Orange County is a southeastern California county that resides between Los Angeles and San Diego. Because sitcoms and reality TV shows were filmed in the OC, tourists flock to this area to enjoy the beaches, restaurants, nature parks, piers, shopping, celebrity sightings and plethora of water and land activities. Couples looking for a romantic retreat will find lots of private, serene areas or upscale, active places to enjoy each other's company in Orange County.
Wilderness Parks
Orange County is full of wilderness parks and state parks that allow you to become one with nature while you spend private, quiet time alone with your significant other. Crystal Cover State Park allows you to hike or horseback ride along nature trails and then cool off on the 3.5 miles of beaches or in the natural pools and coves that extend throughout the 2,000 acres of wilderness. These hidden pools are great for scuba diving or snorkeling. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park provides 6,500 miles of wilderness to hike or bike through. Deer Canyon Preserve/Park includes hiking trails, planned climbing expeditions and designated picnic areas.
Active Couples
For active couples looking for romance and excitement, numerous parks and golf courses offer an array of activities. Mile Square Park provides 640 acres of land that is used for golf, soccer, baseball, basketball, rollerblading and tennis. The park also includes lakes for fishing or renting paddleboats, and lots of open areas are suitable for picnics. Vans Skate Park is a 20,000-square-foot course for skateboarding enthusiasts, with an 80-foot vertical ramp. Couples can participate or watch the pros skate. Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course not only provides a nine-hole golf course surrounded by hills, but it also supplies an inn with a bar and grill and with private rooms that reside along a creek.
Dining
Find romance on your trip in Orange County by trying a new romantic restaurant each evening. French 75 is just steps from Main Beach in Laguna and serves gourmet French cuisine, along with an extensive assortment of wines. A romantic ambiance flows from the champagne bar that offers samples, the live jazz music Wednesday through Sunday nights, and the outdoor patio complete with a fireplace. Thai Bros is a quaint Thai restaurant favored by the locals but often overlooked by tourists. Just one block from the beach in downtown Laguna, this small restaurant only seats about 30 guests at a time. The Beach House overlooks Laguna Beach and serves up renowned seafood cuisine on its deck that hovers over the ocean.
Beaches
Orange County's beaches are what the area is most known for and supply a variety of romantic options. During the day, take a whale-watching boat ride to look for whales and other water wildlife, scuba dive, snorkel, rent jet skis or just lounge on the sandy beaches. Attempt surfing at Main Beach, Laguna Beach's largest beach located right in downtown Laguna. In the evening, head to Huntington Beach, which supplies more than 600 fire rings for you to enjoy a private barbecue or a bonfire on the beach. Take a stroll along Newport Beach's pier or Huntington Beach's pier under the moonlight. To get away from the sand, take an evening cruise through Newport's bays.
Accommodations
In order to make your Orange County trip as romantic as possible, stay at a romantic hotel in the area. The Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa hotel provides 486 guest rooms with plush beds and flat-panel TVs. An outdoor heated pool, a new fitness center and a bistro and bar are amenities that are all included. Downtown Laguna is just minutes away on foot. For a smaller scale, quieter hotel, La Casa del Camino is an affordable hotel built in 1927 and is only a few blocks from downtown Laguna. The dark wood and candlelit lobby add a romantic ambiance to the hotel, and a rooftop bar allows you to sip cocktails and cuisine from the restaurant while enjoying nightly sunsets.
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