If you’re visiting Southern California with your family this year, you may be interested in fun things to do in Orange County with the kids. There are the Disney® theme parks, of course, but those are just the beginning. From beaches and outdoor recreation to whale-watching, there are a ton of unique activities for families in this area!

Whale Watching in Orange County

It’s no secret that Southern California has amazing beaches, and it turns out that humans aren’t the only ones who love the coast here. While whales frequent this section of the Pacific year-round, there are a couple of better “seasons” for whale watching in Orange County. From December through April, gray whales make their annual migration just off the SoCal coast and between May and October, lucky folks may see giant blue whales.

You can try your luck simply watching the waters, but for your best odds of spotting the majestic creatures, book a tour and go whale watching in Orange County. Tours depart from Newport Harbor and Dana Point year-round.

Family-friendly Orange County Beach

Regardless of what brings you to SoCal, you’ll definitely want to set aside some time for visiting some of the best beaches in Orange County for families. While there are several to choose from that are all conveniently located near our Anaheim hotel, one of the best is Shaw’s Cove in Laguna Beach.

Shaw’s Cove is widely considered to be the nicest beach in Orange County, primarily because of how laid-back and clean it is. The waves tend to be a little calmer here and at low tide, there are countless tide pools to explore. This small beach is tucked away in a residential area and has a fairly small parking lot, which helps it remain mostly uncrowded.

Visiting Disneyland® in Orange County With Children

Disneyland® is, of course, one of Anaheim’s biggest attractions, with a little something for literally everyone. No matter how old your kids are (or even if you’re perhaps the “kid” at heart!), you can never go wrong with a visit to The Happiest Place on Earth.

For the best park experience, buy tickets and make park reservations ahead of time online, then look into Anaheim hotels near Disneyland® with comfortable rooms for families. Location is extremely important and fortunately, Tropicana Inn and Suites is within a 5-minute walk of the park. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Disneyland® Red Car Trolley Re-opening

Making Disneyland® even better, the iconic vintage Red Car Trolleys are back this summer. The trolley runs consistently every 12 minutes, with convenient stops at four major destinations in the park, making it even easier, fun, and more convenient for families with children to visit and get around.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time, now is the best time ever to visit! Book your stay at our walking distance hotel near Disneyland® today!