Irvine in Orange County is a fun day trip destination for couples and families, offering great parks, museums and unique adventures. Stroll through the Orange County Great Park, admire beautiful art at the Irvine Museum, go racing at K1 Speed Irvine, enjoy bird watching at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, and watch a show at Irvine Barclay Theatre.
Pretend City Children's Museum
One of the top Irvine attractions, the Pretend City Children's Museum has been set up as a city for children to enjoy and to have learning experiences. Founded in 1997, the interconnected city is made up of things like a cafe, a farm, a fire station, a post office, a theater, and much more.
Children learn through educational programs, role playing, and by using hands-on learning exhibits. Another part of the museum is the “Imagination Playground.” Here children are able to use their imagination to build a variety of things like animals, houses and space rockets. The museum also hosts many events like “Healthy Halloween” and “Family Autism Event.”
29 Hubble, Irvine, CA, Phone: 949-428-3900
Beall Center for Art and Technology at UCI
The Beall Center for Art + Technology at UCI is an art and science center located at the Claire Trevor School of Arts at the University of California, Irvine. The center was named after Don Beall, the Chairman of the Board of Rockwell Corporation. Some of the center’s exhibits include “Origins of Life: Experiment #1.X,” “Wall of Sound: New Work by Zimoun,” “Sight & Sound,” and many more.
The center has education outreach programs such as Family Day during which families with children can enjoy hands on art and science exhibits, activities, videos and much more. Other outreach programs include summer camps, private tours, and lectures.
Claire Trevor School of the Arts, 712 Arts Plaza, University of California, Irvine, CA, Phone: 949-824-6206
Tanaka Farms
Located on University Drive, Tanaka Farms is an educational experience for families who want to learn about farms and produce. Begun in 1940, the farm grows its own produce and buys additional items from other local farmers. The stand is open all year long and everything that is for sale has been freshly harvested.
The farm offers a variety of tours throughout the year depending on the season: the Strawberry Tours are held from March through June; the Watermelon Tours are conducted from July through August; and the Pumpkin Patch Tours take place from September to October. The farm hosts special events such as cooking classes.
5380 University Drive, Irvine, CA, Phone: 949-653-2100
K1 Speed Irvine
K1 Speed Irvine is a large indoor go-kart racing center: the facility is made up of two professionally designed race tracks. The electric go-karting is suitable for all ages and skill levels. In addition to the tracks, there are leather couches and plasma televisions, and visitors can enjoy the food offered at the center’s “Pit Cafe.”
Another feature of the center is its collection of racing related art and memorabilia. The center also hosts events such as corporate meetings and birthday parties.
17221 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-250-0242
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
Located on Riparian View, the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary is a 300 acre fresh water marsh made up of a series of ponds and more than 11 miles of nature trails. Largely created by a wildlife enthusiast, Peer Swan, the sanctuary is home to a wide variety of birds, including cormorants, ducks, eagles, egrets, geese, grebes and herons. If you are wondering what to do in Irvine with kids, this is a great place to visit.
There are many other animals like bobcats, coyotes, and raccoons, as well as many species of amphibians, fish, and reptiles. In addition to the trails, there is a boardwalk, an observation area, and the Audubon House, also known as the Duck Club.
5 Riparian View, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-453-5300
Irvine Barclay Theatre
Irvine Barclay Theatre is a performing arts venue located on Campus Drive. Opened in 1990, performances take place in the 756 seat Cheng Hall which is known for its excellent acoustics. The theater is a joint venture between the city of Irvine and the University of California, Irvine. It presents contemporary dance, music, and theatrical performances and focuses on local and regional artists and arts groups.
Some of the diverse programs include “Run River North,” the Danish String Quartet, the King’s Singers, and more. The theater offers tours of the facility including its back stage through its “ArtsReach” program. The theater can be rented for private and public events.
4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-854-4607
Strawberry Farms Golf Course
Located on Strawberry Farm Road, Strawberry Farms is home to one of the top golf courses in Southern California. It is a par-71 18 hole golf course set in a beautiful landscape that includes a 35 acre reservoir surrounded by breathtaking scenery of hills, natural waterfalls, and granite boulders.
The 6,700 yard course was designed by Doug DeCinces and features large manicured greens set in the natural local habitat of wetlands and canyons. The club offers discounted rates for Irvine residents, seniors, and for youths 17 years old and under. Because of the beauty of the setting, the club is a popular choice for wedding ceremonies.
11 Strawberry Farm Road, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-551-1811
Boomers! Irvine
Located on Michelson Drive, Boomers! Irvine is an amusement center that features many forms of fun and entertainment. There are many attractions like bumper boats, go karts, laser tag, miniature golf, rock wall climbing, and many more. Buccaneer Cove is a large water play area with five levels, several slides, spray loops, wet tunnels, and other activities.
The center also features a state-of-the-art arcade room with games like virtual racing and snowboarding. Corporate, school, and youth groups are welcome and the center offers a variety of package visits. The center is a popular place to celebrate birthdays and there are many options available.
3405 Michelson Drive, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-559-8341
Bill Barber Memorial Park
Beautifully maintained, the vast BBill Barber Memorial Park is home to 42 acres of lush greenery for the whole family to enjoy. The park has several recreational facilities open to the public from colorful gardens to entertaining playgrounds. Some facilities are available for reservation such as formal and informal gardens, sporting fields, four picnic shelters, and an amphitheater that can hold up to 100 attendees. Two additional picnic shelters may be used on a first-come, first-served basis for groups smaller than 50. Parkgoers can also participate in a number of program offerings including tennis lessons, cardio boot camps, and softball leagues.
4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, California 92606, Phone: 949-724-6714
Irvine Spectrum Center Attractions
The Irvine Spectrum Center is home to several fun attractions for visitors of every age. Children can play on the 18-foot-tall Spectrum Climber where they’ll be challenged to climb through obstacles and improve their problem-solving and spatial reasoning skills while exploring the sculpture. There are also several rides like the menagerie-themed carousel and giant Ferris wheel, which offers views of the entire center. For entertainment, stop by the Irvine Improv theater for some great laughs or the Regal movie theater for awesome cinematic showings. The center also offers games such as escape rooms and the Odyssey virtual reality hub.
670 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, California 92618, Phone: 949-790-4871
Bistango
There is a lot of art at Bistango : on the walls, placed around the spacious dining room, in the room design and on the plates. Bistango is located in the award-winning Atrium Building in downtown Irvine and the art is part of the revolving exhibition.
The food, which is as spectacular to eat as it is to look at, is modern American, focusing on high quality fish and seafood, but it also offers large selection of pastas and specials like Bison Ribeye with Brandied Peach and Cherry Demi-Glace.
Their award-winning wine list has more than 400 labels. The bar, which is an art statement in itself, offers great tapas, innovative cocktails and nightly entertainment, showcasing everything from jazz to classics and R&B.
19100 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-752-5222
Orange County Great Park
Located on C Street, the Orange County Great Park is the name of the county park that is now found on land that was formerly the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine.
Made up of 1,347 acres, the park opened in 2007. The park includes “The Great Park Balloon,” an attraction that holds up to 30 people and rises 400 feet above the ground to serve as an observation deck.
The Palm Court Arts Complex contains the Great Park Gallery, the Great Park Artist Studios, and the 10,000 square foot Hangar 244, an events center. The “Certified Farmers Market” is held at the park every Sunday.
C Street, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-724-6247
William R. Mason Regional Park
William R. Mason Regional Park is a park located on University Drive in southern Irvine. Named after former Irvine Company President William R. Mason, the park is sometimes referred to as Mason Park. It opened in 1973 with 45 acres of land; in 1978, 50 more acres were added and this included a nine acre lake.
The park is divided into two parts: the east side of the park is a natural wilderness area made up of rugged hills, a small creek, and a bike trail. The west side of the park is more traditional: it is made up of grassland, an artificial lake, and many trails.
18712 University Drive, Irvine, California, Phone: 949-923-2220
