Celebrate the winter season at Arts at the Oaks! 

Learn about the rise of citrus agriculture in Orange County with a brief tour of the historic orange grove and create your own traditional citrus decorations using real dried oranges and fragrant spices to bring good tidings to your home and a friend’s for years to come!

Arts at the Oaks is a monthly program exploring the cultural and natural history of Orange County and beyond through hands-on creative expression.  Each month features a new artistic medium and topic to discover. No previous art experience is necessary and all are welcome to join and try something new!

The program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle.  Children must be accompanied by a guardian.  The program will be held below the Santiago Oaks Regional Park nature center.  

Advance registration is required.  Learn more and register here.

For questions, please contact resource specialist Shelly Marshall at shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

Join us for story time while we enjoy the natural wonders of Irvine Regional Park!

Nature Narratives is offered the first Wednesday of each month from 10-11 a.m. and includes a story with themed displays followed by an age-appropriate hike.

This program will begin at the nature center located near parking lot T. Program content is tailored for ages 2-6, but all are welcome to attend. Water and comfortable attire with closed-toe shoes is recommended.

Inclement weather may cancel the program.

Advance registration is required. Learn more and register here.

For questions, please contact resource specialist Shelly Marshall at shelly.marshall@ocparks.com.

​​​​​​*This program begins at the James Dilley Preserve, 350 Artisan Dr., Laguna Beach, CA 92651*

Enjoy an easy 2.5-mile hike with your family at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park! Starting at the James Dilley Preserve, we will hike one of the most diverse areas of the park to Barbara’s Lake and back. The hike is moderate but includes uneven terrain and approximately 45 feet of elevation gain. Please wear closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water.

Participants 18 and younger must be accompanied by a guardian. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel the program. 

Unplug and relax outdoors on a nature mediation walk through Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 

Allow your natural sense of wonder to engage in playful activities, deepening connections with the outside world and ourselves during this guided program. 

The program will begin on the patio at the Nix Nature Center and include a brief walk and tea ceremony of reciprocity. Please note this activity involves making and drinking tea from sustainably sourced native plants and participants are asked to notify park staff upon arrival of any food allergies or sensitivities. Please wear closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

This program is designed for ages 10 and older. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle. 

Rain or heat advisory will cancel this program. 

Join OC Parks naturalists at Mason Regional Park as we learn about important ecological concepts through games! Bring your family and friends, and compete against them in three different nature-inspired games. This program is designed for kids, but parents are encouraged to play as well.  

We will meet by the lake in the middle of the park. Follow signs that read "Nature Games - Check In”. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

The program is free and parking is $5 per vehicle. 

For questions, please email shelbi.richardson@ocparks.com.

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel the program. 

*This program begins at the James Dilley Preserve, 350 Artisan Dr., Laguna Beach, CA 92651*

Join OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalists to learn about the seasonal life of California native plants on this enjoyable 2.5-mile hike with 175 feet of elevation gain over moderately uneven terrain. Please wear closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring plenty of water.

This program will meet in the James Dilley Preserve parking lot.

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

This program is designed for ages 16 and older. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. 

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle.

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel the program. 

Please be aware this is a fitness hike and not for beginners; the pace is approximately a 19-minute mile. 

Raise your heart rate and your spirits on this difficult, strenuous and fast-paced, 7.2-mile hike over steep and uneven terrain with 1,050 feet of elevation gain. Please wear closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water.

The program will begin at the Nix Nature Center parking lot. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

Participants must be 16 or older. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle. 

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel this program. 

Join OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park as we learn and work together to create a healthier habitat for the native plants and wildlife that call the canyon home. 

Volunteers will assist with various stewardship activities including removing non-native plants, cleaning up the creek or planting native plants. No experience is necessary and all tools will be provided. Please wear long pants, closed-toe shoes and sun protection and bring water. 

The program will meet at the Nix Nature Center parking lot. 

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

This program is for ages 16 and older. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. The program and parking are free. Participants will receive a parking voucher after signing in. 

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel this program.

*This program begins at the Willow Staging Area, 20070 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651*

Join OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers in beautiful Laguna Coast Wilderness Park at our native plant nursery as we care for native plants from their seed stage to their mature, ready-to-be planted stage. Volunteers may collect seeds, sow seeds in flats, bump plants up, plant at restoration sites, sterilize plant containers and help maintain the nursery.

Participants should wear closed-toe shoes, layered clothing and sun protection. This program is for ages 16 and older. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian.

The program is free and participants will receive a parking voucher. 

Advance registration is required. Learn more and register here.

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel the program. 

*This program begins at the James Dilley Preserve, 350 Artisan Dr., Laguna Beach, CA 92651*

Spot local native and seasonal resident birds with OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalists on this slow and easy 2-mile hike over moderate but uneven terrain with up to 100 feet in elevation gain. We will hike through one of the most diverse plant communities in the United States - no experience necessary! 

This program is for ages 12 and older. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Wear hiking or walking shoes and bring your binoculars.  

Advance registration required. Learn more and register here.

The program is free and parking is $3 per vehicle. 

Adverse weather, including high temperatures and wet or muddy trail conditions, may cancel the program.