My Favorite Places in Orange County

Hey y’all! I hope you all have been having a wonderful weekend! I thought I’d share some of my all-time favorite places in Orange County, should you ever be looking for food, beauty, fitness, shopping etc recommendations in the area. I go to all these places religiously (as some of you know if you follow me on Insta) and couldn’t recommend them enough!

So let’s jump right into these Orange County favorites!

 

Exercise:

 

Boxhaus in Newport Beach –

I felt it was only right to put this at the top of the list because I can’t imagine life without it now! It’s a KILLER cardio boxing class and you will definitely leave SWEATTT-YYY! .. And this is coming from someone who barely sweats! Such a great workout!!! And they also have classes in Long Beach and Brentwood too, if Newport Beach is too far for you!

 

boxhaus - beyond casual b

 

Pilates at BeFit in Costa Mesa –

Again, another AMAZING workout that I can’t live without now! The XFormer machine makes you SHAKE!! That’s probably why it’s their motto! And they also have classes in Long Beach + Laguna Niguel too! If you’re looking to strengthen and tone your muscles, this is your place!! My obliques and abs are showing just after two months of going!

 

befit modern pilates - beyond casual b

 

Paddle boarding at OEX Sunset Beach –

I’ve tried stand up paddle boarding at other places and just haven’t found somewhere I like better than OEX Sunset Beach. The rentals are super cheap and you paddle through canals, so you really don’t have to worry about waves like in the ocean!..  It’s super calm and peaceful and the beautiful homes definitely don’t hurt to look at! haha. Plus, they also have kayaks too.

 

huntington beach - beyond casual b

 

Stairs at Hillcrest Park in Fullerton –

If you’ve been missing the stairmaster lately and love fresh air, this park is for you! And this photo doesn’t even show all the flights of stairs! So if you’re looking for an outdoor cardio workout, check this park out!

 

Hillcrest Park in Fullerton

 

Yoga on the beach in Huntington Beach –

I used to see people doing yoga on the beach and always wondered how to sign up, so one day I finally googled it and discovered it was through an app called “Meetup”. The classes are so relaxing with the ocean breeze, views of the waves and warm sunshine shining down on you. Perfect for clearing the mind and I love to start my day there! .. But they also have evening classes too if that works better for you!

 

 

Shopping:

 

South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa –

This is my favorite mall if I had to pick just one! They have designer + regular stores and it’s just a super clean and pretty mall with all the stores I love!

 

 

Irvine Spectrum Center in Irvine –

This mall is outdoor + has some pretty cool additional things like this ferris wheel pictured below! It’s more regular stores, than designer (you’ll prob only find that in Nordstrom I think), but I love to come here and read or grab lunch!

 

Irvine Spectrum Center

 

Fashion Island in Newport Beach –

This is another outdoor mall, more tailored to designer stores! And again has some great spots to just sit, people watch and relax in the sun!

 

fashion island - beyond casual b

 

Beauty:

 

Glitz Nail Bar in Huntington Beach –

I discovered this nail salon in… the beginning of 2019 I think? And have loved it ever since! … And that’s saying a lot because it’s very hard for me to find a good nail salon! The inside is super cute too and they offer you drinks right when you sit down! Couldn’t recommend enough if you’re looking to do your nails or toes!

 

glitz nail bar

 

Facial’s at Aarna in the Pasea Hotel in Huntington Beach –

I’m very picky when it comes to facials and where I’ll go, so I did my research and stumbled upon the gorgeous hotel Pasea and their spa Aarna! It was an extremely calming and relaxing experience and the facial was amazing! I have yet to try their massages, but maybe I’ll check it out on my next facial appointment!

 

aarna spa pasea hotel

Food:

 

Mama’s in Huntington Beach –

Ooohh! This place is DELICIOUS! I am a HUGE fan of french toast (and have tried manyyyy places), so when I tasted this one, I just had to put it on this list! So so good if you like french toast!

 

mama's huntington beach - beyond casual b

 

The Funnel House in Huntington Beach –

Oh man, I’ve been coming here for YEARS!!! Their churro’s are TO DIE FOR!!! I kid you not! If you love churro’s and are in Huntington, you HAVE to stop by here! They also have ice cream and other treats too though if you don’t like churro’s.

 

the funnel house huntington beach

 

Taqueria De Anda in Fullerton –

YUM, YUM, YUM!!! I LOVE tacos so again, I’m pretty hard to impress haha but this place knocks it out of the park every single time!!! Their carnitas street tacos and horchata are life changing!! And the best part is they’re open 24/7 and have a drive thru too!!! Like what?! If you’re in Fullerton, you MUST get tacos here!

 

 

Beaches:

 

Huntington Beach –

This has been my favorite beach since I was 13 years old. I just love it so much! If you go to one beach in SoCal, make sure you check out Huntington Beach! They have a beautiful pier and a main street with a ton of shops and restaurants too!

 

huntington beach

 

Laguna Beach –

If I had to pick a second beach, it would be Laguna Beach! It’s so beautiful and they have this secret tower too! How cool is it?! If you want to see it though, you have to go at low tide so make sure you plan accordingly!

 

laguna beach - beyond casual b

 

And there you have it! My absolute favorite places in Orange County! I still need to find a hair salon, medspa, more restaurants and more, but for now, these are my favorites! So hopefully you’re able to try out one or a few of these places and love them just as much as I do!

Oh! And if you have any places you love in the area, I’d LOVE to hear about them too!! And if you haven’t already, make sure to check out my last post about my new favorite hoodie!

Have a great night y’all!

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2 Comments

  1. March 12, 2021 / 9:18 pm

    My next trip to California will need to include Huntington Beach! It’s always been on my radar but now I’ve confirmed it if it’s been your favorite beach since you were a teen. I’m in Washington state so our beaches aren’t as sandy or sunny. I crave the California beaches!

    • Bianca
      Author
      March 20, 2021 / 2:39 pm

      Aw I’m so glad I was able to help confirm!! I hope you love it!!