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Restaurant Deals, Colorful Concerts & Gnome Hunting!

Restaurant Deals, Colorful Concerts & Gnome Hunting!

From surprisingly good restaurant deals to a few easy, local events, here’s what caught our eye in South OC this week.

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Try Something New in 2026

Try Something New in 2026

Start the year by doing something new. We’ve rounded up local, low-pressure ways to get out, meet people, and mix up your routine in South OC.

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Been Paying Attention?

Been Paying Attention?

We pulled all our South OC trivia into one challenge. Let’s see how you do. Plus Line dancing, planetarium shows and movies await.

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And The Winners Are...

And The Winners Are...

Every December cities host official showdowns to crown the most spirited homes. And now the judges have spoken. The lights are locked in. The bragging rights are real.

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Power Couple of South OC

Power Couple of South OC

🐴 Meet Lewis Moulton and Nellie Gail—whose love story shaped 22,000 acres of ranch land and left a legacy you can still explore today. Plus... kombucha flights in San Juan, goats on wildfire patrol in Mission Viejo, and free sunset concerts in Laguna Beach.

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$5 Patio Cookout!

$5 Patio Cookout!

🔥 Pulled pork, teriyaki chicken, burgers; all grilled fresh on the patio with a side included. Pub Thirty Two serves up the best deal in town every Tuesday!Plus... coffee flights, line dancing in the barn, and music under the stars.

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Balboa Fun Zone Is Changing

Balboa Fun Zone Is Changing

Balboa Fun Zone’s $115M makeover, a free yoga hike Dana Point’s Maritime Festival, vintage markets, live jazz in Laguna and more South OC weekend picks.

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Ghosts, a Corn Moon and Shakespeare

Ghosts, a Corn Moon and Shakespeare

This weekend South OC is serving up Shakespeare with a boozy twist, ghost stories in Black Star Canyon, and a moonlit hike in Laguna.

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❤️ Most Romantic Patio Is Hiding in....

❤️ Most Romantic Patio Is Hiding in....

Romantic patio dining at Rose Canyon Cantina, the final weekend of Laguna’s Sawdust Art Festival, fireworks over Lake Mission Viejo, and the best paddleboarding spots from Dana Point Harbor to Back Bay.

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🍍 Tiki Bars & Cheap Tacos

🍍 Tiki Bars & Cheap Tacos

We tiki-hopped across Orange County to rank every bar — from Anaheim’s shipwrecked Strong Water to Laguna’s Royal Hawaiian. Plus, where to score 69¢ tacos, the Sea Country Festival in Laguna Niguel, and a glowing bioluminescence cruise in Dana Point.

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Go Full Tiki with a Flaming Lapu Lapu!

Go Full Tiki with a Flaming Lapu Lapu!

Laguna Beach has its tiki magic back. Step inside the Royal Hawaiian and you’re surrounded by walls of bamboo and thatch, carved totems in every corner, glowing starfish lamps overhead, and cocktails are the perfect balance of strong and smooth.

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Love Letters to the OC

Love Letters to the OC

We hosted our first-ever Summer in South OC Sugar Cookie Showdown, where 50+ bakers were nominated. The cookies weren’t just pretty—they were like little love letters to Orange County.

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This Famous Chef Built the Best Bakery in Orange County

This Famous Chef Built the Best Bakery in Orange County

How one local baker turned social media fame into the best pastry shop in Orange County. Plus, lanterns floating at sunset, beers poured by the harbor and walking in nature.

Newsletter

Bacon Cotton Candy & Frog Legs?! 🐸

Bacon Cotton Candy & Frog Legs?! 🐸

The OC Fair is back—with the wildest menu yet. Also secret comedy in Laguna Hills and vineyard jazz in Silverado Canyon. Plus: Costco's opening its first-ever stand-alone gas station in Mission Viejo

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Speakeasy Does It

Speakeasy Does It

Sip wine under canyon oaks, catch classical strings in the park and wrap the night with moody cocktails behind a speakeasy hidden door. AND... South OC's most popular donut shops!

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Vintage Finds & Starry Nights

Vintage Finds & Starry Nights

Bargain hunting on San Clemente’s Thrift Row, jazz under the stars in Laguna, and line dancing in Mission Viejo lead the weekend lineup. Plus: a chili cook-off, Memorial Day festivities, and a guided hike through the “Grand Canyon of OC.”

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This Weekend = Muy Bueno

This Weekend = Muy Bueno

Cinco de Mayo takes over with taco fiestas, tequila tastings, and margaritas worth the salt rim, and free pickleball! Plus: a pop-up café at the iconic Lido Theater, a gorgeous art walk in Laguna Beach and a 'May the Fourth be With You' celebration in Mission Viejo.

Newsletter

Tahini Latte - what's that ?

Tahini Latte - what's that ?

Your weekly roundup of what’s actually worth doing in South OC. Think hidden gardens, live music, rooftop bars, and great happy hours with people that don't make you feel old. And yes, all within a short drive. Each week features something different - so it’s never the same. Just a quick read, in and out in 3 minutes.

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THE SCENE: South OC

Sign up for a curated roundup of hidden patio bars, best happy hours, secret gardens, local trails and everything worth doing in South Orange County.

📬 Join the list for weekly picks.
The more you know, the more you’ll go!

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