon ✈️🥺 The level of reproduction and power is sure to excite fans 🫶 At the goods shop, you can make your own original droids and lightsabers, and there are plenty of stuffed animals, headbands, and key chains that are perfect as souvenirs 🥰💞 The attraction you definitely want to ride when you come here is the "Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run"!! ! You will actually board the Millennium Falcon and take on a mission in your assigned role, such as pilot, gunner, engineer, etc. 😎💖 The powerful images and production will make you feel the excitement of really fighting on an airship 😍 You'll want to try again and again because success or failure depends on the guest's skill 🫶 By the way, it's quite motion sickness, so if you get motion sickness easily, it might be a good idea to take medicine 😅 #Let's go abroad