Water Play

Dinosaur Park in Laguna Hills: Dive Into Undersea Fossils

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Dinosaur Park in Laguna Hills is the most common name I’ve heard for this amazing fossil-themed park behind the Laguna Hills Community Center at the corner of Alicia and Paseo De Valencia. I’ve also heard it called: Dino Park and Prehistoric Park. It’s a great run-around park with 2 different levels and all sorts of [...]

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Balboa Pier and Peninsula Park in Newport Beach

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Balboa Pier and Peninsula Park  in Newport Beach make me think of the good ‘ole days at the beach.  There are always families wandering around the shops and restaurants, kids riding bikes, and tourists visiting from out of town.  On the summer day we visited, Junior Lifeguards were there, in force. Location: There are two [...]

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Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor

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Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor is near The Ocean Institute. I’ve never been to the beach because I’ve heard negative info about water quality in this part of the harbor.  However, I also haven’t done any research to debunk that hearsay.   The best thing to do is consult OCBeachInfo.com where they post closures and [...]

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Harry M. Dotson Park in Stanton: Where an X Really Does Mark the Spot

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Harry M. Dotson Park in Stanton is a definite “find.” A reader recommended it ages ago – but I was never in the area to take photos until recently. It’s beautiful, enclosed, and fun for pirate pretend. Location: The location was a little tricky. The maps I consulted didn’t take me to the right place. [...]

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El Toro Park in Lake Forest: Tidepools Without the Tide

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El Toro Park got press from the Orange County Register a day after its grand opening in September, where reporter Erika Ritchie gives a great run-down of Lake Forest plans.  We went to visit pretty soon after reading the article and found the playground surrounded by orange fencing and blocked off for play. It took [...]

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