From the category archives:

Shade (picnic)

Yorba Regional Park: Yorba Linda by Location, But In Anaheim By Address

March 2, 2010

I can’t cover Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim in just one post, so look for more to come. In the meantime, consult the official OCParks.com page for Yorba Park. I was completely surprised to learn this park is in Anaheim. It felt like I was in Yorba Linda.
PLAY AREAS NEAR PARKING LOT 3
Location: Turns out [...]

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Ridgecrest Park: Saddleback Valley Views and Shady Swings

February 1, 2010

Ridgecrest Park provided us our first sunny play outdoors day after all that rain a few weeks ago. I don’t know if it’s because we were playground-deprived, but we had an especially good play here. I can see how it would be great in the summer with its shade over the playground.
Location: Right off Aliso [...]

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Woodbury Community Park: A Training Ground for Mountaineers and Hamsters

January 7, 2010

Woodbury Community Park in Irvine is just what you’d imagine: a beautiful oasis centering a planned community. The park is at the center, spreading to apartments and housing, then big block retail on the outskirts. If you enter from Sand Canyon you’ll start with the retail. I prefer driving in from Jeffrey where you skirt [...]

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Aliso Viejo Community Park

December 26, 2009

Aliso Viejo Community Park is centrally located along the border of Aliso Viejo/Laguna Hills next to Aliso Viejo Middle School. However, it’s at the end of a dead end street so it can feel quite isolated and quiet. This is one of the few playgrounds I can think of with a fenced-in toddler area.
Location: Laguna [...]

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Borrego Park in Foothill Ranch

December 18, 2009

Borrego Park shares a driveway and parking lot with Foothill Ranch Library — for a perfect playful afternoon. The children’s section at the Foothill Ranch Library is especially fun. They have their own little reading room with windows set three feet high off the ground for little eyes above padded benches. Their chapter book section [...]

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Hidden Hills Park in Laguna Niguel

December 4, 2009

Hidden Hills Park in Laguna Niguel is the first park I’ve visited with absolutely no sand. There are days when you’re ready to let the kids get dirty and bury themselves in sand. This park is a perfect stop for when you’re heading on to another activity where the kids need to be cleaner and [...]

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Florence Joyner Olympiad Park in Mission Viejo

November 13, 2009

Olympiad Park named for Florence Joyner features a statue of her and artistic details in tribute to Olympic athletes. See if your child can find the rainbow Olympic torch “burning” in a rainbow of color. I love this park. I’ve never posted it because it’s always too busy to shoot photos of the equipment. When [...]

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Clark Regional Park in Buena Park

November 8, 2009

Clark Regional Park might just be my favorite OC regional park. It’s in Buena Park squeezed in between La Mirada and Fullerton. The grounds are expansive, but manageable for my 4 year old. There are no less than 3 separate playgrounds and an interpretive center. We walked almost the whole park during our visit. [...]

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Canyon View Park in Aliso Viejo

November 4, 2009

Canyon View Park in Aliso Viejo offers 12 acres of fantastic play space at one of the entrances to Wood Canyon Trail. Between climbing on the playground equipment, biking around the park path, and running around the huge grassy area, my family always leaves this park happy and exhausted. Noel and Mali took us to [...]