Summer Travel Guide: Orange County, California on a Budget

Traveling to Orange County, California this summer and looking for great inexpensive local places to visit and explore? Or do you reside there and want the best places to take the family locally instead of travelling afar? Here is a great guide for spending the summer in Orange County, California without breaking the bank.

Where to Stay

Of all the budget hotels in Orange County, these are the top three in popularity, convenience and central location.

1. Aneheim Carriage Inn Complementary breakfasts, shuttle to Disneyland, year-round heated jacuzzi. Rooms with kitchettes are available to do cooking inside the suite. Rates range from 59.00 for a standard room with two queen sized beds to 119.00 for a suite with two rooms, each with two beds and a bathroom. Prices may seasonally adjust. Aneheim Carriage Inn is located at 2125 South Harbor Blvd in Anaheim. Toll free reservations: 1-800-345-2131

2. Peacock Suites Resort A Shells Vacation Hospitality property, this features complementary breakfasts, shuttle to Disneyland. Room amenities include King One Bedroom Suites with a separate living area and a king sized bed, refrigerators, flat screen TVs and a queen sleeper sofa. Specials and discounts include half-off rates, AAA rates, AARP specials, government rates (show your ID) and special advance purchase rates. Peacock Suites Resort is located at 1745 S Anaheim Blvd in Anaheim. Toll free reservations: 1-800-522-6401.

3. Fullerton Marriott This Marriott hotel is located near Disneyland, Angel Stadium, Richard Nixon Library and John Wayne airport and has an on-property full service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and has room service. Current summer-wide specials go from 89.00 to 109.00 per night. Fullerton Marriott is located at 2701 E Nutwood Ave in Fullerton. Reservations: 714-738-7800

Orange County Beaches

Start off by checking out one of the many beautiful beaches in Orange County. Just about every one of them you'll find local and traveling surfers riding the waves. Besides water sports, you'll find shopping, beach volleyball, fishing and tide pools. Check out these popular beaches.

• Aliso Beach Things to do: surfing, swimming, paddle boarding, fishing, sand castles, tidepools.
• Capistrano Beach Things to do: beach volleyball, fishing, sunbathing
• Salt Creek Beach Things to do: surfing, sand castles, sunbathing, surf fishing.
• Huntington Beach Things to do: surfing and surf-watching, sunbathing, kite surfing. Looking to do some surfing? Try viewing a webcam of Huntington Beach.

Museums and Missions

If the surf is gone, or the beach is crowded, try any of these great Orange County Museums to spend the day at.

• International Surfing Museum This is where you go to take a trip back in time and surf with the legends. Located at 411 Olive Ave, Huntington Beach. Contact: 714-960-3483.
• Ripley's Believe It or Not! Go and spend the day with the world's strangest oddities. Located at 7850 Beach Blvd, Buena Park. Contact: 714-522-7045
• Newport Harbor Nautical Museum From artifacts and activities, to events and programs, this museum has everything to do with the nautical arts and promoting Newport Harbor's longstanding heritage. Located at 600 East Bay Ave, Newport Beach. Contact: 949-675-8915
• Mission San Juan Capistrano An historical look at the area as it was many years ago, the Mission is one of the most famous of the historical missions dotting California. Public parking is available, and can be easily walked from the train station. Located at 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano. Contact: 949-234-1300.

Amusement Parks and Zoos

If you are looking for activities, here are some to consider. Orange County, CA also has two zoos to visit.

• Disneyland Park Even the most budget conscience of travelers will revel in everything Mickey Mouse.
• Knott's Berry Farm 150 acres of rides, dining and historic attractions.
• Adventure City From a children's theater to a petting farm, this has everything necessary for a great time for kids.
• Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park 20 acres with a rain forest, aviary, electric train and a carrousel, and children's zoo.
• Orange County Zoo Inside Irvine Park in Orange (city). This 477-acre zoo focuses on animals that are native to the Southwest like mountain lions, black bears, foxes and ocelots, owls, coyotes and more. Also a barnyard with animals such as sheep, goats, pigs and doves.

Regional and Wilderness Parks

Orange County abounds with natural beauty and it can be further explored by visiting on of the many regional and wilderness parks all over the county. Visiting these will be an inexpensive way to capture what Orange County is really all about.

• Carbon Canyon Regional Park 124 acres with a 10-acre Coastal Redwoods Grove. Hiking, equestrian trails. Located in Brea, 714-973-3160.
• FeatherlyRegionalPark Located in Santa Ana Canyon, this has full hook-ups for RV parking and has small cabins to rent. RVs enter at Gypsum Canyon Road. Located in Anaheim, 714-637-0210.
• Laguna Niguel Regional Park 236 acres. It has 44-acre lake seasonally stocked with bass, bluegill, catfish and trout. Located in Laguna Niguel, 949-923-2240.
• Mile Square Regional Park 640 acres, 2 fishing lakes, 3 golf course, 2 soccer fields, both baseball and softball diamonds and an archery range. Located in Fountain Valley, 714-973-6600.
• Peters Canyon Regional Park 354 acres including the 50-acre Upper Peters Resevoir. Located in Orange (city), 714-973-6611.
• Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park 4,000 acres with 30 miles of trails. Located in Laguna Niguel, 949-923-2200.
• Caspers Wilderness Park A very popular park, it is open for both day use and for camping. 8,000 acres with many trails to explore. Located on the Ortega Hwy in San Juan Capistrano, 949-923-2210.
• Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 6,500 acres featuring endangered species and Orange County's only natural lakes. It has views of the Pacific Ocean with biking and horseback riding. Located in Laguna Beach, 949-923-2235.