Irvine Vacations

Irvine is a youthful, active city with many choices for having fun. It's home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Wild Rivers Waterpark, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, championship golf courses, lakes, beautiful community parks and so much more. You certainly won't run out of things to do in Irvine, and with hotel rooms starting at only $69 per night, it's affordable as well. Irvine is literally minutes away from some of the best places in the country for having fun.

Here are some of them:

Boomers: There is probably no better place for fun in Irvine, than Boomers. Whether you are racing your friends on go carts, challenging them at mini-golf, dodging them in laser tag, or ramming into their bumper boat, laughter will be kept at a maximum when you're at Boomers.

Beaches: Orange County is home to world-famous beaches and Irvine's hotels are centrally located to all of them. By staying at an Irvine hotel, you get the best of both worlds-close proximity to the beach without paying for beach room rates. In fact, Irvine's just minutes away from the beautiful and prestigious Newport Beach (featured on the hit Fox TV show, The OC), the nearby seaside artist colony of Laguna Beach (featured on the hit MTV series, Laguna Beach), and Huntington Beach, dubbed "Surf City USA" and home to numerous surf contests.

Nearby Attractions: Everyone will enjoy spending the day at any of California's famous theme parks. Disneyland, California Adventure and Knott's Berry Farm are just a few miles north of Irvine. Book tickets to catch an Angel's baseball game or watch the former Stanley Cup Champion, Anaheim Ducks, play at the nearby Anaheim Stadium and Honda Center. Plus, if you have time for more sightseeing, Los Angeles and San Diego are just over an hour away.

Irvine is a shopper's dream come true! The Irvine Spectrum Center is a large outdoor shopping and entertainment complex. Its vibrant atmosphere, beautiful Mediterranean setting, live entertainment, and wide variety of stores make it the ultimate hangout spot and shopping experience. The Spectrum Center has over 120 stores including large department stores, such as Nordstrom and Macy's, to lifestyle brands and specialty boutiques that cater to every style. There is no shortage of dining and entertainment options; in fact, you can even check out a comedy show at the world-famous Improv Comedy Club or experience the thrill of IMAX at the Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 Cinemas.

The Irvine Market Place is yet another option with a dynamic selection of over 120 stores and restaurants. It offers a range of dining, shopping and entertainment experiences and is situated in a serene and beautiful outdoor setting. Whether you're looking for sporting goods, fashion apparel, home furnishings and décor, to electronics, books and more, the Market Place has it all!

Just a few miles from Irvine is the world-famous South Coast Plaza that offers plenty of glitz and glam with over 300 high-end boutiques and designer shops.

Don't forget the food! Irvine's cafés and restaurants offer a wide variety of international and American cuisine to please any palate. There's a wide selection of popular "kid friendly" eateries like The Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Claim Jumper and Yard House. For those who crave a more international flavor, there are numerous options ranging from Chinese to Mexican to Japanese. Who says you can't play with your food? Release your inner child and let loose at Dave and Buster's where you can grab a soft drink, enjoy the food and have some fun or dive into the Melting Pot for an interactive fondue experience. The "foodies" in the group will want to check out Bistango, Zov's Café Bakery & Bar or The Counter, where they can build their own unique gourmet burger.

One of the best features of Irvine is that it's located within a mile of John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA), which means no traffic or long delays to check into your hotel. It is also one of Southern California's major airports and is conveniently located in the heart of Orange County, just minutes away from Irvine hotels. In addition, two freeways, the 405 and the 5, meet in Irvine, allowing for easy access to the city and nearby attractions.

You can check out popular concerts and music events at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. This large outdoor arena is nestled up against the rolling green hills of Irvine. With reserved and lawn seating of nearly 15,000, the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater it is a great place for you to see some of your favorite artists perform.

The famed South Coast Reparatory theater and Segerstrom Center for the Arts are also great to experience the fine arts.

What's more, every summer Laguna Beach's Festival of Arts presents its world famous Pageant of the Masters, where actors, paint, costumes and lighting combine to recreate contemporary and classical artwork. Performed in an outdoor theater, this popular yearly event is an unforgettable experience.

The UCI Anteaters, have won 26 national team championships in nine different sports, and have captured 66 conference championships. In addition to the spacious Bren Event Center, home to the Anteaters' basketball & volleyball teams, UCI also offers the Anteater Ballpark, with 900 chair back seats and 2000 festival capacity seating and the Anteater Stadium, a multi-purpose venue equipped to accommodate both soccer and track & field tournaments, with 2500 spectator seating. There is also the Anteater Complex, which has a 210 foot by 75 foot Olympic-sized swimming pool which is perfect for swim meets and water polo matches, and can also be configured for diving competitions.

For the golfers in your group, Irvine has much to offer with its gorgeous weather, pristine landscapes, and championship golf courses. Some of the more popular golf courses in the city include Strawberry Farms Golf Club, Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course, and the serenely beautiful Oak Creek Golf Club.

Irvine is a unique city in that it has committed over 30 percent of its land to open space. The Irvine Ranch Wildlands and Parks comprise more than 60,000 acres of protected wilderness and has been designated a National Natural Landmark. Activities such as docent-led hikes through limestone canyons, mountain bike rides up to gorgeous vistas, early morning fitness walks, and kayaking with a trained naturalist are just some of the many unforgettable experiences available at the Irvine Ranch Wildlands and Parks. The surroundings provide an excellent opportunity for team building and fun educational experiences.

Irvine's master-planned community design successfully balances a thriving urban environment with the preservation of natural open space resulting in an abundance of parks, lakes and recreational facilities. Irvine has 36 neighborhood parks, with playgrounds and sports facilities and 18 community parks offering a range of programs and services. The historic Bommer Park is another great site, with sycamore-shaded picnic tables, a covered stage, plenty of lighting, barbeque pits, sand volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. Other outdoor activities are available at the expansive Irvine Regional Park, with 477 acres of rolling foothills shaded by oak and sycamore trees. It is just the right place for a picnic, game of touch football or horseback riding.