From guest contributor: Nikki Lazaran of Resfeber Junket

Planning a California Coast road trip? If you’re not, you should be. From the sunbathed shores of San Diego to to the thick groves of NorCal’s redwoods, California is arguably one of the most beautiful and diverse states in the contiguous United States.

I’ll be sharing my favorite spots all month, so stay tuned to read up on what gives “The Golden State” its signature sparkle!

LET’S EXPLORE: ORANGE COUNTY

ORANGE COUNTY

Just a few hours drive from San Diego, you’ll find plenty of quintessential California “fun in the sun” in Orange County. First stop?

ANAHEIM

Anaheim, better known as the home to Disneyland. No trip through Orange County is complete without it. Scoop up a day pass, plan to head to the park before they open and on a weekday to beat some of the crowds, and make sure to eat an oversized churro for me.

What are the must-do rides? It’s tough to choose, but some of the classics and a few of my favorites are:

• The Haunted Mansion

• Thunder Mountain

• Splash Mountain

• Indiana Jones Adventure

• Space Mountain

• It’s A Small World

• Pirates Of The Caribbean

• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

• Mad Tea Party (the “Tea Cups”)

• Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Grab all the fast passes you can to skip to the front of the line at your favorite rides.

LAGUNA BEACH

If you’re looking for a relaxing seaside day sans the hoards of people at Disneyland, opt for a day in Laguna Beach, cruising Route 66. Grab a burger and milkshake from one of the many vintage diners, such as the cliffside Ruby’s on PCH (also called Crystal Cove Shake Shack), and go tide pooling during low tide at Shaw’s Cove or Crystal Cove Park. Don’t forget your water shoes so you can explore for critters on the sharp rocks!

Pro tip: Check the tides on the “Tides” app so you can determine the best time of day for your tide pooling adventures.

Not into exploring for creatures? Meander Crystal Cove State Park instead and take in the sea views. Or head to Victoria Beach to see the old stone light house. Fair warning: it pretty much disappears at high tide and can get quite crowded on weekends or during midday low tides.

If the surf is more your speed, join the locals at The Wedge or Thousand Steps Beach, but be prepared to walk the steps in (and more importantly) out. Once you’ve worked up an appetite from climbing all those steps, grab breakfast burritos or banana pancakes at Coyote Grill or make reservations at Nick’s Laguna Beach for a delectable steak dinner.

Have you been to ORANGE COUNTY? COMMENT BELOW AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE THING! OR USE #ESTCALIFORNIA ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL TO SHARE.

Meet Nikki

Hi, I’m Nikki Lazaran, travel TV producer, avid wanderer, and the creator & author of Resfeber Junket. I plan extravagant dates and exotic travel for a living as one of “The Bachelor” franchise producers. On my occasional days off, I like to help you do the same.

“Resfeber” is a Swedish word which describes the “jitter” before an impending trip or “travel fever.” Pronounced, “res/feb/ə(r).”

I chose “Resfeber Junket” to encapsulate the travel fever I hope you experience when you join me here for your curated travel and romance content. I aim to help you feed that hunger to explore and point you towards what you need to live an intrepid life, whether you are fearless in your pursuit of travel or love…or both!

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