Nature Centers

Commit to Parking It All Year at OCParks

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If you want to commit to a New Year’s workout routine, you buy a gym membership.  How about committing to explore more of Orange County’s finest parks, beaches, and wilderness?  Buy an annual parking pass. To get the most value out of your pass, buy it early and go often.  It’s only $80/year for a [...]

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Bats and Tarantulas in Orange County

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I woke up to the following request from a mom: “I have a toddler who is obsessed with bats and tarantulas. Do you know of any places we can view either or both? I’ve been searching online for some info but haven’t come across much so far. We’re willing to travel a bit for a [...]

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Clark Regional Park Interpretive Center

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I love nature centers and interpretive centers. Sometimes they are dusty and date back to the 70′s, but that makes me love them all the more. The little interpretive center at Clark Regional Park is no exception with its Los Coyotes Paleontology Museum inside. Our North County Parks Reporter, Lisa, recommended it to me back [...]

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Muth Interpretive Center and Upper Newport Bay for Families

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The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center is right across from the Central Orange Coast YMCA and part of the Upper Newport Bay.  I wish the center was there during my college days as a Y lifeguard and swim instructor. I would have spent a lot of time there!  The views are incredible and there’s [...]

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Shipley Nature Center and Blackbird Pond

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Shipley Nature Center is absolutely one of my favorite spots in Orange County. The cool thing is that it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to outdoor activities, since it sits smack dab in the middle of Huntington Central Park! What? You didn’t know that Huntington Beach has a central park?  And [...]

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