Where Are The Best Places to Stay in Orange County?
By Aliyya Zahidi. Sept 21, 2023
Orange County, or the “OC” is home to sun-kissed shores, world-famous theme parks, and an atmosphere of relaxed refinement. Nestled between the bustling hubs of Los Angeles and San Diego, this coastal gem is the quintessential destination for your Californian adventure. While there is never a bad time to visit the OC, the most exciting time to visit is between the months of June-August. The beaches, festivals, concerts, and special events at theme parks, are just a few examples of the plethora of things to do and see during the summer season.
The Golden Coast is blessed with 42-miles of coastline and near perfect weather all year round making it a tourists paradise for all. From the iconic allure of theme parks and grand stadiums in Anaheim and Buena Park to the serene embrace of beach cities like San Clemente, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach, this region is a sanctuary for souls seeking diverse experiences.
In the heart of it all, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa come alive after dusk, providing for a vibrant nightlife and a shopaholic’s paradise. For the foodies out there, the peaceful cities of Lake Forest, Santa Ana, and Irvine make for a culinary landscape.If you’re interested in finding out where to stay in Orange County, you may also want to know where to stay in Los Angeles or where to stay in San Diego.
Best places to stay in Orange County
Anaheim
Best for families
The home of Walt Disney! Each year thousands of Disney lovers flock to the city of Anaheim to live out their fairytale dreams. Anaheim prides itself on a plethora of themed hotels surrounding the Disney resort making it the perfect destination for families.
Beyond the borders of the Happiest Place on Earth, Anaheim is also home to the Anaheim Angels baseball team. Head over to the stadium to catch a ball game. Across the highway, the Honda Center, home of the Anaheim Ducks, awaits, where your family can catch a hockey game or attend a concert of one of your favorite stars.
Downtown Anaheim is also known as a foodies paradise. Check out the Anaheim packing district food hall, which is home to more than 20 different merchants. The district also hosts live music, including DJs, singers, and bands of all styles, with most shows taking place on weekend evenings from 7-9 p.m.
Buena Park
Best for Families
Just a few miles north of Anaheim rests the historic city of Buena Park, home to California’s very first theme park. Knotts Berry Farm was built around a blossoming boysenberry farm and still operates as a farm to this day. Its historic buildings allow you to tour the life of a Californian in the 1800s.
For the thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies, the park also hosts 160-acres of world-class rides, shows, restaurants, and attractions that are sure to make wonderful memories for your family. With the changing seasons also come various events all hosted by Snoopy and friends.
For those less adrenaline inclined, Buena Park also allows for you to capture a day in the SoCal sun at Ralph B. Clark Regional Park. The 104-acre park features hiking trails, ball fields, playgrounds, picnic areas and more. One additional highlight is the Interpretive Center where you can dig into Orange County’s prehistoric history with an extensive fossil collection.
Huntington Beach
Best for Surfers and Nightlife
A surfer’s paradise, Huntington Beach is home to the annual Vans US Open of Surfing. The open is the world’s largest surf competition and lifestyle festival showcasing world-class surfing, skateboarding and BMX competitions, movie premieres, and more. Whether you want to jump in the water and practice your surfing skills or walk along the famous pier to people watch, Huntington is the place to be for the best, lively, beach-y, vibes.
Scattered around Main Street are also numerous surf schools for beginners. This allows for renting a board, wetsuit, or taking lessons easy. All in all, there is nowhere better to learn to surf than surf city itself.
After spending your day in water, walk over to Main Street for the most picturesque beachfront lounges, bars, restaurants, and distilleries. With legendary bars and the perfect sunset overhead, Huntington has become one of the best party places in the OC.
Laguna Beach
Best for Couples
Any time you see a picture of a California beach, I can assure you, you are looking at the famous coastline of Laguna Beach. The city’s topography is unique to other California coastal cities with its seven miles of coves and beaches where visitors can explore sea caves, tide pools, ocean side bluffs, natural tide pools and of course, sandy beaches, all within city limits.
Laguna Beach resorts are known to host A-list celebrities, have superb shopping, romantic beach front restaurants, and make for the most picturesque beach city in all of California. This is a perfect place for couples to relax while enjoying a serene beach.
Laguna beach is also the hub for art lovers and museum goers alike. They are well-known for hosting year round events promoting arts and culture, the Pageant of the Masters and other art festivals, being their most famous.
Newport Beach
Best for All
Newport is by far the most lively part of the OC. Throughout the day, you can take the water taxi over to Balboa Island, where you are sure to love the carnival-style Balboa Fun Zone. This classic amusement park is centered around a Ferris wheel that offers a birds-eye view of the ocean and harbor.
From there head over to Fashion Island, the high-end retail and great restaurants are perched upon a hillside with dramatic coastal views. The peninsula is also lined up with boats ready to take you to Catalina Island or a whale watching excursion. Be sure to also check out “the Wedge,” one of the most famous surf spots on the entire coast.
The city also lights up at night, with some of the best and busiest bars and clubs in town. Newport offers a wide array of nightlife ranging from small neighborhood bars to pubs, taverns, dance clubs and live music venues.
Costa Mesa
For Shoppers and Art Lovers
Costa Mesa is known for its world renowned shopping and performing arts center. South Coast Plaza remains the crown jewel of designer shopping with more than 250 boutiques and restaurants, this luxury shopping destination has one of the largest concentrations of high-fashion retailers in the world.
Turning your attention away from designers and luxury brands, the LAB and The CAMP take on the other side of the California vibe, emphasizing its “go green!” lifestyle. The outdoor plaza is the first-known environmentally sensitive retail campus in the United States. The large selection of clothing ranges from active wear to trendy California couture all promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Costa Mesa is also known in Orange County as the city of the arts. The Segerstrom Theater, located just across the street from South Coast Plaza allows locals and visitors to experience the symphony, ballet, Broadway shows, family entertainment and special events.
San Clemente
Best for Peace and Camping
Entering the southern end of Orange County, the beaches are less crowded and the city is quieter. San Clemente borders San Diego County and is known as “The Spanish Village by the Sea.”
Like all SoCal cities, San Clemente is known for being a surfers paradise, but if you want to partake in a different activity, San Clement is also known for its massive beach campsite. The San Clemente State Beach campground has 159 campsites (72 with full hookups) and is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Southern California. Campground amenities include an amphitheater, flush toilets, hot showers, a gift shop, dump station, picnic area and overflow parking. There’s also two trails to the beach, a ranger station and visitor center.
For nature lovers this could be the perfect place to relax under the stars and wake up to a beautiful California sunrise.
Dana Point
Best for Peace
Dana Point is an oasis for those seeking peace and a calm getaway. With fewer visitors than its more lively SoCal counterparts, Dana Point remains an overlooked hideaway.
The city’s beaches are calm and the perfect place to paddleboard, fish, or for beginner surfers. The array of boats and luxury yachts line the harbor and make for a picturesque waterfront for those wanting to take a walk along Dana Point Harbor. Dana Point is also the whale watching capital of the world. With 6+ different species of whales just off the coast, this is the perfect place to see some of the most fascinating marine life.
Due to its peaceful and laid back vibe, it should come as no surprise that a staple of Dana Point has become its spas and yoga classes. Being that California has 365-days of sun, these yoga classes among other fitness classes can oftentimes be offered in parks or on the beach.
Lake Forest
Best for Families
The city is named after two man-made lakes and the beautiful trees that surround the main streets. Between these lakes and surrounding areas are 20 parks that have sprawling greenery.
Along the lakes, feel free to paddle board, fish, and kayak. While the city is more quiet, the residents partake in golfing, tennis, hiking, boating and equestrian. There are multiple places within the city to get equestrian lessons as well as a plethora of hiking trails, the best being the canyons at Whiting Ranch Regional Wilderness Park.
For history lovers, be sure to check out the Heritage Hill Historic Park to catch up on your local history. The four-acre property showcases the history of all things Orange County from the Mexican Rancho period up to the days of citrus farming. There are a number of artifacts on display in the four restored buildings. Feel free to grab a guide or take a walk through at your own pace.
Santa Ana
Best for Families
Santa Ana is one of the more diverse cities in Orange County hosting many Mexican Americans. As a result, it comes at no surprise that Santa Ana is home to the most sought-after and followed taquerias. In fact, a former Orange County Register food critic named 20 of the top 50 best taco spots to be in Santa Ana.
Not only is Santa Ana known for its Mexican cuisine but it also has the only zoo in the Orange County area. The Santa Ana Zoo focuses on the animals and plants of Central and South America. The 20-acre plot of land is home to over a dozen species. There is also a playground, carousel, Ferris wheel, and even a train ride.
As you walk around the city you will also be immersed in murals that date back to the Chicano movement in the 1960’s. These colorful murals are used to show the diversity of this city. Santa Ana proudly displays one of the most extensive collections of murals in Southern California, over 200!
Irvine
Best for Families
Irvine thrives on an abundance of open land, foreign cuisines, open air concert venue, a waterpark, and an outdoor mall that is a staple of the region.
With the amount of Asian immigrants living in Irvine, there is nowhere better to go for Asian cuisine. From Hong Kong-style BBQ Buns to Chinese hot pot to Korean-Mexican fusion restaurants, Irvine has cuisines available from all over the globe
If you are visiting during the summer season, the FivePoint Amphitheatre will have the hottest stars for your summer lineup. The outdoor venue is a great place to get affordable seats to your favorite star and enjoy a night of food trucks and music. Right across the street from the Amphitheater, is the city’s very own Wild Rivers Water Park. Soak up the summer fun with this water park that is built for all ages.
Our recommended hotels in Orange County
Use the interactive map to navigate through our recommended hotels in Orange CountyNote: Hotel prices can change daily due to promotions, seasons, and demand. Our $ - $$$$ scale shows the overall cost range rather than exact prices.
