Ya’ll know about Orange County, home of Disneyland and the Angels, but there’s more to Orange County than Disney and baseball, which I was delighted to discover during a visit to Anaheim in 2013. The stated purpose of our trip was, of course, to visit Disneyland, but since my son was only four, one day in the Magic Kingdom was more than plenty. With family in Orange County, we decided to stay a few extra days and check out some other sights, including these two attractions in Irvine that everyone enjoyed.
Irvine is located just a short 20 minute drive down I-5. For both of these experiences, we simply hopped into the car from our hotel in Anaheim and made the quick drive south. With wide highways and ample space for parking, these were no stress destinations that provided my son with outdoor time at little to no cost to the adults – a definitely treat following a day at Disneyland!
Irvine Park Railroad is a really wonderful place to spend the morning or afternoon with young children. There are walking pony rides, train rides, bike and paddle boat rentals, and even a small zoo. Although we did not visit the small zoo or rent paddle boats/bikes, we did ride the train and my son took his first pony ride, which he loved!
Decorations change seasonally and so you can expect a Christmas-themed train ride in the winter and other holiday themed games and activities for kids. Food options at the Park are limited (there is a small snack bar), but you are welcome to bring your own food like we did. We simply visited the IN-N-OUT drive thru prior to arriving at the Park and happily devoured our lunch on the picnic benches.
My favorite thing about the Park was that even though we were there on a weekend during beautiful weather, there was ample parking and it wasn’t swamped and over run with people. There are plenty of activities for young children and you can easily spend a day there. Be sure to have cash on hand, however, as many of the rentals/rides are cash only!
Also located in Irvine is the Great Park Balloon, perhaps one of the strangest attractions I have ever seen. It’s a giant orange balloon that holds 25-30 people with an clear base so that you can see the ground below as you soar into the sky. I am pathologically afraid of heights so I was uncomfortable on the ride, even though the balloon is tethered to the ground and does not go that high, but my son and his cousin loved the experience.
There is ample parking at the park and reservations to ride are first-come, first-serve. Operations are limited, however, by weather and wind, so call ahead if the weather looks iffy! Luckily for us, the weather was perfectly calm the morning we visited, so we had no problem riding. The facility also has a carousel and playground area, which the kids loved running around in after the balloon ride.
Overall, our visit to these two locations was a great way to break up our stay in Orange County. My son loved the diversity and the opportunity to ride “high in the sky!,” while I loved the slower pace of things after a day at Disneyland. I highly recommend you check these two attractions out if you find yourself in Orange County with a few hours or an afternoon to spare!
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