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5 Reasons To Visit OC For Winter Break

Want to beat the cold and get rid of your winter blues? Well, look no further. Orange County has sunshine and pleasant temperatures all year round. Whether you want to be active in the warm sunshine or sip on some of the area's best vino in the shade, Orange County has you covered.

Camping

In most cities it's too cold to camp outside, but that's not the case in Orange County. Not only are the temperatures pleasing, so are the terrains. It's rare that an area enables you to camp on the beach as well as in more forested, grassy areas, but in Orange County you can take advantage of both. Some of the popular campgrounds in the area include Bolsa Chica State Beach, Caspers Wilderness Park, San Onofre State Beach, Irvine Lake and O'Neill Regional Park. Many of the campgrounds have fire pits, BBQ grills, toilets, showers and enable campers to fish on site

Disneyland

Perusing the Disneyland Park can be more pleasant during the winter months because the temperatures are milder, and the lines are sometimes shorter than when kids are out of school during the summer months. If the cooler temperatures and quicker access through lines aren't enough to convince you to travel to Disneyland during the winter, maybe the Disneyland Resort Diamond celebration held Nov. 13 until Jan. 6 will get you in the mood. There will be parades, cultural events, live entertainment and opportunities to make your visit extra special if you are staying on the resort. The Disneyland resort offers customized room packages to make your stay a bit merrier with decorative themes in your room such as "Frozen," "Romantic," "Christmas," "Welcome" and "Halloween." Take a look at the different in-room themes on the website.

Wineries

The entire state of California is known for producing an abundance of wine, and the Orange County wine scene is one area worth checking out. From light, refreshing white vino, sparkling and dessert wines to full-bodied red vino, the wineries in OC likely have a creation to suit your palate. Some of the wineries to visit include Laguna Canyon Winery, Orange Coast Winery, Giracci Vineyards and Farms and Rancho Capistrano Winery. Visit our selections for the Best Wine Tasting in OC or our list of the Best Wineries Near Orange County.

Related: Best Public Golf Courses In Orange County

Hiking

Orange County has hiking trails for the entire family to explore. Some of the most visited trails include Borrego Trail/Red Rock Trail, Peters Canyon Lake View Trail, Trabuco Canyon Trail, Holy Jim Falls Trail, Black Star Canyon Falls Trail, Laurel Canyon Loop Trail, Barbara's Lake Loop Trail and Quail Hill Trailhead. With waterfalls, lakes, rocks and forested areas, you are sure to get in touch with nature while burning calories. Some trails allow your four-legged family to come along, and even welcome horseback riding.
 
Visit our list of the Best Hiking Trails in Orange County

Ocean Activities

Known as one of the most popular surfing destinations all year long, the Orange County coast offers ocean activities for you to enjoy, even in the winter. There are various beaches in which visitors can not only surf, but also, snorkel, swim, kayak, play volleyball and simply lay out and soak up some sun. If you're going to get in the water, wearing a wetsuit is advisable because the water can be cold. Some of the popular Orange County beaches include Crystal Cove State Beach, Huntington Beach, Aliso Creek Beach, Crescent Bay Beach and Goff Cove Beach.

Related: Best Hiking Trails In Orange County

Stacy Brecht is a professional writer, publicist, dancer and model in the Los Angeles area. Brecht also enjoys traveling, wine, fitness training, live music, movies and trying new restaurants. Her work can be found at Examiner.com

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