Top Rated Attractions in Fullerton

Spanning 58 acres (23 hectares), the Oak Canyon Nature Center is a beautiful oasis of nature in the city. The sanctuary, flanked by three canyons is home to a diverse array of animal and bird species. Well-marked hiking trails offer a great opportunity to discover the park's many wonders. Stop by at the John J. Collier Interpretive Center to learn more about the natural features and history of the place.

The area is 900 acres (364 hectares) of estuary, marsh, and coastal sage scrub habit, and it is home to several endangered bird species. Seventy species of fish use the bay and during winter migration thousands of shorebirds and ducks either visit or spend the winter here. Kayak, canoe, walking and electric boat tours are offered and a state of the art Interpretive Center is located at 2301 University Dr., Newport Beach.

Crystal Cove State Park spans 3.2 miles (5.15 kilometers) of beach and over 2000 acres (809.37 hectares) of wilderness. Visitors to the park can relax on the beach, hike or go horseback riding on the many trails that criss-cross the verdant landscape. Explore tide pools and hidden coves as well as canyon flora and fauna. Finally, the crystal clear waters have been designated as an underwater park and are great for scuba diving, skin diving, and underwater photography, thus covering all aspects of outdoor exploration.

The perfect thing to do on a bright sunny day is to head to Rancho Los Alamitos. Admire the 19th Century ranch house that houses an interesting museum about local history, then explore the surrounding area. Make sure you stop by the barn and check out the livestock, which is often the highlight for children. You can also stroll through the beautiful garden. The gift shop has interesting things to take back home too. Overall, a historical place with lots of education, along with fun thrown in.

Take the kids for a day of outdoor education to the El Dorado Nature Center where you can learn all about the local flora on one of their Wildflower Getaways; a nature walk for those aged 10 and older. You can also take advantage of the campfire grounds, where many families spend their Friday nights sharing stories and roasting marshmallows. You must call ahead and register for both of these activities. Or just sit by one of the lakes during a sunny day and breathe in the fresh air.

Situated just north of Claremont University, California Botanic Garden is a conservatory dedicated to native Californian plants. This 86-acre (35-hectare) green oasis is home to more than 6,000 varieties of native species, some of which include exotic seasonal ones like the Manzanita, Dutchman’s Pipe, Catalina Crossosoma and many more. A stroll through this beautiful garden allows visitors to see squirrels, red-tailed hawks, butterflies and other avian life. The garden is open throughout the year, however, the best time to visit is in the spring of course, when the plants are in full bloom.