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Lights, Wine & Hidden Caves

Lights, Wine & Hidden Caves

Kick off the holidays with South OC’s brightest tree lightings, glowing night markets, and a hike to Aliso Viejo’s secret bandit cave.

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Wine Fests & Line Dancing

Wine Fests & Line Dancing

Line dancing in San Juan, wine fests in Costa Mesa, yoga in Aliso Viejo, candle-making in Mission Viejo, and art in nature at Bommer Canyon, your weekend plans, done.

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👻 Halloween for Grown-Ups

👻 Halloween for Grown-Ups

Halloween isn’t just for kids. There’s wine by the harbor, a tiki party in San Clemente, rooftop disco dancing in Irvine, a spooky escape room in Lake Forest, and a block party in RSM. Keep scrolling for Día de los Muertos festivals all over OC and even a hike to one of OC’s most haunting spots.

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👻 Haunted by Your Neighbors!

👻 Haunted by Your Neighbors!

Haunted houses aren’t just for kids! Explore spooky home haunts, live music, fall fests, and creative Halloween fun for grown-ups across South Orange County. Check out the house in the photo at 23852 Lagarto, Mission Viejo.

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👻 Haunted Trails, Fall-O-Ween & Ghost Walks Await

👻 Haunted Trails, Fall-O-Ween & Ghost Walks Await

If you’re ready to trade beach days for ghost tours and glowing pumpkins, South OC’s serving spooky season in full this year.

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Wine Tasting Made Easy

Wine Tasting Made Easy

If you’ve ever wished you could explore an entire wine list without committing to a single glass, two South OC gems have you covered, each offering a modern, self-paced tasting experience.

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Coffee in a Historic Gem

Coffee in a Historic Gem

☕ Tucked inside a red-brick Victorian built in 1883, Ellie’s Table isn’t just another café - it’s a National Historic Landmark where you can bite into towering croissants and sip pumpkin chai lattes. Plus... Rancho Family Fest in RSM, Harbor After Dark in Dana Point, and free sunset concerts along the coast.

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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.

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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.

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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, all with minimal driving! 📬 Join the list for weekly picks.

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