Located off Woodview Road, Vellano Park is an amazing facility to spend some quaint time amidst natural surroundings. The park offers an array of amenities for the visitors which includes restrooms, benches, picnic areas, BBQ, a playground, and designated trail tracks. Stretching to 3.75 acres, the park also features a basketball court, pickleball courts, and two gazebos. The park welcomes you for a fun outing with family and friends, amidst lush greenery and serenity. It is also suited for walking your dogs.
Spend the day in this beautiful 350-acre park that boasts six miles of hiking trails, two lakes and a nature center. The Huntington Beach Library is also located in the park, if you need to avoid the overwhelming beauty of nature. Everything that nature has to offer is here for your enjoyment, from fragrant trees and flowers to ducks swimming in the lakes. You really can stop and smell the roses in this fragrant park.
Featuring a scenic sun-dappled expanse, Huntington State Beach is one of the best beaches in southern California. It is popular with both locals and tourists alike. Replete with barbecue pits used year-round but especially in the summer and fire rings for bonfires, this is an ideal destination for a fun day out amid picturesque environs. Avid surfers will relish the opportunities for surfing offered by the beach. Fishing, birdwatching, and swimming are some other recreational options here. Keep your eyes peeled for California Brown Pelicans.
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.
Inspired by Tokyo's Imperial Gardens, the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden opened its doors in 1981 and is a part of the California State University. The donation of funds came from the namesake's widow, and her passion for gardens led to the creation of this space. A serene garden and a sight to behold, it is dotted with several trees, including Japanese black pines, pink cloud cherry, fern pines, saucer magnolias, and Chinese flame trees. A koi pond with a bridge and fish, garden art, a pagoda, a tea house, fountains, and a zig-zag bridge add to the beautiful landscape. The garden is a much-favored spot for weddings.
The Ocean Institute is located in beautiful Dana Point Harbor and offers ocean science and maritime history programs perfect for kids and adults alike. See hundreds of marine animals in aquariums, watch animal feedings, experience ocean-themed exhibits, and have fun with hands-on activities. For an extra charge, take a tall ship or a whale watching cruise. The Dana Point Marine Protected Area is steps away from the Institute.