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100 Reasons to Be Ecstatic About Summer In OC!
Summer here is bliss, better than anyplace else in the States
14. MOUNTAIN BIKING UP INTO SCARY, POTENTIALLY HAUNTED BLACK STAR CANYON
Where there are mountains, there are mountain bikers. While OC has a lot of single-track trails, none is as full of lore as those of Black Star Canyon, up in the mountains above Silverado. La Llorona, the Spanish-speaking (Spanish-screaming?) banshee with the head of a horse, is said to live in a well. Sadly, the well in question has been capped by the landowner, though there's an alarm that rings when hikers approach too closely. Farther into the canyon is an abandoned school bus that supposedly emits the screams of children by night, there's a squatter camp near the top that's occasionally occupied, and tales of Native American ghosts float around after the sudden bursts of wind to which the canyon is prone. During the day, hikers and bikers are most likely to encounter some of the canyon's famously ornery residents. Stay on the path, and you won't piss them off—and you don't want to piss them off. Parking and entrance are on Black Star Canyon Road, past the bridge over the wash, about a mile north of Silverado Canyon Road.
Star Foreman
Star Foreman
Location Info
Map
Orange County Fair & Exposition Center
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Costa Mesa
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Mo Ran Gak Restaurant
9651 Garden Grove Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92844
Category: Restaurant > Korean
Region: Garden Grove
Fullerton Farmers' Market
801 W. Valencia Drive
Fullerton, CA 92832
Category: Restaurant > Street Food
Region: Fullerton
Irvine Lake Cafe
4621 Santiago Canyon Road
Silverado, CA 92676
Category: Parks/Outdoors
Region: Silverado
Villa Romano Green Farms
200 Avenida La Pata
San Clemente, CA 92673
Category: Restaurant > Street Food
Region: San Clemente
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
12827 Harbor Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Category: Retail
Region: Garden Grove
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
2200 S. Ritchey St.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Category: Retail
Region: Santa Ana
Knott's Berry Farm
8039 Beach Blvd.
Buena Park, CA 90620
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Buena Park
Aliso Beach
31131 S. Pacific Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92652
Category: Parks/Outdoors
Region: Laguna Beach
The Fisherman's Restaurant
611 Avenida Victoria
San Clemente, CA 92672
Category: Restaurant > American
Region: San Clemente
Costa Mesa Speedway
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Category: Sports/Recreation
Region: Costa Mesa
Mugs Away Saloon
27324 Camino Capistrano
Laguna Beach, CA 92677
Category: Music Venues
Region: Laguna Niguel
Fullerton Sports Complex
560 E. Silver Pine St.
Fullerton, CA 92835
Category: Sports/Recreation
Region: Fullerton
The Festival Amphitheatre
12852 Main St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Category: Performing Arts Venues
Region: Garden Grove
Ocean Institute, Dana Point
24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
Category: Parks/Outdoors
Region: Dana Point
Angels Stadium Of Anaheim
2000 E. Gene Autry Way
Anaheim, CA 92805
Category: Music Venues
Region: Anaheim
Irvine Meadows Fairgrounds
8800 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
Category: Parks/Outdoors
Region: Irvine
Art-A-Fair
777 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Community Venues
Region: Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach Festival of Arts
650 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Laguna Beach
Sawdust Art Festival
935 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Laguna Beach
Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center
6200 Atherton St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
Category: Music Venues
Region: Long Beach
Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari
24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive Dana Point
Dana Point, CA 92629
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Dana Point
United States Sailing Center
5689 E. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90803
Category: Services
Region: Long Beach
Oaks Blenheim Riding Park
Via la Plata
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: San Juan Capistrano
Pacific Marine Mammal Center
20612 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Services
Region: Laguna Beach
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Long Beach
Dockside Boat & Bed
316 E. Shoreline Drive
Long Beach, CA 90802
Category: Hotels/Resorts
Region: Long Beach
Cook's Corner
19122 Live Oak Canyon Road
Coto De Caza, CA 92679
Category: Bars/Clubs
Region: Coto de Caza
Bolsa Chica Wetlands
Pacific Coast Highway and Warner
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Huntington Beach
Hi-Time Wine Cellars
250 Ogle St.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Category: Restaurant > Wine Bar
Region: Costa Mesa
Wild Rivers Waterpark
8770 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Irvine
Doheny State Beach
25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
Category: Parks/Outdoors
Region: Out of Town
The Rinks- Anaheim Ice
300 W. Lincoln Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
Category: Sports/Recreation
Region: Anaheim
Oak Canyon Ranch
5305 E. Santiago Canyon Road
Orange, CA 92869
Category: Attractions/Amusement Parks
Region: Orange
Las Brisas
361 Cliff Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Category: Restaurant > Mexican
Region: Laguna Beach
Tanaka Farms
5380 3/4 University Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
Category: Restaurant > Raw Food
Region: Irvine
Portfolio Coffee House
2300 Fourth St.
Long Beach, CA 90814
Category: Coffeehouses
Region: Long Beach
Art Theatre of Long Beach
2025 E. 4th St.
Long Beach, CA 90814
Category: Movie Theaters
Region: Long Beach
Details
Photography and post-production: Star Foreman
Hair and makeup: Autumn Sanders
Styling: Devon Nuzer
On-set stylist: Sunshine Harding
Models courtesy of Models International: Haley Bartlett, Thor Knai, Samantha Summers
SEE ALSO:
VIDEO: Click here to go behind the scenes of our cover photo shoot.
INFOGRAPHIC: Click here to see the last orange groves in Orange County.
Hair and makeup: Autumn Sanders
Styling: Devon Nuzer
On-set stylist: Sunshine Harding
Models courtesy of Models International: Haley Bartlett, Thor Knai, Samantha Summers
SEE ALSO:
VIDEO: Click here to go behind the scenes of our cover photo shoot.
INFOGRAPHIC: Click here to see the last orange groves in Orange County.
Related Content
More About
15. VOLUNTEERING AT VR GREEN FARMS
It's getting harder and harder to get back to the land in Orange County, but there are still patches of land planted with an array of fruits and vegetables, and nothing says summer like a little hard work followed by some great produce. Villa Romano Green Farms is an organic Italian farm on a hillside at the Bella Colina Golf Course above San Clemente. Fava beans, lettuces, chard, tomatoes and more spill down to the parking lot for the golf club, and every Thursday morning, owner Nic Romano seeks volunteers to help him work the land. Volunteers are put to work planting, transplanting, watering or—yes—weeding. Romano is the grandson of Italian immigrants and dreamed of trying to replicate the quality of the ingredients his grandparents remembered from Italy. He got his chance when the owners of the Bella Colina Golf Course invited him to use some unimproved land; the farm has expanded ever since, with fruit trees and the importation of San Marzano-type tomato plants. If volunteering at the farm is not a possibility for you, Romano runs an opt-in community-supported agriculture program on Saturday mornings. Buy a set of six ornate wooden discs for $150, then reserve a basket by Thursday for pickup on Saturday. Whatever's freshest goes into the basket, along with a big loaf of artisanal bread and maybe some honey or jam if they're available. Customers are sometimes handed a knife and told to harvest their own greens. Leftovers from the harvest are available at the Sweredoski Farms booth Saturday mornings at the Irvine farmers' market. 200 Avenida La Pata, San Clemente, (949) 697-0032; vrgreenfarms.com.
16. VISITING THE SURF GHETTO
(Click here for story.)
17. FIREWORKS!
OC has plenty of officially sanctioned fireworks displays on the Fourth of July—Huntington Beach's annual display on the pier is one of the largest—and five cities allow the sale of "safe and sane" fireworks (Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Stanton). But that doesn't stop people from bringing more powerful pyrotechnics back from Mexico—and then, in a fit of stunningly poor judgment, getting completely hammered before attempting to set them off. Seeing the inebriated attempt to figure out which of the three wiggling wicks to light is like watching a train wreck. Be a pal, and be someone's designated fireworks lighter. Or better yet, leave it to the pros.
18. WE'RE NOT RIVERSIDE
It's 110 degrees in the shade and the recipient of all the smog the rest of Southern California generates—hello, Riverside! There's a reason the westbound 91 freeway remains a stifling, choking bottleneck on summer weekends, ya know. . . .
19. HIKING TIJERAS CANYON AND THE WESTRIDGE TRAIL
Hiking in backwoods Orange County is beautiful, but starting and ending in civilization is even better. The Tijeras Canyon Trail is a beautiful, easy, clear, well-marked trail that is the antidote to the crowded beach. It starts near the north gate of Coto de Caza, just off Antonio Parkway, and ascends gently along the west side of the community. Signs lead to the Westridge Trail, which runs along a fairly flat ridge. Hawks sail in the air, deer occasionally dart across your path, and the weather is moderated by the sea breezes that waft up the canyon. Bring a basket (shh, we won't tell about that bottle of wine or Thermos of cocktails) and use one of the clearings for a picnic lunch. Break the trail at Tesoro High School before it wanders too far inland.
20. GETTING SECONDARY HIGHS FROM OPEN WINDOWS
Orange County's dozens of medicinal-marijuana dispensaries and the beautiful summer weather means you're never too far from a secondary high in the summer. Stock up on chips.
21. RESCUING LOST THEME-PARK TOURISTS
June through August in Anaheim, Buena Park and the beach cities means hordes of tourists cruising slowly and confusedly along Harbor, Beach or PCH. While it's tempting to give wrong directions ("Knott's Berry Farm? Oh, that's way up in LA"), it's better karma to rescue them from the horrors of the tourist traps that surround OC's signature attractions. After all, what did they do to deserve Captain Kidd's?
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