Marblehead Park in San Clemente is right near Marblehead Elementary off Avenida Vista Hermosa.  I’ve passed by it many times and always wanted to stop.  The peek-a-boo views of the ocean were just as great as I expected.

Location:  Exit I-5 at Avenida Vista Hermosa and head inland. The park is 4 streets up the hill on your right.  Turn right on Via Turqueza and park along the street.  MAP TO MARBLEHEAD PARK IN SAN CLEMENTE

Highlights:

• It’s right off the freeway and the directions are easy for meeting someone from San Diego
• It has an ocean and canyon view
• Restrooms right near the playground!
• There’s a short fitness sidewalk loop – not always within view of the playground, but fun to do with the kids
• The big kid equipment was good for climbing and the twisty slides felt high off the ground
• Little kids have a smaller play area with 2 baby swings and some spring animals
• My kids put on pretend shows at the shady amphitheater

Be Aware:

• Full sun on playground, so it can be hot. A few trees near picnic table. We picnicked in the shade near the small amphitheater. (It can be cooler and overcast here, too – since it’s near the beach.)
• Equipment is not shiny new. The paint is oxidized from the salt air and the recycled rubber surface is more worn than at newer parks.
• The monkey bars were high off the ground and the big kid equipment was very high off the ground.
• I have a feeling this place is busy at drop-off and pick-up times at the elementary school.

Checklist:

• Parking on the street
• Play surface: Recycled rubber and sand
• Drinking fountain and restroom right near the playground
• Picnic table nearer to the little kid play equipment
• Fitness walk
• Lighted tennis courts and basketball courts
• Official San Clemente website
• Nearest public library branch: San Clemente Public Library (events calendar)

Nearby parks:

• San Gorgonio Park
• Pirate Park
• Verde Park

*Added to KaBOOM.org as part of their 2011 Park-A-Day Challenge

I discovered Verde Park in San Clemente from a map search when we were in the area. I had no idea what to expect on our visit.  Turns out that this is the perfect park for very young kiddos.  It’s also good for frisbee and tennis for older kids.

Location: Right behind San Clemente High School off Avenida Pico.  Exit Interstate 5 at Avenida Pico and turn inland.  Take the first right onto Avenida Presidio (which is Calle Frontera on your left).  Wind past the school and retail shops and into the neighborhood.  Turn right onto Calle Escuela and drive slowly through the neighborhood until you see the Verde Park sign on your right.  It looks like you should park on the street, but there’s actually a small parking lot up the narrow driveway.  (Address: 301 Calle Estrella)  MAP TO VERDE PARK IN SAN CLEMENTE

Highlights:

• I felt very peaceful upon entering this park. A couple was arriving to picnic at a table under the trees. Two guys were about to play tennis.  A mom was placating her baby while her toddler played in the sand.
• There’s not much to the playground at all. It’s a very small structure which is more appropriate for younger kids.  This one falls into the 2-5 year old age rating, but it’s really better for 2 year olds.
• It’s got a beautiful grassy area and doesn’t seem crowded. You’d have to be a local to know about it.
• 2 baby swings beyond the tennis court.

Be Aware:

• It’s near the high school, so I don’t know if that affects traffic or visitors to the park.
• No bench swings.
• Older kids will be bored here, unless you are coming for a nice picnic.
• NO restrooms

Checklist:

• Parking in dedicated lot (although you can’t see it from the street)
• Play surface: sand and recycled rubber
• Drinking fountain
• NO restrooms
• Tennis court
• Official City of San Clemente website
• Nearest public library branch: San Clemente Public Library (events)

*Added to KaBOOM.org as part of their 2011 Park-A-Day Challenge

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.

Playtime need not be limited to the playground. The day we took a leisurely family stroll on the San Clemente Pier was a perfect reminder.

Location: Head towards San Clemente and exit I-5 at Avenida Palizada.  Turn south onto El Camino Real (the main street that parallels the freeway). Turn right onto Avenida del Mar and follow it all the way down to just before the pier.  Parking is on your right. MAP TO SAN CLEMENTE PIER

Looking north, you can see the Dana Point Headlands.

Highlights:

• It’s a long walk for short toddler legs.  Let them go slow and explore.
• We talked about: the weather (which way the wind was blowing the clouds), the physical geography of the coast (how far we could see in all directions), the ocean (tides, waves, and beach shape).
• We looked through the slats in between the boards to see if we could see the ocean below.  Also, look for mussels, barnacles, and starfish on the pier.
• We stood at the railing and just watched the birds and listened to the waves.
• We discussed the differences in all the pigeons we saw (coloration, behavior, sounds).
• We watched the surfers and imagined how cold that water must be!
• We talked about the job of a lifeguard and looked at all their equipment. There’s a tower on the pier and their Jeep was parked outside.
• There’s a little tackle shop / gift shop at the end of the pier that serves hot chocolate and chowder, but there’s no seating except for the few benches at the end of the pier.
• We ate at the larger Fisherman’s Seafood Restaurant at the base of the pier because we were cold and hungry. I had an awesome cup of clam chowder and the kids shared a good-size burger.  They have a Sunset Hour/Happy Hour with daily specials on M-F from 4pm-7pm.
• Watch the trains go by!
• Have a picnic on the beach. Watch the sunset.

Looking south towards Trestles

Be Aware:

• I wouldn’t go barefoot on the pier itself. There’s a possibility of a run-in with splinters, fish hooks, bird droppings, and bait.
• Bring a jacket/windbreaker. You can’t tell from the photos, but the wind was howling and we were cold.
• There is spacing at the railings, so stay close to your littlest ones. Hold hands (if you can) or just use the stroller if you are too nervous. I swear the beach has a calming effect on kids. They can’t go further than the end of the pier and you can get a workout keeping up with them.
• The pier can be busy on weekends and during festivals on Avenida del Mar.
• Watch your kids around the train tracks!

Checklist:

• Parking is near the pier in a pay lot ($1.50/hour).  Just walk down the hill where you will cross the railroad tracks. They were doing construction on the tunnel that goes under the tracks.
• There’s a Metrolink stop here, so consider taking the train!
• Restroom buildings at the base of the pier.
• Beach first aid from lifeguards.

Consider making a day of it with these nearby parks, beaches and playgrounds:

• You are in walking distance to Linda Lane Park (north on the trail)
• Go on the swings at the beach
• Play in the sand
• Drive down to Trestles or Califia
• Start up at North Beach and walk the trail to arrive at the pier for lunch

Or . . . meet a San Diego friend at the pier for an EARLY morning walk on the trail. Here’s what it looks like at sunrise:

Linda Lane Park in San Clemente holds the distinction of being one of the few playgrounds with beach access, as well as ocean views. I also loved watching the trains go by on the tracks below us.

Location: You can walk to it off the San Clemente Beach Trail at an access point north of the pier on Linda Lane. To reach it from I-5, exit at Avenida Palizada and follow it towards the beach until you reach Encino Lane. Turn right on Encino which turns into Linda Lane.  MAP TO LINDA LANE PARK IN SAN CLEMENTE

Highlights:

• It’s biggest selling point is that it’s near the beach – so you’ll enjoy beach weather and beach views
• The equipment is brand new as of April/May 2011
• Kids will like the whimsical colors and fish-shaped ladder on the smaller equipment
• I’m seeing a trend at new parks where they put swings in between the big kid/small kid equipment. There’s no exception here where two bench swings, one baby swing, and a special needs swing (latch already broken) are located.
• I hear this equipment is so much better than the last set.
• Watch the trains go by on the tracks below the park.
• Take a walk on the San Clemente Beach Trail.

Be Aware:

• We went on an especially blustery day so be prepared with windbreakers or jackets.
• To get to the slide on the 5-12 year old equipment, kids have to climb through a “hoop ladder” which can be pretty wide for the little ones. (Thanks to my son’s orthodontist for that tip!)
• The fire pole was a little high for my non-risk taking 5 year old.  There were also some of those funky loop ladders on the small equipment, which sometimes requires some extra supervision.
• Pay parking at the meters (park in a spot, then go to the machine and pay $1.50 an hour). However, the city website says the meters at Linda Lane are only for 10am-5pm.
• You’ll be competing for parking during busy summer months.
• The park is located on a corner and, although the traffic isn’t super busy, there’s definitely opportunities for kids darting out in the street towards the parking lot and beach.

Checklist

• Pay parking between 10am and 5pm ($1.50/hour) – you can pay by credit card
• Recycled rubber and sand play surface
• NO restrooms
• Drinking fountain (Thanks to Michelle for correcting me)
• There is a picnic area near the back of the park with concrete picnic tables
• Lawn area and benches