Looking for some new places to visit and celebrate kicking off the new semester? Look no further. Orange County is filled with a series of fun and reliable locations to participate in year-round, whether that be on your own, with your family, or with any number of your friends. Whether you have a car, a bike or just your own two feet, these spots are sure to be of access.

Just shy of a mile from Concordia, Tanaka Farms sits on 30 acres of land in the midst of Irvine. It is composed of an interactive farm, a market stand and a seasonal pumpkin patch and animals. This 2024 season, Tanaka Farms will be hosting its annual Pumpkin Patch. The Pumpkin Patch and Fall Harvest season opens Sep. 14. Here, you can pick out your own pumpkin, enjoy wagon rides, arts and crafts, a corn maze, barnyard animals and even pick out your own vegetables. 

Hours of operation vary, with Mondays through Sundays being 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until Oct. 4, where the patch will then be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Prices also vary depending on the day of the week. Weekend admission is $22 a ticket. For more information on hours, costs, and activities, visit tanakafarms.com.

A 20-minute drive from campus will land you at Irvine’s vast and multifaceted Irvine Regional Park. Admission per vehicle to the park is $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Here, you can find a well taken care of facility that is filled with walking and running trails, picnic spots, a zoo and a large pond as the centerpiece. The park is open from the hours of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

There are a variety of amenities to indulge in, including fishing, renting a bike, barbecues and more. The OC Zoo is also located within Irvine Regional, where anyone can experience the wildlife for an admission fee of $2 a person. The zoo is home to animals who were injured or not able to be released back into the wild.

There is an abundance of opportunities here for spending some leisure time in the outdoors without committing to a long trip into a scenic and remote area. For more information regarding Irvine Regional Park, visit the website ocparks.com.

If you’re opting for a good cup of coffee and a delicious brunch with a stunning view, Parakeet Cafe might be for you. This coffee shop is about 25 minutes from campus, perched right above the water in the Crystal Cove shopping center. The cafe opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m., open seven days a week.

Parakeet is home to both a broad food and drink menu, with many in-house specialty items to choose from. Brunch is served all day. The food menu consists of dishes such as overnight oats, açaí bowls, the charcoal waffle, green scrambled eggs, shakshuka, a variety of loaded toasts, soups, salads, the surfer burrito and so much more. Many of these choices are unique to the café.

For drinks, items such as the iced mint latte, lavender matcha latte, blue magic latte, mushroom cacao chai, moon milk, the mango bliss smoothie, cold-pressed juices, as well as a traditional selection of teas and coffees and additional options, are available at this Newport location.

Grab a drink or a bite to eat and choose to dine in, with the option of both indoor and outdoor seating, or even perhaps take it to go and enjoy a stroll along the paved sidewalk that lines Pacific Coast Highway. This will grant the opportunity of a beautiful view of the ocean as it dances and shimmers beside you.

For more insight and details, visit parakeetcafe.com and select the Newport Beach Cafe location.

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