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Best Springtime Destinations Near Orange County

March 5, 2016 / 5:00 AM PST / KCAL News

Orange County is not far from many beautiful places that are perfect for a springtime visit. Spring is the earthiest of seasons. It is associated with love, new beginnings and pleasant weather. Animals emerge from winter doldrums to mate, humans begin the process of airing out their homes and their lives and plants begin to bloom in the warm weather. That's why this list includes places that are lovely, close to nature, a breath of fresh air and a perfect break from spring cleaning.

Venice Canals
200 Linnie Canal
Venice, CA 90291
www.discoverlosangeles.com

Lovely Venice is located in Los Angeles, but it's named after the famous Italian city for a reason. The nearby city has a charming neighborhood with man-made canals running through it. The canals are designed to resemble the canals of Venice, Italy. The walkways provide a view of ducks and small boats floating in the water. The romantic waterways are picture perfect for spring, a time when love is in the air.

Pacific Coast Highway
This coastal highway is a destination all its own. The New York Daily News described it last year as a "bucket-list trip" with "650 curve-hugging, jaw-dropping miles." To Orange County residents, it may seem odd that this stretch of road would be on someone's bucket list, so easily accessible it is. If you've never driven it, just think about the kind of wonderful scenery that passes by while driving the highway even from just Orange County to Los Angeles. It goes past Crystal Cove in Newport Beach and Venice Beach in Los Angeles.

Big Bear Lake
630 Bartlett Road
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
(800) 424-4232
www.bigbear.com

You never know what spring at Big Bear Lake is going to look like. There may still be some winter weather in early spring, but late spring should be just like summertime. Spring is a time for rebirth at Big Bear Lake, because that is the time when wildflowers and other plants sprout from the ground in the city's alpine meadows. This mountain city, surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest, has a lake (as the name implies). Enjoy the outdoors by paddling on the lake, hiking, stargazing or other activities.
Related: Best Wine Tasting In Orange County

Catalina Island
P.O. Box 217
Avalon, CA 90704
(310) 510-152
www.catalinachamber.com

Islands are associated with privacy, because the surrounding ocean acts as a buffer between the island and the rest of the world. What better way to get away from it all than to take a trip to a land with a natural barrier between it and the American mainland? It's this isolation that helps Catalina Island market itself as the "Island of Romance." They have many hotels that cater to couples looking for a private getaway. Hotels offer such amenities as "fireplaces, whirlpool jacuzzi tubs, private balconies and ocean views." When not viewing the ocean, you can explore it and its shores with your partner by your side.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
200 Palm Canyon Drive
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
(760) 767-5311
www.stateparks.com

The beauty of a desert can be underestimated. Instead of thinking in terms of excessive heat, dehydration and even death by quicksand, try thinking about California's largest state park and all it's natural beauty. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has "five-hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails…" Wildlife includes animals as benign as roadrunners and as dangerous as the red diamond rattlesnake. Vegetation includes cacti, wildflowers, palm groves and much more. The view is an epic for spring dreams, and a little bit of danger in the dusty wilderness makes it all the more romantic.

Leilani Allmon writes for fun and enjoys sharing her thoughts on the internet. She resides in Murrieta, CA. More of her writings can be found on Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/everyday-people-in-anaheim/leilani-allmon

Pacific Coast Highway