The Fullerton Arboretum was on my list of places to visit with the kids ever since I heard about it from a blogger friend.  She said, “Oh, you’ll love it!” and “Get on their email list!” We made it a family trip on the weekend and it was perfect! It wasn’t crowded at all and the place has such a nice feel to it.

Directions to Fullerton Arboretum: It’s right off the 57 Freeway on the Cal State Fullerton campus off Yorba Linda Blvd.  Exit the 57 and head towards State College Blvd and the university campus.  Turn left at N. Campus and make another left into the parking lot. Free parking right outside the Arboretum. (Address: 1900 Associated Road) MAP TO FULLERTON ARBORETUM

Highlights:

• It’s a low-cost trip (with a suggested donation of $3/person)
• When you walk in you are greeted by a rushing waterfall which seemed a popular spot for photos.
• Just as with any garden, there are different “rooms” for the kids to explore. Since this is an arboretum featuring . . . trees . . . there are BIG rooms.
• The kids felt like they were in a jungle, in a desert, in a redwood forest, hanging out at a lake,  living on a farm, or allowed to “touch stuff” in the Children’s Garden.
• Nature connection. Look for fruit bearing trees near the small nature center. It was fun for us to see what our food looks like as it grows. It was a mystery to figure out the names of some of the fruit. Keep an eye out for beautiful butterflies and turtles in the ponds and streams.
• There is also a museum and Heritage House on the grounds.
• Nice place to get away and just take a leisurely stroll with the kids.

Be Aware:

• There are ducks in the pond, but don’t feed them. There are signs everywhere warning not to, but we still saw families feeding the ducks. Human food isn’t good for them and can make them really sick. They get close without having to bribe them with food.
• Don’t pick the fruit or the plants. It’s for the viewing enjoyment of all.
• Bring a water bottle because it can get hot for the kids. I wish we had come earlier.
• NO playground, but the whole place is a playground for the imagination.

Checklist:

• Parking in dedicated lot outside the arboretum
• Restrooms and drinking fountains throughout
• Check the website because the hours are seasonal and fluctuate between M-Th and F-Sun on whether they are open from 8am-7pm or 8am-4:30pm.
• Also check the calendar for special events like pumpkin patch tours and haunted gardens
• You can purchase a family membership for $75/year to support the Arboretum.
• Official Fullerton Arboretum website
• GoExploreNature.com went on a scavenger hunt field trip to the Arboretum

Nearby parks:

• Craig Regional Park
• Rolling Hills Park
• Tri-City Park

Thanks to reader, Aimee, who requested a new list from me: “I’d love a list of fun things to do for 3-5 year olds within walking distance of train stations (that are reasonably priced, of course). Destinations could be LA, OC or San Diego.”  So for Orange County train trips, I will be looking at:

• 3-5 year old age range (let’s call them preschoolers)
• walking distance (which has a different definition for 3-5 year olds, than it does for adults)
• reasonably priced (ooooooh! That’s always a toughy.)
• not limited on location: LA, OC, or San Diego (I’ll focus on OC for this post.)

I’m going to provide a list, but I’m also going to provide links at the end so you can plan something yourself!  You just have to promise to share with the rest of us after you return! I want some guest blogs from readers on this topic.

Train Trips

TRAIN TRIP #1 – San Juan Capistrano and the Los Rios neighborhood
This was the first spot that popped into my head.   I’ve spent lots of time wandering around downtown SJC – and I’ve read other blog posts about this trip. For instance, Jen at Tiny Oranges just featured a guest post about an “Un-Birthday Party” train trip celebration. Jen also wrote about her own train trip to SJC with her sister way back in 2009.  There’s so much more to see here than just petting zoo!

• Zoomar’s Petting Zoo Adults $6 and Kids $5 (open 10am-5pm)
• Did you know there’s a GREAT playground in walking distance from the station?  It’s called Los Rios Park. (Just bring a change of clothes because there’s a small water play feature.) There are also public restrooms near this park.
• Take a walk around the historic neighborhood. Visit the Ito Nursery.
• Farmer’s Market downtown on Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm or 7pm, depending on the time of year.
• If you are up for a bigger walk, you can take the bike path along San Juan Creek towards the ocean and hit Descanso Park.
• Ruby’s is also a favorite with my kids and it’s a little different because it’s upstairs.
• If you wanted to do this for a “date night” or an outing with older kids, I’d suggest hitting the Cedar Creek Inn (looks fancy, but the food is really good and the price is worth what you get). Then stroll around Mission San Juan Capistrano (Adults $9, Kids 4-11 $5, Under 3 are free).

TRIP #2 – San Clemente Pier and Beach

• There are TWO San Clemente train stations. The main one is way north of the pier at North Beach. Make sure you check the train schedules for San Clemente Pier!  Metrolink will only stop here on weekends.
• Ahhhh, the beach!  What more can I say?  It’s free and it’s fun.
• I’ve already written up quite a bit of the outdoor happenings in San Clemente. Check out: San Clemente Pier and San Clemente North Beach Walk. The beauty is that you can walk on the beach trail and end up at a playground (Linda Lane) not too far away. If the kids get tired, just turn around and play at the beach. In the meantime, you get to watch the waves, walk a nice path and see the trains go by!!!
• Bring a picnic or eat at one of the restaurants on the pier or nearby.
• You can hike up the hill to Casa Romantica to tour the gardens. Or you can head further into downtown San Clemente – but it’s uphill.

TRIP #3 – Fullerton Station for The Old Spaghetti Factory

• The Old Spaghetti Factory was voted in Parents Magazine as one of the Top 10 best family restaurant chains (Kids Menu). They even have gluten free pasta. They offer “complete meals” so there’s no extra charges for drinks or dessert.
• The Fullerton Museum is straight up the street from the train station on Pomona. They have a Wednesday “Stroller Brigade” program designed for families with kids under 5.
• The Fullerton Market is Thursday evenings during the summer from 4pm-8:30pm. It’s a real family-friendly event.

Honorable Mentions

• I know there’s lots to see in Old Towne Orange, but I couldn’t think of anything special for the 3-5 year old crowd. Please leave a comment below if you have any ideas!
• Take Metrolink to an Angel’s Game.

Planning Resources:

• Use the Amtrak website where children ages 2-15 ride half price every day and kids under 2 are free. Click here to find a station and then consult the schedule.
• Metrolink is another great option! I’d definitely recommend consulting their website to learn more about traveling by train.  It seems much more user-friendly to me than Amtrak AND the trains share the same tracks and stations. I’d recommend reading their “How to Ride Guide.”  If I were planning a trip, I’d go Metrolink.
• If all that sounds like too much, just head to a “train park.”  I have a list of them at Train Parks: Play Places for Train Lovers.

FYI – Unlike most of my posts, I’ve never made any of these trips myself!  So I make no guarantees for how it will work out and if the attractions are worth it.  However, we will be trying them – now that I’ve done all the research.

Rolling Hills Park in Fullerton definitely lives up to its name – there are plenty of hills to roll down and run all around. There are park benches and picnic benches scattered throughout the hills which makes it a great place to spend a relaxing morning or afternoon.

Location: We traveled by way of the 57 Freeway. Exit at Yorba Linda Boulevard and turn towards Cal State Fullerton. Get in the right lane so you are prepared to turn right on State College Blvd. After turning right onto State College Blvd, get into the left lane for the left turn onto Rolling Hills Drive (past Bastanchury).  Turn left onto Maple Avenue or Sequoia Avenue to find parking near the park. Address: 1515 E. Bastanchury Road, Fullerton.  MAP TO ROLLING HILLS PARK IN FULLERTON

Highlights:

• Fire truck!!! My son spotted the fire truck a few times when we were driving past Rolling Hills Park, and one day he finally demanded to stop there.
• Fun plastic and wooden combination play structure that encourages climbing and exploring.
• Bumpy slide! This park has a bumpy slide just like the one at the Fullerton Sports Complex, which is not too far down the street.
• There are some adorable and eclectic back yards viewable through chain link fence from the path that goes up past the playground – more fun for parents to see but definitely worth checking out.
• Even though this is on a main street, there’s a chain link fence to prevent the kids from getting mixed up in traffic.
• 2 bench swings

Be Aware:

• No parking lot – there is some street parking available on Bastanchury, as well as in the surrounding neighborhoods. I tend to park off of Maple Avenue, which can be reached from Rolling Hills Drive, up one block from Bastanchury via Brea or State College. This feels safer to me than loading and unloading little kids on a busy street.
• No restrooms. Technically there is a port-a-potty – and my husband was brave enough to take a look at it and said that it should be avoided at all costs. The nearest restrooms would be in the strip mall at Bastanchury and Brea.
• No baby swings

Checklist:

• Parking on the street (see notes above)
• Bark play surface
• Portable toilet, but we recommend holding it until you get home
• Plenty of park benches and picnic tables
• Shade from trees for picnics

Fullerton Vacations

Fullerton Sports Complex Playground is another one of Lisa’s great finds! I’m never disappointed when I arrive at our play destination to take photos of her recommendation.  I love the warm feeling of a wood playground and the shade cover is such a bonus for hot summer days.

Location: Bastanchury is one of the main roads through Fullerton.  We traveled by way of the 57 Freeway. Exit at Yorba Linda Boulevard and turn towards Cal State Fullerton. Get in the right lane so you are prepared to turn right on State College Blvd. After turning right onto State College Blvd, get into the left lane for the left turn onto Bastanchury.  You’ll travel down a hill with a beautiful view (all the way to LA on the day we drove it!). Stay to the left for your next turn. You CANNOT see this playground from the street. You will turn left onto Silver Pine Street which jogs in front of a gated housing development across from Fairway Isles Drive. The big parking lot is obvious in front of you. Drive towards the bottom of the hill for the playground.  MAP TO FULLERTON SPORTS COMPLEX PLAYGROUND

Highlights:

• SHADE, glorious SHADE! The Fullerton Sports Complex playground is completely covered and always shady! It really makes a difference on a sunny summer day.
• Fun wood/plastic structure combination with plenty of things to climb on.
• Cute little boat to play on next to the structure with a turtle nearby to sit and bounce on.
• Fun piece of equipment to sit/stand on and spin in a circle.
• There’s a section with three slides next to each other and each one has a “bumpy” section that makes a funny sound as you slide down over it. My toddler thought it was so hilarious that he was laughing hysterically and couldn’t stand up straight after going on it multiple times.
• I’ve seen many moms spread out picnic blankets on the recycled rubber surface to have a place to hang out in the shade near the play structure.
• One regular swing and one toddler swing – the toddler swing doesn’t have a front to it, so it’s more like a swing with a backrest.  Both swings are VERY close to the ground which makes them perfect for little ones.

Be Aware:

• Some areas of the structure would be daunting for very small kids, so stay nearby in case they get into trouble.
• Because this playground is at a sports complex, I imagine it could be very busy on the weekends when kid sports are in full swing. It was surprisingly busy, but manageable when Michele visited.
• If you park in the first lot you’ll have a bit of a walk to get to the playground. Beyond the first lot you can follow a street down to the lower area of the complex, which is where the play area is.
• There is a massive sign with rules of all the things you CAN’T do at this park. One of them happens to be climbing on the slope. However, that appeared to be the #1 activity for the kids playing.  There’s lots of room for exploring and nature walks around the playing fields when games are not in session.
• No sandbox.

Checklist:

• Ample parking. Drive down toward the bottom of the park to be closer to the playground.
• Restrooms right near the playground.
• Some benches/picnic benches around the play area, but they aren’t under the shade structure.
• Recycled rubber/bark combo under the structure.
• Super huge shade cover over the entire playground.

Fullerton

Tri-City Park in Placentia has a beautiful lake in the center with a path that goes around it. There’s even a shortcut that goes across a couple of bridges that my toddler loves and runs for as soon as we start our walk. Tri-City is very near Brea Sports Park.

Location: Take the 57 Freeway to the Imperial Highway exit. Head in the opposite direction from Brea Mall. We came from the direction of Angels Stadium and turned right off the exit. Stay in the right lane and turn right on Kraemer Blvd. Turn right at Golden where the park entrance is very obvious. To park near the playground, make a left at the fork. (Address: 2301 N. Kraemer Blvd in Placentia) MAP TO TRI-CITY PARK IN PLACENTIA

Highlights:

• The lake takes the starring role over the playground which is relatively small compared to other nearby parks. The lake is even an “Orange County Historic Civil Engineering Landmark” because it used to be called the Tuffree Reservoir which held Anaheim Union Water District river water from the Santa Ana Canyon.
• We’ve spotted people sailing model boats on the lake many times and it’s very fun to watch. For tips on spotting wildlife, see the previous post about this park.
• Fun playground that’s not too large for comfort with a toddler. There are some openings along the sides but it’s not higher than you can reach, so it feels pretty safe.
• There are 4 toddler and 2 bench swings next to the play structure.
• Paved walking path is nice. You can do a loop or even park far away from the playground and make it a destination.
• Plenty of large, lush trees to spread out a picnic blanket under. I’ve done this myself numerous times and had some wonderful meals with the family.

Be Aware:

• Hot in the summer. No shade over the playground area, but there are plenty of trees just outside of the play area to cool off under.
• There are some very aggressive geese that spend a lot of time here. If they don’t think you have food they will typically ignore you. It’s bad to feed the ducks and geese anyway, so there’s no need to run into any trouble with them.

Checklist:

• To park near the playground, take the left fork just after you enter the park and follow the road around until you reach the parking lot.
• Playground play surface is bark. The walkways all around the park are paved and good for walking!
• Two restrooms are available – one near the main entrance to the park, and the other is by the entrance on the opposite side with a smaller parking lot area.
• There are LARGE picnic shelters available to reserve through the City of Placentia. I actually had my son’s first birthday party here, and it was great. The picnic shelters are just up a small hill from the playground.