Local Things To Do- Written by Bri Craver

As a graduate student, your schedule will likely be pretty busy during the week with classes, research, teaching, assignments, writing papers, attending conferences, etc. However, we all need to have fun once in a while. Someone living in a new area might not know all the things to do nearby. So, here is a list of a few things to do in Orange County on a “graduate student” budget. By no means is this list all-encompassing, but Note: I understand that many international students will not be arriving to UC Irvine with a car and there are many blog posts about transportation in orange county. However, it’s my opinion that Uber or Lyft (free apps) will be the most cost-effective way to get around, especially if you travel with friends.

Free: “Free”, the magical word to get any student to come running. Nothing beats the admission cost of $0. Southern California, especially Orange County, is a beautiful place; so many of the things listed below are outdoorsy.

Beaches: Did you know that UC Irvine was ranked as the #1 school for beach lovers? OK, well UC Irvine isn’t ON the beach, but we are a short 15-minute drive from the coast. It’s fun to see how each beach has a different “personality”, each city has a different ambience. Here are the best and closest beaches to UCI:

1. Crystal Cove is the closest beach to UCI at 4.5 miles away. This beach gets pretty popular on weekends because there are several things to do rather than just swim in the ocean. Crystal cove has several hiking trails, which will be discussed later, as well as popular restaurants just steps away from the water. Approximately $12 Lyft ride each way from UCI during non-rush hours.
2. Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach is only 4.8 miles away and is a very popular location for surfing, restaurants and nightlife along Newport Avenue. The peninsula itself spans about 10 miles of beaches, but some of the best places to hang out are near the Newport Beach Pier. Approximately a $14 Lyft ride each way from UCI during non-rush hours.
3. Laguna Beach is south of Crystal Cove and is a cute location for a date night. There are several art galleries as well as an Art Walk on the first Thursday of every month (also free). Approximately $17 Lyft ride each way from UCI during non-rush hours.
4. Huntington beach has fire pits and is a good place to have a bonfire. There is a new outdoor mall called Pacific City that has several amazing restaurants and lots of clothing stores. 12 miles away, approximately $20 Lyft ride each way from UCI during non-rush hours.

Hikes: Orange County is surrounded parks and trails. Here are a few noteworthy hikes:

1. Bommer’s Canyon, only 2 miles away from campus, is one of the closest hikes nearby. The basic Nature Loop is about 2 miles, but there are other smaller trails branching off from it. There is also a restroom and a water fountain at the trailhead.
2. Newport Back Bay is 1 mile down the Santa Ana River Trail from UCI. The entire Back Bay loop is 10 miles and is perfect for running or biking.
3. Top of the World in Laguna Beach has a gorgeous view that looks over miles and miles of the coast. The longest hike is approximately 7 miles.

Casual strolls: If you’re not in the mood to go on a strenuous hike but you still want to go outdoors, there are many other things to see and do.

1. Balboa Village
2. Window shopping at South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island
3. The Camp/The Lab is a hipster outdoors mall across the freeway from South Coast Plaza and has several cute restaurants and shops.
4. University Park is a large park nearby campus and is perfect for an afternoon stroll. Also, a good place to feed ducks in the pond.
5. Downtown Disney is adjacent to Disneyland but is free and open to the public. This is a lively promenade with lots of lights and music, shopping and dancing.
6. Art Walks: There are free art walks open to the public usually once a month at various locations. Go to this website for more details on the options nearby: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-art-walks-in-oc/

Cheap (under $20)

1. Happy hour at Eureka at University Town Center
2. Edwards Theater at the University Town Center usually has several independent films.
3. Irvine Improv Comedy Club sometimes has an employee on campus to give out free tickets to UCI students.
4. Observatory OC is the local venue for music concerts and hosts a variety of genres.
5. The Anaheim Angel’s baseball game. There are occasional super cheap tickets for students and going to a game is a super fun way to spend time with friends.
6. House of Blues in Anaheim is another music venue, located in Downtown Disney, that plays rock and blues music.

Not cheap:

1. Disneyland. Enough said.
2. Stand-up paddle-boarding or Kayaking: $15-35, Rentals can be made through the UCI Campus Rec website at http://www.campusrec.uci.edu/outdoor/index.asp
3. Nightlife: Honestly, there isn’t much nightlife in Irvine. Irvine prides itself in being a “family-friendly” city and has been one of the safest cities in the US for the last 13 years. Thus, many nightlife activities must be found in nearby cities. Here are a few nearby options:

• • The Triangle
  • Irvine Spectrum
  • Balboa Peninsula
  • Downtown Fullerton is a bit out of the way but is a college town and is a good place to go bar hopping

Comment below to let me know what sounds the most exciting to you! Also be sure to comment if you’ve done any of these things!