Visit Lovely Orange County Great Park in Irvine

One of the many good reasons to own Irvine real estate is the Orange County Great Park. 

The Great Park Balloon is the signature attraction of the park. Between 25 and 30 people can float 400 feet above the park. On clear days, passengers can see 40 miles in every direction. Adult tickets for the balloon are $10. Children are free with an adult ticket.

There are lots of activities on firm ground for Irvine real estate owners, too. There are many paths to walk or run. One of the distinctive paths is the Walkable Historical Timeline. It begins at 13,000 BC, when humans reach the Americas and ends at 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. There are fields and facilities for sports, and visitors can check out sports equipment at the Visitors Center.

On Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., stock up on fresh produce at the Farmers Market. It’s a great time to meet up with friends and get breakfast or lunch from one of the delicious food trucks.

Speaking of food, the Farm + Food Lab is open everyday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can explore the Pizza and Spaghetti Garden, to see how the ingredients in tomato sauce look before they’re cooked. The Great Park also hosts many events for Irvine real estate owners and their families. There are story times for children, gardening and cooking workshops, and musical performances, among others. Click here for some info on Great Park homes for sale in Irvine and more.

There are many other things to do at the Great Park, and pretty soon, a 175-acre sports park will be built there. This will be in addition to the existing South Lawn and North Lawn Sports & Fitness Complex. The sports park will become a premier recreational and competitive location with a planned 18 new additional soccer and multi-use fields, 25 tennis courts, 4 sports courts, 12 baseball/softball fields, and 5 sand volleyball courts. If you golf, you'll be happy to hear that a 188-acre golf course and golf practice facility and clubhouse will be developed too. 

Did you know that Johnson Brothers Xmas Tree Lot is right here in Irvine?

Not all Irvine homeowners know that the best place to get a Christmas tree is at Johnson Brothers Christmas Tree Lot, which can be found at 15500 Jeffrey Rd.

They're open daily from 9:00 am but they'll shut down for the holidays on December 23rd.

Among the Johnson Brothers trees are varieties like Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Fraser Fir, Nordman Fir, Noble Fir and Scotch Pine, all of which are grown in the Pacific Northwest.

Whether your Irvine home needs a really small tree for a table-top decoration, or a huge large tree to fill up a formal living-room, you'll find the perfect tree at the Johnson Brothers Jeffrey Road lot.

Flocked trees are also available in traditional white or in pink, blue, purple, orange, or green.

While you’re checking out the lovely trees, remember to also get a wreath, centerpiece, or garland. And get a tree-stand installed prior to buying your tree, so all will be ready to go as soon as you get it home.

You can also get fire-retardant applied to your tree. Pick up a little bottle of preservative to keep your tree looking fresh for Christmas morning.

If you're too busy to get down to the Jeffrey Road lot in person, that's not a problem because Johnson Brothers can deliver to your Irvine property. Visit johnsonbros.net to see more options and choose your tree.

Take the Kids in Your Irvine Home to Pretend City

If you have kids in your Irvine home, check out Pretend City, a novel children’s museum. It’s easily accessed, just south of the junction of the 5 and 405 freeways at 29 Hubble. 

The museum has several interactive exhibits where kids can play and explore. The Imagination Playground is a favorite, with blocks that can be used to build a fort, a robot, or anything else a kid can dream up. 

There’s also Pretend City, with all the institutions and businesses found in a real city. Children can explore and learn about their world in the exhibits in Pretend City.

Pretend City is a great place to go when you need to get your kids out of your Irvine home. It’s open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Babies up to 12 months old are free. Tickets for children and adults are $12.50.

Memberships are also available. Members can take advantage of members-only hours from 9 to 10 a.m. everyday. If you have a birthday boy or girl in your Irvine home, throw a party at Pretend City.

Learn more about this fun, child-oriented museum at pretendcity.org.