Top Spring Destinations In Orange County

Spring has finally arrived. Need a great spring break destination for you and your friends? We got you covered here at Limon with our top spring destinations in Orange County!

1 – Newport Beach

That’s right! Newport Beach is our top highly recommended spring destination that you just have to check out! There are many great things to do here, like check out the terrific restaurants on the beachside and take a walk alongside the beach while enjoying the sunset view. Or check out Crystal Cove State Park for a beautiful stroll. Some excellent restaurants we recommend enjoying are The Beachcomber featuring an outdoor patio with delicious California cuisine! Or if you’re in the mood for pizza, stop by Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store in Newport Beach serving delicious pizza and honoring the Beatles! Try their Meatball Ricotta and “Hawaii 5-0” pizzas. Order a heart-shaped pizza if you want to give your lady something special.

For your shopping needs, check out the shopping centers within Newport Beach, like Lido Marina Village.

Within this beautiful beachside city is also Balboa Island, home to the Balboa Island Museum and an easy ride by taking the ferry from Newport Beach. Their island famous frozen chocolate bar and frozen chocolate bananas! There are also many great restaurants in Balboa Island, like Wilma’s Patio Restaurant, a great restaurant offering delicious comfort food!

We love Newport Beach so much here at Limon; we’ve written about it many times on our Instagram page, so be sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our Limon newsletter for more great day trips in Newport Beach!

2 – Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach, known as Surf City USA and like Newport Beach, has many great spots for eating and shopping. Stop by 602 Coffee House, located next to the Huntington Beach pier in the morning, and grab their activated charcoal latte or Nutella latte! There are also many excellent restaurants located next to the beach that you honestly can’t go wrong with picking either one of them.

Take a stroll through the beach or stop by for a yoga lesson at Huntington Beach; there’s always something for everyone to do here!

3 – Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is located next to Crystal Cove State Park. This coastal city features many great outdoor activities like going to the beaches and coves!

Crystal Cove State Park is one of Orange County’s largest seashores and is known for its hiking trail. Heisler Park is an oceanfront park that features walking trails, gardens, picnic tables, and barbecues. It is also a popular wedding destination.

After checking out Crystal Cove State Park and Heisler Park, there are three restaurants that we highly recommend checking out: The Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill, Las Brisas, and number three. Las Brisas is the most expensive restaurant, all serving California-style cuisine with The Royal Hawaiian Fire Grill known for their rum cocktails, tiki-style bar, and restaurant, and Hawaiian food. If you’re in the mood for brunch, we highly recommend number three restaurants because they are known for their eggs benedict, and it is the most popular item that customers order.

After a great lunch or brunch, stop by Urth Caffe Laguna Beach, where you can also enjoy delicious food if you want something less expensive than the above choices and enjoy some excellent fresh homemade coffee and their fine teas.

If you’re looking for a laid-back area or a lovely town to relax in, Laguna Beach is the place to be as it features trails, beaches, shopping, and great places to eat!

4 – San Clemente

San Clemente, known as “the Spanish village by the sea,” is another beautiful coastal city for a day trip! Like Santa Barbara, known for its Spanish architecture style, this coastal city features many great restaurants and shops. The San Clemente Trail is also a highlight. This trail is 2 miles long of sandy shoreline, famous for walking, running, jogging, and biking. At the end of this trail is also the San Clemente Pier Beach. There are also many great nearby restaurants like Pierside Kitchen & Bar and the Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar San Clemente.

The Pierside Kitchen & Bar is a stylish brunch cafe featuring American foods, creative cocktails, and craft beer. Their short rib benedict is a menu item to get your curiosity going.

The Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar is a seafood restaurant that serves classic seafood like clam chowder and fish and chips. This restaurant is open all day, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, a sunset menu, and dinner! They also feature an oyster bar and a Fishermen’s Feast! This is definitely a place to check out with your friends.

Or, if you feel like grabbing a fresh cup of coffee and a snack instead of a big meal, check out the Bear Coast Coffee located at the end of the trail right next to the San Clemente Pier Beach. This coffee shop also serves breakfast and grab-and-go items like avocado toast, the feta egg sandwich, the breakfast bowl, and the chia bomb. A great place to stop by to eat and grab food and coffee for a nice picnic by the pier or on the trail!

Nonetheless, San Clemente is a great place to spend spring break and have fun with your friends and family!

5 – Dana Point

For our final destination, we chose Dana Point, located a couple of hours away by drive from San Juan Capistrano; this area features eccentric boutiques and dolphin and whale watching. It also has a grassy park, Doheny State Beach, and Salt Creek Beach. However, the notable tourist highlight is Dana Point Harbor, which is a beautiful view of the coast of California.

You can start your day off by visiting Dana Point Harbor featuring sailboats and great water activities. The area also features many great restaurants with different price points and features lots of different kinds of cuisines. Enjoy going for a walk at Dana Point Harbor and then grab dinner at Coastal Kitchen, a great restaurant featuring great American foods.

Start with their crab cake salad featuring champagne vinaigrette. We highly recommend their Scottish Salmon with broccoli and parmesan or their Double Cut Pork Chop with cider fig glaze and a loaded Idaho potato for entrees.

Or if you’re feeling like just wanting to relax, grab a coffee and a book at J C Beans. This trendy coffee shop features a fireplace and a library where you can grab books to read while enjoying your cup of coffee! You can also enjoy the beautiful outdoor view of Dana Point at their outdoor patio.

Enjoy your spring break with friends at Dana Point, and be sure to stop by the breweries and bars they have at Dana Point Harbor!

What is your favorite place to visit in California during Spring Break? Which destination did we miss? Let us know in the comments!

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