A quiet beach town, San Clemente's downtown is home to boutique shops conducive to beach life. Also, just a mile or so further down is the San Clemente pier where you can still watch the Amtrak train speed by, and surfers can be spotted on the waves any time of the year.
Laguna Beach, home to art festivals, and MTV reality TV show, has made it a landmark in southern Orange County. It is well known for its cozy village ambiance that plays host to cafes and restaurants, as well as many art galleries and boutique retail stores.
An offshoot of Disneyland, Downtown Disney is a kid-friendly shopping district with stores like Build-A-Bear and the Disney store itself. But it's restaurants, like the Rainforest Café and more famous, the House of Blues, make it a hip place to be in Anaheim.
Brea's distinctive downtown is a central space for community events, but it is also a place to shop. It provides a casual, urban feel for shopping and dining for Brea's locals.
An outdoor entertainment destination, The Block is the place to be in northern Orange County with retail shops, restaurants and cafes, and movie theaters. Its nightlife is boosted by the unique dining experience at restaurants like Cafe Tu Tu Tango, and establishments like Lucky Strike Lanes and Dave & Buster's.
Near Cal State Fullerton, downtown Fullerton is an eclectic mix of boutique shops specializing in antiques, clothing, and furniture. Generally attracting a subdued crowd, the streets of downtown Fullerton are not generally crowded, making it a pleasant place to shop and dine. Shops like Otto, specializing in all things modern, and the Red Hat Society Tea Shop, make downtown Fullerton a unique shopping experience.
If you're an avid fan of fine Cajun cooking, you'll truly appreciate the many flavorful dishes of Jack Shrimp. As a New Orleans themed restaurant, some scrumptious and mouthwatering (literally) southern dishes follow. Jack Shrimp is most famous for its, well, what else? Shrimp! Personally, I find the Jammin Jambalaya plate, a specialty of the house, an utter delight of rich spices and zest. The best part is its back door prices, which makes it an everyday lunch and dinner favorite.
Although Jack Shrimp is a Cajun specialty restaurant, it definitely does not discriminate against salad and sandwich lovers. Jack Shrimp's menu contains lots of variety, including southern inspired appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, soups, pasta, and house specials. If you love Cajun dishes but can't handle too much spice, don't sweat it - many of Jack Shrimp's plates come non-spicy.
Craving some Jack Shrimp yet? Experience this authentic and tasty Louisiana cooking for yourself - you'll be hooked, guaranteed. As my mottos goes, "Once you go Jack, you never go back."
If you feel like eating a wholesome Japanese meal without shelling tons of cash for it, Sango Sushi is a must. This mom and pops style restaurant offers a variety of delicious appetizers and meals, many of which can be ordered in combination with one another.
Some items you will find on the menu include various types of beef bowls, noodles, curries, appetizers (e.g., gyoza, tempura, sesame chicken, baked scallops, etc.), a la carte choices (e.g., chicken and salmon teriyaki, sashimi, pork cutlet, etc.), combination choices (e.g., beef teriyaki and tempura, salmon teriyaki and tempura, etc.), salads, side orders (e.g., edamame, miso soup, rice, etc.), and sushi.
Sango Sushi is ideal for those on the go because of its quick service and cheap menu - about $6 for a meal. To top it off, the food tastes great. I highly recommend the crunchy roll sushi, yum!
Weekends are usually a lot more hectic than the weekdays. Expect the possibility of a crowd, but don't worry because the restaurant functions like a dine and dash joint. You won't wait long.
If you're in the southern Orange County neighborhood, you can't afford not to visit Soka University of America (SUA).
With construction completed a little over 6 years ago, SUA is definitely eye candy to any person who passes through the small and conservative town of Aliso Viejo. One can't help but notice the campus's 103-acres of stunning Tuscany, Italy feel, which is surrounded by 4000-acres of wilderness park.
Although SUA is a private university, its campus is open to the public during the day. Many nearby residents take advantage of its beautiful scenery by taking daily walks with friends, family, and other loved ones. If you keep your eyes open, you might just catch some rabbits and deers along the way. Local college students also take advantage of the public hours by visiting SUA's Ikeda Library, which contains a 225,000-volume capacity. There is also a large internet access distribution, including wireless access. If you get hungry after your walk, go to SUA's bistro cafe, where they serve an eclectic variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. If fortunate enough, you might catch Sushi night, yum! If you check SUA's calendar ahead of time, prepare for one of its many marvelous student show cases and international festivals.
If this is your first time hearing about SUA, you may be wondering what this university is all about. SUA is a private, non-profit liberal arts college, which opened in 2001. "The mission of Soka University of America is to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life." SUA's educational system is based on a student-oriented one, thus offering an exceptional 9:1 student to faculty ratio. A university founded upon Buddhist principles of peace, culture, and education to foster global citizens is nothing short of idealism, yet its practical, hands-on training (e.g., mandatory study abroad, internships, senior thesis research papers, etc.) prepare students students for graduate school and the real world.
To learn more about Soka University of America, visit the Soka University Website
If you happen to be in Orange County, near the Irvine area, take advantage of the Irvine Spectrum Center. Whether it's a night out with family, friends, or a date, the Irvine Spectrum Center offers a plethora of fun and entertaining activities for people of all ages. From movies, children's fashion, adult fashion, restaurants, book stores, beauty stores, to specialty shops, you name it - the center has it all.
For a relaxing time out, enjoy the Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX Theatre, which offers one of the best movie going experiences with its recently renovated facilities. Nothing beats watching the latest IMAX movies with stadium seating and updated surround sound systems - all from an eight-story movie screen.
If you want to add a little romance to the event, take your honey on the Spectrum Ferris Wheel. There's no better way to impress your date.
If you're looking for more of a boys or girls night out, Dave and Busters is a must. One can describe it as an adult version of Chucky Cheese. Dave and Busters offers a variety of adult entertainment, including a restaurant, bar, pool tables, and tons of arcade type games. They even have a genes machine, which produces a picture of what your baby will look like. The most exciting part of it is that you can choose your baby's race, regardless of what race you and your partner are. The machine basically takes you and your partner's facial structures and combines them with the chosen race.
If you want to experience a more upbeat evening, party until the late night (well, until about 1:30am anyways) at either Crazy Horse or Yard House, although the latter is a bit less brouhaha-ish. Both bars usually have a $5 cover charge.
Lastly, if you're just looking to get some quality shopping done, enjoy from the numerous stores that the Spectrum has to offer, including Forever 21, H&M, and an array of other eclectic clothing stores.
Whatever kind of entertainment you're looking for, Irvine Spectrum will most likely offer the service. As an outside shopping mall and entertainment center, one can't help but enjoy the experience under a nice sunny day or under a warm, clear night.
