El Gallo Giro is a Mexican Food restaurant located in Santa Ana, Orange County, California.  If you're from Southern California, then you know how much we like our Mexican Food.  If you're not, then you need to be sampling the variety of Mexican food Orange County has to offer.  You can pick almost any commercial street, drive a few blocks, and find a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant.  They're not always great, but in general, they're pretty good.

But you don't have to guess now, head down to Santa Ana on the corner of Bristol and Edinger and have yourself a Torta from El Gallo Giro.

Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas

Orange County is located 4 hours by car from Las Vegas.  For this reason, Las Vegas is a popular weekend road trip for local Orange County residents.  One long weekend a year is especially popular, June brings the Electric Daisy Carnival music festival to Sin City, and what an experience it is.  Handfuls of the worlds top DJ's flock to Las Vegas to perform and witness what in my experience has been the most spectacular musical event I've ever seen.  Las Vegas has signed on for at least 5 more years of EDC, with a possible extension as well, so this post should be relevant for a while to come.

See An Angels Baseball Game in Anaheim

There has been a lot of controversy in recent years about some name changes for the home baseball team of Orange County (The Angels).  Once the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels, then the Los Angeles Angels, now I think they're just the Los Angeles Angels, the one thing they can't argue is that the baseball team is not from LA, they're from Orange County.

If you're a baseball fan in Orange County, Angels Stadium is a great stadium to see a game.  They gave the stadium a major overhaul in recent years, and are still updating things regularly.  Even if you're not a fan, it's still a fun day or night event, come out and see the Angels play, grab a hot dog, some soda or beer, maybe a nachos, and enjoy yourself while supporting the local OC baseball team!

Hiking to Mt. Baldy Summit

If you enjoy hiking and the outdoors, take a day and head north-east outside of Orange County to the edge of the San Gabriel mountains.  Here lies Mt. Baldy, the third highest peak in Southern California. The hike is nice, but a bit grueling for a non-hiker.  When I climbed it I was really out of shape, and it was a challenge.  It's not the distance that's tough, but the climb in elevation; it's a steep uphill most of the way.

During the winter Mt. Baldy changes from a hike, to a ski, being the closest ski resort to both LA and Orange County.

Must Try Fast Food (Mexican) - Del Taco

If you're visiting Orange County, or Southern California in general, you must try one of our fast food restaurants called Del Taco.  There are a few locations outside Southern California, but they're everywhere in the OC.  The food isn't the best in the world, nor is the restaurant anything special, but it's a fast food mecha in Orange County, especially late at night.

You get all sorts of junk food at Del Taco, and it's fairly cheap.  Tuesday evenings they have a Taco Tuesday with discount hard shell and soft tacos.

The Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa

Every year from mid July to mid August, the OC Fair Grounds play host to over a million people at the Orange County Fair.  The OC Fair features all types of rides, a variety of foods, local show animals, and often some big name musical acts.  In recent years the fair has gained a lot of notoriety for their large selection of friend foods.  From fried snickers bars, to fried klondike bars, to friend avocados and brownies, if people are frying it, the OC Fair is too.  With 2011 numbers approaching 1.5 million visitors, the Orange County Fair is the 11th largest fair in the Unites States.  if you're looking for something to do on a summer night in the Orange County area, swing by the Costa Mesa Fair Grounds off the 55 and Fair Drive.

Monster Jam - Angel Stadium in Anaheim

Monster Jam comes to Orange County several times a year at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  The show is good fun, worth seeing, especially if you've never seen it before.  They usually also throw in another event like a destruction derby, and or quad racing.  The event is loud, the trucks are extremely powerful and it's very clear when you're seeing how fast they go, how high they jump, and how much sound they put off.

Authentic Cuban Food: Felix Continental Cafe in Orange

If you're looking for a great place to eat, check out Felix Cafe in Old Town Orange.  Delicious Cuban food in a great location with comfortable outdoor seating, all for a reasonable price.  It's hard to find a tasty meal when you're actually in Cuba, however Felix's brings that Cuban flavor to you and does it well.  One of the best restaurants in Orange County.

From the Felix Cafe website:
Since the late 70s, Felix Continental Cafe has been serving the most authentic food from Cuba and Spain in the city Orange, California. Felix Continental Cafe is also known as La Casa de la Paella (The House of the Paella.)

For its high-quality cooking, services and good prices, Felix Continental Cafe has received outstanding reviews from Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Magazine, Westways magazine, and other publications. It has also been included in Elmer Dills' book "Best Restaurants Under $10.00."

The Beach of Newport Beach

Growing up in Orange County, Newport has always been my beach of choice. From when I was 10 years old bodyboarding and spending summer days with my mom, to when I was 15 getting dropped off for a few hours with my friends to go surfing, and when I was 16 and driving myself to go surfing, to when I turned 21 and could start going to the heaps of bars in the area, and still to this day for a nice relaxing day of people watching, body surfing, and sun bathing.

There's a lot to do in Newport Beach, great food, nice sandy beaches, good waves, good nightlife. You can go whale watching, rent a boat and cruise the harbor, or spend your day at the Balboa Fun Center playing games. It's a great place for people of all ages. The best time of the year for peak crowds is July to September (Labor Day), however if you want to enjoy the beach with fewer people, spring and fall are generally still great times to visit. Just last week in the middle of October we had clear skies and temperatures in the 80's in Newport. Spring Break generally finds good weather as well, then it tends to get a bit cloudy for a while before summer is in full swing.

Old Town Orange

Old Town Orange is essentially the beginning of Orange County, and it's heart. Most of the buildings were built between 1888 and 1940, making it one of the older cities in California. For this reason movies such as Fallen Angel, Gumball Rally, Gentleman's Club, Big Mama's House, That Thing You Do, Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Last Dance, and more have all had scenes in or around the Orange Circle in Old Town Orange.

When in the area, Old Town Orange is a great place to visit, it has some great food including Felix's Cafe (Cuban food) and Watson's Drug & Soda (good for a sandwich at lunch).  Old Town Orange is also known for its shopping, mainly Antique shops, if that's what you're in to.  By night the area changes over and becomes an active bar zone, with bars such as District Lounge, Pauls, and O'haras.

Long Beach Grand Prix

Every year in April, Long Beach plays host to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.  The event lasts through the weekend and is good fun.  In addition to the main race they generally feature a celebrity race and a drifting race.  I know Long Beach is technically not Orange County, but it's our close neighbor, and at less than 30 minutes from most or the county it's no big deal to head North for a day or a weekend.  Beware, tickets to the Long Beach Grand Prix are not cheap, especially if you want a reserved seat.  Also consider the parking expenses when budgeting your trip.

Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt - Buena Park, CA

Knott's Scary Farm is a well known event for any kid growing up in Orange County.  Every year they transform the Knott's Berry Farm theme park into a haunted theme park, with monsters running through the park scaring people, haunted mazes, and special twists to many of the rides.  The park has pretty good rides to begin with, so add in the special event around Halloween, and it makes for sell out crowds, and very long lines.  That being said, there's not much you can do to avoid them if you want to see Knott's Scary Farm, so you may as well just go for it.

Whale Watching in Newport Beach

Not even known to most Orange County residents, there are giant blue whales swimming off our coasts every summer. Southern California lies in the middle of their migratory path, and there are a handful of operators who bring tourists out to see these ocean giants throughout the season. Not only do they usually see whales, but dolphins and sea lions are common sightings as well, sometimes in large numbers. If you head down to Balboa Fun Zone, there are 2 companies providing whale watching tours out of Newport Harbor.

The largest mall in California - South Coast Plaza

Orange County is a shopper's mecha if you know where to go.  South Coast plaza is the biggest mall in California, and with sales of over 1.5 billion dollars annually, it rakes in the most cash of any mall in the United States.  South Coast Plaza has over 250 retailers and 30 restaurants, and the area around the mall has a lot more shopping as well.  If you're looking for a luxurious, high end mall, with all the top brands, and world class boutique stores, this is your mall.

From the website:
South Coast Plaza defines the luxury shopping experience with extraordinary boutiques, personal shopping service, and upscale amenities all within a short distance of the world's most magnificent vacation resorts. South Coast Plaza is recognized internationally for its unparalleled retail collection and award-winning restaurants.

See Big Waves @ The Wedge, Newport Beach

There is an infamous beach in the Balboa area of Newport called "The Wedge".  Once or twice every summer the conditions are perfect and the drive a massive swell towards The Wedge.  Waves get over 20 feet (6+ meters) and people from all over the area flock to the beach to surf, bodyboard, bodysurf, kneeboard, and just to watch the massive waves break very close to the shore.  Standing on the shore in front of the wedge you can literally feel the ground shake as these giants break in front of you.

Dave & Busters at the Irvine Spectrum

The Irvine Spectrum is not the most exciting place in the world, but it's easy to spend a few hours there.  For those of you who don't know what Dave & Busters is, it's basically an adult arcade and restaurant.  They have a full bar, restaurant, tons of video games, pool tables, and shuffle board tables.

"No matter how you define fun, you'll find it at Dave & Buster's. Whether it's the action of interactive games, enjoying great food, fun bars or playing classic favorites like world class pocket billiards— they've created a unique experience that has something for everyone. - Irvine Spectrum

Pirates Dinner Adventure, Buena Park

Members of the audience brought on to be part of the show

In Buena Park, next to Knott's Berry Farm and Medieval Times, there is a dinner theater called Pirates Dinner Adventure. This is basically the same concept as Medieval Times with a different theme. It's a dinner show, featuring pirates, acrobatics, and mediocre food.  It is fun though to go with a group of friends, especially if you load up on booze beforehand.  Also suits families with kids.

"Thrills, excitement and laughter abound at this swashbuckling Buena Park Dinner Show, Pirate's Dinner Adventure!
This Broadway-quality show is presented on an authentically replicated 18th century Spanish galleon anchored in a 250,000 gallon indoor lagoon, setting the stage for an astonishing display of special effects, wizardry, aerial artistry, swashbuckling swordplay, dynamic duels and a hearty feast. The elaborate dinner theater set provides the backdrop for action, acrobatics, romance, comedy and a hearty feast!" - from the website