Spyglass Hill Park in Newport Beach is high atop a hill near the ocean, but the views are only peek-a-boo.  Still, you feel like you’re above it all when you visit at sunset and the golden rays light up the playground.

Directions to Spyglass Hill Park:  Reach San Joaquin Hills Road from either MacArthur or Jamboree and head up the hill towards Newport Coast.  Turn left on Spy Glass Hill Road.  The park will be up ahead on your right at the corner of El Capitan Drive.  (Address: Spy Glass Hill Road and El Capitan Drive) MAP TO SPYGLASS HILL PARK

Highlights:

• As is often the case, the playground is not the main attraction. There is quite a nice grassy “rolling hill” for the kids that scoops off the lip of the playground.
• It’s easy to see the kids playing here and it wasn’t too busy on our visit.
• A nice place for a picnic.
• Bring sand toys to play.
• It’s set up to be more of a 5-12 year old equipment, but I think older kids will bore quickly. It’s got steep drop-offs for younger kids.
• If you want a great walking workout — park at San Miguel Park at the bottom of the hill and walk a loop up and around Spyglass Hill. You can even stop at Gelson’s off San Miguel for coffee and the bakery!
• No shade on the playground, but it’s near the beach so it’s cooler
• Curvy monkey bars and a zip track
• 2 baby swings

Be Aware:

• No bench swings for big kids
• Popular with dog owners
• The street is away from the playground, but it wouldn’t take long for a fast toddler to make it down the hill to get there
• NO restroom
• Steep and fast slides on the back side of the equipment

Checklist:

• Parking on the street
• Play surface: Sand
• Drinking fountain
• Picnic tables
• Official City of Newport Beach website for Spyglass Hill Park
• Nearest public library branch: Newport Beach Public Library

Nearby Parks:

• San Miguel Park
• Bonita Canyon Sports Park
• Las Lomas Community Park

Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar is another one of those places I always wanted to visit while I was a UCI student. I can’t believe it took me this long to pass through the gate of this magical place!

Directions to Sherman Library and Gardens:  Exit Interstate 405 at MacArthur Boulevard and take it all the way to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).  Turn left onto PCH and the gardens are ahead on your right. Park in one of two small lots off Dahlia. (Address: 2647 East Pacific Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar)  MAP TO SHERMAN LIBRARY AND GARDENS IN CORONA DEL MAR

Highlights:

• Tranquil spot for kids to explore all the hidden corners of the garden – inspires a spirit of adventure and wonder
• Like every good garden, Sherman gardens has outdoor “rooms” or spaces which feature different plants
• I absolutely loved the succulents and cactus garden which is designed to resemble a coral reef. It’s breathtaking!
• The other highlight is the Discovery Garden where children can smell and touch the plants
• Let the kids lead you to the koi pond and find the turtles outside
• Go on a color walk or have your budding photographer bring his/her camera
• The concrete pelican sculptures caught my eye — look out for other outdoor art in the garden
• Cafe Jardin is open for lunch and Sunday brunch (but closed until February 1st)
• There’s a monthly tea on the last Wednesday of the month (by reservation)
• Browse the small garden-inspired gift shop
• We didn’t get to go into the library on our visit, but it is a research library all about the Pacific Southwest
• I would love to return for some quiet alone time or for a lunch date

Be Aware:

• This is not the place for children who don’t understand “Don’t Touch” rules.  The whole garden is “don’t touch” except for the Discovery Garden where kids are free to smell and touch the textures of the plants.
• I would also feel awkward if my kids were especially loud. We treated it like an outside library. Adults visit gardens to gain peace and be thoughtful.  Kids need to respect the quiet in the garden.
• It’s bigger than you’d think it is just from driving by, but it’s not an all day outing. I think we spent an hour inside, but we really took our time exploring.
• The library isn’t open the same hours as the garden. Make sure you consult the hours before you go.
• Cafe Jardin is re-opening February 1st, 2012

Checklist:

• The garden is not designed as a child play place, but children under 12 enter for free (otherwise admission is $1 for 12-16 year olds or $3 for adults)
• Mondays are free admission
• Memberships are available
• Gardens are open 10:30-4:30 daily (Click here for more on the hours of operation)
• Official Sherman Library and Gardens website
• Nearest public library branch: Newport Beach Public Library

Nearby parks:

• Grant Howald Park (walking distance)
• Irvine Terrace Park
• Corona del Mar Beach
• San Miguel Park

Grant Howald Park in Newport Beach is tucked away in a Corona del Mar neighborhood off Pacific Coast Highway near MacArthur Blvd. A reader recommended that I add it to my Sand Free Parks list.

Directions to Grant Howald Park: From Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, take either Goldenrod, Heliotrope, or Iris to the park and its parking areas. (Address: 3000 Fifth Avenue, Newport Beach) MAP TO GRANT HOWALD PARK IN NEWPORT BEACH

Highlights:

• Right next to a community center and along a bike trail
• Perfect park for walking because of all the trails and even sidewalks down the street for window shopping in Corona del Mar
• Newport Beach has walking trail maps if you want to see the area on foot
• The upper playground is all recycled rubber play surface with big kid swings and a “spiderweb” climber (big kid swings up here)
• The lower playground is for smaller kids with a sandy play surface and baby swings
• There’s a grill and picnic tables near the little kid playground
• Even though the equipment may not intrigue your child, the surrounding nature park is engaging for little explorers. We liked tromping all over the place just to see what we could see. Plus it’s fun because it’s nice and hilly.

Be Aware:

• Sandy playground is hidden from view of the big kid playground  You can’t see your older kid if your younger one is on the other side of the hedge (and vice versa)
• The equipment is somewhat limited. Big kids who like monkey bars and climbing will like it, but there’s not much to either play set.
• There are steep drops on the taller equipment not suitable for younger kids.
• It’s adjacent to a community center which makes it nice because of the facilities, but could make it busy and affect parking at times

Checklist:

• Dedicated parking lots
• Play surface: Recycled rubber on upper playground and sand on lower playground
• Restrooms at community center are only open during the center hours. Otherwise, there is a sign directing to use the restrooms by the tennis courts.
• Basketball court, tennis courts, soccer field and baseball diamonds
• 5th Avenue bike trail runs along the park here.
• Drinking fountain
• Grill and picnic tables
• Official City of Newport Beach website
• Nearest public library branch: Newport Beach Public Library

Nearby parks:

• Irvine Terrace Park
• Corona del Mar Beach
• San Miguel Park

Bill Barber Memorial Park’s true name is Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park. Colonel William E. Barber died in April 2002 not far from the park which bears his name. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery having served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Colonel Barber received the Medal of Honor from President Truman for his bravery in Korea when he led “his troops to defend a key pass near the Chosin Reservoir during one of the epic battles of the Korean War, despite being wounded in the leg by machine-gun fire.” [To read more about this remarkable man, visit ArlingtonCemetery.net]. Stars & stripes abound at this patriotic park which features a “Don’t Tread on Me” rattlesnake path.

Directions to Bill Barber Memorial Park: Off Harvard Avenue near the Irvine Civic Center (Address: 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine). Parking lot behind Civic Center or off San Juan. MAP TO BILL BARBER MEMORIAL PARK IN IRVINE

Recommended by: Nicole with added comments from Matt C. (see italics)

Highlights:

• Love the patriotic theme – red, white, and blue everywhere
• “Don’t Tread on Me” rattlesnake path running between upper and lower section of one of the play areas – great to run the kids ragged on or run toddler bikes down
• For the little ones: situate yourself in the central circular planter area then there’s shade under the tree and a place to watch two of the three play areas at once for the smaller kids
• For bigger kids (5+): series of walkways connected by bridges make it perfect for “tag” or “hide ‘n seek”
• Kids like to make a lake out of the water at the sink/faucet for some good clean (well, dirty) fun
• Also a good park for kites, planes, frisbees, giant bubbles – there’s a large baseball field close to the play areas for major running around and lots of space to fly kites or remote-controlled planes/helicopters
• The size of this park makes it stand out – huge grassy areas, ball fields, very large picnic gazebos, and a huge play areas
• Love the garden area with the frog fountain – surrounding by bougainvillea on trellises with citrus and native plants
• It’s somewhat accessible with ramps to get rolling up and along the equipment

Be Aware:

• Some kids will find it hard to resist getting wet in the sink/faucet on the smaller play area
• Some parks are perfect for just sitting and watching the kids play. I’d say this is suited for more active supervision. Mine wanted to be on opposite sides of the park at all times. Until you become comfortable with the park layout and play equipment, it might be challenging to bring multiple “little” kids or kids with differing abilities. [See highlight above on where to situate yourself for optimum supervision]

Checklist:

• Dedicated parking lot off Harvard and San Juan. Another lot at Civic Center, but a bit of a walk to the play area
• Recycled rubber and sand play surface
• Huge bathroom near play area with tons of stalls, but smaller bathroom near the ball fields is slightly nicer
• Plenty of drinking fountains
• Play area is somewhat sunken – so it can be hot – but picnic gazebos and garden provide shade relief
• Awesome picnic park
• Tiny Oranges has great photos and their own review
• Make facility reservations through the City of Irvine
• Nearest public library: University Park Library

Nearby parks:

• Sweet Shade Park
• Springacre Park
• University Community Park

Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks celebrated the 5 year anniversary of the National Natural Landmark designation in October! The many organizations, agencies and volunteers helping to preserve the open spaces comprising the Landmark offer an incredible listing of outdoor activities in Orange County. In fact, I think they are about to put me out of a job!

IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE

The many stewards of this land must work to find a balance of protecting the natural habitat and wildlife — with the desire to connect people to the land. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy works with all the partners to provide guided activities which are free/low cost, but require registration. I wanted to find family-friendly outdoor Fall activities for this post and came up with this list in a matter of minutes from IRLANDMARKS.ORG:

• November 3rd: Tideland Tykes “Coastal Colors” (Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, Upper Newport Bay)
• November 4th: Fall Migration Birding Program (City of Irvine)
• November 5th: Amazing Arachnids (Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park)
• November 6th: Family Sun Day Fun Day (from Laguna Canyon Foundation)

You see? A lot of outdoor-focused non-profits list their events in one easy-to-read spot! Wilderness Access Days are the ONLY chance you’ll get to see the wildest of these spaces without a guide. You can see Limestone Canyon and The Sinks on November 5th and December 3rd. Bommer Canyon’s upcoming Wilderness Access Days are November 19th and December 17th.

THE IRVINE RANCH CONSERVANCY IS A PARTNERSHIP OF STEWARDS

Check out ALL the partners that work together to oversee the 37,000 acres designated as the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmark and the entire 50,000 acres that make up Irvine Ranch wildlands and parks:

• County of Orange (OCParks.com)
• City of Irvine
• City of Newport Beach
• The Irvine Company
• Irvine Ranch Water District
• Nature Reserve of Orange County
• The Nature Conservancy
• Laguna Canyon Foundation
• Silverado/Modjeska Parks and Rec District
• Sea & Sage Audubon Society
• Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends
• California Coastal Commission
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Orange County Fire Authority
• California Department of Fish and Game
• California Department of Parks and Recreation (California State Parks)

OUTDOOR BLOGGERS

You may remember that I wrote an overview of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks back in February. I just returned for a second time with some fellow OC outdoor bloggers. It was fun for me to the see the change in seasons. It also inspired me to get out there more on the Wilderness Access Days. February was green and full of wildflowers. October was brown and we spotted deer and a tarantula — along with plenty of bird sightings both times.

(View from October 2011)

(Same view from February 2011)

I encourage you to get acquainted with my fellow outdoor and Orange County bloggers:

• *Greene Adventures (they chronicled our tour IN DETAIL on their site)
• *Brian & Ashley’s Hiking Blog (here’s their report on our trip)
• *SoCalHistoryLand by Phil Brigandi

If you’re on Facebook, Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks has an interactive page where they do Foto Fridays and Trivia Tuesdays.